National emblem of Thailand
The national
emblem of Thailand
(
Thai
:
????????????????
) is called the
????????????
(
RTGS transcription
: Phra Khrut Pha; "
Garuda
as the vehicle" (of
Vishnu
)). The Garuda was officially adopted as the
national emblem
by
Vajiravudh
(Rama VI) in 1911. However, the mythical creature had been used as a symbol of royalty in
Thailand
for centuries. The Garuda is depicted on
seals
, which are used by the
King
and the
Government of Thailand
to authenticate official documents and as its primary emblem.
The Garuda is a
mythological beast
of the
Hindu
and
Buddhist
tradition. According to Hindu mythology, the Garuda is the
vahana
(vehicle) of the god Vishnu (
Narayana
). The ancient
kings of Thailand
believed in
divine kingship
, and considered themselves the incarnation of the god Narayana. Thus, the Garuda came to symbolise the divine power and authority of the king.
The Garuda also features in the
national emblem of Indonesia
and the emblem of the city of
Ulaanbaatar
.
Symbolism
[
edit
]
The Garuda is a
birdlike
mythological beast
of the
Hindu
and
Buddhist
tradition. According to mythology, the Garuda is a large
hybrid
half-man and half-bird creature. The Garuda is often depicted in art as having the head, beak, wings and talons of an eagle, while his torso is like that of a human man.
[1]
In the book
Traiphum Phra Ruang
, a Thai Buddhist literary work composed in the 14th century, he is described as having a body that was 150
yojanas
across (1 yojana equivalent to 1.6
kilometres
), his left and right wings 150 yojanas each, his tail 60 yojanas long, his neck 30 yojanas, his beak 90 yojanas and his talons 12 yojanas each.
[2]
[3]
The Garuda's physical strength and martial prowess is recounted in the
Sanskrit
Puranas
.
[4]
In these stories he is described as the most powerful of all the winged-creatures and as such is regarded as the king of all the birds.
[5]
In Buddhist literature, the Garuda lives in the legendary
Himavanta
forest and is regarded as
semi-divine
or supernatural.
[2]
In the Buddhist tradition the emphasis is put on the Garuda's deeds, which portray him as a righteous and merciful being.
[5]
According to the
Mahabharata
, the Garuda was so powerful that no god could defeat him in battle, eventually the
Hindu god
Vishnu
intervened. Impressed with his abilities, Vishnu made the Garuda immortal and promised him a higher seat than that of his own. Henceforth, the Garuda became the '
vahana
' or vehicle of Vishnu and was allowed to sit atop the god's flagpole as a reward.
[6]
[7]
The Garuda's relationship with Vishnu or
Narayana
is especially significant. The doctrine of ancient
Thai kingship
was heavily influenced by those of
India
. Accordingly, the king was nothing less than an '
avatar
' or
incarnation
of god, just as King
Rama
of the epic
Ramayana
was the incarnation of Narayana. Thus, the god Narayana and the Garuda became the accepted symbol of divine and sacred kingship in ancient Thailand.
[8]
Royal seals
[
edit
]
During the
Ayutthaya Kingdom
(1350?1767), the king had in his possession several
seals
(???,
tra
) of various designs. These
stamp seals
were used in the authentication of official documents, especially on those sent out from the central administration to the provinces. They were usually made from carved blocks of ivory.
[8]
[9]
In 1635 a law was passed, regulating the use of each seal for a specific purpose or on specific documents.
[9]
For example, one was used for the interior administration, one for foreign affairs, one for military affairs and one for dynastic affairs.
[8]
The king entrusted a seal to an individual minister, with a "Master of the Seal", whose role it was to write and seal all documents on his behalf.
[9]
The importance of the seals were attested when another law provided a punishment for the forgery and altering of sealed documents.
[9]
Simon de la Loubere
remarked that the king's own authority was linked to that of his seal. In times of turmoil and dynastic conflict, exceptional importance was attached to the seals, as it was considered that the kingdom's power and authority laid with their custodian. These seals did not survive the
sacking and destruction
of
the city
by a
Burmese army
in 1767.
[10]
The use of royal seals continued in the first four reigns of the
Rattanakosin Kingdom
(founded in 1782). The
Chakri kings
would use a
personal seal
for private letters and four official seals for government business. The four great royal seals (????????????,
Phra Ratcha Lanchakon
) included: the
Maha Ongkan
(?????????), the
Khrut Pha
(?????????), the
Hongsaphiman
(????????) and the
Airaphot
(??????) seals. The seals represented four gods:
Shiva
(known in Thailand as
Phra Isuan
),
Vishnu
(
Phra Narai
),
Brahma
(
Phra Phrom
) and
Indra
(
Phra In
). The first three belong strictly to the
Hindu Trimurti
(or Trinity) and the last is a popular king of the gods in Buddhism.
[11]
The four seals are now kept by the
Secretariat of the Cabinet
and are affixed to documents by its officers in different combinations, depending on the purpose of those documents.
[11]
[12]
[13]
Four great royal seals
[
edit
]
|
Phra Ratcha Lanchakon Maha Ongkan
Royal Seal of the Great Decree
An
Unalom
symbol inside a royal
Busabok
pavilion, flanked by two seven-tiered
royal umbrellas
. The seal represents Shiva.
[11]
[14]
|
|
Phra Ratcha Lanchakon Airaphot
Royal Seal of Airavata elephant
A royal pavilion mounted on the back of
Airavata
(a mythical three-headed elephant), flanked by two five-tiered royal umbrellas. The Airavata according to myth is the vehicle of Indra.
[11]
[14]
|
|
|
Phra Ratcha Lanchakon Phra Khrut Pha
Royal Seal of Garuda the Carrier
Narayana mounted on the back of Garuda. Within the Garuda's claws are two
N?ga
serpents. Narayana was an incarnation of Vishnu.
[11]
[14]
|
|
Phra Ratcha Lanchakon Hongsaphiman
Royal Seal of the Swan Pavilion
A royal pavilion mounted on the back of
hamsa
(a mythical swan), at its feet are lotus flowers and leaves. The hamsa according to myth is the vehicle of Brahma.
[11]
[14]
|
|
Garuda emblem
[
edit
]
Royal symbol
[
edit
]
Constitutional Court
Decision No. 12-14/2553 dated 3 November 2010, as published in the
Government Gazette
. The Garuda emblem is used on the letterhead, as is common on all Thai government documents.
A proclamation dated 19 October 2006. King
Bhumibol Adulyadej
signed at the top of the paper and prime minister
Surayud Chulanont
countersigned at the bottom. All of the four seals were used on this modern document.
Thai kings recruited
Brahmins
from India and adopted Hindu court rituals. The national and royal symbol of Thailand is
Garuda
, the mount of Lord
Vishnu
.
[15]
Thailand
uses the Garuda (
Thai
:
????, khrut
) as its national symbol, known as the
Phra Khrut Pha
, meaning "Garuda, the vehicle (of Vishnu)," also used as the symbol of royalty.
[16]
It adorns the banknote of thai currency - the Baht - as well.
[17]
These seals were used until 1873, when a European inspired
coat of arms
was designated by King
Chulalongkorn
(Rama V) as the
national emblem
of Siam. However, the creation of the coat of arms did not entirely replace the old royal seals, for a law promulgated in 1890, stated that the Khrut Pha and the Airaphot seals would continue to be used.
[11]
[18]
In 1893 the King changed his mind and decided that the
heraldic
arms was too foreign, and ordered his brother the Prince
Narisara Nuvadtivongs
to design a new seal featuring the Garuda. The Garuda as a symbol has been depicted in royal seals since the times of Ayutthaya. The Prince drew a new seal, which was based on the old design, featuring the god Narayana mounted on the Garuda's back. This version of the seal was used only briefly, as the King was not satisfied with this rendition. Soon after he asked the Prince to redesign the seal depicting the Garuda alone.
[11]
[14]
[19]
In 1910, King
Vajiravudh
(Rama VI) decided to abandon the coat of arms altogether and use the Garuda as his primary device. The King asked Phra Dhevabhinimit (a famous artist at the time) to design a new seal, using Prince Naris' drawing of the Garuda, but with an addition of an encirclement of the King's ceremonial name on the outer edge. In 1911 an Act on the Seals of State was passed establishing the Garuda seal as the principal seal "To be impressed for authentication of the King's signature on all important deeds and documents."
[11]
[19]
[20]
From then on the Garuda seal named
Phra Khrut Pha
became the country's official emblem.
[20]
King
Prajadhipok
(Rama VII) continued the use of the seal by replacing his predecessor's name with his own. As King
Ananda Mahidol
(Rama VIII) was never crowned in a
coronation ceremony
(and therefore was never bestowed with a regnal name), a seal for his reign was never carved, instead he used his grandfather's (those of King Rama V's) instead. The seal made for King
Bhumibol Adulyadej
(Rama IX) was carved in 1946, soon after his coronation.
[11]
[19]
The Garuda also became the official symbol of the
Thai monarchy
. In 1910 King Rama VI passed an Act on Flags, which created a new set of the
royal standards
, in which the Garuda took a prominent place. The standard would fly above various royal residences, signifying the king's presence there. The standard would also fly in front of the king's royal vehicles. In 1996 a
royal barge
called
Narai Song Suban
(??????????????????????????????; Narayana on his carrier) was launched, the bow of the barge depicts Narayana mounted on the back of a Garuda.
[21]
|
|
|
|
Drawn by Prince Naris in 1893. The seal depicts the Garuda, with wings outstretched, with Narayana mounted on his back. This version was only used briefly.
|
The final version depicts the Garuda alone, with wings outstretched. This version was used by King
Chulalongkorn
.
|
King
Vajiravudh
introduced the encircling of the king's ceremonial name around the Garuda. This example is the seal used by King
Bhumibol Adulyadej
(Rama IX) which was carved for his coronation in 1950.
|
Seal of King
Vajiralongkorn
, encircled with the king's official name before his coronation: "????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????" (
"Somdet Phra Chao Yu Hua Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun."
)
|
Official emblem
[
edit
]
Wikisource
has original text related to this article:
The Garuda was also adopted by the
Royal Thai Government
as its
official emblem
. The Garuda emblem appears on the
letterhead
of almost all Thai government documents.
[20]
[22]
The position of the king as the earthly personification of Narayana is symbolised through the use of the Garuda. This symbolism also illustrates the belief that the government (as represented by the Garuda) is the vehicle (or instrument) of the king.
[19]
[23]
The figure of the Garuda is also used as symbol of state property, and as such is displayed on government buildings, title deeds, boundary markers and in the uniforms of the
Royal Thai Police
and
Royal Thai Armed Forces
.
[23]
King Rama VI was the first to regulate the use of the Garuda emblem by the government through legislation in 1911.
[20]
The use of the Garuda emblem was further regulated in an Act on the Garuda Emblem in 1991. A penalty for the misuse and misrepresentation of the Garuda was set to; imprisonment of no longer than one year, or a fine of between three and six thousand
Baht
, or both.
[24]
In 2001 the
Office of the Prime Minister
issued a guideline outlining the use of the emblem. The document recommended that the Garuda should be treated with respect as it is considered a sacred symbol.
[25]
At first there was no fixed rule as to what posture the Garuda should be depicted. King Rama VI eventually selected an
attitude
for the Garuda called
Khrut Ram
(???????) or 'dancing Garuda' (wings displayed and elevated). However no law ever prescribed a specific design for use, as a result several designs are in use by various
government departments
.
[23]
Government use
[
edit
]
|
|
|
|
Strictly for use by the monarch. Also used on the cover of the
Royal Thai Government Gazette
and
Thai passports
.
|
Used on general documents, such as land deeds and letters (most common).
|
Used on general documents, such as court orders.
|
Used on general documents and on
Thai banknotes
.
|
Royal warrant
[
edit
]
Private entities such as businesses may be granted permission to use and display the Garuda emblem. Deserving firms, such those of good standing, could apply for a
Royal warrant of appointment
from the king through the
Bureau of the Royal Household
or the
Prime Minister
.
[26]
[27]
Once permission is given the firm is then allowed to display a
Tra Tang Hang
(???????????) or store standing emblem, which is a large sculpture of the Garuda, on all of their business premises.
[26]
Receiving a Royal warrant is considered a great honour and a mark of distinction for any Thai company.
[27]
The Garuda sculpture depicts the beast adorned with a golden crown and regalia, wearing a robe of blue and green, with wings outstreched. Underneath the figure is a ribbon with the phrase "By
Royal Assent
" (????????????????????????).
[26]
Previously a sculpture of the royal arms was displayed during the reign of King Rama V, these were replaced with the Garuda in 1911.
[28]
Historical emblems
[
edit
]
Coat of arms of Siam
[
edit
]
From 1873 to 1910, a
heraldic
style
coat of arms
(????????,
Tra Arms
) became the national emblem of Siam (renamed Thailand in 1939). The Western-style coat of arms was created at the command of King Rama V. The king ordered his cousin Prince Pravij Jumsai to design the arms for him. The armorial emblem contains almost all the elements of a European coat of arms; however, all the components of the emblem are traditional Thai royal symbols. The emblem is called the
Phra Ratcha Lanchakon Pracham Phaen Din Sayam
(????????????????????????????).
[18]
The
escutcheon
or shield, is divided into three quadrants. The first (chief) quadrant depicts an
Airavata
on a yellow field. This quadrant represents the Thai heartland, the three heads of the elephant represents its northern, central and southern regions. The lower left quadrant (dexter base) depicts a
white elephant
on a red field. This quadrant represents the
Laotian
suzerainty (the symbol comes for its native name
Lan Xang
, land of a million elephants). The lower right quadrant (sinister base) depicts two-crossed
krises
(one with and one without a scabbard) on a pink field, this represents the
Malay
(
Perlis
,
Kedah
,
Kelantan
and
Terengganu
) suzerainty in the south.
[18]
Above the shield is the symbol representing the Chakri dynasty, a disc and a trident (
Chakra
and the
Trisula
). The shield is then surrounded by the chain of the
Order of the Nine Gems
(representing Buddhism) with a chain and pendant from the
Order of Chula Chom Klao
(featuring a portrait of King Rama V).
[18]
The arms contains all the six Royal regalia of Thailand. The shield is crowned by the
Great Crown of Victory
, with a rays of light emitting from the top. Besides the shield are two seven-tiered Royal umbrellas of state. Crossed behind the shield is the
Sword of Victory
to the left and the
Royal staff
to the right. In front of them are the Royal fan and flywhisk (to the right and left, respectively). And finally on the compartment, a golden multi-layered royal seat, are the Royal slippers.
[3]
[18]
The motto is in the
Pali language
written in
Thai script
: "??????? ?????????? ??????? ?????? ??????" (
Sabbesa? sa?ghabh?t?na? s?magg? vu??hi s?dhik?
) meaning "The unity of a people come together as a party shall be a guarantor of prosperity". This motto was composed by
Ariyavangsagatayana
, the Buddhist
Supreme Patriarch
at the time.
[29]
The
supporters
of the arms are two mythical creatures. To the left of the shield (dexter) is an elephant lion (a lion with a trunk) or a
Gajasiha
(??????). To the right of the shield (sinister) is the king of the lions, the
Rajasiha
(???????). The two supporters represents the two ancient departments of
Kalahom
(Gajasiha) and
Mahatthai
(Rajasiha). Kalahom was the department of the Military and the south, while Mahatthai was department of the civil service and the north. The
mantle
around 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 King Rama V's birth).
[18]
[19]
The coat of arms was restored in the time of the Luang Phibunsongkhram and Sarit Thanarat military regimes (1948-’63) for use by the army and the police. It featured also on coins struck 1950-’57. At present, 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
.
[29]
The
Courts of Justice
and the Supreme Court of Justice also uses the arms as its official seal.
[19]
[30]
|
|
|
|
Printed on the cover of the Royal Gazette. During the reign of King Rama V.
|
The coat of arms as a royal seal, encircled with the king's ceremonial name "???????????????????????????? ????????????????? ??????????????????????????"
(Somdet Phra Paramindra Maha Chulalongkorn Bodindradebyamahamakut Phra Chulachomklao Chao Krung Sayam)
. The seal was used for only one reign.
|
The coat of arms used as a Royal warrant of appointment, eventually replaced by the Garuda.
|
The coat of arms of the
1st Infantry Regiment, King's Close Bodyguard
,
Royal Thai Army
. The regiment was founded by King Rama V in 1859.
|
Emblem of the Chakri dynasty
[
edit
]
In 1782, King
Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke
(Rama I) established the
Chakri dynasty
with a new capital city at
Bangkok
. A symbol representing the new dynasty was created, featuring two intertwined weapons, the
Chakra
(a
throwing disc
) and the
Trisula
(a
trident
). The weapons are derived from an official title;
Chao Phraya Chakri
, that King Rama I held from 1770 to 1778. The title was usually given to the kingdom's greatest warlord. The word
Chakri
(?????) in Sanskrit means: 'The Wielder of the Discus'. The Chakra and Trisula according to tradition are the divine weapons of the gods Vishnu (or Narayana) and Shiva, respectively.
[3]
[11]
|
|
|
|
Chakri emblem, the symbol of the
Chakri dynasty
, founded in 1782 by King Rama I.
|
Intertwined divine weapons, the
Chakra
and the
Trisula
.
|
The Royal Command emblem incorporates the Chakri symbol, from the Royal gazette (before 1940).
|
The Royal Command emblem
(1940?present).
|
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
Citations
[
edit
]
- ^
Prime Minister's Office 2000, p. 22
- ^
a
b
Prime Minister's Office 2000, p. 27
- ^
a
b
c
Hubert de Vries.
"Thailand, Part 1"
. www.hubert-herald.nl
. Retrieved
12 June
2012
.
- ^
Prime Minister's Office 2000, p. 35
- ^
a
b
Prime Minister's Office 2000, p. 25
- ^
Prime Minister's Office 2000, pp. 37-38
- ^
www.mahabharataonline.com.
"Story of Garuda - Part 3"
. Stories from Mahabharata
. Retrieved
27 May
2012
.
- ^
a
b
c
Prime Minister's Office 2000, p. 52
- ^
a
b
c
d
Quaritch Wales, p. 83
- ^
Quaritch Wales, p. 84
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
Prime Minister's Office 2000, p. 53
- ^
State Seal Act (1904)
- ^
After a legislative paper is signed by the King and countersigned by a competent authority, the seals are affixed to it by the officers of the Cabinet Secretariat which acts as their Keeper. Following that, a copy is published in the Government Gazette, whilst the original paper is placed for safekeeping at the Cabinet Secretariat. The constitution, however is made into three handwritten copies in the form of a
traditional Thai book
. The three copies were then given to; the Cabinet Secretariat, the Secretariat of the House of Representatives and the Bureau of the Royal Household. (Chettha Thongying, 2010: 41?47).
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
Anuman Ratchathon 1950, pp.2-14
- ^
M. K. Agarwal (2003).
The Vedic Core of Human History
. p. 235.
ISBN
9781491715949
. Retrieved
11 June
2012
.
- ^
"Thailand Information"
.
Royal Embassy of Thailand in Doha, Qatar
.
- ^
"Garuda: a symbol on Thai currency"
.
emuseum.treasury.go.th
. Archived from
the original
on 24 March 2019
. Retrieved
31 May
2020
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
National Emblem Act (1890)
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
Hubert de Vries.
"Thailand, Part 2"
. www.hubert-herald.nl
. Retrieved
11 June
2012
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
State Seal Act (1911)
- ^
Prime Minister's Office 2000, p. 55
- ^
Prime Minister's Office 2000, p. 192
- ^
a
b
c
Prime Minister's Office 2000, p. 193
- ^
Garuda Emblem Act (1991)
- ^
Prime Minister Office's Regulation on the use of the Garuda Emblem in the Government (2001)
- ^
a
b
c
Garuda Emblem Act (1992)
- ^
a
b
Prime Minister's Office 2000, p. 238
- ^
Prime Minister's Office 2000, p. 239
- ^
a
b
"Emblem of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy: ??????????????????????????????????????????"
.
www2.crma.ac.th
. Retrieved
28 May
2021
.
- ^
"Small facts about the symbols in the Supreme Court: ????? ????? ???????????????????? ????????? (Thai)"
(PDF)
. www.supremecourt.or.th. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on 10 March 2012
. Retrieved
14 June
2012
.
Bibliography
[
edit
]
Legislation
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]