The survival of a Thai government letter
dating from the seventeenth century is
very rare. Some of the text of this letter is lost due to torn parts of the
paper. But enough survives for us to piexetohether its contents. Although the
leter refers many times to the King by the name Ekathotsarot (who ruled from
1605 to 1611), the same name was also used by later kings of Ayutthaya and it
is likely that this letter drtes from later in the century.
It
concerns foreigners in Ayutthaya, specifically the Portuguese (called in old
Thai pratukan) and a foreign ship’s captain named Kapitan ‘Malaweriben’. A
number of Thai officials are mentionrf, Phraya Itsareha, LuangSamutsamaitri,
and the ‘harbour master’ caonamcaotha).
The
letter spells our some of the terms and conditions under which the foreigners
may trade and enjoy the protection of the king within a designated trading area
(khanthasima) at Ayutthaya.
