General Information
Phuket is located in the southwest and is also the largest
island in Thailand.It's the only one island that has a status to
be a province. It is about. 867 km south from Bangkok. It is surrounded
by water contain with much marine lives and the town, Phuket, is
known as the Sino-Portuguese architecture buildings. The populations
about 2.5 hundred thousands people.The main business is tourism
as it is surrounded by many beautiful beaches;i.e. Patong Beach,Kata
and Karon Beaches.The total area is about 570 square metres.
Phuket ,is well-known as the Pearl of the south Andaman
Sea ,has quite long history for over 500 years , which is very wealthy
of its beautiful places and tourists attraction. It is a very attractive
island for sightseeing, with lovely seashores and forested hillsides
.In each year the Pearl of Andaman brings much income to the country.
Phuket remains the wealthiest province in Thailand and ranks the
second in popularity places only to Pattaya.
History
Dating back to A.D. 1025 indicate that the island's name derives
from the Tamil Manikram, or crystal mountain.For the most of the
history,Phuket was known as Junk Ceylon,. The name is thought to
have its roots in Patolemy's Geography written by the Alexandrian
geographer in the Third Century A.D .He mentioned that in making
a trip from Souwannapum to the Malay Peninsula it was neccesary
to pass the cape of Jang Si Lang.
Phuket was the gateway on the route between India and China where
seafarers stopped to shelter.
The island appears to have been part of the Shivite empire (called
in Thai the Tam Porn Ling) that established itself on the Malay
Peninsula during the first Millenium age. Then when Muang Takua-Talang,
it was part of the Srivichai and Siri Tahm empire governed in the
eleventh in a constellation of twelve cities, Phuket is an emblem,
by which it was known to others in those largely pre-literature
times.
During the Sukhothai period, Phuket was associated with Takua Pa
in what is now Phang-nga Province, another area with vast tin reserves.
The Dutch established a trading post during the Ayuthaya period
in the 16th century.Then,the island was divided as northern and
central regions then when was governed by the Thais, and the southern
and western were given over to the tin trade, a concession in the
hands of foreigners.
When Ayuttaya was sacked in 1767 there was a short interregnum in
Thailand, ended by King Taksin who drove out the Burmese and re-unified
the country. However, the enemy was anxious to return to the offensive.
They outfitted a fleet to raid the southern provinces, and carry
off the populations to slavery in Burma.
This led Phuket has the most memorable historic event. A passing
sea captain, Francis Light, sent word that the Burmese were en route
to attack. Forces in Phuket were assembled led by the two heroines,
Khunying Jan, wife of Phuket's recently deceased governer, and her
sister Mook, 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 became Thao Sri Sunthon.
During the Nineteenth Century, Chinese immigrants arrived to work
for the tin mines that the ethnic character of the island's interior
became predominantly Chinese, while the coastal settlements remained
populated chiefly by Muslim fishermen. In 1933, with the change
in government from absolute monarchy to a parliamentary system,
the island was established as a province by itself.
Boundaries
Phuket is situated in the south of Thailand, on the
Andaman sea coast,it is a part of the Indian Ocean.It lies between
7'45" and 8'15" north latitude, and from 98'15" to
98'40" west longitude on the map. Phuket,Thailand's largest
island is surrounded by 32 smaller islands that formed part of the
same administration, with a total area of 570 square kilometers.
Measured at its widest point, 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. |
Geography
It is about 70 percent of Phuket province is mountainous;
a western range from north to south from which smaller branches derive.
The highest peak is Mai Tao Sip Song, or Twelve Canes, at 529 meters
high, which lies within the boundaries of Tambon Patong, Kathu District.
Another about 30 percent is mainly in the center and south, is formed
by low plains, streams including Khlong Bang Yai, Tha Jin, Khlong
Tha Rua, and Khlong Bang Rong, none of which is large.
Administration
The island is divided into three districts, Thalang in the north,
Kathu in the west, and Muang in the south. Thailand's system of government
relies upon a strong central authority, thus the Provincial Governor
is a civil servant appointed by the Interior Ministry in Bangkok,
as are the Nai Amphoe, or District Chief. 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 councils. The local constabulary
is part of the Interior Ministry.
Population
Official population as of March 31, 2001, was 252,282. This figure
those who are registered as living in Phuket. Phuket' s attraction
as a center of economic activity has resulted in many settlements
that living on the island whose registration is elsewhere. The total
population of Phuket varies considerably depending on the time of
year, through it is never less than the figure given above.
Economy
Since the early 1980's the tourist business has been Phuket's principal
income from hotel's business, 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, cashew nuts, and pineapples.
Furthermore, prawn farming has taken over the east and the 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.
Weather
The weather of Phuket 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 to 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. |
