17 September 2026 — His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua and Her Majesty Queen Suthida have returned to Thailand after completing an official visit to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam from 14 to 16 September 2026.
One of the most notable aspects of the visit was that His Majesty the King personally performed flight duties on both the outbound and return journeys.
On the flight to Vietnam, His Majesty the King served as Captain, while Her Majesty the Queen served as First Officer, operating the royal aircraft from Thailand to Hanoi. The aircraft arrived at Noi Bai International Airport on 14 September at 4:17 p.m. local time.
Vietnamese media outlet VOV World also reported that His Majesty personally landed the royal aircraft at Noi Bai International Airport.
For the return flight on 16 September, VOV World reported that Their Majesties personally performed flight duties aboard the royal aircraft before returning to Thailand.
Earlier that day, the final day of the official visit, Their Majesties carried out several royal engagements in Hanoi.
In the morning, Their Majesties laid wreaths at the Monument to Heroes and Martyrs on Bac Son Street and paid respects at the area of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, commemorating those who sacrificed their lives for Vietnam.
They then proceeded to Quan Su Pagoda, headquarters of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, where Their Majesties participated in a Buddhist ceremony and Vietnamese monks chanted prayers and blessings in their honour.
In the afternoon, Their Majesties visited Hanoi University, where they observed the work of the Thai Language and Culture Centre, including Thai-language teaching and activities promoting Thai arts and culture.
His Majesty also presented educational materials and teaching equipment to the centre to support the study of the Thai language and Thai culture among Vietnamese students.
Following the completion of their royal engagements, Their Majesties proceeded to Noi Bai International Airport for the return journey to Thailand.
VOV World reported that Their Majesties once again personally carried out flight duties aboard the royal aircraft, bringing the official visit to Vietnam to a close.
The visit, from 14 to 16 September, took place at the invitation of To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Vietnam.
The three-day royal visit covered high-level bilateral relations, diplomacy, Buddhism, culture and education, before concluding with the return flight to Thailand, with His Majesty the King once again personally performing flight duties as he had on the outbound journey.
Vihok News
Sources:
The Government Public Relations Department of Thailand
Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand
VOV World / Voice of Vietnam
Vietnam News Agency
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