| Subject: | 
    Four sets of se-tenant stamps depicting 
	various Royal Decorations: A. Knight and Dame of the Most Auspicious Order 
	of the Rajamitrabhorn (ราชมิตราภรณ์), the highest royal order of Thailand, 
	which was established on 11 June 1962 by King 
	
			      
			      Rama IX 
	to be bestowed upon foreign heads of state. The insignia include, 
	1979/26: 1. a golden necklace or collar  
	with a golden, 
		      
		      
		      
              chadah-style 
	crown (fig.) 
	with a radiating tip over a 
		      
		      yan-sign 
	(fig.), over a radiating 
	sun-and-star-shaped pendant, with golden rays and star-like beams adorned 
	with diamonds, and with at the centre, the emblem of the 
	
		      
              Chakri 
	Dynasty, i.e. a 
	
			      
			trident
	with a 
		      
              chakra 
	(fig.), 
	in 
	gold and finished with diamonds, all against a blue background, 2. 
	a radiating sun-and-star-shaped 
	broche to be worn on the left breast, with golden rays and star-like beams 
	adorned with diamonds, and with at the centre, in gold, the figure of 
	
    
    Narai
    (fig.)
    riding
    his mount, the
    
    
    Garuda 
	(fig.), a scene that 
	is sometimes also depicted in miniature on the 
	trident of the 
		      
              Chakri 
	Dynasty (fig.); 1979/27: a yellow sash with white and blue 
	trims, to be worn over the right shoulder, and with a small pendant, similar 
	to the one described above, i.e. radiating sun-and-star-shaped, with golden 
	rays and star-like beams adorned with diamonds, and with at the centre, the 
	emblem of the 
	
		      
              Chakri 
	Dynasty, attached to it; B. 
	Knight and Dame of the Most Illustrious Order of the Royal House of 
		      
		      
              Chakri, 
	which was 
	established by King 
			      
			      Rama V 
	to commemorate the 
		      
		      
		      Bangkok
	Centennial in 
	1882 AD, and to be awarded to members of the House of Chakri and foreign 
	Heads of State. 
	The insignia consist of, 1979/28: 1.  
	a golden necklace assemble small 
	emblems of the 
	
		      
              Chakri 
	Dynasty, i.e. 
	
			      
			tridents
	with a 
		      
              chakra 
	(fig.), 
	that are entwined forming the chain, and a pendant that consists of a 
	golden, 
		      
		      
		      
              chadah-style 
	crown (fig.)  
	over 
	 
	King 
			      
			      Rama I's 
	monogram and 
	 
	with a radiating tip in silver, above a large 
	
              white 
		      
              chakra-shaped 
	pendant, that is 
	surrounded by eight small 
	
			      
			tridents and 
	at its centre has a 
                
                kranok-like 
	motif made with diamonds 
	on
	
	a 
	golden bordered green and red circular field displaying the 
	
	
	pathum unnahlohm (fig.), 
	i.e. the 
	personal emblem of King 
			      
			      Rama I, 
	the former General Chakri and founder of the Chakri Dynasty, while at the bottom is a banner, 
	with the red circular field having a 
			      
			      
                  Pali-Sanskrit
	
	inscription 
	which translates as: the 
	Reverence of Buddhism, our State, our Family, and our King is the way to 
	develop our Country, 
	while on the 
	
	banner are the 
	letters (ร.จ.บ.ต.ว.ห.จ.), 
	which stand for rao ja bamrung trakoon wong hai charoen 
	(เราจะบำรุงตระกูลวงศ์ให้เจริญ) and means: 
	We 
	will 
	maintain and let prosper our Family Dynasty; 
	2. a similar broche known as Star of the Order; 
	 
	1979/29: a yellow sash, to be worn over the left shoulder, and with a small 
	pendant, similar to the one described above and known as Chula Chakri, referring to 
		      
	
		      Chulachomklao. 
	However, unlike the pendant of the collar, which is topped with a royal 
	crown, the top of the 
	
	 
	Chula Chakri pendant shows a set of Asdhawuth (อัษฎาวุธ), 
	i.e. the Eight 
	Weapons, 
	crossed with a set of the Pichai Songkraam (พิชัยสงคราม), 
	i.e. Auspicious 
	Military Weaponry; 
	C. Knight and Dame of the Ancient and Auspicious Order of the Nine Gems (Nopparat), 
	established in 1851 by King 
			      
			      Rama IV 
	and to be 
	bestowed upon members of the Thai royal family and distinguished high 
	ranking officials, who have given service to the Kingdom or for services to 
	his majesty personally. It is 
			the highest royal
			decoration bestowed upon 
			a commoner. 
	The insignia comprises, 1979/30: 1. a ring of gold bearing the nine gems and 
	formerly awarded to Thai generals who won an important military victory and 
	also part of the royal insignia given the Thai monarch at his coronation; 2. 
	a star-shaped broche, known as Star of the Nine Gems, and to be worn on the 
	left breast; 1979/31: a yellow sash with a narrow red and blue trim, and 
	wide green trim, for men to be worn over the right shoulder and with a small 
	pendant, known as the Pendant of the Nine Gems, which is topped by a 
		      
		      		
		      		
              chadah-style 
	crown. For women, this 
	pendant attached to a silk ribbon, worn on the front left shoulder; D. Knight and Dame Grand Cross 
	of the Most Illustrious Order of 
		      
	
		      Chulachomklao, established on 16 November 1873 AD by King 
			      	
			      Rama V 
	to commemorate the 90th Jubilee of the 
					
              Chakri 
	Dynasty. The insignia include, 
	1979/32: 1. a golden collar assembled of sixteen times the Royal Cypher of 
	King Rama V in pink enamel, corresponding to 
	Tuesday as the birthday colour of this king 
	
	according to the 
	
	
	sih prajam wan-system, 
	and seventeen gold rosettes fastened to each other by chain links. The 
	centre of the collar has the emblem of King Rama V, depicting 
	
	      			
              Erawan 
	and a gold 
		      
		      		
		      		
              chadah-style 
	crown with a starburst at the 
	top, and flanked by two 
	      
	      
          
	      gajasingha 
	(fig.) 
	carrying multi-layered royal parasols called 
		      
		      
              chattra 
	(fig.). 
	The whole piece is topped with white bows; 2. a star-shaped broche, which 
	varies depending on the different classes and is to be worn on the chest. 
	The one shown here has silver and gold rays, and a circular centre with 
	gold, pink and blue; 1979/33: a pink sash that is to be worn over the left 
	shoulder and that has a small star-shaped pendant, with pink rays and the 
	royal portrait of King Rama V at the centre. It is topped by a 
		      
		      
              chattra 
	with 
	a starburst at the top. |