Thai Queen Pilots Royal Jet to Hokkaido Ice Hockey Event
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Thailand’s Queen Suthida personally piloted a royal Boeing 737-800 from Bangkok to New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido on October 14 before beginning a visit to Sapporo linked to the 2027 IIHF Asian Women’s Ice Hockey Championship. The visit runs from October 14 to 22, and she is expected to attend championship-related events and serve as an award presenter. Both reports say she is visiting Japan in her capacity as a global ambassador for the International Ice Hockey Federation, with one report describing her as the federation’s first female global ambassador. The trip came days after she completed her first solo flight in a JAS 39C Gripen fighter jet, adding to renewed attention on her aviation credentials.
Key Points
- Queen Suthida, 48, flew the royal Boeing 737-800 from Bangkok to Hokkaido’s New Chitose Airport on October 14 herself.
- Bastille Post said the aircraft departed Don Mueang military airport at 10:05 a.m. local time and landed after a seven-hour flight
- Thailand’s Royal Household Bureau said she would visit Sapporo from October 14 to 22 for activities related to the 2027 Asian Women’s Ice Hockey Championship
- After landing, Japanese and Thai staff greeted her under Thai royal protocol, kneeling on one knee and presenting flowers as she emerged from the cockpit
- The tournament in Sapporo runs from October 15 to 18, with Japan, China, South Korea and Kazakhstan competing, while Thailand is not in the field
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the story stands out less as a royal appearance than as a rare example of a serving queen taking a highly visible operational role in aviation and international sport diplomacy. It also shows how a regional women’s tournament in Asia can draw attention well beyond the participating teams through royal patronage, ambassadorial roles and cross-border ceremonial visits.