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Isabel
& Ronald - Thailand Trip 2007 - ´Phuket´ (01)
Phuket
(Thai: ภูเก็ต;
formerly known as Tha-Laang or Talang) 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 there are no land boundaries. The island is served
by Phuket International Airport, located in the north of the island.
The ph of "Phuket" is an aspirated "p", so the
name is pronounced (roughly) "Poock-get". The name Phuket is
apparently derived from the word bukit in Malay which means
mountain or hill, as this is what the island appears like from a
distance.
Before that
its old name was Ta-lang (in Thai): The word is derived from the old
Malay "Telong" which means "Cape", which is still
in use for one of the main districts in the Phuket area.
Phuket is
the biggest island in Thailand, located in the Andaman Sea off
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 km from the Kra Isthmus. The highest
elevation of the island is Mai Thao Sip Song (Twelve Canes), at
529 m above sea level.
70% of the
island is covered by forest. 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 Wildlife
Sanctuary, protecting more than 20 km˛ of rainforest. The three
highest peaks of this reserve are the Khao Prathiu (384 m), Khao
Bang Pae (388 m) and Khao Phara (422 m). The Sirinat
National Park on the northwestern coast was established in 1981 and
protects an area of 90 km˛ (68 km˛ 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 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
several coral islands to the south of Phuket, the Similan Islands lie
to the north west, and Phi Phi Islands to the south east. All the
islands are suitable for diving.
History
The most
significant event in the history of Phuket was the attack by the
Burmese in 1785. Sir 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. Khunying Jan,
the wife of the recently deceased governor, and her sister Mook 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 Kasatri and
Thao Sri 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 was dissolved and Phuket became a province by itself.
Old names of
the island include Koh Thalang...
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