Thailand’s Queen Mother Sirikit dies at 93

Thailand’s Queen Mother Sirikit, who brought glamour and elegance to a postwar revival of the country’s monarchy and, in later years, occasionally waded into politics, has died aged 93, the Thai Royal Household Bureau said.

Sirikit had been out of the public eye since a stroke in 2012.

The palace said she had been hospitalized since 2019 due to several illnesses and developed a bloodstream infection on October 17 before passing away late on Friday.

A one-year mourning period has been declared for members of the royal family and household.

The government said public offices would fly flags at half-mast for a month and asked government officials to observe mourning for one year. Entertainment venues were asked to suspend activities for a month.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul canceled trips to the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur and the APEC summit in South Korea next week due to the Queen Mother’s death.

He said he would travel to Malaysia on Sunday to sign a ceasefire agreement with Cambodia, then return to Thailand afterward.

Sirikit’s husband, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, was Thailand’s longest-reigning monarch, with 70 years on the throne since 1946. She was at his side for much of that, winning over hearts at home with their charity work.

When they travelled abroad, she also charmed the world’s media with her beauty and fashion sense.