Queen Sirikit of Thailand passes away at 93, remembered for glamorous legacy

Bangkok (The Uttam Hindu): Thailand's Queen Mother Sirikit has died at the age of 93. The Royal Household Bureau announced Saturday that she passed away late Friday night. Queen Mother Sirikit is credited with injecting a new chapter of glamour, dignity, and modernity into the Thai monarchy in the post-war era.

She had been absent from public life since suffering a stroke in 2012. Hospitalized since 2019, the Queen Mother developed a blood infection on October 17, after which her condition steadily deteriorated.

A one-year mourning period has been declared for the royal family and state officials following his death. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has canceled his trip to Malaysia for the ASEAN summit. Plans for a state funeral will be discussed at a special cabinet meeting on Saturday.

The 'Ravishing Beauty' Who Dazzled the World

Queen Sirikit was Thailand's longest-serving royal companion, living with her husband, the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, for 70 years. She not only won the hearts of the Thai people but also introduced the world to Thai culture and fashion.

During her visit to the United States in 1960, she captivated the international media with her appearance at a State Dinner at the White House. Time magazine called her the "slim and arch-feminist queen," while the French newspaper L'Aurore called her a "ravishing beauty."

Born in 1932, Sirikit Kitiyakar's father was Thailand's ambassador to France. While studying music in Paris, she met the young Bhumibol and

married him in 1950 at the age of 17.

In the fashion world, Sirikit collaborated with French designer Pierre Balmain to create modern garments based on Thai silk. Her efforts brought international recognition to the Thai silk industry and revitalized traditional weaving in the villages.

The Queen Mother dedicated four decades of her life to rural development, often accompanying the King to remote areas of Thailand and spearheading development projects for the poor.

When she became regent, her birthday became 'Mother's Day'

In 1956, when King Bhumibol briefly became a Buddhist monk, Sirikit assumed the role of temporary regent, a significant honor in Thai tradition. In 1976, her birthday, August 12, was declared Thailand's Mother's Day, a national holiday to this day.