The Thai Flag and the History,

The treatment of the Thai national flag will not be complete without mentioning the popular flag which has been used for a long time in the religious celebrations on a national scale. This is the Kathin flag or what might be termed the folk flag. Before dealing with the subject of folk flags, however, it is appropriate to mention other types of flags developed in the course of Thai history, especially the royal standards of individual kings initiated by King Mongkut or Rama IV (185 1-1868) and King Chulalongkorn or Rama V (1868-1910). Their reigns also witnessed the introduction of standards or colors for different state departments.

Other significant royal banners include the “Phra Krabi Thuch Phra Garuda Pab”banners (literally translated as the Monkey God Banner and the Garuda-on-the-Wing Banner). These are used to precede the royal procession. They were introduced by King Rama VI (1910-1925) in 1910. These banners are steeped in religious symbolisms and mythological allusions and deserve a separate treatment elsewhere.

As has been mentioned earlier, the folk flag is closely associated with religion. As Buddhism is the official religion of the nation, its celebrations are more or less nationwide. One of the most notable celebrations is at the end of Lent or the Rains Retreat (or Phansa), the period of three months during which the Buddhist monks are obliged to stay in the monasteries. The end of the Rains Retreat marks the occasion for the monks throughout the country to receive new robes and other necessities in an annual presentation ceremony called Thot Kathin.

For most Thais, this is an occasion to combine holidays and merit- making, as they form themselves into groups to organize Kathin ceremonies, thus providing an intricate pattern of countrywide support for monasteries. There are thousands of monasteries in Thailand, and there is never any shortage of devotees for Kathin to such an extent that they have to put up a sign “reserved”, as it were, for the late-corners to seek another monastery for their Kathin.

The sign “reserved”is indicated by a banner with the picture of a crocodile at the centre. The Crocodile Banner, put in front of the monastery entrance, signifies that the monastery is already engaged or reserved by Kathin devotees. During the ceremony, one will see a variety of colourful pennants or “satellite flags”.

As far as flags are concerned, the life of a Thai is never divorced from these two flags- the Trai-rong and the Kathin flag. They are part and parcel of a Thai existence, the one reminding him of the nation and the other of the religious side of life, both contributing to the nourishment of the national and spiritual yearnings.