Phuket Information
Introduction :
Phuket is an island connected by bridges to southern Thailand’s Andaman Sea coast, in the Indian Ocean, lying between 7′45″ and 8′15″ north latitude, and from 98′15″ to 98′40″ west longitude on the map. Phuket, Thailand’s largest islands, is surrounded by 32 smaller islands that form part of the same administration, with a total area of 570 square kilometers. Measured at its widest point, Phuket is 21.3 kilometers; at its longest, 48.7 kilometers.
History :
Phuket was known as Bukit, Junk Ceylon, or Muang Talang, in the variety of reason. Bukit is the name that derives in meaning from the Tamil manikram, or Crystal Mountain. Junk Ceylon is the name that found on the old maps (Ptolemy’s Geographical, written by the Alexandrian geographer in the Third Century A.D.) and Muang Talang is called since the part of the Srivichai and Siri Tahmarach empires. It was first called Monton Phuket in Rama V’s reign.
Phuket is a town with a long history. In centuries past, Phuket was an important trading post on the eastern shore of the bay of Bengal, handing shipping and dealing with sailors from the Arab and Malay worlds, India, Burmar, China and, of course, Siam. By the 16th century, the island was also well-know to Europeans, as first Portuguese and Dutch, then English and French sailed to its fabled shore. The island enjoyed an unprecedented surge in wealth when tin was found to be available in large quantities in the nearby shadows. Ambitious, hardworking miner and business flocked to the island from the province of south China (the 19th century), adding a considerable Chinese element to the island’s already mixed population.
The most important historic event is the story of two heroines: Thao Thep Kasatri (Kunying Jan) and Thao Sri Sunthon(Kunying Mook) that people in Phuket were assembled led by the two heroines to fight with the Burmese that come to attack them. After a month’s siege the Burmese were forced to depart on 13 March, 1785. Kunying Jan and her sister were credited with the successful defense. In recognition King Rama I bestowed upon Kunying Jan the honorific Thao Thep Kasatri, a title of nobility usually reserved for royalty, by which she is known today. Her sister (Kunying Mook) became Thao Sri Sunthon.
Location and Boundaries :
Phuket is an island connected by bridges to southern Thailand’s Andaman Sea coast, in the Indian Ocean, lying between 7′45″ and 8′15″ north latitude, and from 98′15″ to 98′40″ west longitude on the map. Phuket, Thailand’s largest islands, is surrounded by 32 smaller islands that form part of the same administration, with a total area of 570 square kilometers. Measured at its widest point, Phuket is 21.3 kilometers; at its longest, 48.7 kilometers. it is bounded thus.
North- Lies The Pak Prah strait, spanned by two bridges running side-by-side, the older Sarasin Bridge, and the newer Thao Thep Krasatri Bridge.South-Is the Andaman Sea.
East-Is Phang-nga Bay (In the jurisdiction mainly of Phang-nga Province). West-Is The Andaman Sea.
Climate :
Phuket’s weather conditions are dominated by monsoon winds that blow year round. It is therefore always warm and humid. There are two distinct seasons, rainy and dry. The rainy season begins in May and lasts till October, during which the monsoon blows from the southwest. The dry season is from November through April, when the monsoon comes from the northeast. Highest average temperatures, at 33.4 degree Celsius, prevail during March. Lowest averages occur in January, when nightly lows dip to 22 degree Celsius.
Economy :
Since the early 1980’s the tourist business has been Phuket’s chief source of income. Hotels, restaurants, tour companies, and souvenir shops are much in evidence on the west coast. However, while once all-importance tin mining has ceased, tourism is by no means the island’s only activity. Agriculture remains important to a large number of people, and covers by far the most part of the island. Principal crops are rubber, coconuts, cashews, and pineapples.
Prawn farming has largly taken over the east and south coasts. Pearl farming is also important. Phuket’s fishing port is at all time filled, and processing of marine products, mainly fish, makes a significant contribution to the economy. With so many healthy industries supplying income, construction has become a major factor in employment. This range from massive public works projects, large office buildings and hotels, and housing estates with hundreds of units, down to single family homes, apartments and additions.
Population :
The island’s official population as of December 1998 was 231,206. Most live in Muang district.
Thirty percent of the island’s population are Chinese descendants. But they differ from those in Bangkok because they came from the Hokkien region of China, who migrated to Phuket during the boom of the tin mining industry in the 17th - 18th century. Today, the Chinese are responsible for much of the trade and commerce in the city. They also represent the strongest culture of Phuket town.
Equal to the Chinese descendants is the Thai Muslim community which also comprises 30 per cent of the island’s population. Muslims living in southern Thailand are of Malaysian extraction and arrived at an early date. There is also a small number of sea gypsies living in a village in Ko Sirey. By far, sea gypsies are the most interesting original inhabitants of Phuket island but the intrusion of tourists is impinging on their lifestyle.
With the tourism boom in Phuket during the last decade, Phuket has attracted people from other regions to work in the tourism industry, which is now the largest source of income. So it’s easy for tourists to spot the local people who can communicate in English.
Government :
The administration in Phuket is divided into three districts, Thalang in the north, Kathu in the west, and Muang in the south. The cities of Phuket and Patong have their own city governments, with elected city councils, the leading members of which serve as mayor. There are also elected provincial, district, and sub-district, or Tambon councils. The local constabulary is part of the Interior Ministry.
Phuket is the richest province in the south and ranked number six in Thailand, thanks to the tourism industry. Since the early 1980’s, tourism has been Phuket’s chief source of income. In 1997, Phuket’s income per capita was around 156,675 baht. Hotels, resorts, restaurants, tour agencies, entertainment businesses and souvenir shops have been springing up like mushrooms along the west coast. In the past, Phuket’s wealth was mainly built on tin mining but when tin demand in world markets declined, tourism took over as a money machine for the island. Agriculture ranks as the second source of income. Rubber, coconut, cashew, and pineapple plantations are an important part of the economy. Aquatic animal farming such as prawn and pearl farming are occupations that people living in Phuket rely on.