Knowing that the climate in areas like Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines is very hot, I was surprised when a search for armor in southeast asia turned up some results that look like this:
and this: http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/7130/thequeenoflangkasukathevh9.jpg
Now i realize most of this is re-enactment type stuff and doesn't necessarily represent the types of armor these people would wear into battle. I'm personally a bit skeptical of the plate (though mail seems appropriate as a large heatsink) but then again I'm pretty ignorant on the matter. What sorts of protection would these people utilize and how did it differ between various social classes? Would peasants have been provided any armor outside a shield?
Southeast Asia, just as any other world region changed from place to place and period to period. Dong Son period Vietnam in the Bronze Age would have different military equipment from say...13th century Suktothai.
Im just going to give some Khmer art, only because as far as I know its the most iconic, best preserved, and best documented from the region
Spearmen and Standard Bearers from Angkor Wat
Marines on War Canoes from Angkor Thom
A sea-battle between the Khmer and Cham(from modern Vietnam)
