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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.
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