The royals in Thailand are revered, and the Queen Mother, Sirikit, is no exception.
Queen Sirkit was the consort of King Rama IX from 1950 until his death in 2016; she is now the Queen Mother as her son, Rama X, sits on the throne.
She is a woman respected and beloved in her country. Her birthday is a national holiday, and the people are asked to wear blue in her honour throughout the month of August to celebrate. Her birthday is also Mother’s Day in Thailand.
As with all members of the Royal Family, any insult or defamation of the Queen Mother is punishable through the strict lèse-majesté laws in the country. It is illegal in Thailand to threaten, defame or insult a member of the Royal Family; people can be punished with 15 years in prison, but a person can be sentenced for decades. When someone meets Her Majesty, they must sit on the ground, as they are to remain below the royals at all times.
The Queen Mother is well known for her charity work, and to honour all of her commitments, many places and buildings throughout Thailand bear her name. These include the Queen Sirikit Centre for Breast Cancer, the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, the Queen’s Cup, the Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health, and many more. She is also the honorary president of the Thai Red Cross.
Sirikit has worked to help the less fortunate throughout her life, and she has gained respect from Thai Muslims for her work towards tolerance and acceptance of the religion in the prominent Buddhist country. Her Majesty also helps refugees from Mynamar and Cambodia who have come to Thailand.
Thais recognise the Queen Mother for her humanitarian spirit, and she gained even more popularity after her work in helping her country recover from the 2004 tsunami. Moreover, she is beloved for spreading Thai culture and history across the globe; she was instrumental in the making of The Legend of Suriyothai, a Thai movie that became Thailand’s highest-grossing film. The plot centred around Siam’s Queen Suriyothai, who sacrificed herself to save her husband, King Maha Chakkraphat, and Siam (now Thailand).
Queen Sirikit is also known to be passionate about Thai silk-weaving and making sure traditional techniques are preserved.
Ever since marrying King Rama X, Sirikit has made sure to make a positive impact on Thailand and the Thai people.
