it is important to emphasize that in the pre-modern
period the experiences of the mainland and the islands
diverged quite markedly.
• In the first place, European interest in the mainland
was limited. It was not seen as a source of spices, and
it was the aim of dominating this trade which had
brought the Portuguese and Spanish to the region.
• Second, although Europeans actively frequented ports
such as Pegu and Ayutthaya, they never controlled a
mainland centre that could be compared with Melaka,
and thus never exerted the same influence on
established trading patterns.
• Third, the population and economic resources of the
states on the mainland far outweighed those of the
Europeans in the region.