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Thailand’s former Queen Sirikit, the mother of King Vajiralongkorn and wife of the country’s longest-reigning monarch, passed away late Friday at the age of 93, according to the royal palace. The Thai royal family is highly revered, often regarded by many as semi-divine figures, with expansive media coverage and portraits displayed across public spaces and private homes nationwide.
“Her loss is deeply felt by the nation,” Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul stated on Saturday, announcing he would postpone his departure for a weekend summit of Southeast Asian leaders in Malaysia.
During her 66-year marriage to King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Sirikit gained a reputation as both a fashion icon and a compassionate matriarch—frequently featured in Western media on magazine covers and compared to Jackie Kennedy, the former U.S. First Lady.
“I had heard she had been unwell, and given her age, I knew this day might come,” said 53-year-old housekeeper Sasis Putthasit early Saturday in Bangkok. “But I didn’t expect it to be today. It’s very sad because she was like a mother figure for the nation, and now she’s gone.”
The palace noted that Sirikit had experienced several health issues, including a blood infection earlier this month, leading to her hospitalization since 2019. Her condition worsened until she passed away at Chulalongkorn Hospital.
King Vajiralongkorn has designated members of the royal family to oversee a year of mourning, with Thai media and officials wearing black in observance starting Saturday. Crowds gathered outside Chulalongkorn Hospital, holding portraits of the late queen and paying respects.
Her death “signifies a momentous event for the Thai royal family and the entire country, considering her enormous popularity and close ties to the late king, whom many still deeply revere,” remarked Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a former diplomat and scholar studying Thailand’s monarchy.
Known as the “Mother of the Nation,” Sirikit’s reign in the 1960s saw her mingling with U.S. presidents and celebrities like Elvis Presley, while also traveling extensively within Thailand to visit rural communities. Her birthday was officially designated as Thailand’s Mothers’ Day.
Store owner Tanyaporn Arammetha shared that she always viewed the late queen and king as parental figures. “She demonstrated genuine care for Thai people, much like a parent loves their children,” she said.
The country’s monarchy, established in 1782, currently faces a successor question, as King Vajiralongkorn has yet to formally name an heir. He has seven children—five sons from previous marriages who have been disowned and a 20-year-old son, Dipangkorn Rasmijoti.
Although the monarchy continues to enjoy high regard, it experienced unprecedented public protests in 2020 demanding political reforms and questioning royal authority—an extraordinary challenge in Thai history. The late queen also drew attention when she attended a royalist protester’s funeral in 2008.
Following King Bhumibol’s death, Thailand observed a year of mourning, with flags lowered to half-mast, bans on celebrations, and citizens wearing black. Sirikit’s body will lie in state at the Grand Palace’s Dusit Thron Hall in Bangkok.
A worker at a local food company reflected, “We’ve lost two guiding figures—Queen Sirikit and King Bhumibol. They’re watching over us from heaven.” International leaders also expressed condolences; Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended their sympathies, emphasizing Pakistan’s solidarity with Thailand during this period of mourning.
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