Thailand’s Queen Mother, Sirikit has been admitted to hospital, the Royal Household Bureau announced yesterday.
The 86-year-old was admitted to Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn Hospital due to a fever from cystitis. Cystitis is the inflammation of the bladder.
She was examined at 6.00 pm on Tuesday, and doctors advised her to enter the hospital for observation and medical treatment for the fever.
It is unknown how long she will be in the hospital receiving treatment.
Queen Sirikit was last in the hospital in August 2018 after a bought with the flu. She was also hospitalised in 2016 for a fever and lung infection.
Her daughter, Princess Chulabhorn, 61, has been in Ramathibodi Hospital in Bangkok since February for back pain and blurred vision. The Royal Household Bureau recently announced that the Princess is recovering from cataract surgery and treatment for the back pain, and there is no longer a need for the Thai people to come to the hospital to sign a book to wish her well.
The Queen Mother enters hospital just a couple of weeks ahead of her son, King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun (or Rama X)’s coronation. The coronation is set to last from 4 to 6 May. Sacred rituals for the coronation began earlier this month with the collection of water from 100 various water sources across the country’s 76 provinces. It will be used in purification rites during the coronation.
Queen Sirikit was the wife of Thailand’s late and beloved monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej (or Rama IX) who died on 13 October 2016 at the age of 88.
They married on 28 April 1950 after becoming engaged on 19 July 1949 in Switzerland. Together, they had four children: Princess Ubol Ratana (b. 1951), King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun (b. 1952) Princess Sirindhorn (b. 1955), and Princess Chulabhorn (b. 1957).
The Queen is seldom seen in public now, but the Royal Household Bureau released several images last year of her with her children in celebration of her 86th birthday.