Academic dress of Chulalongkorn University

Since the establishment of Chulalongkorn Civil Service College in 1899, there was no symbol marking the graduation of students. In 1914, Vajiravudh ordered the academic badge to be designed. Graduates and school employees may pin the badge on the left chest, just like wearing academic gown.[1] The gown, however, was not yet designed since Chulalongkorn's Civil Service College was unable to confer the bachelor's degree or beyond. Only a diploma was issued to graduates.

As the college became a university in 1917, its academics were rapidly enhanced to the extent that it began granting degrees in 1928.[6] The idea of well-designed and respectable academic dress was raised.[7] At that time, the use of seua khrui was strictly limited that it can only be worn by pre-ordained monks, royal family members and government ministers.[8] Due to the restriction, the university asked Prajadhipok for permission to use the traditional gown. The university also discussed the most suitable pattern of dress and corresponding regulation with the ministers for education and justice. Finally, the king asked that the discussion must be made among ministers and himself. This resulted in the introduction of the present design in 1930.[9][10]

For bachelors and masters, the gowns are decorated with a black felt strip. These resemble black BA and MA gowns used by Oxford,[2] Cambridge[11] and some British universities. Black colour also symbolizes Saturday, Vajiravudh's birthday. Doctor's gown are faced with a scarlet strip, which represents Chulalongkorn's birthday. The colour is also similar to Oxford's full-dress PhD gown.[2] Despite similar colour schemes, shapes of the British and Thai gowns are completely different. Thai gown tends to be simple. The sleeves are as long as wrist and cylindrical in shape for all degrees and statuses. The colours apply only to the strip, not the whole gown. British gown, on the other hand, has more sophisticated features such as gathered or pleated yoke, different sleeves for different degree, various types of hood, and headgear.

Another distinctive design with light yellow strip is reserved for the King of Thailand, who is university's Official Visitor. In 1980, another kind of academic dress for lecturers and university council members was designed in similar pattern to the graduates, but with pink felt.[12][13]

Academic dress consists of a long-sleeved gown faced with 10 cm-wide felt strip decorated with golden brocade. The elbow and wrist is wrapped with the same strip. For the king's gown, yellow facing is used and 5 cm-wide brocade is attached centrally. Two more 1 cm brocade strips are added to both sides of the felt strip. Silver Phra Kiao badges are pinned to the breast portion of the felt strip.

Prajadhipok's royal academic dress

For those who are admitted to the doctoral degree, a gown with scarlet facing is used. Two 1 cm brocade strips are added to the outer edges of the felt strip. 0.75 cm blank, 0.5 cm tape, 0.75 cm blank and 1 cm tape are stitched in respective order from outer tapes to the centre. A felt coloured band is attached to the centre of the felt strip, corresponding to the faculty (not to the degree granted). As with the king's gown, silver badges are pinned as well.

The master's gown is similar to the doctor's gown, but a red felt strip is replaced by black one. The coloured band is replaced by yarn for the Bachelor's. For lecturers, the felt strip is pink and centred with golden yarn. Members of the university council may pin gold badges instead of silver ones. Chancellor and chair of the university council,[note 1] and university president use the same gown as council members, but a gold chain of specified pattern is hung between the two badges.[12][13]

Gowns of similar but different patterns have been adopted by other Thai universities. For example, King Mongkut's Universities of Technology,[14] Mae Fah Luang University,[15] Khon Kaen University,[16] Naresuan University,[17] all Rajamangala Universities of Technology[18] and some Rajabhat Universities.[19] It is notable that almost all adaptations do not vary the colour of gown or its facing. Instead, three stripes are added to the arms or elbows of PhD gown, just like three velvet stripes on American doctoral gown. As a deviation from the original traditions, two and one stripes are for master and bachelor respectively.

A coloured band or yarn is stitched longitudinally to the centre of the felt strip, corresponding to the degree granting faculty. As an example, an MSc graduate from engineering uses firebrick, while yellow is used to denote science. The faculty colours of Chulalongkorn University are listed below.[13][20]

Academic badge (Graduate School)

The academic badge of the university was designed in 1914 as a silver (or chromium-plated brass) badge depicting Phra Kiao sitting on a round pillow, which is the personal emblem for Chulalongkorn and the university's emblem. The Thai acronym for the faculty is inscribed beneath the pillow. Graduate's name, programme and year of graduation may be etched on the back of the badge. Regardless of degree level, there is only one style for a particular faculty.

All degree holders (including honorary degrees) are eligible to pin this badge on the left breast of national dress, uniform, or polite attire, preferably over the ribbon bar. For diploma graduates, the badge is switched to the right.[5] In the past, this badge can also be worn by university workers in the performance of his/her duties.[1]

• Chulalongkorn University
• Suea khrui