Queen Suthida's First Solo Gripen Flight

Thailand's Queen Suthida flew solo in a JAS 39C Gripen fighter jet on 8 Oct 2026, the Royal Household said. The 41-minute flight left from Surat Thani province in southern Thailand, while King Maha Vajiralongkorn watched from the ground. She had finished Royal Thai Air Force conversion training — instruction to fly a new aircraft type — beforehand.