Flag of Thailand

Flag origins

Thailand's Thong Trairong, or tricolor, has red, white, blue, white and red bands, with a double-width blue center. Established on 28 September 1917 under King Rama VI, official explanations identify red with nation and people, white with religion and blue with the monarchy. It followed a red flag with a white elephant and then a red-and-white striped design around 1916.

Flag story

A famous story says Rama VI saw an elephant flag flown upside down and wanted a design that could not be inverted incorrectly. This is a popular anecdote, not a securely confirmed official origin. The parliamentary museum also explains the blue center in relation to Thailand joining the Allies in the First World War, whose flags often used red, white and blue.

Editorial notes and references

Edited by ABELHA WORKS. The English text translates the administrator-edited Japanese description. Legends should be distinguished from documented history. General reference links do not substantiate every statement in the text.

• Thailand — general information on Wikipedia
• Japan MOFA: countries and regions (Japanese)

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