Traditionally, the Royal chariot is a symbol of the King. Markings on sandstone rock located at Pimai Sanctuary in Nakhon Ratchasima province date back to the 10^th and 11^th centuries and represent the earliest signs of the Royal chariots that are still used for the funeral ceremonies of royalty up until the present day.

Evidence dating back to the Ayutthaya era (1351-1767) depicts the use of Royal chariots in various ceremonies, such as coronations, or even particularly significant diplomatic events. But by the Rattanakosin era (1782-present), use of the Royal chariots was limited to Royal funeral ceremonies or coronations.

Towards the end of the Ayutthaya era, most of the vehicles had either been discarded or were in a state of disrepair. It’s possible that there was only a single chariot in existence at this point in time.

King Rama I, who ruled during 1782-1809, ordered the construction of seven new Royal chariots in 1795

Phra Maha Phichai Ratcharot (the Great Victory Chariot), considered to be the most important chariot, stands 11.2-meters high and 15.3-m long, and was used to carry the coffin of King Rama I’s father – Phra Aksorn Sundara Smiantra – to Sanam Luang for cremation in 1796. This chariot, which weighs 40 tons, was also used for the Royal funeral ceremonies of four Thai monarchs. In 1996, it was used for the Royal cremation of the late Princess Mother.

Celestial specifications
According to Royal traditions, influenced by Brahmin principles, the Royal chariots must highlight the King’s divine status. To represent this fact, the Great Victory Chariot was built to represent the greatness of Mount Sumeru, the center of the universe in Brahmin cosmology. The area at the top of the mountain is said to represent a celestial castle, which could be interpreted to mean devaloka (heaven).

The wooden-built Royal chariot also features ornamental gilt and glass. Each of the chariot’s five tiers features the head of a Naga (a mythical serpent-like beast) and a
kanok (a curvy design feature often found on Thai temple doors).
The uppermost tier on the chariot includes a busabok, a small pavilion used to store a coffin, while 58 devas (deities) have their palms together as if to wai (a traditional Thai form of respect) on the second and third tiers.
Twenty more devas are featured on the fifth tier. At the front of the chariot is the image of a three-headed naga. Its tail appears at the rear of the vehicle.

The devas, garudas, and nagas are said to symbolize the heavens, the earth, and water, respectively.

Standing by
Phra Wetchayanta Ratcharot (the Wetchayanta Chariot) was also built to transport the caskets containing the ashes of high-ranking members of the Royal family. The chariot was also built during the reign of King Rama I, and this vehicle was used as a replacement for the Great Victory Chariot for the Royal funeral ceremonies for King Rama VI and King Rama VIII since restoration work was being carried out on the Great Victory Chariot at those points in time.

Three smaller chariots built during the reign of King Rama I are known as Ratcharot Noi (the Little Chariots). These were built in a similar style to both the Great Victory and Wetchayanta chariots, the only difference being that the naga on the front of the chariots only has a single head.