After the second day, Thailand sits atop the leaderboard with just seven penalty points, having won four out of five races and finishing third in the remaining one. Malaysia trails in second place with 12 penalty points, while Myanmar holds third with 15.
Under the 33rd SEA Games format, the team with the lowest total penalty points at the end of the event on Dec. 18 will secure the gold medal. Vietnam and the Philippines are also competing in the event.
Queen Suthida is not merely a figurehead; she serves as the team’s tactician, a critical role that leverages her expertise in electronic navigation, weather forecasting and wind direction analysis. The position is vital for charting a safe and accurate course through the constantly shifting winds and waves.
Queen of Thailand Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana before the sailing event of the 33rd SEA Games at Ocean Marina Pattaya on Dec. 15, 2025. Photo by Instagram/@thairoyalfamily |
Throughout 2024, the Queen completed advanced courses in electronic navigation for racing yachts to raise her expertise. Since mid-November, she has trained regularly with the national team at the Ocean Marina Resort in Pattaya. On Dec. 3, she led her team to victory at the 37th Phuket King’s Cup.
On Tuesday at the Ocean Marina Yacht Club in Chonburi, Queen Suthida personally led boat number 6 in races 4 and 5. Beyond her navigational duties, she proved to be a pillar for the crew, assisting with physically demanding tasks, from hoisting sails to leaning out to balance the boat against strong winds. As a result, Thailand finished 40 seconds ahead of the Philippines in the fourth race and outpaced Malaysia by a full minute in the fifth.
Organizers have installed large screens at the Ocean Marina Pattaya, allowing locals and tourists to cheer on Queen Suthida and the athletes.
The SSL47 event, making its SEA Games debut, features large 47-foot (14-meter) high-performance racing boats. It demands exceptional teamwork, strength and precision from crews of 8-10 sailors (with a total weight limit of 730 kg).
Queen Suthida, 47, married King Maha Vajiralongkorn in 2019. She holds a degree in Communication Arts from Assumption University in Bangkok and previously worked as a Thai Airways flight attendant. She joined the Thai military in 2010, later commanding the King’s Guard Special Forces unit, and currently holds the rank of general.
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