Thailand’s Queen Suthida has added a remarkable achievement to her aviation record by flying a Swedish-made Gripen fighter jet solo for the first time. The flight, completed at a Royal Thai Air Force base in southern Thailand, marks another step in a journey that has taken her from working as a flight attendant to gaining experience in military aircraft and royal aviation.The Queen flew a single-seat JAS 39C Gripen at Wing 7 air base in Surat Thani province on October 8, with King Maha Vajiralongkorn watching the milestone. Before take-off, she attended a briefing on the flight plan and personally checked the aircraft before proceeding to the runway. After she completed the flight, the King congratulated her with a bouquet and a Gripen Order Golden Patch, an insignia associated with flying the fighter aircraft. The achievement stands out because flying a high-performance fighter jet requires specialised preparation and training. The Queen had already flown the two-seat JAS 39D Gripen before undertaking her first solo flight in the single-seat version.
From commercial flights to military aviation
Queen Suthida’s path to the cockpit began long before her latest flight. Born on June 3, 1978, in Hat Yai district of Thailand’s Songkhla province, she studied communication arts at Assumption University in Bangkok, graduating in 2000. She subsequently worked as a flight attendant for JALways, a Japan Airlines affiliate, before joining Thai Airways International, where she worked until 2008. Her career later took a different direction when she joined the Royal Security Command and became involved in royal security duties.
According to her official biography published by the Thai government, she rose through senior positions in the royal security establishment. In 2017, she held the position of Deputy Commander of the Royal Security Command, with the rank of special general. She married King Maha Vajiralongkorn in May 2019 and was formally bestowed the title of Queen during the royal investiture ceremony that month.Her aviation training developed alongside her military career. She began flying the Cessna T-41D in 2010 and went on to train on several other aircraft, including the CT-4E Airtrainer and Pilatus PC-9. Her experience also includes the Mooney M20M, Piper PA-34 Seneca and Boeing 737 passenger aircraft. The range of aircraft reflects her experience across civilian and military aviation, rather than a career limited to a single type of plane.
More than 1,188 hours in the air
The Queen has accumulated 1,188.48 flying hours across different aircraft, according to figures reported by Thai media. These include 315.33 hours on the Cessna T-41, 105.59 hours on the Pilatus PC-9 and more than 480 hours across the Boeing 737-400 and Boeing 737-800. Before her solo Gripen flight, she had also logged 10.13 hours on the two-seat JAS 39D.Her preparation for the solo flight reportedly involved several weeks of training. She made stays in Surat Thani between August and September and again from late September to October 8, during which she trained on a Gripen flight simulator and followed Royal Thai Air Force procedures under expert supervision.The Queen has also served as co-pilot alongside the King on royal flights for official duties in Thailand and overseas. During the royal couple’s visit to Bhutan in April 2025, they jointly operated a royal aircraft that landed at Paro International Airport, known for its demanding approach through mountainous terrain.
A milestone in a long aviation journey
Queen Suthida’s first solo flight in the Gripen brings together years of training, flying experience and military service. It is not her first experience in a fighter aircraft, but it marks an important step from flying the two-seat version to operating the single-seat jet alone. Her journey from commercial aviation to military flying also offers a glimpse into the breadth of her professional experience beyond public royal duties. With more than 1,188 hours in the air and experience across several aircraft categories, the solo flight represents the latest achievement in an aviation record built over many years.