Thailand declares December 16 public holiday for Queen Sirikit’s royal cremation

The royal crematorium and ceremonial structures for Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, at Sanam Luang in Bangkok were more than 95 per cent complete as of October 26, 2026. — Bangkok Post pic via AFP

By Malay Mail

First Published: Wednesday, 11 Nov 2026 2:21 PM MYT

BANGKOK, Nov 11 — Thailand has declared December 16 a special public holiday to allow people to pay their final respects to Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, during her royal cremation in Bangkok.

The decision, approved by the Cabinet yesterday, comes as the country prepares for five days of royal ceremonies from December 15 to 19 at the Grand Palace and Sanam Luang, the Bangkok Post reported.

The main cremation will take place at 4.30pm on December 16, following a procession carrying the royal urn from the Grand Palace to the royal crematorium at 7am.

The ceremonies will begin with Buddhist merit-making rites on December 15, followed by the collection of royal relics on December 17 and further religious observances over the next two days.

King Maha Vajiralongkorn has granted permission for the government’s Public Relations Department and the Television Pool of Thailand to broadcast all five days of ceremonies live, allowing people across the country to follow the proceedings.

Queen Sirikit, the widow of Thailand’s revered former king Bhumibol Adulyadej and mother of the reigning monarch, died on October 24, 2025, aged 93, following a prolonged illness.

Her death prompted a year of official mourning for members of the royal family and court officials.

Born in 1932, Sirikit married Bhumibol in 1950 and served as Thailand’s queen consort for more than six decades until his death in 2016.

She was widely associated with charitable initiatives, rural development and efforts to preserve traditional Thai arts and crafts.

Her birthday, August 12, is observed as Mother’s Day in Thailand, reflecting her longstanding public role as a maternal figure in the kingdom.