| Phuket ภูเก็ต |
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| — Province — | |||
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| Map of Thailand highlighting Phuket Province | |||
| Country | Thailand | ||
| Capital | Phuket City | ||
| Government | |||
| • Governor | Tri Augkaradacha (since October 2010)[1] | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 543.0 km2 (209.7 sq mi) | ||
| Area rank | Ranked 75th | ||
| Population (2011) | |||
| • Total | 348,504 | ||
| • Rank | Ranked 68th | ||
| • Density | 641.82/km2 (1,662.3/sq mi) | ||
| • Density rank | Ranked 6th | ||
| Time zone | Thailand Standard Time (UTC+7) | ||
| ISO 3166 code | TH-83 | ||
Phuket ( /puːˈkɛt/; Thai: ภูเก็ต [pʰūː.kèt]), formerly known as Thalang (Tha-Laang) and, in Western sources, Junk Ceylon (a corruption of the Malay Tanjung Salang, i.e. "Cape Salang"),[2] is one of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are (from north clockwise) Phang Nga and Krabi, but as Phuket is an island it has no land boundaries.
Phuket, which is approximately the size of Singapore, is Thailand’s largest island. The island is connected to mainland Thailand by two bridges. It is situated off the west coast of Thailand in the Andaman Sea. Phuket formerly derived its wealth from tin and rubber, and enjoyed a rich and colorful history. The island was on one of the major trading routes between India and China, and was frequently mentioned in foreign ship logs of Portuguese, French, Dutch and English traders. The region now derives much of its income from tourism.
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The name Phuket (of which the ph sound is an aspirated p) is apparently derived from the word bukit (Jawi: بوكيت) in Malay which means "hill", as this is what the island appears like from a distance. The region was formerly referred to as "Thalang," derived from the old Malay "Telong" (Jawi: تلوڠ) which means "Cape". The northern district of the province, which was the location of the old capital, still uses this name.
In the 17th century, the Dutch, the English, and from the 1680s the French, competed with each other for trade with the island of Phuket (the island was named Junkseilon at that time), which was valued as a very rich source of tin. In September 1680, a ship from the French East India Company visited Phuket and left with a full cargo of tin. In 1681 or 1682, the Siamese king Narai, who was seeking to reduce Dutch and English influence, named Governor of Phuket the French medical missionary Brother René Charbonneau, a member of the Siam mission of the Société des Missions Etrangères. Charbonneau held the position of Governor until 1685.[3]
In 1685, king Narai confirmed the French tin monopoly in Phuket to a French ambassador, the Chevalier de Chaumont.[4] Chaumont's former maître d'hôtel Sieur de Billy was named governor of the island.[5] The French were expelled from Siam in 1688 however, following the 1688 Siamese revolution. On April 10, 1689, the French general Desfarges led an expedition to re-capture the island of Phuket in an attempt to restore some sort of French control in Siam.[6] The occupation of the island led nowhere, and Desfarges returned to Pondicherry in January 1690.[7]
The Burmese attacked Phuket in 1785. Captain Francis Light, a British East India Company captain passing by the island, sent word to the local administration that he had observed Burmese forces preparing to attack. Than Phu Ying Chan, the wife of the recently deceased governor, and her sister Mook (คุณมุก) then assembled what forces they could. After a month-long siege, the Burmese were forced to retreat March 13, 1785. The two women became local heroines, receiving the honorary titles Thao Thep Kasattri and Thao Si Sunthon from King Rama I. During the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), Phuket became the administrative center of the tin-producing southern provinces. In 1933 Monthon Phuket (มณฑลภูเก็ต) was dissolved and Phuket became a province by itself. Old names of the island include Ko Thalang.
On December 26, 2004, Phuket and other nearby areas on Thailand's western coast suffered extensive damage when they were struck by the Boxing Day tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. The waves destroyed several highly populated areas in the region, killing as many as 5,300 people nationwide, and tens of thousands more throughout the wider Asian region. As many as 250 people were reported dead in Phuket including foreign tourists and as many as a thousand unreported deaths of illegal Burmese workers building new beach resorts in the Khao Lak area. Almost all the major beaches on the west coast, especially Kamala, Patong, Karon and Kata, sustained major damage, with some damage also being caused to resorts and villages on the island's southern beaches.
By February 2005 many damaged and most undamaged resorts were back in business, and throughout 2005 life slowly returned to normal for the people of Phuket. Following strenuous recovery programs, there is no remaining tsunami damage other than at the most remote beaches.
In the beginning of December 2006, Thailand launched the first of 22 U.S.-made tsunami-detection buoys to be positioned around the Indian Ocean as part of a regional warning system against giant waves caused by earthquakes under the sea. The satellite-linked deep-sea buoy will float 1,000 km (620 mi) offshore, roughly midway between Thailand and Sri Lanka.
Map of Phuket (beaches in brown) |
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Andaman Sea |
| Area | 543 km2 (209.7 sq mi) |
| Length | 50 km (31 mi) |
| Width | 20 km (12 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 529 m (1,736 ft) |
| Highest point | Mai Thao Sip Song |
| Country | |
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Thailand
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| Demographics | |
| Ethnic groups | Thai, Malay |
Phuket is the biggest island in Thailand, located in the Andaman Sea of southern Thailand. The island is mostly mountainous with a mountain range in the west of the island from the north to the south. The mountains of Phuket form the southern end of the Phuket mountain range, which ranges for 440 kilometres (270 mi) from the Kra Isthmus. The highest elevation of the island is Mai Thao Sip Song (Twelve Canes), at 529 metres (1,736 ft) above sea level.
It is estimated that Phuket has a total area of approximately 570 square kilometres (220 sq mi) (including the province's other islands). Phuket is approximately 536 miles (863 km) south of Bangkok, and covers an area of approximately 543 square kilometres (210 sq mi) excluding small islets. It is estimated that if all its 39 other small islands are included, Phuket Province will cover an area of approximately 590 square kilometres (230 sq mi). The island total length, from north to south, is estimated at 30 miles (48 km) and 13 miles (21 km) wide.[8]
Phuket's topology is exceptional with 70 percent of its area covered with mountains which stretch from north to south and the remaining 30 percent being plains located in the central and eastern parts of the island. It has a total of 9 brooks and creeks but does not have any major rivers.
Forest, rubber and palm oil plantations cover 60% of the island. The western coast has several sandy beaches, while on the east coast beaches are more often muddy. Near the southernmost point is Laem Promthep (Brahma's Cape), which is a popular sunset viewing point. In the mountainous north of the island is the Khao Phra Thaeo Non-hunting Area, protecting more than 20 km² of rainforest. The three highest peaks of this reserve are the Khao Prathiu (384 metres (1,260 ft)), Khao Bang Pae 388 metres (1,273 ft) and Khao Phara 422 metres (1,385 ft). The Sirinat National Park on the northwestern coast was established in 1981 and protects an area of 90 square kilometres (35 sq mi) (68 kilometres (42 mi) marine area), including the Nai Yang beach where sea turtles lay their eggs.
One of the most popular tourist areas on Phuket is Patong Beach on the central western coast, perhaps owing to the easy access to its wide and long beach. Most of Phuket's nightlife and its cheap shopping is located in Patong, and the area has become increasingly developed. Patong means "the forest filled with banana leaves" in Thai. Other popular beaches are located south of Patong. In a counterclockwise direction these include Karon Beach, Kata Beach, Kata Noi Beach, and around the southern tip of the island, Nai Harn Beach and Rawai. To the north of Patong are Kamala Beach, Surin Beach and Bang Tao Beach. These areas are generally much less developed than Patong, and sought out by individuals, families and other groups with a preference for more relaxed and less crowded environs than Patong. There are many islands to the southeast, including Bon Island, just a short boat trip away. There are several coral islands to the south of Phuket, the Similan Islands lie to the north west, and Phi Phi Islands to the south east. Islanders engage in a lively tourist trade, catering to snorkellers and scuba divers.
Phuket is divided into 3 districts (Amphoe), which are further subdivided into 17 subdistricts (tambon) and 103 villages (muban).
There are 9 municipal (thesaban) areas within the province. The capital Phuket has city (thesaban nakhon) status, and the main touristical town Patong as well as Kathu has town (thesaban mueang) status. There are further 6 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon) - Karon, Thep Krasattri, Choeng Thale, Ratsada, Rawai and Wichit. The non-municipal areas are administrated by 9 tambon administrative organizations (TAO).
Phuket has a tropical climate, more specifically a tropical monsoon climate, with a dry season from November to April and a rainy season from May to October. Average temperatures are consistent year-round. Average highs range from 29 °C (84 °F) to 33 °C (91 °F); average lows range from 23 °C (73 °F) to 26 °C (79 °F).
| Climate data for Phuket (1961—1990) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 31.8 (89.2) |
32.9 (91.2) |
33.5 (92.3) |
33.4 (92.1) |
32.0 (89.6) |
31.6 (88.9) |
31.2 (88.2) |
31.2 (88.2) |
30.7 (87.3) |
30.9 (87.6) |
31.0 (87.8) |
31.2 (88.2) |
31.8 (89.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 27.9 (82.2) |
28.7 (83.7) |
29.3 (84.7) |
29.5 (85.1) |
28.4 (83.1) |
28.3 (82.9) |
27.8 (82.0) |
27.9 (82.2) |
27.3 (81.1) |
27.4 (81.3) |
27.5 (81.5) |
27.6 (81.7) |
28.1 (82.6) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 23.3 (73.9) |
23.7 (74.7) |
24.3 (75.7) |
24.8 (76.6) |
24.5 (76.1) |
24.5 (76.1) |
24.2 (75.6) |
24.4 (75.9) |
23.9 (75.0) |
23.8 (74.8) |
23.8 (74.8) |
23.7 (74.7) |
24.1 (75.4) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 29.8 (1.173) |
20.9 (0.823) |
49.1 (1.933) |
121.9 (4.799) |
319.4 (12.575) |
268.9 (10.587) |
290.5 (11.437) |
272.6 (10.732) |
399.0 (15.709) |
309.6 (12.189) |
175.7 (6.917) |
59.4 (2.339) |
2,316.8 (91.213) |
| Avg. rainy days | 4 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 23 | 22 | 16 | 8 | 170 |
| Source no. 1: Thai Meteorological Department[9] | |||||||||||||
| Source no. 2: Hong Kong Observatory [10] | |||||||||||||
Tin mining has been a major source of income for the island since the 16th century. Chinese businessmen and Chinese workers were employed in the mines. Most were Hokkien Chinese, and their influence on Phuket culture and cuisine can still be felt today. With falling tin prices, the mining has now all but ceased. In modern times, Phuket's economy rests on two pillars: rubber tree plantations (making Thailand the biggest producer of rubber in the world) and tourism, with a thriving diving industry attracting thousands of divers each year.
Since the 1980s, the sandy beaches on the western coast of the island have been heavily developed into tourist centers, with Patong, Karon and Kata being the most popular ones. Since the 2004 Tsunami, all damaged buildings and attractions have been restored. Phuket is currently going through an intensive period of leisure urbanization with many new hotels, apartments and houses under construction. In July 2005, Phuket was voted one of the World’s Top 5 retirement destinations by the acclaimed Fortune Magazine.[11] There are thousands of expatriates living in Phuket, many of them retirees. .
As with most of Thailand, the majority of the population is Buddhist, but there is a significant number of Muslims (30%) in Phuket, mainly descendants of the island's original sea-dwelling people. Among the Muslims, many are of Malay descent.[12][13] People of Chinese ancestry make up an even larger populace, many of whom having descended from tin miners who migrated to Phuket during the 19th century.[14] Peranakans, known as "Phuket Babas" in the local tongue, constitute a fair share of members Chinese community, particularly among those who have family ties with the Peranakans of Penang and Malacca.[15]
Phuket provincial population in preliminary count of 2010 census was counted to be 525,018 people, including some 115,881 foreigners, or 21.1% of the population. However, it is admitted this is inaccurate since The Phuket Provincial Employment Office currently records for more than 64,000 Burmese, Lao and Cambodian workers legally residing on the island.[16] Final figures are to be released later in 2011.
The Phuket International Airport is located in the north of the island. There are many scheduled flights and chartered flights from domestics and other countries in Asia, Australia, Europe and North America landing in Phuket.
There is no rail-line to Phuket, but the trains do run to nearby Surat Thani. Songthaews (passenger pick-up vehicles) are a common mode of transport on Phuket. Phuket’s songthaews are larger than those found in other areas of Thailand. They travel between the town and beaches. There are also conventional bus services and motorbike taxis. The latter are found in large numbers in the main town and at Patong Beach. The traditional Tuk-tuks have been replaced by small vans, mostly red or some are yellow or green. Songthaews are the cheapest mode of transportation for travel from town to town.
Local dishes include:
Phuket Province has a number of sister cities. They are:
Phuket Province is Twin towns with:
| Phang Nga Province | ||||
| Andaman Sea | Andaman Sea | |||
| Phuket Province | ||||
| Andaman Sea |
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