Markets and production in the city of Ayutthaya before 1767: Translation and analysis of part of the Description of Ayutthaya

Abstract

A document found in the early twentieth century and probably dating from the late eighteenth contains a detailed description of Ayutthaya before its fall in 1767. This article presents an English translation of the sections of this document about the economic life of the city, along with annotation and analysis. Unlike the image from the chronicles or from foreign visitors, this document shows late Ayutthaya as an industrious and commercial city, probably with a growing population and increased consumption.