General Government Flags (Thailand)

Last modified: 2023-06-03 by zachary harden
Keywords: thailand | pennant | customs | immigration service | harbour administration | post office | pilot | stripes: 5 |
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• Introduction
• Pilot Flag 1917-
  • Pilot Flag 1916-1917
  • Pilot Flag 1891-1916
• Harbour Administration Pennant
• Telecommunication Officer's Flag
  • Post Office Pennant 1936-1979
• Customs Pennant
• Immigration Officer's Flag
• Marine Police Officer flag
• Royal Motorboat Flag

See also:

• Ministerial and Departmental Flags
• Ensigns and other Naval Flags
• Thailand

I'm not sure if these are still used. I cannot find any documentation saying that they have been abolished. Source: Flaggenbuch 1939.
Calvin Paige Herring, 18 May 1998

According to the Flag Act of B.E. 2522 (1979), these are the following still prescribed by law; Ship Pilot Officer flag, Habour Master flag, Telecommunication Officer flag, Immigration Officer's flag, Marine Police Officer flag and the Royal Motorboat Flag. However, I am not certain if these flags are used in practice as the national flag can be used in any instance or if any official does not have a specific flag specified by law or regulation.
Zachary Harden, 21 August 2018

2:3
image by Zachary Harden, 14 April 2018

From the Singha Beer source:

The Navigator's Flag (B.E.2460) [1917 AD]
This is a rectangular, flag on a proportion of 8 to 12 [ie. ratio 2:3]. Essentially the pattern is the same as that of the "Trairanga", with a white stripe, approximately 1/8 th of its width, running along the outer rim.

The navigator's Flag first made its appearance in accordance with the Royal Decree issued by King Rama V. In B.E.2460 [1917 AD], during the reign of King Rama VI, it underwent a change of design to emerge as the flag you see here – the version that has been in use ever since. The flag is flown from the bow whenever a ship is on a navigating mission. It also denotes the rank of navigator.

Santiago Dotor, 12 Nov 1999

image by Zachary Harden, 14 April 2018

Siam pilot flag as it appears in National Geographic 1917.

Phil Nelson, 30 Dec 1999

image by Zachary Harden and Phanuwit Woonchoom, 30 April 2018

1:2
Flag adopted 1936
image by Calvin Paige Herring and Eugene Ipavec

From the Singha Beer source:

Harbour Master's Flag
This is a triangular flag with a proportion of base to height being 1:2. One-third of the flag is the same colours as the Trairanga, while the section tapering off to a point is white. [Identical to the Harbour Administration Pennant above; actually this is more correct as it certainly has a 1:2 ratio, whereas the Singha Beer source image is a 2:3 burgee.]

This is an official flag, to be flown from the mast of a ship on an official mission in accordance with a special Royal Decree, issued in B.E.2479 [1936 AD], concerning flags. Nowadays, it is known as the Harbour Inspector's Flag.

Santiago Dotor, 12 Nov 1999

image by Suttipong Phuensaen and Zachary Harden, 21 August 2018

1:2
image by Calvin Paige Herring and Eugene Ipavec

From the Singha Beer source:

The Postal Officer's Flag
This is a triangular flag with a base proportion to the height, being 1:2. For on[e] third of its length, it consists of the same colours that one finds on the Trairanga, while the section that tapers off to the point is red. [Identical to the Post Office Pennant above; actually this is more correct as it certainly has a 1:2 ratio, whereas the Singha Beer source image is a 2:3 burgee.]

This was an official flag, designed to be flown from a ship on a special mission in accordance with a special Royal Decree concerning Flags, issued in B.E.2479. Its use was discontinued in B.E.2522 [1979 AD].

Santiago Dotor, 12 Nov 1999

1:2
Flag adopted 1936
image by Calvin Paige Herring and Eugene Ipavec

From the Singha Beer source:

The Custom Officer's Flag
This is a triangular flag with a base measuring half of each side. For one third of its length, it consists of the same colours that one finds on the Trairanga while the section that tapers off to a point is green. [Identical to the Customs Pennant above, but with a normal green (V) instead of a light one (V-); actually this image certainly has a 1:2 ratio, whereas the Singha Beer source image is a 2:3 burgee.]

This is an official flag, designed to be flown from a ship on a special mission in accordance with a special Royal Decree concerning Flag, issued in B.E.2479 [1936 AD]. Nowadays it is known as Custom Officer's Flag.

Santiago Dotor, 12 Nov 1999

image by Suttipong Phuensaen and Zachary Harden, 21 August 2018

According to a translation I found of the 1979 Flag Law (original Thai text here), Section 41-5 gives the detail of the current immigration officer pennant. The text reads as follows: "(5) Immigration Officer Flag which is of the same characteristics and colours as the Habour Master Flag, except that the fly part of the flag is yellow; in the middle of the flag which is in yellow, there are charges of Phra Saengdarb Khane and shield in crimson." The only change between this pennant and the 1936 one is the addition of the police emblem "Phra Saengdarb Khane" in the yellow section.
Zachary Harden, 21 August 2018

1:2
Flag adopted 1936, modified in 1979.
image by Calvin Paige Herring and Eugene Ipavec

From the Singha Beer source:

The Immigration Officer's Flag
This is a triangular flag, the proportion of base to height being 1:2. For one-third of its length it consists of the same colours as the Trairanga, which the section that tapers off to a point is yellow. [Identical to the Immigration Service Pennant above; actually this is more correct as it certainly has a 1:2 ratio, whereas the Singha Beer source image is a 2:3 burgee.]

This is an official flag, to be flown from the mast of a ship on an official mission in accordance with a special Royal Decree, issued in [B.E.] 2479 [1936 AD], concerning flags. Nowadays, it is known as the Immigration Officer's Flag.

Santiago Dotor, 12 Nov 1999

image by Suttipong Phuensaen and Zachary Harden, 21 August 2018

As shown in Jane's Fighting Ships 2002-03, police vessels do not fly any of the police flags shown above. Instead they fly a dark red pennant with the national flag at hoist and the police badge at the centre. They also fly the national flag as their ensign.

Miles Li, 30 Jul 2004 and 27 July 2018

According to a translation I found of the 1979 Flag Law (original Thai text here), Section 41-6 gives the detail of the police pennant. The text reads as follows: "(6) Marine Police Officer Flag which is isosceles triangle shape where the base of the triangle being on the side of the flag pole is 1 part wide; The flag is 3 parts in length, the 1 part out of the 3 parts of the hoist part of the flag is of the same characteristics and colours as the National Flag; and the 2 parts out of the 3 parts of the fly part of the flag is in crimson; in the middle of the flag, there are charges of Phra Saengdarb Khane and shield in yellow."
Zachary Harden, 21 August 2018

image by Suttipong Phuensaen and Zachary Harden, 21 August 2018

According to a translation I found of the 1979 Flag Law (original Thai text here), Section 42 gives the detail of the pennant used on royal boats. The text reads as follows: "Section 42. The Royal Motorboat Flag is isosceles triangle shape with a red field, the base of the triangle being on the side of the flag pole is 1 part wide; the flag is 2 parts in length; on the hoist part of the flag, there is an charge of a deep blue square with the width of 1 out of two parts width of the flag; in the middle of the square, there is a yellow charge of the Phra Maha Mongut."
Zachary Harden, 21 August 2018