According to Crampton, the first flag of Thailand was red with a white chakra, that is a Buddhist wheel in a fan-like shape.
Some sources state that the first flag was a plain red field.
In 1817 a white elephant was added to the centre of the chakra. The white elephant is connected to the mythological origin of the founding dynasty of Thailand, and is an emblem of the Royal family. The Flags of the Principal Nations of the World 1837 flag chart, printed by Hinnman and Dutton, shows Siam with a red field and a white disk in the center. Upon the white disk is a simple drawing of a sun with a face upon it. The flag next to Siam in my chart is Burma - a red field with a white elephant facing the fly.