Thai queen claims gold in new SEA Games sailing event
Thailand’s Queen Suthida won a gold medal in sailing on Thursday at the Southeast Asian Games, claiming victory in a newly introduced keelboat event staged off the country’s eastern coast.
The 47-year-old queen competed in the mixed SSL47 keelboat category, racing a 14-metre yacht with a nine-member crew in waters near Pattaya. Thailand finished ahead of Malaysia and Myanmar.
Queen Suthida served as tactician and helmswoman, roles that placed her in charge of steering and race strategy, which are crucial due to changing wind conditions in the Gulf of Thailand.
The final races were held at Ocean Marina Yacht Club in Sattahip, Chonburi, where the sailing events have run since December 15. The SSL47 class is appearing at the SEA Games for the first time.
Teams from Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Myanmar competed in the category. The boats lack safety lines, increasing the physical demands on crews during racing.
The queen is expected to receive her medal from King Maha Vajiralongkorn, 73, whom she married in 2019.
Before joining the royal household, Queen Suthida worked as a flight attendant for Thai Airways after completing a degree in communications. She later entered military service.
She has also built a public sporting profile. Earlier this month, she ran a half-marathon in Bangkok, finishing alongside Kenyan marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge.
Her feat is not without precedent; King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the late father of the current monarch, won sailing gold at the regional Games in 1967 in a boat he built himself, competing with his daughter Princess Ubolratana.
The SEA Games conclude on Saturday, with host nation Thailand leading the medal table ahead of Indonesia and Vietnam. Cambodia withdrew shortly before the opening ceremony, citing security concerns following renewed border tensions.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
