Thailand‘s Queen Mother Sirikit, a beloved figure known for her dedication to public service and cultural preservation, passed away on Friday, October 24, 2025, at the age of 93. She died peacefully at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital in Bangkok following complications from a bloodstream infection.

Queen Sirikit had been hospitalized with a blood infection since October 17, but her condition failed to respond to treatment. In recent years, she was absent from public life due to declining health. Her husband, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, passed away in October 2016.

She was widely revered, and her image was displayed across homes, workplaces, and public areas in Thailand. She dedicated herself to causes ranging from aiding Cambodian refugees, reviving the Thai culture, and preserving the nation’s forests.
During Thailand’s turbulent political decades, the monarchy’s influence was increasingly questioned, and so was the queen’s. Accounts of her behind-the-scenes involvement emerged amid two military takeovers and repeated street clashes.

The Journey of Queen Sirkit

Born on August 12, 1932, in Bangkok, Sirikit Kitiyakara was the eldest daughter of Prince Chandaburi Suranath and Mom Luang Bua Kitiyakara. She met King Bhumibol Adulyadej in Paris in 1950, and the two married shortly thereafter. Together, they had four children, including the current King Maha Vajiralongkorn. Her birthday was celebrated as Mother’s day in Thailand. The king courted her with poetry titled, “I Dream of You.”
They tied the knot in 1950, and during the coronation that same year, both vowed to govern with righteousness for the welfare and happiness of the Thai people.
By the early 1970s, the king and queen focused much of their attention on domestic challenges, from rural poverty and hill-tribe opium addiction to a communist insurgency. Each year, they toured the countryside while presiding over royal, religious, and state ceremonies. People from all walks of life turned to her with issues ranging from family conflicts to serious health problems, many of which she and her team handled personally.
Royal development projects focusing on rural developments were established, many of which the queen herself initiated and supervised.

In 1976, she established the SUPPORT Foundation to promote traditional Thai crafts and provide economic opportunities for rural communities. Her environmental efforts earned her the nickname “Green Queen,” as she championed wildlife conservation and sustainable development. She also established wildlife breeding centers, public “open zoos,” and hatcheries aimed at protecting endangered sea turtles.

Networth of the royal family

The Thai monarchy is among the wealthiest in the world. King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s assets are estimated at $30 billion to $45 billion, according to Fox Business, while his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, was listed by Forbes as the world’s richest monarch in 2011.