In Remembrance of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother

Giacomo Abrusci

Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand passed away at the age of 93 and we extend our deepest condolences to the people of Thailand and especially to our Thai colleagues and friends who share this moment of national loss. While mourning her passing it is fitting also to recognise and reflect on one of the central threads of her long service: a genuine commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable livelihoods across the Thai countryside.

Over many decades Queen Sirikit was closely associated with a range of initiatives that sought to bridge conservation of Thailand’s natural heritage with the well-being of rural and marginalised communities. One of the earliest and most enduring of these was the SUPPORT Foundation, established in 1976 under her royal patronage. The foundation set out to provide supplementary occupations for farmers facing unstable incomes and to harness local craft traditions and natural resource awareness as a basis for both livelihood and conservation. In due course the SUPPORT initiative expanded to include forest planting, water source protection, the sustainable use of forest products and awareness of wildlife and endangered-species issues.

In the 1990s and thereafter the Queen championed programmes explicitly linking forest and watershed restoration with community living. One such project, the “Small House in the Big Forest” (in Thai “โครงการ บ้านเล็ก ใน ป่าใหญ่”), launched in 1991 in Huaimai Hok Village, Omkoi District, Chiang Mai, sought to rehabilitate degraded land, restore forest cover and enable people to live sustainably in the forest fringe, not as forest destroyers but as forest stewards. That model was subsequently applied in multiple regions showing how conservation and community livelihoods need not be in conflict but could be integrated.

Her Majesty’s environmental interest extended beyond forests into wildlife coastal and marine conservation. For example, WWF‑Thailand has noted her role in initiating a Marine Turtle Conservation project on Man Nai Island in the Gulf of Thailand and the establishment of the Bang Pu Urban Nature Education Centre, aimed at preserving mangrove mudflat and bird-migration habitat near Bangkok under her patronage. A further sign of her commitment is the support of the conservation-foundation for forests and water resources such as the Thai Conservation of Forest Foundation whose establishment fund was granted by Queen Sirikit, reflecting a broader ecological ethic around species habitat and sustainable relationships between nature and human societies.

Even in institutional recognition the Queen’s name is associated with botanical conservation. The Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden in Mae Rim Chiang Mai Province (formerly Mae Sa Botanic Garden) was renamed in her honour and stands as one of Thailand’s largest glasshouse-complex botanical sites with a strong focus on ex-situ conservation of Thai flora including orchids.

Her legacy in environmental protection is thus multifaceted: from craft and livelihood support in rural communities to forest and watershed restoration to wildlife and marine habitats to flora conservation and environmental education. It is not simply that these were “royal projects” but that they reflect a vision connecting human welfare cultural heritage and ecological integrity — that protecting nature is not extraneous but integral to a thriving society.

At the same time it is important to approach this legacy with subtlety and awareness of context. The role of the monarchy in Thailand has been subject to debate including questions about political neutrality and power. For example some observers have noted moments where the monarchy’s public involvement including that of Queen Sirikit has crossed into contentious territory. Acknowledging this ensures that any tribute is grounded and respectful of Thailand’s complex history.

As we honour Queen Sirikit’s memory we also recall that environmental protection is a living task: forests coastlines waters wildlife—they continue to require our care and commitment. The thread she wove between community livelihoods and ecological conservation remains a valuable model for the present and the future. For our part we reaffirm our respect for the people of Thailand and for our Thai staff and colleagues and we offer sincere sympathy at this time of remembrance.

Junior Thanong Aiamkhophueng

With deepest sorrow and heartfelt respect, we join the Thai people in mourning the passing of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother, whose lifelong devotion to the nation and her people leaves an enduring legacy of compassion.

Among Her Majesty’s many visionaries, the Model Sea Farm Project in Phetchaburi province is one of the remarkable examples of her commitment to sustainable coastal development. This project serves as a marine farming educational center, offering access to modern knowledge and technologies for cultivating marine species. Moreover, the farm serves as a platform for learning sustainable aquaculture practices that foster local livelihoods and community resilience.

Her Majesty’s wisdom and devotion will forever guide and inspire our continued commitment to sustainability and community development.