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Thailand’s Queen Suthida made her first solo flight in a JAS 39C Gripen fighter jet on Thursday, October 8, 2026, in the presence of King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
Thailand’s Queen Suthida made her first solo flight in a JAS 39C Gripen fighter jet on Thursday, October 8, 2026, in the presence of King Maha Vajiralongkorn. According to Reuters, Thailand’s Royal Office said the Queen took off from Wing 7 Air Base in Surat Thani province in southern Thailand, while the King watched the flight from the ground. Following the successful flight, the King presented the Queen with a bouquet of flowers and the Gripen Order Golden Patch, an insignia awarded to those who fly the aircraft.
According to the Royal Office, Queen Suthida completed her training at Wing 7 Air Base in two phases. The first phase ran from August 20 to September 4, 2026, while the second took place from September 25 to October 8, 2026. The training also included the use of a flight simulator. Queen Suthida has been flying aircraft since May 2010 and has accumulated approximately 1,188 flight hours on various aircraft, including the Boeing 737. She has also served as the King’s co-pilot on royal flights, including during the royal visit to Bhutan in 2025.
