14. The Thai and Southeast Asian Slave Trades
In Southeast Asia, including Siam (modern Thailand), slavery was rooted in warfare, debt, and social hierarchy. War captives and debtors were routinely enslaved, serving in royal courts, agriculture, and households. Regional trade networks linked Southeast Asia’s slave markets with those of China and India, spreading people and cultures across vast distances. These systems shaped the ethnic and social landscape of the region for generations. Explore slavery in Southeast Asia
