Sirikit
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Queen Sirikit of Thailand (born Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara on August 12, 1932), is the wife and Queen Consort of Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), King of Thailand.
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[edit] Title and ranks
Her formal name and title is Somdet Phra Nang Chao Sirikit Phra Borommarachininat (th: สมเด็จพระนางเจ้าสิริกิติ์ พระบรมราชินีนาถ, Her Majesty Queen Regent Sirikit, listen ).
At the present, She also ranks Field Marshal, Admiral of the Fleet and Marshal of the Royal Thai Air Force, usually called when mentioned in the law that: Chom Phon Ying Chom Phon Ruea Ying Chom Phon Akat Ying Somdet Phra Nang Chao Sirikit Phra Borommarachininat (th: จอมพลหญิง จอมพลเรือหญิง จอมพลอากาศหญิง สมเด็จพระนางเจ้าสิริกิติ์ พระบรมราชินีนาถ, Field Marshal, Admiral of the Fleet, Marshal of the Royal Thai Air Force Her Majesty Queen Regent Sirikit). Queen Sirkit ceremonially holds the supreme power, after Her Husband who ranks the Head of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, among the Royal Thai Army.
[edit] Birth and family
Sirikit was born at the house of General Chao Phraya Wongsanuprapat (Mom Rajawongse Staan Snidwongse), her maternal grandfather, in Bangkok and was educated at Saint Francis Xavier, a Catholic convent school. She had a younger sister, Busba. During her childhood her father was successively Thai Ambassador to France, Denmark and the United Kingdom, and Sirikit continued her education in these countries and in Switzerland.
Born as Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara, she was the first daughter of Colonel Mom Chao Nakkhatra Mangkala Kitiyakara (who was given the title Prince Chanthaburi Suranath after his daughter's marriage), a relative and close supporter of the Royal Family. Her mother was Mom Luang Bua Kitiyakara (nee Mom Luang Bua Snidwongse). The title "Mom Rajawongse" indicates that she is a child of a Mom Chao (the most junior class of Thai princes) and thus descended from royalty. Her grandfather was HRH Prince Kitiyakara Voralaksana, Prince of Chandaburi, a son of King Rama V and an elder half-brother of HRH Prince Mahidol of Songkla, King Bhumibol's father, which makes her a first cousin once removed of her husband. Her name, granted by King Prajadhipok, means "the illustrious member of Kitiyakara".
[edit] Marriage and family
While studying in Switzerland, Sirikit met King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who was then still a minor and also studying in Switzerland. When the King was injured in a motor accident and was in a hospital at Lausanne, Sirikit was a frequent visitor. On July 19 1949, they were engaged in Lausanne. On March 1950, the King returned to Thailand to take up his royal duties. Sirikit accompanied him and on April 28 the royal wedding took place at Pathumwan Palace.
The couple have four children:
- (Formerly HRH) Princess Ubol Ratana, born April 5 1951 in Lausanne, Switzerland;
- HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, born July 28 1952;
- HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, born April 2 1955;
- HRH Princess Chulabhorn Walailak, born July 4 1957.
One of the Queen's grandchildren, Bhumi Jensen (also known as Khun Poom), was killed in the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. He was the son of Princess Ubol Ratana and her American husband, Peter Ladd Jensen.
[edit] Regency
When the King undertook a period of service as a Buddhist monk in 1956 (as is customary for all Thai Buddhist males), Sirikit became Regent. She performed her duties so satisfactorily that she was made "Somdet Phra Borommarachininat" (Queen Regent) and given the style of "Somdet Phra Nang Chao Sirikit Phra Borommarachininat".
[edit] Cultural identity
Sirikit's birthday, like the King's, is a national holiday, and is also Thailand's official Mothers' Day. She is particularly revered in the more remote and traditional parts of the country, where the monarchy is regarded as semi-divine. Her work in promoting tolerance and understanding for the Muslim minorities in the southernmost provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat have made her especially popular amongst the local Muslim populace.[citation needed]
[edit] Charitable works and honors
Sirikit is well-known for her charitable work. Her major formal involvement is as President of the Thai Red Cross, a post she has held since 1956. She gained new prominence in this role in the aftermath of the tsunami disaster in southern Thailand in December 2004. She has also been active in relief work for the many refugees from Cambodia and Burma who have sought refuge in Thailand.
Many things in Thailand have been named after Queen Sirikit:
- The Queen Sirikit Centre for Breast Cancer, a new 10 storey hospital in Bangkok
- the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok
- the Queen Sirikit Park in Bangkok
- the Sirikit Dam on the Nan River, Uttaradit Province
- the Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden, Chiang Mai Province
- the Queen Sirikit Arboretum Garden, Pathum Thani Province
- the Queen Sirikit Cup, an annual Asian-Pacific golf Teams Event
- the Queen Sirikit Crab (Thaiphusa sirikit)
- the Queen Sirikit Rose
- the Queen's Cup, annual football competition
- Suanchalermprakiat 72 years Queen Sirikit the Buddhist Era 2547, a park in Phuket Town
The Queen is also actively promoting Thai culture and history. It was mainly because of her initiative that the Thai epos movie The Legend of Suriyothai was produced, making it the most lavish and expensive Thai movie ever made.[citation needed]
[edit] Awards
| Year | Award | Awarder |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | CERES Gold Medal | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |
| 1985 | Humanitarian Award | Asia Society |
| 1986 | Best Conservationist Certificate | World Wildlife Fund |
| 1990 | Immigration and Refugee Policy Award | The Center of Migration Studies |
| 1991 | International Humanitarian Award | Friends of the National Children's Museum, Washington D.C. |
| 1992 | Gold Medal for Outstanding Leadership | Asian Institute of Technology |
| 1992 | UNESCO Borobudur Gold Medal | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization |
| 1992 | UNICEF Special Recognition Award | United Nations Children's Fund |
| 1992 | Award of Excellence | United Nations Development Fund for Women |
| 1992 | UNEP Gold Medal of Distinction | United Nations Environment Programme |
| 1993 | Woman of the Year 1993 Award | Stanford University |
| 1995 | 1995 Lindbergh Award | The Lindbergh Foundation |
| 2000 | Merite de Invention | The Belgian Chamber of Inventors |
| 2001 | Special Prix | Bulgarian American Chamber of Commercial and Industry |
| 2002 | Louis Pasteur Award | International Sericultural Commission |
| 2002 | Award for Humanitarian Service | The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2004 | IUCN Gold Medal | International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resouces |
| 2005 | Food Safety Award | World Health Organization |
