Flag protocol

What I have come to understand is that what matters how old the custom is. My wife, who knows almost nothing about any protocol, assured me that lowering the flag, in Thailand is only for the death of a king. I think when this custom of lowering the flag to half mast originated it was reserved for the king only. Slowly it was allowed for lesser royals and common folk who serve the community.

As with many things, Thailand is stuck in the past. They are hung up on this one particular custom remaining unchanged. This could be because this custom is related to kings and the Thais have a god like admiration for their current king.

I also have great admiration for this current king, so I am not going to rock the boat and insist on lowering the flag. Even though I think that is what should have been done.

lowered or raised flag here could indicate the state of the house/communety/scool or state

This is not a dayly event sonot allowing it seems a bit insensitive

When In Rome, do as the romans. You're in Thailand, so you have to play by their rules.

If it were my kids school here in the US and a teacher died I would have no problem with flying the flag at half mast. I don't think that there's any real correlation between the risk of ones job and their deserving of honor. Presidents who never served in uniform will get the honor, why can't a beloved member of the community get the same?

Nathan,

Sorry to hear about your friend.
Here everyone gets the flag lowered into half mast in his/her house, usually in a place he/she worked also and sometimes in places that were somehow important/dear to him/her.
When some leader of the country dies, then every flag in the country is lowered to half.

I think that when flag is lowered for some individual person, it will be noticed very well. Not a big deal, must most people surely understand that now someone from that house/company had died.

I work at the navy and when someone at active service dies, every ship, be it at base or at sea, lowers her flag, usually from midday until sundown. It is always sad sight to see a navy ship with lowered flag. When i've been on watch at such ships, many passenger/merchant/cargo ships lower their flag also for the moment we are side by side.

maybe have a minute of silence to honor the memory of the person.

Title 5 of the U.S. Code extends only to the President of the United States for federal facilities and the Governors of states for state and local facilities. This authority does not extend to municipal officials, who unwittingly and perhaps unintentionally assume this authority. Individuals are indeed entitled to whatever local honors and tributes their community achievements deserve. Lowereing the flag, however, is not one of them. Doing so only serves to reduce the dignity and solemnity this tribute singularly represents. IMHO

Certainly in the UK we are becoming mawkish. We don't really fly many flags in the UK except perhaps on Royal castles and used car lots.

Holding 'one minute' silences is becoming fashionable in all kinds of places. I work in motorsport and quite often at race circuits I've found myself observing a one minute silence for I know not who. Last week at Oulton Park for instance. I'm sure whoever it was that had died was a nice person, but nobody around me seemed to know who it was.

We are diluting our traditions . In much the same way as we have devalued the word 'hero' by it's overuse.

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Originally Posted by Snipersnest

Doing so only serves to reduce the dignity and solemnity this tribute singularly represents. IMHO

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I don't think I could disagree more. I can't see how flying your flag at half mast for someone you may have loved your whole life diminishes the dignity of a nation doing it for the president.

It's a very recognisable statement to make, and if it makes passers by stop for a moment and appreciate what they have, or remember what they've lost, then what harm can that possibly do.

I disagree with the 'when in Rome' thing as well, change is always ok. You might not ultimately think it's important enough and not bother, as in this case, but if you do - then nothing should stop you rocking the boat a little. Society is dynamic, if we all just did what every one else did, it would be a very dull place.

Well I can give you an example of how the honor has been diminished in our town. A student at the high school was involved in a felony crime and was ultimately killed as a result by a co-conspirator. The superintndant of schools ordered the flag flown at half staff at all schools for this miscreant. As I said, there are other ways of honoring prominant people (some of which were flag burners in the 60's) for their contributions. The flag code is worded the way it is for a reason.

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Originally Posted by gregs656

I don't think I could disagree more. I can't see how flying your flag at half mast for someone you may have loved your whole life diminishes the dignity of a nation doing it for the president.

It's a very recognisable statement to make, and if it makes passers by stop for a moment and appreciate what they have, or remember what they've lost, then what harm can that possibly do.

I disagree with the 'when in Rome' thing as well, change is always ok. You might not ultimately think it's important enough and not bother, as in this case, but if you do - then nothing should stop you rocking the boat a little. Society is dynamic, if we all just did what every one else did, it would be a very dull place.

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Geez, a few of the respondants really need to catch the first space shuttle off Planet America and take a look around...There's a whole other world out there.
I say lower the flag for an upstanding citizen within their direct circle of influence at the very least.
I don't know for a fact where the tradition of flag lowering came from, but I'm pretty damn sure it wasn't originated in the U.S by, or for, some president. Or that some president has the authority to stipulate protocols in its lowering to half mast for the entire world.
I know I'm probably ruffling a few feathers with what I'm saying, don't mistake me for being anti-american, I'm certainly not meaning to come across that way. Just that many of the comments, based on what happens in the U.S, really have no relevance to the OP's question of what your personal opinion on the matter is. If what some president says is your opinion, then a simple "No, I don't think it should be lowered to half mast/staff" would suffice.
Don't start spouting what the regulations are in your country, unless it's the country in question...Thailand in this case. Just my opinion gentleman.


Mick