Government House lowers flags as PM chairs royal rites meeting

Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul chaired the meeting at Government House on Friday (June 12) to discuss preparations for the royal rites following the Bureau of the Royal Household’s announcement of the passing of Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha.

The meeting, held at Command Building 1, focused on assigning responsibilities to relevant agencies and ensuring that preparations for the royal ceremony are carried out in an orderly manner and with the highest honour.

The atmosphere at Government House was sombre, with Cabinet ministers, civil servants, officials and members of the media wearing black in mourning. Officials lowered the Thai national flag to half-mast in front of Santi Maitri Building and on Thai Khu Fah Building as a mark of respect and profound mourning.

Before the special meeting began, the Prime Minister held discussions with ministers and senior officials involved in the preparations. The meeting also aimed to finalise the operational plan for state agencies supporting the royal rites, while instructing all relevant sectors to strictly follow the guidelines set by the Bureau of the Royal Household.

Thailand declares 15-day mourning for Princess Bajrakitiyabha 

Prime Minister’s Office spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek announced after a special Cabinet meeting that ministers had acknowledged the Bureau of the Royal Household’s statement on the passing of Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul paid tribute to Her Royal Highness’s royal grace and led Cabinet members in standing in silence to mourn her passing.

The Prime Minister instructed relevant agencies to prepare and carry out all work related to the royal funeral rites with the highest honour, in accordance with ancient royal tradition.

The Cabinet resolved that government offices, state enterprises, state agencies and all educational institutions lower the national flag to half-mast for 15 days from June 12, 2026.

Civil servants, state enterprise employees and state officials are also required to observe mourning for 15 days from June 12, 2026. Members of the public are asked to act as they consider appropriate.

Rachada added that the Cabinet had assigned several agencies to handle preparations for the royal funeral rites.

The Office of the Permanent Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office will proceed with the appointment of a committee to organise the royal funeral rites for Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha. The Prime Minister will chair the committee, while the Permanent Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office will serve as a committee member and secretary.

The office will also seek royal permission to invite members of the Royal Family to serve as advisers, and appoint working panels responsible for various areas, including overall administration, royal ceremonial arrangements, the construction of the royal crematorium, related structures, royal chariots and royal palanquins, public relations and security.

Government agencies will also be asked to assign civil servants to attend the royal chanting ceremony every day for 100 days.

The Ministry of Culture, through the Fine Arts Department, will oversee the ceremonial format and the construction of the royal crematorium.

The Secretariat of the Cabinet will arrange a rota for Cabinet members to attend the royal chanting ceremony.

The Ministry of Interior and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will organise merit-making activities to allow members of the public to pay homage to Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha.

The Public Relations Department will continue publicising Her Royal Highness’s royal duties and achievements, and will coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the preparation of English-language translations.