Her participation in the regional games highlights her longstanding dedication to sports. Over the years, Queen Suthida has demonstrated exceptional skill and perseverance across multiple disciplines, including sailing, ice hockey and long-distance running.
At the 33rd SEA Games, Queen Suthida will compete in the SSL47 keelboat event, scheduled from Dec. 15 to 18 at the Ocean Marina Resort in Pattaya.
According to Mathichonthe SSL47 is a high-performance racing yacht measuring over 47 feet (14m). Commanding such a vessel requires advanced technical skill, physical strength, and seamless teamwork to navigate high waves and strong winds. The Queen has been training alongside the Thailand national sailing team without requesting special privileges, aiming to win a gold medal and bring glory to the nation.
Queen of Thailand Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana. Photo by Instagram/@thairoyalfamily |
This is not Queen Suthida’s first foray into competitive sailing. In 2024, she participated in the prestigious 52 Super Series Sailing Week at Puerto Portals in Mallorca, Spain. Sailing with her team, Vayu, she played a critical role in analyzing wind direction and providing mental support during stages 6-8 of the competition, Nation Thailand reported.
Domestically, Queen Suthida competed in the 35th Phuket King’s Cup Regatta in 2023 aboard the IRC Zero class boat. Her team won both races in which she participated, further promoting the profile of Thai sailing on the international stage.
Beyond the open water, Queen Suthida has made her mark on the ice. In October 2024, she was appointed as the first Global Ambassador for Women’s Ice Hockey by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).
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Queen Suthida (R) during a hockey match in 2024. Photo by Instagram/@hockey.worldwide |
“With the passion Her Majesty brings to our sport, she will inspire many female athletes and certainly become a role model for many more athletes in the Asia region, as well as worldwide,” said IIHF president Luc Tardif.
Queen Suthida even demonstrated her skills on the rink, leading the Thailand national women’s ice hockey team in a friendly match against China later that year, which ended in a 6-6 draw.
The Queen is also an avid runner. In December 2024, she participated in the 10km category at the Amazing Thailand Bangkok Marathon (ATMBKK 2024), an event designed to promote sports tourism. She made headlines by running alongside Eliud Kipchoge, the Kenyan marathon legend and two-time Olympic champion.
Her running resume also includes the CIB RUN 2023, where she completed the 10km race in 61 minutes and 45 seconds.
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Queen Suthida runs with Kenyan marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge at the Amazing Thailand Bangkok Marathon in December 2024. Photo by Instagram/@thairoyalfamily |
Mathichon hailed Queen Suthida as an important role model for athletes and the Thai people alike, writing: “The participation of Queen Suthida in the 33rd SEA Games hosted by Thailand is a great source of encouragement for the national athletes, allowing everyone to witness her sporting abilities. This is an important chapter in the history of Thai sports.”
Queen Suthida, 47, married King Maha Vajiralongkorn (Rama X) in 2019 and was crowned shortly after in a grand ceremony.
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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