Thailand’s Queen Mother Sirikit, mother of King Vajiralongkorn (Rama X), passed away peacefully on the evening of October 24 at the age of 93, prompting a nationwide period of mourning. Following her death, a Japanese resident in Bangkok noticed that all mannequins at UNIQLO stores had been dressed entirely in black and neutral tones, praising the brand’s remarkably quick public relations response.
The Thai government immediately declared a nationwide mourning period. Public servants and state enterprise employees are required to wear black for one year, while government offices and schools will fly flags at half-mast for 30 days. Citizens are encouraged to wear black or neutral-colored clothing for 90 days, and entertainment venues and related businesses are advised to suspend or scale down activities for 30 days, though no full ban on entertainment has been imposed. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha also urged the public to respect the royal family and the national mourning sentiment.
The mourning atmosphere quickly extended to the commercial sector. The Japanese visitor on social media X shared that when he and his wife visited UNIQLO to purchase black clothing, they noticed all store mannequins had been updated with black outfits in simple, understated styles. His post drew widespread attention online, with many commenting on the speed of the corporate response and the public’s dedication to showing respect during this period.
