Politics

Thailand's Former Queen Sirikit Dies at 93

Published OCT 25 2025

Story

Above: People hold portraits of Queen Sirikit in front of Chulalongkorn Hospital in Bangkok on Oct. 25, 2025. Image credit: Chanakarn Laosarakham/AFP/Getty Images

The Facts

Thailand's former Queen Sirikit, mother of current King Maha Vajiralongkorn and widow of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, died Friday at age 93 at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital in Bangkok after battling a bloodstream infection since Oct. 17.
WFXG FOX 54
The New York Times
The Bureau of the Royal Household announced that Queen Sirikit had been hospitalized since September 2019 with multiple health conditions requiring continuous treatment, and that her condition had been deteriorating despite medical efforts.
Bangkok Post
Khaosod English
King Vajiralongkorn ordered the royal funeral to be conducted with the highest honors, as tradition dictates. Her remains are lying in state at Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall in the Grand Palace, and a one-year mourning period has been announced.
The Times of India
The Nation Thailand
Born Sirikit Kitiyakara on Aug. 12, 1932, she met King Bhumibol in Paris, where her father served as Thai ambassador, initially describing their first encounter as hate at first sight due to his tardiness before romance developed.
Al Jazeera
Guardian
The couple married on April 28, 1950, one week before his coronation, and had four children, including the current King Vajiralongkorn and three daughters. Sirikit became known internationally for her fashion sense in the 1960s.
The New York Times
BBC News
She dedicated herself to rural development projects, the preservation of traditional crafts through her SUPPORT foundation and environmental conservation efforts. Her birthday is celebrated as Thailand's Mother's Day national holiday.
Khaosod English
WFXG FOX 54

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

Thailand mourns the Mother of the Nation, whose life exemplified selfless service and unwavering dedication to the Thai people. Queen Sirikit devoted decades to uplifting rural communities, preserving cultural heritage and environmental conservation, earning reverence as a unifying symbol of grace and compassion.

Nationthailand

Thai PBS World

Sihasak Phuangketkeow on X

Narrative B

Queen Sirikit's death marks the end of a reign defined by political meddling and dynastic chaos. Her heavy-handed interference in her son's marriages and personal life created lasting instability, while her affair with a young soldier became a national embarrassment that required a six-month disappearance from public view.