Ayutthayan Economy and Lifestyle

Wealth became synonymous with land ownership after 1454, when King Trailoknat (1448-1488) bestowed titular and land ownership favours on civil and military officials. The quantity of land granted was based on each official's rank. Although this land legally remained the king's, the titled beneficiary had the right, and the duty, to levy taxes on all produce in his fief. Part of the revenue went to the royal treasury and the remainder went to support the official's household.

Additionally, external trade was con-ducted under royal authority or under li-cence, the Crown again levying taxes. In this fashion the kings establish widespread levy systems to finance the royal court, wars and public works (building temples, fortresses, roads and canals). Subjects paid taxes in food, cash, precious metals or corvee labour.
Through such central controls, trade flourished both in the kingdom and abroad. As the Thai economy prospered, new classes of craftsmen such as potters, swords-makers, goldsmiths and jewellers emerged. Trade and commercial specialization developed simultaneously to serve the new economy.

The peace synonymous with security enabled culture to flower and architects, sculptors and painters could serenely fashion the spectacularly beautiful temples and palaces that so awed the first European visitors to Ayutthaya. Artistic genius was lavished on temples because they were focal points of community activity, sites for ordinat ions, funerals, merit-making festivities and other religious ceremonies.

The temples were also spiritual and secular education centres for monks and laymen alike. Many boys and men learned the rudiments of reading and writing Thai, simple arithmetic and the major Buddhist precepts in temple schools; laymen would often sojourn there temporarily to study the Buddha's teaching.

Music was a particularly popular Ayutthayan entertainment. People loved composing and playing music and listening to flutes and stringed instruments, some-times, evidently, to excess : a late 15th century royal decree specifically forbade musical activity in or near royal palaces without prior royal approval.

Other forms of entertainment included various types of dance drama such as lakrn and likay and sports such as boat races. During such occasions young men and women met each other, such meetings often leading to marriage.
Girls were educated at home. Those highborn or enjoying special privileges were sent to live in the royal palace where they studied Buddhism, Thai history and customs, and culinary and domestic arts. King and princes most often chose their wives from such young women. Often, leading merchants and suzerain chieftains sent their offspring to the royal court, ostensibly to demonstrate loyalty, but commonly hoping that their children would receive court educations and benefit from the consequent social prestige.

Besides being administrative centres, palaces were cultural focal points wherein court poets, writers, minstrels, musicians and dancers were maintained to entertain their royal hosts.

Peace also made administration infinitely easier. Control could be extended to the remotest corners of the kingdom. With peace and plentiful, fertile land, and a smoothly functioning government the country enjoyed an era of relatively undisturbed prosperity.

Agriculture was free to develop without interruption. Farmers worked their fields, confident they wouldn't have to abandon their crops and go off to fight wars, while their families could pursue household handicrafts. Regular rice harvests provided sufficient food for the peasantry, and through levy, supplied the royal court. Because the soil was rich, yields were abundant. Surpluses became available for trade mainly with China, which imported Thai rice in exchange for implements and technology.

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