Icon Siam Opens 29th Princess Mother Exhibition Celebrating Her Legacy

She remained steadfast in her vision to create opportunities and choices that enable people to stand on their own and improve their lives, believing in human goodness and potential wherever they live in Thailand. Out of love, reverence, and the bond the people feel for her, they have bestowed upon her the royal title 'Somdet Ya' (Princess Mother) in recognition of her boundless compassion, humility, and deep concern for the populace, especially those in remote areas whom she often visited by royal helicopter, bringing aid as if descending from the heavens to relieve suffering and illness. Even after her passing in 1995, her vision continues to be carried forward and developed by various organizations and agencies to this day.

On the occasion of her birthday anniversary on 21 October each year, Icon Siam Company Limited, part of the Siam Piwat Group, together with the Mae Fa Luang Foundation under royal patronage, Thai Beverage Public Company Limited, and Frasers Property Thailand Public Company Limited have organized the 29th 'Thinking of…Somdet Ya' exhibition, running from today until 18 October 2026 at the Charoen Norn Hall, M Floor, Icon Siam.

Khunying Butri Wiraivattana, Chairperson of the Mae Fa Luang Foundation, said the 29th 'Thinking of…Somdet Ya' exhibition presents the Princess Mother’s royal duties in a timeline format from 1972 to the present, and will take visitors back to another significant site, the Mae Fa Luang Farm. This farm reflects her compassion and vision, beginning with the promotion of occupations and handicrafts among hill‑tribe peoples, evolving into a home for hill‑tribe youth who received the opportunity to come down from the mountains to study in the city and learn to live together, and eventually becoming a farm that does not merely grow plants but has a mission to 'grow people'.

When the educational mission for the youth concluded, the Mae Fa Luang Farm, which houses the Ho Kham building commemorating her 84th birthday, remains a centre for gathering, preserving, and disseminating Lanna art and culture, and has developed into the present‑day Mae Fa Luang Art and Cultural Park.

This clearly shows that what the Princess Mother initiated did not stop at a single location but took root in people, nurturing them into a force that carries forward her vision and passes on its values from generation to generation to this day.

The 29th 'Thinking of…Somdet Ya' exhibition features a variety of products from DoiTung Lifestyle, including special works and items displayed and sold exclusively at the event, such as sea‑animal patterned rugs, floral‑design rugs, bags made from upcycled plastic fibre under a circular‑economy concept, and one‑of‑a‑kind ceramic pieces that reflect the fusion of craftsmanship, materials, and design to create uniquely creative products.

Also presented is the new DoiTung Everyday collection from Doi Tung, which adapts handicrafts for daily life through easy‑to‑use, contemporary‑style products in vibrant colours and modern forms, allowing people to bring the charm of craftwork into everyday living.