BANGKOK, 8 December 2014 – His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn was yesterday (7 Dec) designated by His Majesty the King to preside over the Ceremony of Fastening of Nails to the Colors, at the Chapel Royal inside the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the Grand Palace.
The ceremony was witnessed by the Minister of Defence, the Permanent Secretary for Defence, the Supreme Commander, the Commanders-in-Chief of the Three Armed Forces, among others.
At the ceremomy, His Royal Highness carefully put His Majesty the King’s hair into a small case affixed to the top of each flag pole and then hammered the nails into the staff. The Colors or Chai Chalermphon Flag is a symbol of victory of each military unit. For them, it represents the nation, the religion and the monarchy. The tri-color flag itself means the Nation while the King’s hair and a little Buddha image encased atop each flag pole represent the monarchy and the religion respectively.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince then proceeded to Sahathai Samakhom Pavilion, also in the Grand Palace, where he deputized for His Majesty the King at the Royal Presentation of the Colors to military units. A total of 63 units from the three armed forces received their respective Colors, after which they took the Oath of Allegiance to the Colors, led by the Minister of Defence.
The Chai Chalermphon Flag is considered by military personnel as the most sacred and highly revered object as it is created and given to them by the King. In time of war, the troops must protect the flag with their lives. It is today the tradition for all members of the armed forces, both commissioned and non-commissioned, to take an oath to the Colors before assuming their posts.
Whenever the flag is in a deteriorating condition or there is a new military unit set up, the Royal Thai Armed Forces’ Headquarters will report the matter to His Majesty so that he will kindly grant his hair for the Ceremony of Affixing the Colors to the Staff and also to preside over the Ceremony of the Royal presentation of the Colors.
