Myanmar (Burma) — The Sule Shangri-La, Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma) is in distress!
Was the Sule Shangri-La in distress, or were they being rude?
March 2015
I was stuck at the corner of Bogyoke Aung San Road and Sule Pagoda Road in Yangon (Rangoon), waiting for the traffic lights to change and looking at the Sule Shangri-La (formerly Traders) Hotel opposite, when I noticed something odd.
Can you spot what is wrong in the above photo?
Yep, the British flag (also called the Union Flag, and incorrectly the Union Jack (it is only a Union Jack when flown from the Jack mast of a ship)) was flying upside down. And, when the Union Flag is upside-down, it means you are in distress and need assistance. Or it can be a way of being rude; that is, it is an insult.
OK, how do you know if it is upside-down? Well, this is the correct way up:
You can tell because the left side (or the side attached to the flag pole, assuming the flag pole is on the left) has the thick white diagonal uppermost.
This is the flag upside down.
Note that the thin white diagonal on the left (or flag pole side) is at the top. This means the flag is upside-down.
Flying the flag upside down can be either viewed as an indication of a problem and help is required or that the person flying the flag is insulting.
Anyway, I popped into the Sule Shangri-La and asked if they needed help, and they said everything was fine. Therefore, I can only conclude they were either being rude or didn’t know how to fly their flags.
Yes, pedantic, I know. But I like my flag the right way up.
