The national emblem of Thailand (Chitwania Tharu: ตราแผ่นดินของไทย) is called the พระครุฑพ่าห์ (RTGS transcription: Phra Khrut Pha; "Garuda as the vehicle" (of Vishnu)).

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 ancient kings of Thailand believed in divine kingship, and considered themselves the incarnation of the god Narayana.

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.

[5] In Buddhist literature, the Garuda lives in the legendary Himavanta forest and is regarded as semi-divine or supernatural.

Henceforth, the Garuda became the 'vahana' or vehicle of Vishnu and was allowed to sit atop the god's flagpole as a reward.

Thus, the god Narayana and the Garuda became the accepted symbol of divine and sacred kingship in ancient Thailand.

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.

[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.

[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 Prince drew a new seal, which was based on the old design, featuring the god Narayana mounted on the Garuda's back.

[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.

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.

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.

[26][27] Once permission is given the firm is then allowed to display a Tra Tang Hang (ตราตั้งห้าง) or store standing emblem, which is a large sculpture of the Garuda, on all of their business premises.

[27] The Garuda sculpture depicts the beast adorned with a golden crown and regalia, wearing a robe of blue and green, with wings outstreched.

[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.

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.

[3][18] The motto is in the Pali language written in Thai script: "สพฺเพสํ สงฺฆภูตานํ สามคฺคี วุฑฺฒิ สาธิกา" (Sabbesaṃ saṅghabhūtānaṃ sāmaggī vuḍḍhi sādhikā) meaning "The unity of a people come together as a party shall be a guarantor of prosperity".

[18][19] The coat of arms was restored in the time of the Luang Phibunsongkhram and Sarit Thanarat military regimes (1948–1963) for use by the army and the police.

[19][30] 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 Chakra and Trisula according to tradition are the divine weapons of the gods Vishnu (or Narayana) and Shiva, respectively.