National symbols of Thailand - flag and coat of arms

National flag

The modern flag of Thailand was adopted on September 28, 1917. It is a rectangular cloth with an aspect ratio of 2 to 3. There are five horizontal stripes of different colors on the cloth, each of which has a different meaning. From top to bottom: red stripe, white, blue, white, red. The blue stripe is twice as wide as the others. With red the Thai people associate themselves, their nation, as one. White is the color of Buddhism as the national religion. Blue is the color of the royal family, the monarchy.

The meaning of the official symbol can be interpreted to mean that the nation and religion are united around the king. The flag of Thailand is named Tong Trairong, which literally translates to "tricolor flag.

History of Tong Trairong

The present form was adopted back in the days of the kingdom of Siam. But with the acquisition of a new name and a new form of government - constitutional monarchy - the flag of Thailand has not changed. One can judge that the importance of the king and religion to the people is still strong. Portraits of the ruling dynasty, statues of shrines, and symbols of the state, found everywhere, testify to this. In the photos taken on the streets of Thailand, eye-catching are the developing cloths - the flag of Thailand, as well as the flags of the king and queen: yellow and blue with the family monograms depicted in the center. Flags are also carried by each of the provinces, the army, the navy, and the police.

The flag of Thailand was first officially adopted in the nineteenth century. The red cloth was centered on the chakra, important in the Buddhist religion, and the sacred animal, the white elephant, as a symbol of royalty. In time, however, King Rama IV ordered the wheel to be removed from the cloth, leaving only the large image of the white elephant in the center.

Later, in 1916, the cloth acquired a completely different look and consisted of five stripes of two colors. Instead of the blue stripe, a red stripe was shown. This version lasted only a year.

National emblem

The modern coat of arms has been in existence since 1933. It depicts the Hindu demigod, the Garuda bird. The prey of the sacred bird are the serpents that swarm in the heads of unbelievers. Garuda delivers them from their doubts and returns them to the path of religion.

This coat of arms is radically different from the first coat of arms of the country, which was introduced by King Rama in 1897 under the influence of European heraldry. In the photo of the coat of arms you see a shield with a trident, above which the Great Crown of Victory rises, and on the sides - two heraldic lions holding royal umbrellas. These are symbols of the king - the protector of the nation, the royal dynasty and their dignity.