Thai King and Queen Pilot Their Own Aircraft to Vietnam After Renewing Boeing 737 Ratings

BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida piloted their own Boeing 737-800 into Hanoi on 14 September, just five days after the kingdom's aviation regulator renewed their qualifications to fly the jet, underscoring a royal tradition of hands-on flying on official trips abroad.

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Video released by Thailand's foreign affairs office showed the 74-year-old king in the captain's seat and the 48-year-old queen as first officer as the aircraft touched down at Noi Bai International Airport in heavy rain, marking the start of a 14-16 September state visit — the first by a Thai king and queen to Vietnam since diplomatic ties were established 50 years ago.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand confirmed on 9 September that both royals had passed their periodic proficiency checks, with their Boeing 737-300 to 737-900 type rating, instrument rating and performance-based navigation qualification renewed. Queen Suthida's path to the cockpit began as a flight attendant with JALways and Thai Airways, followed by flight courses with the Royal Thai Air Force and Royal Thai Army between 2010 and 2012. She trained on the Cessna T-41, then the CT-4E and PC-9, and later earned a commercial pilot licence and Boeing 737 type rating in Germany before receiving a full airline transport pilot licence from Thai authorities.

She now serves as first officer on the royal Boeing 737-400 and 737-800, and in August began Gripen fighter-jet training at Wing 7 in Surat Thani under air force instructors, a programme aimed at a solo flight. As crown prince, King Maha Vajiralongkorn, known by his regnal name Rama X, flew the air force's F-5 and F-16 fighters before obtaining a commercial pilot licence at Thailand's Civil Aviation Training Centre. He completed airline transport pilot training at Thai Airways in 2004, qualified on the 737-400 the following year, and by May 2009 had logged 3,000 hours of commercial flying on the type.

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The couple have flown themselves on previous state visits, including the king piloting the royal 737-800 into Bhutan's Paro International Airport with the queen as first officer in April 2025 — a Himalayan valley airfield so demanding that only around 50 pilots worldwide are qualified to land there. They also flew themselves to Vientiane for a state visit to Laos on 16 March.