Queen Sirikit often donned fine attire, and she enjoyed traveling to remote villages, where thousands would approach her with their concerns, from marital disputes to serious health issues. She once told the Associated Press (AP) in 1979: “People in rural Thailand say they are neglected, and we try to fill that gap by staying with them in remote areas.”
In 1976, she established SUPPORT, which trained thousands in skills like silk weaving, jewellery making, painting, ceramics, and other traditional crafts to support rural livelihoods and preserve Thailand’s cultural heritage.
The Queen Mother, sometimes referred to as the “Green Queen,” also championed wildlife conservation, setting up breeding centres, “open zoos,” and hatcheries to protect endangered sea turtles. Her “Forest Loves Water” and “Little House in the Forest” projects sought to demonstrate the economic benefits of preserving forests and water sources.
While the role of royalty elsewhere is largely ceremonial, Queen Sirikit believed that the monarchy was a vital institution in Thailand. In an interview with the AP, she said, “There are some in the universities who think the monarchy is obsolete. But I think Thailand needs an understanding monarch.”
She added, “At the call, ‘The king is coming,’ thousands will gather. The mere word king has something magic in it. It is wonderful.”