The Fine Arts Department and the Ministry of Culture have chosen a winner for their contest to design a royal insignia to mark the occasion of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit's 72nd Birthday on August 12 this year. A total of 85 entries were received from 53 artists in June 2003, and the winner's work received official approval by the royal family.

The winning design was the work of Somchai Supalakamphaiphon, a civil servant who works at the Fine Arts Department's Bureau of Architecture and Handicrafts.

Somchai explained the meaning of his design, a narrow frame of the flame-like Thai design called kanok, which is surrounded by intertwined Thai characters saw and kaw, which represent the Queen's name, Sirikit. The kanok design was taken from a creation by Prince Naris, which appears on a bell he presented to King Rama VII. The crown above the stylised lettering is similar to that called Phra Anurachmongkut, a second-level crown that has a rank subsidiary to Phra Phichaimahamongkut, which can be used only by the King.

Since the Rattanakosin Period, only two people have used the Phra Anurachmongkut: Queen Sriphatcharinthara, the wife of King Rama V, and Queen Sirikit. Both assumed full royal duties at times when the king was absent, and were therefore entitled to use the symbol.

A seven-tiered chat, or royal processional umbrella, appears on either side of the insignia, indicating the Queen's rank, and the light blue of the background represents Friday, the day upon which the Queen's birthday falls.