Phuket ( ; or , ) is a city in the southeast of
Phuket Island
Phuket (; th, ภูเก็ต, , ms, Bukit or ''Tongkah''; Hokkien:普吉; ) is one of the southern provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand. It consists of the island of Phuket, the country's largest island, and another 32 smaller islands of ...
,
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
. It is the capital of
Phuket province
Phuket (; th, ภูเก็ต, , ms, Bukit or ''Tongkah''; Hokkien:普吉; ) is one of the southern provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand. It consists of the island of Phuket, the country's largest island, and another 32 smaller islands of ...
. the city had a population of 79,308. It covers the subdistricts (''
tambon
''Tambon'' ( th, ตำบล, ) is a local governmental unit in Thailand. Below district (''amphoe'') and province (''changwat''), they form the third administrative subdivision level. there were 7,255 tambons, not including the 180 ''khwaeng'' ...
s'') Talat Yai () and Talat Nuea () of
Mueang Phuket district
Mueang Phuket ( th, เมืองภูเก็ต, ) is the capital district ('' amphoe mueang'') of Phuket province, Thailand. Phuket town itself is in the district's northeast.
Geography
The district encompasses the southern part of th ...
.
Phuket is 862 km (535.6 mi) south of Bangkok.
History
Phuket is one of the oldest cities in Thailand. It was an important port on the west of the
Malay Peninsula
The Malay Peninsula (Malay: ''Semenanjung Tanah Melayu'') is a peninsula in Mainland Southeast Asia. The landmass runs approximately north–south, and at its terminus, it is the southernmost point of the Asian continental mainland. The area ...
where Chinese immigrants first landed.
Phuket Old Town
The Old Town is an area of historical interest in the city of Phuket. The main streets of Old Town are Thalang, Phang Nga, Krabi, Dibuk, and Yoawarat. Old Town is noted for Sino-Portuguese buildings on both sides of the street. Many old buildings ...
is a quarter studded with heritage buildings in ten streets: Klang, Phang Nga, Rassada, Dee Buk, Krabi, Thep Kasattri, Phuket, Yaowarat, Satun, and Soi Rammanee. These older buildings show Phuket town's former prosperity. They were constructed when tin mining was an important industry on the island. Their architectural style is called "
Sino-Portuguese", characteristic of which is a single or two-storey building with a narrow front compensated for by considerable depth. The tiles, doors, perforated windows, and other details are all influenced by Chinese and European styles combined. "Phuket Old Town" is a 2.7 km
2 area covering a total of 210
rai
RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana (; commercially styled as Rai since 2000; known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane) is the national public broadcasting company of Italy, owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. RAI operates many ter ...
.
, the
Fine Arts Department
The Fine Arts Department ( th, กรมศิลปากร, ) is a government department of Thailand, under the Ministry of Culture. Its mission is managing the country's cultural heritage.
History
The department was originally established ...
and the Phuket provincial authorities are preparing a proposal to the
(UNESCO) for Phuket Old Town to be listed as a
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
.
In 2004 the town was elevated to city status (''
thesaban nakhon
Thesaban ( th, เทศบาล, , ) are the municipalities of Thailand. There are three levels of municipalities: city, town, and sub-district. Bangkok and Pattaya are special municipal entities not included in the ''thesaban'' system.
The mu ...
'', ).
Culture
The major religion is
Buddhism
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
. The
Buddhist temple
A Buddhist temple or Buddhist monastery is the place of worship for Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, chaitya, stupa, wat and pagoda in different regions and languages. Temples in Buddhism represen ...
s in the city are attractive destinations for national and international tourists. Along the streets some Hindu temples depicting the statues of
Ganesha
Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu d ...
and
Brahma
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...
can also be seen.
Demographics
Since 2005, the population of Phuket has been increasing.
Transportation
*
Phuket International Airport
Phuket International Airport ( th, ท่าอากาศยานภูเก็ต, ) is an international airport serving the Phuket Province of Thailand. It is in the north of Phuket Island, from the centre of Phuket City. The airport pl ...
Sister cities
*
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
,
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...
,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
*
George Town, Penang
)
, short_description = Capital city of the Malaysian state of Penang
, image_map =
, map_caption = Location of George Town in Penang
, pushpin_map = Penang#Malaysia#Asia#Earth
, pushpin_maps ...
,
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
Photos
File:Rotonda Surin, Phuket, Tailandia, 2013-08-19, DD 01.JPG
File:Phuket Square, Phuket, Thailand.jpg
File:Thailand-Aerial-view-of-Phuket-International-Airport-Apr-2003-01.jpg
File:Phuket, April 2012.jpg
File:Patak Road.JPG
File:PhuketPortugees.jpg
File:Phuket Thai Hua School.jpg
File:Old Post Office of Phuket.jpg
File:Phuket Commute.jpg
File:Buddha statue on Khao Rang hill.jpg, Buddha statue on Khao Rang hill
File:View of Phuket city from Khao Rang hill.jpg, View of Phuket city from Khao Rang hill
References
External links
*
* Forbes, Andrew, and Henley, David,
Phuket's Historic Peranakan Community'
Phuket City official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Phuket, Thailand
Cities and towns in Thailand
Andaman Sea
Ports and harbours in Southeast Asia
Port cities in Asia
Port cities and towns of the Indian Ocean
Southern Thailand