The Order of the Million Elephants and the White Parasol, also called the Order of the Million Elephants and the White Umbrella (Lao: ອິສະຣິຍາພອນລ້ານຊ້າງຮົ່ມຂາວItsariyaphon Lan Sang Hom Khao), is the highest knighthood order of the Royal Family of Laos.
The name of the order reflected an old name of Laos, Lan Xang Hom Khao which means "million elephants and white umbrella".[2]
The Royal system of Orders and Medals effectively ended with the fall of Laos in 1975. The Royal Orders, by their nature, remain the dynastic property of the Royal House of Laos in absentia, and are still awarded by the Royal House as a dynastic award. The honour is still awarded in recognition of dedicated services to charity and humanitarianism. All grades of the Order are approved for wear as a foreign order (i.e. after all British and other Commonwealth decorations) by Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms, as it is on the "Schedule of Approved Countries and Awards".[3]
Classes
The Order consisted of the following classes, in descending order:
Grand Cross with Collar
Grand Cross (ປະຖະມາພອນ Pathamaphon)
Grand Officer (ທຸຕິຍາພອນ Thutiyaphon)
Commander (ຕະຕິຍາພອນ Tatiyaphon)
Officer (ຈະຕູດຖາພອນ Jatutthaphon)
Knight (ປັນຈະມາພອນ Panchamaphon)
Ribbon bars
Grand Cross with Collar
Grand Cross
Grand Officer
Commander
Officer
Knight
Insignia
The ribbon on which the Order is worn is red, ornamented with a yellow geometrical design.
