Thailand in the 15th-18th cent essays

Thailand in the 15th-18th cent essays Thailand has historically been a strong, proud nation. The people of Thailand have never gone hungry due to their vast food sources. Their military proved to be one of the best in the area. The country was set in a great location, allowing large ports for international trade and large agricultural areas on the interior. Thailand was a vast nation that went through rough times, but always seemed to pull themselves up. At the end of the 14th century Ayutthaya was the strongest power in South East Asia, although it lacked the manpower necessary to dominate the region. The armies repeatedly tried to sack Angkor, but were constantly extinguished. Thai was not a single state, but one made up of many Mandela communities owing allegiance to the Ayutthayan king. Often, members of the royal family, or a wealthy elder of the community itself ran these communities. In Ayutthayan society the basic home unit was composed of extended family households. The title to the land resided with the headsman, the head of the household, which held the land although it was in the communitys name. The peasant could use this land freely as long as he was cultivating it. The kings needed to be constantly aware of the princes so that they did not join up and try to usurp the throne. During the 15th centuries much of Ayutthayas power was directed toward the great port of Malacca, on the Malay Peninsula. Although they failed in making Malacca a vassal state, Ayutthaya continued to control the lucrative trade on the Isthmus. The trade then attracted Chinese traders who brought specialty goods from the Chinese markets. Thailand had a unique way of getting labor. It was known as corvee labor or the heaviest tax upon the people. Corvee labor was any free man, or all adult men who where not royalty, nobles, priests or slaves. Corvee laborers were required to give three months of free services to the government...