KINGDOM OF THAILAND

CURRENT NAVAL FLAGS

The national flag of the Kingdom of Thailand is called the Trairanga (Tricolor). According to tradition it was adopted in 1917 after King Vajiravudh had seen the previous national flag—red charged with a white elephant—flying upside down. His Majesty thereupon decreed that a flag striped red-white-red-white-red—a design incapable of being hoisted upside down—would henceforth be the flag of Thailand. Soon afterwards the central stripe was changed from red to blue, producing the current national flag. Red is a color traditionally representative of the Thai people, white is for the Buddhist faith and blue represents the monarchy. The naval ensign of Thailand is the national flag defaced with a red disc bearing a white elephant in full regalia, a traditional emblem of the monarchy that appeared on many historical flags of Thailand. The naval jack, which also serves as the ceremonial color of the Navy, is charged with the naval badge, an anchor under a royal crown. The circular device incorporated into the badge is the chakra, a Buddhist religious symbol. The commissioning pennant is red at the hoist, blue on the fly. The naval service flag, flown on land alongside the national flag, is blue with the naval badge placed within a white circle. The five higher command flag and pennants have the badge placed directly on the blue field; the lower three display a foul anchor. Naval rank flags are square with the chakra in white, one to five devices appearing according to rank.

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