Siamese trade in agricultural products with Japan and China in the eighteenth century

Keeping this in mind, this article sheds light on the trading history between Siam and Japan, with reference to Siamese trade with China. It provides an overview of the Siamese trade with Japan by Siamese and Chinese junks and by the ships of the Dutch East India Company (the VOC or the Company) prior to the eighteenth century. Then, it discusses a change in the Siamese trade with Japan during the

first half of the eighteenth century, which gave an opportunity to the VOC. Lastly, the article discusses the Chinese success in creating a trade network around the China Sea in the second half of the eighteenth century. In the process, it provides a case study of the trade in sappanwood, one of the main agricultural products exported from Siam.