Southern planters were opposed, but urban merchants supported the idea.
These changes had seen power shift from the noble landowners to the urban merchants.
An example can be seen with one individual in need of an item the urban merchant does not ordinarily stock.
Much of the expansion was the result of investment by wealthy urban merchants, many of whom were from the country's religious minorities.
What urban merchant would dare to leave a bowl of cash in open view?
Due to the government's stance, urban merchants were unable to gain much control over the Thai rice industry.
The urban merchants' seemingly praiseworthy desire for untrammelled trade was only one side of the picture.
Machiya housed urban merchants and craftsmen, a class collectively referred to as chōnin (townspeople).
The only people likely to take advantage of personal savings accounts came from a small class of urban merchants and craftsmen.
Now the sand serves the mighty urban merchants.