When King Rama VI redesigned the Thai flag from the old Flag of Siam to
the present flag, what 3 countries did he model the new flag after? Pete
Thailand Quiz
Perhaps that's what they say now but not what the history books say. I had a long wait in the lobby of the Pattaya International hospital last Sunday while a friend was getting her wisdom teeth removed, and read the following from a history journal, loosely quoted:
King Rama VI designed the modern Thai flag after the flags of the
USA, Great Britian and France, because he considered them as the only true free democracies in the world at that time. Once Rama VI had agreed to do away with abosolute monarchy in favor of a constitutional monarchy, he felt he had to change the flag as well to represent Thailand
(Freeland)rather than the old Siam. Pete
King Rama VI designed the modern Thai flag after the flags of the
USA, Great Britian and France, because he considered them as the only true free democracies in the world at that time. Once Rama VI had agreed to do away with abosolute monarchy in favor of a constitutional monarchy, he felt he had to change the flag as well to represent Thailand
(Freeland)rather than the old Siam. Pete
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Don't know how true this one is , but here goes.
The first Thai flag was red, as a simple piece of red cloth was easy to come by and could be flown over peoples houses.
The Siamese authority wanted to issue a new flag for the official ships. The time was around 1816 in which King Rama II had just acquired the third white elephant. This was an unprecedented phenomenon, heralding great and good things to come under his reign. To commemorate the event, the picture of a white elephant facing towards the hoist was placed at the centre of the red flag. Thus, a new national flag was born. The Thai Elephant Flag was hoisted over official buildings and private houses’, presenting a spectacular sight against the national flags of the foreign consulates whose number were on the rise.
In 1915 King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) observed during one of his boat trips up the Chao Phraya River an elephant flag flown upside down over a hut. On returning to Bangkok, he began designing a simpler and modern looking flag for the kingdom, the reason being that the flags of most European powers were composed of stripes of the national colors.
At the outset, he designed the five-striped red and white flag which was hoisted at the Suapa Field on the right of the Royal Plaza for a trial period. Later, the deep blue (the color of his own birthday) was inserted.
Hence the “Trairongâ€
The first Thai flag was red, as a simple piece of red cloth was easy to come by and could be flown over peoples houses.
The Siamese authority wanted to issue a new flag for the official ships. The time was around 1816 in which King Rama II had just acquired the third white elephant. This was an unprecedented phenomenon, heralding great and good things to come under his reign. To commemorate the event, the picture of a white elephant facing towards the hoist was placed at the centre of the red flag. Thus, a new national flag was born. The Thai Elephant Flag was hoisted over official buildings and private houses’, presenting a spectacular sight against the national flags of the foreign consulates whose number were on the rise.
In 1915 King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) observed during one of his boat trips up the Chao Phraya River an elephant flag flown upside down over a hut. On returning to Bangkok, he began designing a simpler and modern looking flag for the kingdom, the reason being that the flags of most European powers were composed of stripes of the national colors.
At the outset, he designed the five-striped red and white flag which was hoisted at the Suapa Field on the right of the Royal Plaza for a trial period. Later, the deep blue (the color of his own birthday) was inserted.
Hence the “Trairongâ€
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