The 48-year-old queen landed in Hokkaido on October 14 for a nine-day trip linked to an international women’s ice hockey tournament. Thailand’s Queen Suthida has flown a royal aircraft to Japan for an official visit, days after making headlines for piloting a fighter jet solo.
Suthida is the federation’s first Women’s Global Ambassador and has promoted ice hockey in Thailand as both an athlete and an advocate. Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana piloted the royal aircraft from Bangkok to New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido on October 14, according to VnExpress International . The plane departed from Don Mueang Military Airport and landed at 10.05 am local time. Her visit, scheduled for October 14 to 22, is at the invitation of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) president. She is expected to present medals and trophies to athletes competing in the 2027 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s Asia Championship. The flight took place at Wing 7 of the Royal Thai Air Force in Surat Thani province, with King Maha Vajiralongkorn watching from the ground, according to Thai PBS World . Before marrying King Maha Vajiralongkorn in 2019, Suthida worked as a flight attendant for Thai Airways. She began flight training in 2010 and has logged nearly 1,190 hours in the air, according to VnExpress.
After arriving, the queen drove herself to her hotel in Sapporo, the report said. She has also attended ice hockey events in Thailand and Italy, according to VnExpress.
