AYUTTHAYA HISTORICAL RESEARCH



THE CUSTOMS HOUSES OF AYUTTHAYA





The city-state of Ayutthaya, in time, grew to become an important trade player in Southeast Asia. The Ayutthaya Court vigilantly controlled trade. Customs houses were established in the cardinal directions around the city along the important waterways with a double function: control of persons and goods, and most importantly, for the court, collect taxes. There were four main customs posts called the 'Royal Customs Posts of the Four Directions'.


The northern tax station was situated near Ban Bang Luang in the bend of Ban Maen and the Pho Sam Ton waterway, in fact, the old Lopburi River. Based on the old texts, it stood behind Wat Na Phra That. The author could not trace back the latter temple. Wat Na Phra That would have been a reliquary temple, as its name suggests, but this kind of temple was always built within the city walls. There are thus strong doubts about its denomination. A contender could be Wat Tha Yak, situated on the northern junction point of the old Lopburi River and a shortcut called Khlong Bang Khuat. The latter canal had been dug through the oxbow of the old Lopburi River to straighten the waterway. Wat Tha Yak is seated on the Pho Sam Ton waterway, at a stone's throw from the present Ban Maen (Mon Village) and just south of Wat Dao Khanong.





(Wat Tha Yak or the Monastery of the Giant Landing, where the northern tax station was likely situated)



The eastern tax station was in the area of Ban Khao Mao. This station must have been situated near the junction of present Khlong Hantra (the old Pa Sak riverbed) and Khlong Khao Mao near Wat Krasang. (1)


The southern tax station was the most significant customs house as it controlled all the incoming and outgoing sea vessels. It was near Wat Prot Sat at Bang Tanaosi in the present Khanon Luang Sub-district of Bang Pa-In, south of Ko Rian.


The custom station was called by the French the ‘Tabanque’ (2) and is indicated on Jacques Nicolas Bellin's map as thus. An iron chain was placed across the river to block vessels, if necessary, the same as at the customs house in Bangkok.





(Wat Prot Sat in Khanon Luang Sub-District of Bang Pa-In, in which area the Southern Tax Station, the largest of all, was situated)



Finally, the western tax station was near the mouth of the Maha Phram Canal (3) at Ban Pak Khu (Ban Mai Sub-district). It controlled the navigation coming from and going to the Chao Phraya River (at present, the Bang Ban Canal), which ran a few kilometres west of the city. The tax station was south of Wat Rat Bua Khao and north of Wat Khanon, named after the old customs house. [1]


The customs house at Pak Khu figures also in the Siamese epic story Khun Chang, Khun Phaen: "People catching sight of them broke into laughter. ‘Those bald elephants go very well together!’ They shouted at others to come and look. Khun Chang hid his face and looked away. They passed the Don Fak customs post beside Pak Khu. Lots of people come to look at the throng of elephants and horses. They made for the plain towards Talan". [2]


Each toll house had two officers and twenty serfs (4) who worked in shifts of 15 days and were then rotated. At the customs house, there were horses and fast boats to send urgent dispatches to the capital in case of incidents. Boats were checked for prohibited items and weapons as prescribed by law. Guard boats were making inspections up and down the river, while at night, rafts with torches were anchored mid-stream to allow guards to inspect the night traffic. At the toll houses, import and export duties were collected from ships going to and leaving the capital. [3]





(Wat Khanon, or the Monastery of the Customs Post in the Ban Pom Sub-district. The temple's name was derived from its location near a toll house (Khanon), which checked boats for prohibited items and weapons as prescribed by law.)



The customs houses in the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya



After the rainy season in 1563 CE, Burma started a campaign against Ayutthaya (the White Elephant War). The King of Hongsawadi, Bayin Naung, arrived in March 1564 CE and erected his royal stockade at Ban Kum Dong. The battle lingered on, and King Chakkraphat (reign 1548-1569) had the Narai Sanghan Cannon taken on board a junk and hauled up by way of Ban Pom (Fort Village). A ground force to protect both banks was prepared and ascended to the Pak Khu Customs House. The canon was fired, and the cannonball fell inside the stockade near the pavilion of the King of Hongsawadi. The last ordered the site abandoned and went to establish his royal stockade on the Phutthalao Plain.


“So the King had the Narai Sanghan Cannon taken on board a junk and hauled up by way of Pòm Village. A ground force to protect both banks was prepared and ascended to the Pakkhu Customs House. The advance Raman soldiers, who had spread themselves out to await developments, took the information in to report to the King of Hongsawadi, to whom they said, “Men from the Capital have hauled up a junk, with a ground force to protect both banks, and it has probably carried a cannon up to destroy the stockade.” Before they had finished giving their report, the men of the Capital fired off the Narai Sanghan Cannon and the cannonball fell inside the stockade near the pavilion of the King of Hongsawadi. The King of Hongsawadi, having had the cannonball brought to be honored with offerings, ordered the site abandoned and went to establish the royal stockade on the Phutthalao Plain.” [4]


In 1568 CE, the Burmese set out again against Ayutthaya, arriving in January 1569 CE near the capital. The Burmese constructed a number of military stockades in a circle around the city. The main army set up its stockade at Wat Pho Phuak Township, on the Pak Khu tax station rice fields. Finally, Ayutthaya fell to the Burmese.


“The King of Hongsawadi, having spoken, marched his army down to Ayutthaya on the following day, on Wednesday, the tenth day of the waning moon of the second month, 911, a year of the cock, first of the decade. … The main army set up its stockade at Wat Pho Phüak Township, on the Pakkhu tax station rice fields.” [5]





(The Southern Customs House on Isaac de Graaff‘s map 'Kaart van de rivier van Siam, van de Zee tot aan de Stad Judia' in 'Atlas Amsterdam' - Ca. 1695)



In 1586 CE, the King of Hongsawadi attacked Siam again. He arrived at Ayutthaya on Thursday, the second day of the waxing moon of the month of January and entrenched his army in the vicinity of the Pak Khu customs house. Nanthasu was sent to take up positions near the Ban Lang customs house on the river's eastern bank with an army of five thousand men and four hundred kacang laokha boats.


“On Thursday, the second day of the waxing moon of the second month, the King of Hongsawadi led his great army in and entrenched it in the vicinity of the Pak Khu customs house. ...Nanthasu was sent to take up positions in the vicinity of the Lang Village customs house on the eastern bank of the river with an army of about five thousand men and about four hundred kacang laokha boats reserved to that army." [6]


After having set up an army camp in the vicinity of Wat Chong Lom, Prince Naresuan and his brother Prince Ekathotsarot loaded the Phra Maha Maruttayurat gun onto a junk on the eighth day of the waxing moon of the month of July 1586 CE and took up to fire on the King of Hongsawadi’s enclosure at the Pak Khu customs house. The King of Hongsawadi, seeing that the Siamese were able to reach the stockade with their fire, withdrew his army and encamped at Pa Mok Yai.


“On Thursday, the eighth day of the waxing moon of the seventh month, the Phra Maha Marüttayurat gun was loaded onto a junk and taken up to fire on the King of Hongsawadi’s stockade at the Pak Khu customs house. The King of Hongsawadi, seeing that the inhabitants of the Royal Metropolis had brought a great gun loaded on a junk and were able to reach the stockade with its fire, withdrew his army and encamped at Pa Mok Yai.” [7]





(The Southern Customs House on Valentyn’s map 'De Groote Siamse Rievier Me-Nam ofte Moeder der Wateren inharen loop met de in vallende Spruyten Verbeeld' in ‘Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indien’, published in Dordrecht, Amsterdam, 1724-1726 CE)



The procedure for vessels entering the Chao Phraya River



Along the route from the mouth of the Chao Phraya River until Ayutthaya, there were guard vessels and strict vigilance. The ship captains needed to disembark and register their names and all their goods and armament at a checkpoint called ‘Ban Chao Phraya’ manned by a Mandarin at the mouth of the river. (5) After the registration, a passport was obtained to proceed to Ayutthaya. Denton, one of the English factors in Ayutthaya, recorded that "when going first to the capital, they learned that the crews of two Japanese junks, then in the river, had traded by force, having entered the city walls without a license. The result was that eight of their number were killed in one day, whereas if they had first procured the necessary Tarra or license, all would have been well." [8]


Cornelis van Nieuwenroode (?-1633 CE), working for the Dutch East India Company, mentioned for the first time the presence of a Customs House in Bangkok in his 'Vertoog van de gelegenheid des Koningrijks van Siam' published in 1622 CE. He explains the toll procedure for ships going up the Chao Phraya River to Ayutthaya.


“Approximately 5 miles along the same river lies a small walled town at a river junction, called Banckock, where the King's first tollhouse is located, named Cannon Banckock. Here, all junks or ships (regardless of their nation or place of origin) must anchor and declare their intentions, their place of origin, the number of people, armaments, and the merchandise they carry, in order to be charged a toll. After settling the toll, they receive a toll or license document, which allows them to proceed upstream to about a mile from the city of Judea, where the second toll or license house is located upon entry (and upon departure, it is the first), named Cannon Batenauw. Here they must anchor again and be charged a toll without any payment, serving only as additional security so that neither the lord nor the foreigner is defrauded or falls short. After showing their toll document, they may continue to or within the city walls and conduct their business as they wish without being hindered by anyone. It is understood that upon departure, they must pay the same toll as upon entry and obtain a license to leave. Upon paying the toll at Cannon Banckock (which upon departure is the second and final tollhouse), just as when entering at Cannon Batenauw, they must present it without paying anything further. All prahus, regardless of how small they may be, where they come from, or where they intend to go, whether loaded or not, are subject to proper inspection and must comply, under penalty of the prahu and the loaded goods being forfeited if they pass or bypass the aforementioned Cannons or tollhouses without a license or without stopping to be addressed, etc.” [9]





(Ban Chao Phraya on Isaac de Graaff‘s map 'Kaart van de rivier van Siam, van de Zee tot aan de Stad Judia' in 'Atlas Amsterdam' - Ca. 1695)



Jan Janszoon Struys (1630-1694 CE) was a Dutch explorer. His travels were published in Amsterdam in 1676 CE as ‘The perillous and most unhappy voyages of John Struys’, in which he explains also the Siamese toll system.

“About 8 leagues up the River is a small City, of a triangular Platform, and environed with a Wall, called Bangkok. In the same City is the Kings first Toll or Custome house, which they call the Canon Bangkok, and every Ship and Junk to whomsoever they belong are obliged to come to anchor there, and give in their information, upon what account they come, and from whence as also what Men and Goods they have aboard. Having performed that Duty, they pay their Toll, and receive their Billet, with Letters of Conduct, to go so far up as they list, till they come within a League of Iudia, where the second Toll-house is, called, the Canon Bantenau and here they are a second time bound to anchor, and exhibit their Cockets, which having shown, they have their liberty to go further. This second Canon, is erected only to see that the Prince have his due, and to examin whether that the Stranger be not defrauded by the Commissioners of the first and to give Licences to enter the Town, and traffique. It is also to be understood, that when any Ship is outward bound, they are to pay their Toll at the Canon Bantenau which at coming up was the second, now the first Custome-House and are to pass an Examen at the Canon Bangkok, as they did before at the other, without paying anything, if they can manifest by their Cocket, that they have already paid: and this every Vessel how mean soever it be, is bound to do, or in case of refusal to forfeit Ship and Carga." [10]





(Bangkok Customs House on Valentyn’s map 'De Groote Siamse Rievier Me-Nam ofte Moeder der Wateren inharen loop met de in vallende Spruyten Verbeeld' in ‘Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indien’, published in Dordrecht, Amsterdam, 1724-1726 CE. Valentyn is the first to mention the customs house in Bangkok on a map. Valentyn noted: "daar de Rivier dan vlak na 't O. draaid, en ons by een Tolhuis van den Koning op de Wester-wal doet komen" Bangkok's customs house was situated at the confluence of the Chao Phraya River and Khlong Bangkok Yai, opposite the Thonburi Fortress in the location where is today Wat Kanlayanamit.)



For all ships trading with foreign countries, the government levied taxes according to the ship's width every time the ship entered and left the port of Siam. The duty collected by the government was according to the width of the gunnels (6) and calculated per Wa (7). The duty was levied on all ships whether they belonged to the Siamese, the Chinese, the Cham, the Indians, or the Europeans, but the rate could differ depending on the vessel's nationality. Favoured nations paid a tax of 12 Baht per Wa, while the rest was taxed at 20 Baht per Wa. [11]

Import duty was also levied on the merchandise of incoming vessels. On ships from friendly countries such as China, the tax was collected at a rate of 2 in 12 other foreign merchants paid at a rate of 2 in 9. It was estimated that the state collected 800 gold pieces yearly at these customs checkpoints and 3,000 gold pieces from galleon taxes towards the end of the Ayutthaya period. Anyone importing goods into the Kingdom would also expect the customs officials to take a rake-off of part of the merchandise.




(The "Tabanque ou Douane" on Jacques, Nicolas Bellin's map ‘Carte Du Cours De Menam Depuis Siam Jusqu'a la Mer’ in L’Histoire Générale des Voyages. Prevost, Paris, 1750 CE) 



Footnotes:

(1) Khlong Sai, a small canal cutting through the eastern main land, in front of Wat Khae and Wat Chong Lom, going south towards the present Ayutthaya Ship Building Industrial and Technology College where it joined the Front Moat or Khu Khue Na, was deepened. The Pa Sak River was diverted into Khlong Sai at the beginning of the 20th century.
(2) Simon de La Loubère wrote regarding the customs house at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River: "The King’s Ambassadors arrived thus within two Leagues of Siam, at a place which the French called the Tabanque and they waited there eight or ten days for the time of their entrance into the Metropolis. Tabanque in Siamese signifies the Custom House: and because the Officer’s House, which stands at the Mouth of the River, is of Bambou like all the rest, the French gave the name of Tabanque to all the Bambou houses where they lodged, from the name of the Officers House, which they had seen first of all." (La Loubère, 1693).
(3) The Maha Phram Canal is northwest of Ayutthaya in the Bang Ban Sub-district. The waterway is, at present, not much more than a moat, running north of Bang Ban's district office towards Ban Pom. The Maha Phram Canal runs between Wat Khanon and Wat Rat Bua Khao and joins there the Chao Phraya River. The canal was dug to give Ayutthaya access to the Chao Phraya River, which in the Ayutthaya period ran through the present Bang Ban Canal, a few kilometres west of the city. This western entry/exit of Ayutthaya was very important as the waterway was used to travel to the northern cities. The Maha Phram Canal started north of Ban Kop Jao, ran through Ban Maha Phram and had its mouth near Wat Khanon in Ban Pom. The canal joined here with a waterway coming down from Ban Mai (Makham Yong), which ran into the Lopburi River at Hua Laem (Cape Head), northwest of Ayutthaya City, in front of Sattakop Fortress. The Catholic Seminary of the Holy Angels, established by the French in the 17th century, was situated on the canal's southern bank at Ban Maha Phram.
(4) Serfs or Phrai were neither slaves nor free but commoners who served a master periodically with unpaid labour.
(5) Chao Phraya was the highest title conferred by the King to a nobleman. The official settlement, the "Gate to Ayutthaya", must have been an important post. The nobleman here was responsible for the security of the lower reaches of the Chao Phraya River and was a kind of ambassador to receive (and evaluate) important visitors. The official building was likely situated at the mouth of Khlong Nang Bang Kreng in Pak Nam (Samut Prakan), about two miles and a half from the mouth of the river, upon its left bank. The ship captains needed to disembark and register all names and goods at this checkpoint. Guns needed to be landed prior to proceeding upriver. After registration, a passport was obtained to proceed to Bangkok or Ayutthaya. Ban Chao Phraya stood in contact with two guard houses situated south on both sides at the mouth of the river. The purpose of the guard houses was to inform the authorities at Ban Chao Phraya of approaching vessels.
(6) Gunnel or gunwale is a nautical term - the top of the side of a boat or the topmost plank of a wooden vessel. It was called thus because guns were mounted on it.
(7) Traditional Thai unit of length equal to 2 meters.





(One of the two Guard Houses mistakenly identified as Customs House on Engelbert Kaempfer’s map ‘Mappa Meinam & Fluvi’ published in ‘The History of Japan’ - 1727 CE)



References:


[1] Explanation of the map of the Capital of Ayutthaya with a ruling of Phraya Boran Rachathanin - Revised 2nd edition and Geography of the Ayutthaya Kingdom - Ton Chabab print office.Nonthaburi (2007). p 89.

[2] Baker, Chris & Phongpaichit, Pasuk (2012). The Tale of Khun Chang Khun Phaen: Siam’s Great Folk Epic of Love and War. Chap 20.

[3] Charnvit Kasetsiri & Michael Wright (2007). Discovering Ayutthaya. Toyota Thailand Foundation. p. 256.

[4] Cushman, Richard D. & Wyatt, David K. (2006). The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya. Bangkok: The Siam Society. p 35.

[5] Ibid. p. 47.

[6] Ibid. p. 114.

[7] Ibid. p. 117.

[8] Anderson, John (1890). English intercourse with Siam in the 17th Century. London: Kegan, Trench, Trubner & Co. p. 54.

[9] Van Nieuwenroode, Cornelis (1622) - Vertoog van de gelegenheid des Koningrijks van Siam.

[10] Jan Struys, The Perillous and most Unhappy Voyages of John Struys...., translated by John Morrison, London 1683]

[11] Rajanubhap, Damrong (Prince) (1917). Our Wars with the Burmese. White Lotus, Bangkok (2000). p. 246.





(The Southern Customs House on a sketch by Engelbert Kaempfer made in 1690 CE and later used for the ‘Mappa Meinam & Fluvij’ published in 1727 CE)



When the past no longer illuminates the future, the spirit walks in darkness.
(Alexis de Tocqueville)





HISTORY OF AYUTTHAYA



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