Royal Flags (Thailand)

Last modified: 2005-03-12 by eugene ipavec
Keywords: thailand | royal | garuda | phya khrut | mythical creature |
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• Introduction
• Phya Khrut or Royal Garuda
• Current royal standards:
  • Royal Standard (Maharaj Yai)
  • King's Broad Pennant (Maharaj Noi)
  • Queen's Royal Standard (Rachini Yai)
  • Queen's Broad Pennant (Rachini Noi)
  • Crown Prince's Standard (Yaowaraj Yai)
  • Crown Prince's Broad Pennant (Yaowaraj Noi)
  • Crown Princess' Standard
  • Crown Princess' Broad Pennant
  • Other Princes' Standard (Rajawong Yai)
  • Other Princes' Broad Pennant (Rajawong Noi)
  • Other Princesses' Standard (Rajawong Yai Fai Nai)
  • Other Princesses' Broad Pennant (Rajawong Noi Fai Nai)
• Royal Yacht's Ensign
• Personal Flags of the Royal Family
• Kings of the Chakri Dinasty

See also:

• Historical Royal Standards (Thailand)
• Thailand

Centered on all of the royal flags is the arms of Thailand. Introduced in 1910, these arms consist of the great mythical being known as the Garuda which is part man and part bird. It is a protective spirit and "the bearer of the god of bravery". The yellow field associated with all of these flags represents Buddhism.

The royal flags of Thailand have a distinctive pattern. The flags of male members of the royal house are square. The female royal members' flags are identical with those of the corresponding male members; however, the fly of their flags are split like a burgee.

The King's flag has the Garuda on a square, yellow field while the Queen's flag is a yellow swallowtailed flag with the Garuda. The Crown Prince's flag places the Garuda on a yellow panel in the middle of a blue field. The Crown Princess' flag places the panel on a blue swallowtailed flag. All other Princes place the Garuda on a yellow disk which is centered on a blue field. The same disk on a blue burgee is the flag of Princesses who are the King's daughters.

Assuming no changes to the law, there are also [broad] pennants that are assigned to each category of royalty. The form of the pennant is a square reproduction of the male member's flag in the hoist while the rest of the pennant has a split tail. The differentiation between male and female royalty is color of the rest of the pennant. The rest of the pennant is white for male royalty and red for female royalty. For example, the pennant of the King is a miniature King's flag with a white tail. The Queen's pennant has a miniature of the King's flag with a red tail.

Sources: Flaggenbuch 1939,