25 Oct 2025
In Memorium: HM the Queen Mother and a flashback to 1988-1989 Arts & Crafts Year
My family and I mourn with deep sadness the passing of Her Majesty the Queen Mother on 24 October. As Thailand’s leading Travel & Tourism historian, I am reproducing images from my unmatched archives to remind the world of Her Majesty’s unique contribution to an industry that is today both an economic bulwark and a source of national security.
As Her Majesty was a great patron of Thai arts and crafts, the Royal Thai Government declared 1988-89 as Arts and Crafts Year covering the period Aug 12, 1988 (HM’s birthday) to 31 December 1989. This celebration was a direct follow up to 1987 Visit Thailand Year, a tourism marketing extravaganza designed to mark the auspicious 60th birthday of His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great.
While Visit Thailand Year 1987 proved to be an outstanding success in attracting more visitors to Thailand, the 1988-89 Arts and Crafts Year celebration was intended to ensure that the tourism boom fulfilled its core objective, viz., spreading income to the rural areas by tapping the creativity of Thai craftsmen/women, artists and artisans.
That event, too, proved to be an outstanding success. It gave a huge boost to Her Majesty’s SUPPORT Foundation, created jobs at the local community level and contributed significantly to preserving Thai culture and heritage. One of its major value-added benefits was generating income for physically challenged artists and craftsmen/women.
All this was done by utilising locally-available brainpower and resources, both Thais and expatriates, well before foreign consultants and gurus came along to “teach” us how to do things.
Today, Thai department stores, souvenir shops and many other Royally-supported outlets continue to sell these elegantly designed and carefully made products nationwide. They are also exported to dozens of countries.
It is one of the many reasons why I call Thailand The Greatest Story in Global Tourism HiSTORY, and why I have so carefully preserved many of its historic archives and images for the benefit of future generations.
Just by its august presence, the Thai Royal Family has made an extraordinary contribution to nation-building, poverty alleviation, community development and environment preservation. I am proud to have reported on many of these activities and events during the formative years of Thai tourism.
May Her Majesty’s soul Rest in Peace.
In mourning and remembrance.
Imtiaz & Rosni Muqbil + family members Mishari, Sana, Amina, Junaid, Cyrus, Dilan, Rumi, Nadine and Shabnam.