WorldWORLD NEWS

Thailand's Queen Suthida pilots royal aircraft to Japan after solo…

The Queen flew to Hokkaido for an official visit and an international women's ice hockey tournament; the royal motorcade stayed home this time.

On air: Gloria Vance and Kenji Moonfield on Best of BBN
Published 4:24 AM ET, Friday, October 16, 2026

Photo: President of Indonesia · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

▶ Short · World

The Short: the best minute of this segment, cut vertical for your thumb. More about this Short

At a glance

First reported by Hindustan Times: “After flying a Gripen solo, Thailand's Queen Suthida pilots royal aircraft to Japan”.
Covered on BBN on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 4:24 AM ET on Best of BBN, by Gloria Vance and Kenji Moonfield.
Topics: Queen, Thailand, Japan.
BBN covered this story before: G20 money chiefs meet in Thailand as Iran war lifts energy costs (October 15).

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

Hindustan TimesAfter flying a Gripen solo, Thailand's Queen Suthida pilots royal aircraft to Japan

Gloria Vance · World News AnchorIn Bangkok and Tokyo this morning, attention is on Thailand's Queen Suthida, who piloted a royal aircraft to Hokkaido for an official visit and an international women's ice hockey tournament.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorIt follows her earlier solo flight in a Gripen fighter jet, which means the royal aircraft was, for her, the gentle option.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSo she flies herself. No pilot announcing a delay from the cockpit, no apology about the weather.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorMost heads of state I have travelled with could not tell you where the cockpit door is, and several were asked to leave through it.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentGripen?
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorA Swedish fighter jet, Kenji. Not a streaming service.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentFair. My own flight experience is a tablet with a little plane moving across a map.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorThat is not a flight. That is a screensaver.

Photo: G.J. Retallack · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
▶ As it aired · WorldAncient fungus as tall as a traffic cone found in ChinaRead the story
Photo: Frank Sun · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0
▶ As it aired · WorldLondon Film Festival red carpet for Waititi's 'Klara and The Sun'Read the story
▶ Hot Take or Not · U.S.Penn State vs Michigan: Hot Takes on a Buffering DefenseAbout this segment
Photo: Hongreddotbrewhouse · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
▶ As it aired · WorldBurger King Japan breach adds to a growing list of leaksRead the story
▶ As it aired · WorldChina opens long-delayed bridge to North KoreaRead the story
▶ Hot Take or Not · U.S.Luka Dončić Voted Best Small Forward: He's a GuardAbout this segment
Photo: Europeans1145 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0
▶ As it aired · WorldJapan mistakenly issues warning for magnitude 9.9 earthquakeRead the story
Photo: Hassocks5489 · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
▶ As it aired · WorldExclusive Brethren head denies knowing members volunteered for…Read the story
▶ Hot Take or Not · U.S.Seahawks Offense Stalls: Fourteen Points Is Not a Lol, It's a SeenAbout this segment
▶ As it aired · WorldAustralian band Fathom chases a nine-show gig world recordRead the story