Dress Up in Yellow
Assumption University of Thailand (AU) is proud to join civil servants and state enterprise staff across Thailand in wearing yellow shirts every Monday as a tribute to His Majesty the King. This gesture of loyalty and respect will continue for a year, until His Majesty’s birthday on July 28, 2025.
The yellow shirts symbolize the nation’s collective admiration and reverence for His Majesty, reflecting the deep cultural and historical significance of the monarchy in Thailand. This initiative is part of a broader effort to celebrate and honor the King’s contributions to the nation.
Assumption University encourages all members of its community—students, faculty, and staff—to participate in this meaningful display of unity and respect. By wearing yellow shirts, the university community joins millions of Thai citizens in paying homage to His Majesty the King, demonstrating their loyalty and commitment to upholding the values and traditions of the Kingdom of Thailand.
Here’s the story behind this unique tradition and why it matters to the AU community.
The Tradition of Colors
In Thailand, each day of the week is associated with a specific color, based on Buddhist beliefs and Hindu mythology. The colors for each day are:
- Sunday: Red
- Monday: Yellow
- Tuesday: Pink
- Wednesday: Green & Grey
- Thursday: Orange
- Friday: Blue
- Saturday: Purple
In the past, Thai people often dressed in the color corresponding to the day of the week. While this tradition is less common now, everyone still knows the color associated with their birth day.
The Significance of Birth Days
The day of the week a person is born is significant in Thailand, with the color of that day considered their lucky color. Temples often have different Buddha statues for each day of the week, corresponding to events in the life of the Buddha. Knowing your birth day helps you know which statue to make an offering to and which color is your lucky one.
Yellow and Thai Royalty
Yellow is especially significant in Thailand as it represents Monday, the birth day of both the late King Rama IX and the current King Rama X. Wearing yellow is a way to honor and respect the King. The AU community is asked to wear yellow every Monday until July 28, 2025, in honor of the King’s birthday.
Government officials and many Thais wear yellow on royal occasions and when performing good deeds, as a tribute to the late King Rama IX, who worked tirelessly for his country. Royal flags also reflect the color associated with the birth day of the royal family members, such as Queen Suthida’s purple flag and HM the Queen Mother’s blue flag.
Upcoming Royal Celebrations
Coming up next month, on August 12th, will be The Queen Mother’s birthday. Her color is blue, as she was born on a Friday. Look out for blue shirts being worn closer to that date as well!
Fun Fact
Tiger Woods, who is half Thai, often wore a red shirt on the final day of golf tournaments, following his mother’s advice. Sunday’s color is red, believed to bring good luck.