Emblem of Thailand
Encyclopedia
The National Emblem of Thailand features the Garuda
, a figure from both Buddhist
and Hindu
mythology. In Thailand, this figure is used as a symbol of the royal family and authority. This version of the figure is referred to as Krut Pha, meaning " acting as the vehicle (of Vishnu
)." The National Emblem is also the Emblem of the King of Thailand.
The Garuda also features in the National Emblem of Indonesia and the city of Ulan Bator (the capital of Mongolia
). The coat of arms of Indonesia is different from that of Thailand in one respect, because Emblem of Thailand does not feature a heraldic shield.
designed a coat of arms for use in Siam (the old name for Thailand), in the western heraldic style
. Forty years later, he decided that the coat of arms was too westernized and lacked any image of the Garuda (which the kings of the Ayutthaya Kingdom
had used as symbol of their power).
He then ordered his brother Prince Naris to make a new emblem in place of the coat of arms. At first, Naris had designed an emblem featuring Garuda, Naga and Vishnu inside a circle. The emblem was only used for a short while before the king suggested Naris removed the images of Vishnu and Naga.
After Chulalongkorn's reign, King Vajiravudh
ordered Phra Dhevabhinimit to create a new emblem. The new one featured Chulalongkorn's emblem, but encircled it to create an outer rim, which contained the royal ceremonial name. Upon coronation of a new king, the royal emblem is changed to correspond with the name of the new king. After the abdication of King Prajadhipok
in 1935, King Ananda Mahidol
succeeded to the throne, but he was never crowned, so a new emblem was not created and Chulalongkorn's emblem was used instead.
Today, an image of Garuda without the circle around it is used as the emblem of Thailand. It is printed at the top of official documents and letters. Garuda sculptures are given by king as a royal warrant
to any reliable and lawful companies who made trade contract with royal household and request so.
style coat of arms
as a national emblem. The coat of arms was created during the reign of King Chulalongkorn
(Rama V), who ordered his cousin His Highness Prince Pravij Jumsai to draw up a European style coat of arms in 1873.
The Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Siam (พระราชลัญจกรประจำแผ่นดินสยาม), follows and contains almost all components and elements of the European heraldic tradition. The escutcheon or Shield, is divided into three quadrants. The first (chief) quadrant depicts a mythological three-headed white elephant
, or Erawan (เอราวัณ) (in Hindu mythology called Airavata
) the vehicle of the god Indra
, the creature is set on a yellow field. This quadrant represents the Kingdom of Siam and the Thai heartland, the three heads of the elephant represents the northern, central and southern Siam. The lower left quadrant (dexter base) depicts a white elephant in front of a red field. This quadrant represents the Laotian suzerainty (the symbol comes for its native name "Lan Xang
", land of the million elephant
s.). The lower lower right quadrant (sinister base) depicts two crossed kris
es (one with and one without a scabbard) on a pink field, this represents the Malay suzerainty to the south.
Above the shield is the symbol representing the Chakri Dynasty, a disc and a trident (chakra
and trisula). The shield is then surrounded by the chain of the Ancient and Auspicious Order of the Nine Gems
(representing Buddhism) with a chain and pendant from the Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao
(featuring a portrait of King Chulalongkorn).
The arms contains all of the six Royal Regalia of Thailand. Firstly the shield is crowned by the Great Crown of Victory
, with a rays of light emitting from the 'Phra Maha Wichian Mani'; a diamond set atop the crown. Besides the shield are two seven-tiered Royal Umbrellas
. Crossed behind the shield is the Sword of Victory
to the left and the Royal Staff
to the right. In front of the them are the Royal Fan and Flywhisk (to the right and left, respectively). And finally on the compartment, a golden multi-layered base with a blue top, are the Royal Slippers, a pair of golden 'Indian' slippers.
The motto is written in gold on a red and green ribbon at the bottom of the arms. The motto, which is written in the Pali language
in Thai script
reads: "สพฺเพสํ สงฺฆภูตานํ สามคฺคี วุฑฺฒิ สาธิกา" (Romanization: "Sabbesam Sanghabhutānam Sāmaggī Vuḍḍhi Sādhiga."), translated as:"Unity brings happiness". The supporters of the arms are two mythical creatures, clad in regalia. To the left of the shield (dexter) is an elephant lion (a lion with a trunk) or a 'Gajasiha' (คชสีห์). To the right of the shield (sinister) is a king of the lions the 'Rajasiha' (ราชสีห์). The two supporters represents the two ancient departments of Kalahom (Gajasiha) and Mahatthai (Rajasiha).
The Kalahom ministry is the department of the Military and the south, while the Mahatthai ministry is department of the civil service and the north, both vital in the administration of the Kingdom. Finally the mantle
of the arms is the cloak of the Order of Chula Chom Klao, tied with pink ribbons (pink being the colour of Tuesday
, the day of Chulalongkorn's birth).
When Vajiravudh
succeeded his father as King Rama VI in 1910, he decided to replace the coat of arms with the current emblem. This was because the arms were too Westernized (at the time the King was trying to bolster Siamese Nationalism). Together with the fact that Siam by 1910 has lost the entirety of Laos to the French Empire
(1893 and 1904) and the northern Malay States to the British Empire
(1909).
Today the Coat of arms is still used as the cap-badge of the Royal Thai Police
and is the official symbol of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy
.
The House of Chakri founded in 1782 by King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke
(or King Rama I) became the Royal House
of Siam, and then later Thailand. King Rama I himself choose both name and the emblem
for the dynasty. The Chakra which provides both name and the pictoral representation to the House of Chakri, is composed of the discus (Chakra
) and the trident (Trisula), the celestial weapons of the Gods Narayana
and Shiva
respectively. The Siamese King is seen as a personification of the former. The coined name Chakri thus denotes the transcending force of divine strength and stability upon the physical realm
.
Garuda
The Garuda is a large mythical bird or bird-like creature that appears in both Hindu and Buddhist mythology.From an Indian perspective, Garuda is the Hindu name for the constellation Aquila and...
, a figure from both Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
and Hindu
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
mythology. In Thailand, this figure is used as a symbol of the royal family and authority. This version of the figure is referred to as Krut Pha, meaning " acting as the vehicle (of Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
)." The National Emblem is also the Emblem of the King of Thailand.
The Garuda also features in the National Emblem of Indonesia and the city of Ulan Bator (the capital of Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
). The coat of arms of Indonesia is different from that of Thailand in one respect, because Emblem of Thailand does not feature a heraldic shield.
History
In 1873, King ChulalongkornChulalongkorn
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Chulalongkorn Phra Chunla Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama V was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri. He was known to the Siamese of his time as Phra Phuttha Chao Luang . He is considered one of the greatest kings of Siam...
designed a coat of arms for use in Siam (the old name for Thailand), in the western heraldic style
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
. Forty years later, he decided that the coat of arms was too westernized and lacked any image of the Garuda (which the kings of the Ayutthaya Kingdom
Ayutthaya kingdom
Ayutthaya was a Siamese kingdom that existed from 1350 to 1767. Ayutthaya was friendly towards foreign traders, including the Chinese, Vietnamese , Indians, Japanese and Persians, and later the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and French, permitting them to set up villages outside the walls of the...
had used as symbol of their power).
He then ordered his brother Prince Naris to make a new emblem in place of the coat of arms. At first, Naris had designed an emblem featuring Garuda, Naga and Vishnu inside a circle. The emblem was only used for a short while before the king suggested Naris removed the images of Vishnu and Naga.
After Chulalongkorn's reign, King Vajiravudh
Vajiravudh
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramentharamaha Vajiravudh Phra Mongkut Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Phra Bat Somdet Phra Ramathibodi Si Sintharamaha Vajiravudh Phra Mongkut Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama VI was the sixth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, ruling from 1910 until his death...
ordered Phra Dhevabhinimit to create a new emblem. The new one featured Chulalongkorn's emblem, but encircled it to create an outer rim, which contained the royal ceremonial name. Upon coronation of a new king, the royal emblem is changed to correspond with the name of the new king. After the abdication of King Prajadhipok
Prajadhipok
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Prajadhipok Phra Pok Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama VII was the seventh monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri. He was the last absolute monarch and the first constitutional monarch of the country. His reign was a turbulent time for Siam due to huge political...
in 1935, King Ananda Mahidol
Ananda Mahidol
Ananda Mahidol was the eighth monarch of Thailand under the House of Chakri. At the time he was recognized as king by the National Assembly, in March 1935, he was a nine-year-old boy living in Switzerland. He returned to Thailand in December 1945. Six months later, in June 1946, he was found shot...
succeeded to the throne, but he was never crowned, so a new emblem was not created and Chulalongkorn's emblem was used instead.
Today, an image of Garuda without the circle around it is used as the emblem of Thailand. It is printed at the top of official documents and letters. Garuda sculptures are given by king as a royal warrant
Royal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...
to any reliable and lawful companies who made trade contract with royal household and request so.
Coat of arms of Siam 1873-1910
From 1873 to 1910 Thailand (then known as Siam) had a heraldicHeraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
style coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
as a national emblem. The coat of arms was created during the reign of King Chulalongkorn
Chulalongkorn
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Chulalongkorn Phra Chunla Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama V was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri. He was known to the Siamese of his time as Phra Phuttha Chao Luang . He is considered one of the greatest kings of Siam...
(Rama V), who ordered his cousin His Highness Prince Pravij Jumsai to draw up a European style coat of arms in 1873.
The Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Siam (พระราชลัญจกรประจำแผ่นดินสยาม), follows and contains almost all components and elements of the European heraldic tradition. The escutcheon or Shield, is divided into three quadrants. The first (chief) quadrant depicts a mythological three-headed white elephant
White elephant
A white elephant is an idiom for a valuable but burdensome possession of which its owner cannot dispose and whose cost is out of proportion to its usefulness or worth...
, or Erawan (เอราวัณ) (in Hindu mythology called Airavata
Airavata
Airavata is a mythological white elephant who carries the Hindu god Indra. It is also called 'Ardha-Matanga', meaning "elephant of the clouds"; 'Naga-malla', meaning "the fighting elephant"; and 'Arkasodara', meaning "brother of the sun". 'Abharamu' is the elephant wife of Airavata. Airavata has...
) the vehicle of the god Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
, the creature is set on a yellow field. This quadrant represents the Kingdom of Siam and the Thai heartland, the three heads of the elephant represents the northern, central and southern Siam. The lower left quadrant (dexter base) depicts a white elephant in front of a red field. This quadrant represents the Laotian suzerainty (the symbol comes for its native name "Lan Xang
Lan Xang
The Lao kingdom of Lan Xang Hom Kao was established in 1354 by Fa Ngum.Exiled as an infant to Cambodia, Prince Fa Ngum of Xieng Dong Xieng Thong married a daughter of the Khmer king. In 1349 he set out from Angkor at the head of a 10,000-man army to establish his own country...
", land of the million elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
s.). The lower lower right quadrant (sinister base) depicts two crossed kris
Kris
The kris or keris is an asymmetrical dagger or sword nowadays most strongly associated with the culture of Indonesia, but also indigenous to Malaysia, Southern Thailand and Brunei. It is known as kalis in the southern Philippines. The kris is famous for its distinctive wavy blade , but many have...
es (one with and one without a scabbard) on a pink field, this represents the Malay suzerainty to the south.
Above the shield is the symbol representing the Chakri Dynasty, a disc and a trident (chakra
Chakra
Chakra is a concept originating in Hindu texts, featured in tantric and yogic traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism. Its name derives from the Sanskrit word for "wheel" or "turning" .Chakra is a concept referring to wheel-like vortices...
and trisula). The shield is then surrounded by the chain of the Ancient and Auspicious Order of the Nine Gems
Order of the Nine Gems
The Ancient and Auspicious Order of the Nine Gems was established in 1851 by King Rama IV of The Kingdom of Siam...
(representing Buddhism) with a chain and pendant from the Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao
Order of Chula Chom Klao
The Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao was established in 16 November 1873 by King Rama V of The Kingdom of Siam to commemorate the 90th Jubilee of the Chakri Dynasty, and bears his Name...
(featuring a portrait of King Chulalongkorn).
The arms contains all of the six Royal Regalia of Thailand. Firstly the shield is crowned by the Great Crown of Victory
Great Crown of Victory
The Great Crown of Victory or Phra Maha Phichai Mongkut is one of the Royal Regalia of Thailand. Made of gold in the reign of King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke or Rama I in 1782, it is 66 centimeters high and weighs 7.3 kg, and enamelled in red and green. Thanks to King Mongkut or Rama IV, the Great...
, with a rays of light emitting from the 'Phra Maha Wichian Mani'; a diamond set atop the crown. Besides the shield are two seven-tiered Royal Umbrellas
Royal Nine-Tiered Umbrella
The Royal Nine-Tiered Umbrella or Nopphapadon Mahasawettachat or literally the royal nine-tiered white umbrella, is part of the Royal Regalia of the King of Thailand. Once considered the most important symbols of Kingship, with time the umbrella became less prominent...
. Crossed behind the shield is the Sword of Victory
Sword of Victory
The Sword of Victory or Phra Saeng Khan Chai Si is one of the Royal Regalia of the King of Thailand. The Sword represents the military might and power of the King. The hilt has a length of 25.4 centimeters with the blade measuring 64.5 centimeters. When placed in the scabbard the sword has a total...
to the left and the Royal Staff
Royal Staff
The Royal Staff or Than Phra Kon is one of the five Royal Regalia of the King of Thailand. The staff is made of cassia wood and enclosed at both ends in gold. It has a length of 118 cm. One end has a knob and there are three tines at the foot...
to the right. In front of the them are the Royal Fan and Flywhisk (to the right and left, respectively). And finally on the compartment, a golden multi-layered base with a blue top, are the Royal Slippers, a pair of golden 'Indian' slippers.
The motto is written in gold on a red and green ribbon at the bottom of the arms. The motto, which is written in the Pali language
Pali language
Pāli is a Middle Indo-Aryan language of the Indian subcontinent. It is best known as the language of many of the earliest extant Buddhist scriptures, as collected in the Pāi Canon or Tipitaka, and as the liturgical language of Theravada Buddhism.-Etymology of the name:The word Pali itself...
in Thai script
Thai alphabet
Thai script , is used to write the Thai language and other, minority, languages in Thailand. It has forty-four consonants , fifteen vowel symbols that combine into at least twenty-eight vowel forms, and four tone marks ....
reads: "สพฺเพสํ สงฺฆภูตานํ สามคฺคี วุฑฺฒิ สาธิกา" (Romanization: "Sabbesam Sanghabhutānam Sāmaggī Vuḍḍhi Sādhiga."), translated as:"Unity brings happiness". The supporters of the arms are two mythical creatures, clad in regalia. To the left of the shield (dexter) is an elephant lion (a lion with a trunk) or a 'Gajasiha' (คชสีห์). To the right of the shield (sinister) is a king of the lions the 'Rajasiha' (ราชสีห์). The two supporters represents the two ancient departments of Kalahom (Gajasiha) and Mahatthai (Rajasiha).
The Kalahom ministry is the department of the Military and the south, while the Mahatthai ministry is department of the civil service and the north, both vital in the administration of the Kingdom. Finally the mantle
Mantling
In heraldry, mantling or lambrequin is drapery tied to the helmet above the shield. It forms a backdrop for the shield. In paper heraldry it is a depiction of the protective cloth covering worn by knights from their helmets to stave off the elements, and, secondarily, to decrease the effects of...
of the arms is the cloak of the Order of Chula Chom Klao, tied with pink ribbons (pink being the colour of Tuesday
Color of the day
In Thai tradition, there is an astrological rule that assigns color for each day of the week. The color is assigned based on the color of the God who protects the day or Navagraha. For example, the God of Sunday is Surya which has red color. These colors of the day are the traditional Thai...
, the day of Chulalongkorn's birth).
When Vajiravudh
Vajiravudh
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramentharamaha Vajiravudh Phra Mongkut Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Phra Bat Somdet Phra Ramathibodi Si Sintharamaha Vajiravudh Phra Mongkut Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama VI was the sixth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, ruling from 1910 until his death...
succeeded his father as King Rama VI in 1910, he decided to replace the coat of arms with the current emblem. This was because the arms were too Westernized (at the time the King was trying to bolster Siamese Nationalism). Together with the fact that Siam by 1910 has lost the entirety of Laos to the French Empire
French colonial empire
The French colonial empire was the set of territories outside Europe that were under French rule primarily from the 17th century to the late 1960s. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the colonial empire of France was the second-largest in the world behind the British Empire. The French colonial empire...
(1893 and 1904) and the northern Malay States to the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
(1909).
Today the Coat of arms is still used as the cap-badge of the Royal Thai Police
Royal Thai Police
The Royal Thai Police are the national police of Thailand.-About:Primary responsibility for the maintenance of public order through enforcement of the kingdom's laws was exercised by the Thailand National Police Department , a subdivision of the Ministry of Interior...
and is the official symbol of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy
Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy
Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy or CRMA is the military academy of Royal Thai Army. Established in 1887 it has graduated the vast majority of Thailand's military leaders and many of them become Thai Prime Ministers.-History:...
.
Emblem of the House of Chakri
Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Chakri Borommanat Phra Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke , posthumously titled "the Great", or Rama I , was the founder and the first monarch of the reigning House of Chakri of Siam . He ascended the throne in 1782, after defeating a rebellion which had deposed King...
(or King Rama I) became the Royal House
Royal House
A royal house or royal dynasty consists of at least one, but usually more monarchs who are related to one another, as well as their non-reigning descendants and spouses. Monarchs of the same realm who are not related to one another are usually deemed to belong to different houses, and each house is...
of Siam, and then later Thailand. King Rama I himself choose both name and the emblem
Emblem
An emblem is a pictorial image, abstract or representational, that epitomizes a concept — e.g., a moral truth, or an allegory — or that represents a person, such as a king or saint.-Distinction: emblem and symbol:...
for the dynasty. The Chakra which provides both name and the pictoral representation to the House of Chakri, is composed of the discus (Chakra
Sudarshana Chakra
The Sudarshana Chakra is a spinning, disk-like super weapon with 108 serrated edges used by Lord Vishnu. The Sudarshana Chakra is portrayed on the right rear hand of the four hands of Vishnu, who also holds a Shankha in his left rear hand, a Gada in his right fore hand, and a Padma in his left...
) and the trident (Trisula), the celestial weapons of the Gods Narayana
Narayana
Narayana or Narayan or Naraina is an important Sanskrit name for Vishnu, and in many contemporary vernaculars a common Indian name. Narayana is also identified as the original man, Purusha. The Puranas present divergent views on Narayana...
and Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
respectively. The Siamese King is seen as a personification of the former. The coined name Chakri thus denotes the transcending force of divine strength and stability upon the physical realm
Realm
A realm is a dominion of a monarch or other sovereign ruler.The Old French word reaume, modern French royaume, was the word first adopted in English; the fixed modern spelling does not appear until the beginning of the 17th century...
.
See also
- Royal Warrant of Appointment (Thailand)Royal Warrant of Appointment (Thailand)Royal warrants of appointment in Thailand have been issued for decades initially to those who supplied goods or services to the King of Thailand, but have evolved to include companies and businesses that have shown exceptional services and commitment to the economic and social development of the...
- Flag of ThailandFlag of ThailandThe flag of the Kingdom of Thailand shows five horizontal stripes in the colours red, white, blue, white and red, with the middle blue stripe being twice as wide as each of the other four. The design was adopted on 28 September 1917, according to the royal decree about the flag in that year; the...
- Royal Standard of ThailandRoyal Standard of ThailandThe Royal Standard of Thailand is the official flag of the King of Thailand. The standard was adopted in its present form in 1910 under King Vajiravudh . In 1979 the designs were codified in the law; specifically in Article 2 of the Flag Act of 1979 , which also regulated Thailand's other flags...
- List of Thai Flags
- Monarchy of Thailand
- Chakri Dynasty
- Seals of The Provinces of ThailandSeals of The Provinces of Thailand-Present-day provinces of Thailand:This list includes all the seals of the Provinces of Thailand. It also includes the special administrative area of the capital, Bangkok.-Former Provinces:-External links:*...