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General Information |
 Phuket,
a large island in the Indian Ocean, is 867 kms. from Bangkok.
It is the only island having provincial status, and was a
regional headquarters as well, with a rich and colorful history.
Known as the Pearl of the Andaman, it derived much of its
former glory and its enormous wealth from tin production,
which in Phuket dates back over 500 year. Today, Phuket is
the major tourist attraction of Thailand. The surrounding
waters contain much varied marine life, and the town is notable
for its Sino-Portuguese architecture. It is a very attractive
island for sightseeing, with lovely seashores and forested
hillsides. Its population of 1.6 million people ranks sixth
among all provinces. Approximately 1.75 million Rai of the
area is forest land. The main occupation here is rice farming.
The average per capita income is 14,343 baht. |
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Location and Boundaries
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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:
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North
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Lies The Pak Prah strait, spanned by two
bridges running side-by-side, the older Sarasin Bridge,
and the newer Thao Thep Krasatri Bridge. |
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South
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Is the Andaman Sea.
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East
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Is Phang-nga Bay (In the jurisdiction mainly of Phang-nga
Province). |
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West
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Is The Andaman Sea.
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Geography |
 About
70 percent of Phuket is mountainous; a western range runs
from north to south from which smaller branches derive. The
highest peak is Mai Tha Sip Song, or Twelve Canes, at 529
meters, which lies within the boundaries of Tambon Patong,
Kathu District.
The remaining 30 percent of the island, mainly in the center
and south, is formed by low plains. Streams include the
Khlong Bang Yai, Tha Jin, Khlong Tha Rua, and Khlong Bang
Rong, none of which is large.
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Climate
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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.
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Economy
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 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.
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Population
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 Official
population as of December, 1998, was 231,206. This figure numbers
those who are registered as living in Phuket. Phuket' s attraction
as a center of economic activity has resulted in many 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.
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Government
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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, or Tambon councils. The local constabulary
is part of the Interior Ministry. |
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Phuket
Festivals
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Fortunately, Phuket has nearly every month
celebrations the people can enjoy the cultural all year around.
The island’s festivals tend to reflect a mixture of two cultures;
the large local population of ethnic Chinese and the majority
Thai Buddhists,
Chinese New Year: Chinese
Lunar New Year’s Day, or Trut Jeen, feel on the end of January.
The Chinese don’t work on this particular day, since it implies
bad luck, then it is hard work for the
whole of the following year. Therefore, the last house cleaning
and proparation takes place on New Year’s Eve, which is also
a day for ancestor worship and a reunion dinner with the whole
family. A typical feast, boiled whole chicken, stewed pig, roasted
pork, duck, nee koay, or New Year’s cake, and fruits is prepared
in the morning and arranged before the ancestors’ shrines as
an offering. After the incense sticks have completely burned,
the food is collected for the family meal. At midnight, firecrackers
are set off to welcome the New Year. During the day, Chinese
worshippers of Kuan Yin, the goddess of mercy, fill the Chinese
temples. Phuket, the people visit the Thai Buddhist temple of
Wat Chalong for its annual Chinese New year celebration and
to worship the statue of Luang Pro Cham, a highly revered local
monk. In this festive season, an typical gift is Ang Poa, a
red envelope containing money.
 SongKran Festival:
the Thai New Year traditional created on April13th. The weather
is rather warm;
the water can make you cooler. The past, Thai people respect
this event for beginning a good life, early in the morning,
they go to the temple in the local to make a merit and perform
a bathing ceremony to pay respective to Buddha image, monks,
elders and other revered person, gently pouring scented water
on their hands and in return, all receive blessings. The Phuketial
now have a few days celebration along the road side. The pick
up car are chosen to carry water and drive around the town to
splash each other. The happy day happens to both of local Thai
people and tourist who like to join the festival; they can share
the fun around the island.
Vegetarian Festival:
 For the first nine days of the Chinese ninth lunar month, or
around October, both cultists and the majority of original local
people remain to eat vegetarian foods. Besides,
all of them have to give up all killing, arguing, telling lies,
having sex and drinking alcohol, dressing in white clothes and
make a purified mind and body. The signal of yellow flag is
shown in front of each restaurant to inform the vegetarian foods
serving. The expecting to see miraculous acts during street
processions of devotees of the Nine Emperor Gods, where medium
pierce themselves through both cheeks with spikes, swords. Spectators
should beware of firecrackers thrown into the parade, and are
advises to wear earplugs. Various holy ceremonies are also conducted
at Chinese temples, including fire walking, climbing ladders
of sharp blades, and dipping in hot oil. If you are in this
season, do not miss to wear white clothes and join them eating
foods or go to Phuket Town at night time to witness all excite
challenge.
Loy Kratong festival:
 Loy Krathong
Day falls on the full moon of the 12 th lunar month,generally
in November,when Thais around the country make krathong and
float them on river, ponds or the sea, thanking the goddess
of water for her generosity and apologizing for having polluted
her in many ways. Traditionally made from slices of banana plant
as base and with folded banana leaves as petals, the krathongs
are decorated with flower, joss stick and candles. Include a
coin, and float away all your troubles from the previous year.
Styrofoam floats are commonly sold, but these aren’t environmental
friendly. Today, edible krathong, made of bread, are being introduced,
designed to convey our woes away and then feed the fish, Stage
performances can be seen at Saphan Hin, in Phuket town, as Karon
and Patong beaches.
 Turtles Releasing Ceremony:
Visitor to Phuket, early in March, are in store for
a treat with two major
festivals set to keep them amused. Thai Muang Beach, just off
Phuket Island in Phang nga province, is becoming famed for its
annual Turtle Releasing Ceremony. Over 300 baby turtles were
released at last year’s turtles releasing ceremony and organizers
expect this year’s crop of recent hatchlings to be equally strong.
Reared from eggs by the Phang nga branch of the Thai Fisheries
Dept, the turtles are given this head start in life as a way
to improve and increase the Andaman’s sea turtles population.
The festival also holds significance within Thai Buddhist culture,
for it is believed that the release of turtles (and other marine
life) brings great good luck. While there is only one release-on
the first day of the festival the party will continue on throughout
the week, with live music, food stalls in abundance, and a plethora
of other loud, bright and authentically Thai delights to enjoy.
Hot on the heels of the turtle releasing festival and usually
held in the second week of March
 The
Thao Thepkrasatri Thao Srisunthorn (Heroines) festival:
celebration of the two women responsible for saving Phuket from
rampant Burmese in vader 220 years ago. The Thao Thepkrasatri
Thao Srisunthorn ( Heroines ) Festival takes its name from the
royal titles bestowed upon the two ladies Khunying Jan and her
sister, Mook-for their roll in rallying the islanders to a spirited
defence against a month long bloody siege. The celebration is
a boisterous mix of market place and fair ground and another
excellent opportunity to experience. Thai culture at a grassroots
level. The festival is held in a field at the Heroines Monument
circle.
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