Thai Shiites mourn Khamenei outside Iranian Embassy, urge Bangkok to stay neutral

More than 200 Shiites in Thailand gathered outside the Iranian Embassy in Bangkok on Saturday (March 8) to mourn the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, and to urge the Thai government to remain neutral amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

Mourners ask Thai government not to take sides

The gathering took place in front of the embassy in Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana district, where participants laid flowers and delivered messages of condolence. According to Matichon, the group also called on the United Nations to help stop the violence.

Ali Shahuseini, a representative of the group, said the event was organised by Shiites in Thailand, along with some Sunnis, who regarded Khamenei not only as Iran’s leader but also as a spiritual figure for Shiites around the world. He said the gathering was intended both to mourn a widely revered figure and to show support for the Iranian people and government.

He also appealed to the Thai government to stay as neutral as possible. In remarks addressed to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, he urged Bangkok not to favour either side, saying Thailand had long maintained care for both sides.

Police from Thong Lo Police Station and a special operations unit from Metropolitan Police Division 5 were deployed to maintain order, while traffic in Soi Sukhumvit 49/11 was reportedly closed for about an hour to facilitate the gathering.

Khamenei’s death has deepened turmoil inside Iran

Khamenei was killed in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran on February 28, according to Reuters, with Iranian state media confirming his death the following day. Reuters reported that he was 86 and had led Iran since 1989.

His death has created a major power vacuum inside Iran and intensified internal strains over the country’s military and political direction. Reuters reported on March 7 that divisions had become more visible between hardliners, including the Revolutionary Guards, and more pragmatic figures around President Masoud Pezeshkian.

The succession process is now under pressure to move quickly. Reuters reported that hardline clerics were pushing for the rapid selection of a new supreme leader, even as disagreement persisted over who could stabilise the Islamic Republic during wartime.

Against that backdrop, Saturday’s vigil in Bangkok reflected how Khamenei’s death has resonated far beyond Iran, including among Shiite communities in Thailand, where organisers said they wanted both to honour his memory and to press for restraint as the regional crisis worsens.