Thailand celebrated Queen Sirikit's 90th birthday on Friday, with a series of special events including a steam train ride, free entry to national parks and the release of 500,000 baby shrimp.
Born in Bangkok in 1932, Queen Sirikit spent her childhood moving around Europe. She met her late husband King Bhumibol Adulyadej in France and they married in 1949, shortly before his coronation.
Her son, Maha Vajiralongkorn, became king in December 2019, three years after the death of his father in October 2016.
The queen is known internationally for her eye for fashion and worked closely with designer Pierre Balmain for decades, until public appearances largely stopped after she suffered a stroke.
The Phuket Provincial Fisheries Office released 500,000 baby shrimp in honour the queen mother, an annual tradition, Phuket News reported. Bridges across the capital Bangkok were lit up in her honour.
