Queen Sirikit: Celebrating Thailand's Cultural Heritage in Royal Dress!

Queen Sirikit: Celebrating Thailand's Cultural Heritage in Royal Dress!

On October 26, 2025, Thailand's Queen Sirikit, the revered queen mother, will once again be in the public eye. A series of activities and celebrations will commemorate the valuable role it plays in promoting Thai art and culture. Loud Thansettakij This particularly honors their initiative to revive the national costume, the famous “ชุดไทยพระราชนิยม” (Royal Thai Dress). This costume not only has cultural significance but is also a sign of pride for the Thai nation.

As early as 1960, Queen Sirikit recognized the urgency of protecting Thai dress culture from fading away due to Western influences. She called for a collection and modernization of traditional women's clothing, which was then used as national costume when visiting abroad. The “ชุดไทยพระราชนิยม” includes various styles specifically tailored to royal occasions and found wide popularity both in Thailand and internationally.

Cultural treasures and traditional styles

The traditional costumes created by Queen Sirikit are not only simply beautiful, but also rich in cultural heritage. They include eight different styles including:

• ชุดไทยเรือนต้น (Rueng Ton Thai)
• ชุดไทยจิตรลดา (Chitlada Thai)
• ชุดไทยอมรินทร์ (Amarin Thai)
• ชุดไทยบรมพิมาน (Boromphiman Thai)
• ชุดไทยจักรี (Chakri Thai)
• ชุดไทยดุสิต (Dusit Thai)
• ชุดไทยศิวาลัย (Siwalai Thai)
• ชุดไทยจักรพรรดิ์ (Chakrapat Thai)

These styles are inspired by the royal palaces and are worn with great elegance on official occasions. In developing these costumes, the Queen worked closely with renowned designers and historians to reflect Thai identity and royal women's fashion traditions, such as Sanok reported.

Designs tailored to this modern clothing style promote not only comfort, but also the preservation of traditional cuts and proportions. Interestingly, the registration of these traditional costumes as intangible cultural heritage with UNESCO is currently being prepared, with a decision expected in 2026. Thailand was already recognized as a national cultural heritage in 2023, underlining the importance of these traditions.

The royal family as a cultural link

The Thai monarchy, ruled by the Chakri dynasty since 1782, plays a central role in the country's cultural life. The royal family symbolizes national unity and identity and is also intensively involved in charitable projects such as Cities Insiders describes. King Maha Vajiralongkorn (Rama X), who ascended the throne in 2016, and his ancestors have always championed Thai culture and tradition.

Important ceremonies, such as the birthday celebrations in honor of the King and Queen, are festive and highly respected across the country, which impressively illustrates the social importance of the monarchy. At public events, great emphasis is placed on formal clothing, which symbolizes respectful treatment of the royal family.

At a time when the world is constantly changing, the promotion and preservation of Thai culture remains a central concern of the Royal Family, especially through Queen Sirikit, whose contributions to the preservation of the national costume continue to be highly recognized.