Thailand Mourns Queen Mother Sirikit, Patron of Crafts and Charity at 93
Beloved former Queen of Thailand dies on October 24 and is honoured with a year of mourning
Queen Mother Sirikit of Thailand passed away on October 24, 2025 in Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, at the age of 93. The Royal Household Bureau confirmed she had been hospitalised since 2019 and developed a bloodstream infection on October 17 that proved fatal.
She married King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) in 1950 and became a central figure in Thailand’s royal institution, earning wide respect for her charitable work among rural communities, preservation of traditional Thai crafts—including the silk industry—and environmental conservation efforts.
A year-long mourning period has been declared for the royal family and royal household, while flags across Thailand will fly at half-mast for 30 days and public-sector officials will observe formal mourning attire for a year.
Visitors and Thai citizens have been encouraged to wear subdued colours for 90 days.
Despite the grief, government and tourism officials assured travellers that the country remains open, though festive events and public celebrations are temporarily subdued in respect of the national sorrow.
Major tourist attractions continue to operate normally but visitors are advised to show respect at royal sites and temples.
Her funeral arrangements will follow the highest royal honours and her body will lie in state at the Grand Palace in Bangkok before cremation.
As the mother of the current King Maha Vajiralongkorn (Rama X), she is survived by her son and three daughters.
The mourning of her loss underscores her enduring legacy as a mother figure to Thailand and a symbol of national unity.
She married King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) in 1950 and became a central figure in Thailand’s royal institution, earning wide respect for her charitable work among rural communities, preservation of traditional Thai crafts—including the silk industry—and environmental conservation efforts.
A year-long mourning period has been declared for the royal family and royal household, while flags across Thailand will fly at half-mast for 30 days and public-sector officials will observe formal mourning attire for a year.
Visitors and Thai citizens have been encouraged to wear subdued colours for 90 days.
Despite the grief, government and tourism officials assured travellers that the country remains open, though festive events and public celebrations are temporarily subdued in respect of the national sorrow.
Major tourist attractions continue to operate normally but visitors are advised to show respect at royal sites and temples.
Her funeral arrangements will follow the highest royal honours and her body will lie in state at the Grand Palace in Bangkok before cremation.
As the mother of the current King Maha Vajiralongkorn (Rama X), she is survived by her son and three daughters.
The mourning of her loss underscores her enduring legacy as a mother figure to Thailand and a symbol of national unity.
