Thai Govt’s special envoy to attend His Holiness Pope Francis’s funeral on April 26 

Thai Govt’s special envoy to attend His Holiness Pope Francis’s funeral on April 26 

April 25, 2025, at 0930hrs, Government Spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub disclosed that Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has delegated Minister Attached to the Prime Minister’s Office Chousak Sirinil as the Thai Government’s special envoy to attend the funeral of Pope Francis, the late head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State, which will be held on April 26, 2025 at 1000hrs (local time) at St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican. The Thai Government’s special envoy is scheduled to depart Thailand in the morning of April 25 (at 0905hrs) for the Vatican.

Pope Francis passed away on April 21, 2025, at 0735hrs (Vatican local time) at the age of 88. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, His Holiness was elected the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church in 2013, the first from Latin America. He was a highly revered religious leader with his significant role and dedication to promoting peace, compassion, and understanding with other religions, as well as fostering reconciliation and promoting peace in every corner of the world. His reach out to the disadvantaged and poor, earned the late Pope Francis the nickname “Pope of the Poor.” His Holiness also placed great importance on such global issues as climate change, immigrant rights promotion, technological ethics, among others. He last appeared in the public on the Easter Sunday (April 20, 2025) during the Urbi et Orbi blessing at St. Peter’s Basilica.

His Holiness Pope Francis paid an official visit to Thailand on November 20-23, 2019, and had meetings with Their Majesties the King and Queen, and His Holiness Somdet Phra Maha Muneewong Ariyavongsagatayana, Supreme Patriarch.

On the passing of His Holiness, the Prime Minister extended her deepest condolences on behalf of the Thai Government and people, and admired His Holiness’ unwavering compassion, moral courage, noble humility, and tireless pursuit of peace inspired millions of people across faiths and nations. His official visit to Thailand in 2019 will be forever remembered among all the Thais.

Diplomatic relations between Thailand and the Vatican have been established since April 28, 1969.