Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana ( th, สุทิดา พัชรสุธาพิมลลักษณ, , ), born Suthida Tidjai ( th, สุทิดา ติดใจ; 3 June 1978), is Queen of Thailand as the fourth wife of King

Vajiralongkorn Vajiralongkorn ( th, วชิราลงกรณ; , ; born 28 July 1952) is the King of Thailand. He is the only son of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit. In 1972, at the age of 20, he was made crown prince by his father. After his ...

. Before their marriage, she was a flight attendant. After joining the Thai military, she was promoted to King’s bodyguard.

Early life and education

Suthida was born on 3 June 1978 to the Tidjai family, Kham (father) and Jangheang (mother). She is ethnically

Hokkien The Hokkien () variety of Chinese is a Southern Min language native to and originating from the Minnan region, where it is widely spoken in the south-eastern part of Fujian in southeastern mainland China. It is one of the national languages ...

, coming from a

Thai Chinese Thai Chinese (also known as Chinese Thais, Sino-Thais), Thais of Chinese origin ( th, ชาวไทยเชื้อสายจีน; ''exonym and also domestically''), endonym Thai people ( th, ชาวไทย), are Chinese descenda ...

family. She graduated from Hatyaiwittayalai Somboonkulkanya Middle School and Assumption University with a bachelor's degree in communication arts in 2000. Suthida was formerly a flight attendant for JALways – a Japan Airlines' subsidiary – from 2000 to 2003 and later

Thai Airways International Thai Airways International Public Company Limited, trading as THAI (, th, บริษัท การบินไทย จำกัด (มหาชน)) is the flag carrier airline of Thailand. Formed in 1961, the airline has its corporate h ...

in 2003 until 2008.

Crown Prince's guard

Suthida was appointed commander of Crown Prince

's household guard in August 2014. As early as 2010, Suthida was linked romantically to the crown prince, who was then still married to

Srirasmi Suwadee Srirasmi Suwadee ( th, ศรีรัศมิ์ สุวะดี; ; born 9 December 1971), formerly Princess Srirasmi, Royal Consort to the Crown Prince of Thailand, is a former member of the royal family of Thailand. She was the third cons ...

. In October 2016, international media reports labeled her as the designated king's " consort", despite the palace never officially declaring their relationship. On 13 October 2017, she was named a Dame Grand Cross (First Class) of The Most Illustrious

Order of Chula Chom Klao The Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao ( th, เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์จุลจอมเกล้า; ) was established on 16 November 1873 by King Rama V of The Kingdom of Siam (now Thailand) to ...

, which bestows the title Than Phu Ying ( th, ท่านผู้หญิง). She is the first female officer to receive this honour since 2004 and the first in the reign of King Rama X.

Royal Thai Army service

On 1 December 2016, she was appointed Commander of the Special Operations Unit of the

King's Guard The King's Guard and King's Life Guard (called the Queen's Guard and the Queen's Life Guard when the reigning monarch is female) are the contingents of infantry and cavalry soldiers charged with guarding the official royal residences in the ...

and promoted to the rank of

general A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...

. She reached her present rank after only six years of service. She has successfully completed several military training courses. On 1 June 2017, she was appointed as acting commander of Royal Thai Aide-de-camp Department following the reorganization of the Royal Security Command.

Queen consort

On 1 May 2019, Suthida was made Queen of Thailand of King

whose coronation took place in Bangkok on 4–6 May 2019. The marriage registration took place at the Amphorn Sathan Residential Hall in

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populati ...

, with her sister-in-law Princess

Sirindhorn Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, The Princess Royal and Princess Debaratana Rajasuda ( th, มหาจักรีสิรินธร, ; ; born April 2, 1955), formerly Princess Sirindhorn Debaratanasuda Kitivadhanadulsobhak ( th, สมเ ...

and President of Privy Council Prem Tinsulanonda as witnesses.

Title, styles, honours and awards

* Since 4 May 2019: ''Her Majesty'' Queen Suthida Bajarasudha Bimollaksana (สมเด็จพระนางเจ้าสุทิดา พัชรสุธาพิมลลักษณ พระบรมราชินี)

Honours

Order of the Royal House of Chakri (Thailand) ribbon

Dame of The Most Illustrious Order of the Royal House of Chakri * Order of the Nine Gems (Thailand) ribbon

Dame of The Ancient and Auspicious Order of the Nine Gems * Order of Chula Chom Klao - 1st Class (Thailand) ribbon

Dame Grand Cross (First Class) of The Most Illustrious

* Dame Grand Cordon (Special Class) of The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant * Dame Grand Cordon (Special Class) of The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand * King Rama IX Royal Cypher Medal (Thailand) ribbon

King Rama IX Royal Cypher Medal (Thailand) ribbon

Royal Cypher Medal of King Rama IX * King Rama X Royal Cypher Medal (Thailand) ribbon

Royal Cypher Medal of King Rama X * Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn 60th Birthday (Thailand) ribbon

Commemorative Medal on the Occasion of the 60th Birthday Anniversary of H.R.H. Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn * King Rama X Coronation Medal (Thailand) ribbon

King Rama X Coronation Medal (Thailand) ribbon

Commemorative Medal on the Occasion of the Coronation of H.M. King Rama X

Military ranks

* 14 May 2010:

Second Lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army unt ...

* 14 November 2010:

First Lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a ...

* 1 April 2011:

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

* 1 October 2011:

Major Major ( commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicato ...

* 1 April 2012:

Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colon ...

* 1 October 2012:

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...

* 10 November 2013: Major-General * 26 August 2016:

Lieutenant-General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

* 10 December 2016:

General A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Suthida 21st-century Thai women 21st-century Chakri dynasty Living people People from Songkhla province Thai queens consort Royal Thai Army generals Consorts of Vajiralongkorn Mahidol family Assumption University (Thailand) alumni Thai people of Chinese descent 1978 births Suthida Vajiralongkorn Flight attendants