Thai King pilots his own plane to Vietnam for state visit

King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida piloted their own aircraft into Hanoi on Monday afternoon, beginning a state visit to Vietnam.

The visit by King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua, or Rama X, and the Queen runs through Sept. 16 at the invitation of Party General Secretary and President To Lam and his spouse.

Greeting the royal couple at the airport were Chairman of the Office of the President Le Khanh Hai, Hanoi People's Committee Chairman Vu Dai Thang, Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang and Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung.

Traveling with the King were Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, serving as minister in attendance, Thai Ambassador to Vietnam Urawadee Sriphiromya and other senior officials.

The 74-year-old monarch ascended the throne in 2016 after a career in the Royal Thai Armed Forces, where he held a series of command and staff posts.

He trained as a military pilot and has flown both civilian and military aircraft. Queen Suthida worked as a flight attendant for JALways and Thai Airways before entering military service in 2008.

Both hold commercial pilot licenses issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand and are qualified to fly several types of aircraft.

Thai King King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua at the controls of his plane at Noi Bai Airport, Hanoi, on Sept. 14, 2026. Photo by Giang Huy

Ambassador Pham Viet Hung said the visit carries particular significance and marks a new milestone in five decades of friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Thailand.

This is the first state visit to Vietnam by a Thai King and Queen since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1976, and the first time the couple have come as monarchs. The King previously visited in 1992 and 1997 as Crown Prince.

Vietnam and Thailand upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on May 16, 2025, and signed an action program to implement it over the 2026-2031 period on May 28, 2026.

Thailand is Vietnam's largest trading partner within ASEAN. Two-way trade reached US$22.1 billion in 2025, up 9% from 2024, and exceeded $15.03 billion in the first seven months of 2026.

More than 100,000 Vietnamese live in Thailand, and between 2,000 and 3,000 Vietnamese are studying or conducting research there.