Thailand’s Queen Mother Sirikit Dies at 93
- SAUDI ARABIA BREAKING NEWS
- 13 hours ago
- 2 min read
Bangkok, October 25, 2025 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Thailand’s Queen Mother Sirikit, an influential figure who combined royal grace with international style and served as a symbol of unity for decades, has died at the age of 93, the Royal Household Bureau announced on Saturday.
The palace said Sirikit had been hospitalized since 2019 due to multiple illnesses and developed a bloodstream infection on October 17, before passing away late on Friday. She had largely withdrawn from public life following a stroke in 2012.
A one-year mourning period has been declared for the royal family and household staff, while government offices will fly flags at half-mast for a month. Officials have been instructed to observe the mourning period for one year.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul cancelled his trip to the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur following the announcement.
Sirikit, wife of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Thailand’s longest-reigning monarch, was known for her charitable work and for elevating the monarchy’s profile at home and abroad. When traveling internationally, she drew widespread attention for her elegance and style, often wearing creations made from traditional Thai silk designed in collaboration with French couturier Pierre Balmain.
Born in 1932, Sirikit Kitiyakara was the daughter of Thailand’s ambassador to France. She met King Bhumibol while studying in Paris, and the couple married in 1950. Throughout her life, she championed rural development projects and efforts to preserve Thai cultural traditions.
Sirikit briefly served as regent in 1956, when King Bhumibol entered a Buddhist monastery, and her birthday, August 12, is celebrated in Thailand as Mother’s Day and a national holiday.
Her only son, King Maha Vajiralongkorn (Rama X), succeeded King Bhumibol in 2016 and upon his coronation in 2019, Sirikit received the title of Queen Mother.
For many Thais, she remains a revered figure for her humanitarian work and devotion to national development. Her death marks the end of an era in modern Thai history.
Sirikit is survived by King Maha Vajiralongkorn and three daughters.
