VISIT TO PUKET, ETC. 15 



nue is a tax on padi land 8 cents a rei=120 square feet. This 

 is paid to the Ampiir who keeps a register. He can keep $300 

 in his sub-treasury. Over that he must send to Kantan. The 

 Kam-nan and Phoo-yai-ban get 5% commission on this padi-land 

 tax. The owners of padi land have a document of title (corre- 

 sponding to the Malacca 'extract') giving the name of the owner, 

 the extent of the land and its position. No charge is made for 

 land for other cultivation than rice, e.g., pepper, coconuts. 

 There is an export duty on pepper of 60 cents a pikul (said to 

 be fixed by treaty). The present price for pepper is high $36 

 a pikul. The export duty on other produce timber, etc., is 10 

 per cent, ad valorem and the import duty is 3 per cent. Chinese 

 get on well with Siamese and in the country go to the Wat. I 

 noticed that men and women all have distinct vaccination marks, 

 this is done by two Siamese doctors at the Ampur's. There 

 are no taxes — no house tax — except on padi land and on fishing 

 which varies according to the fishing ground from $1 to $10 a 

 year. If other taxes were imposed the Siamese would leave. 

 There is no tax on fruit or coconut plantations or sugar or pep- 

 per. Land can be sold, the new owner getting the document 

 of title. There is no tax on felling timber— only export duty. 

 The population of Trang is 59,000—12,000 Malays and Sam- 

 sams, 4,000 Chinese and the rest Siamese. The Revenue is 

 about $120,000 and the expenditure $80,000. The Opium Farm 

 is not included in the Revenue as it is reckoned as part of the 

 Western States Farm. It may be taken as $65,000. 



The Revenue is made 



up 



as follows : — 





Gambling ... 





... ... 



$25,000 



Spirits 





... 



25,000 



Customs ... 





... ... 



60,000 



Land, etc.... 





... 



10,000 



$120,000 



Including the share in the General Opium Farm the Re- 

 venue exceeds the Expenditure, (i. e., what is sanctioned in the 

 Budget) by about $100,000 which is remitted to Bangkok to 

 provide for the needs of the poorer States. There is a proposal 



R. A. Soc, No. 42, 1904. 



