Introduction to Phuket, Thailand

Phuket (pronounced Pookhet) is Thailand’s largest island. It’s a province in itself and a major tourist destination. Phuket offers something for every visitor: verdant hillsides, luxurious golf courses, unique beaches, azure seas, world-class scuba diving and water sports, surprisingly cheap shopping, outstanding dining and a vibrant nightlife. As Phuket is Thailand’s richest province, the infrastructure is surprisingly good when compared to neighbouring provinces and countries.

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Location

Lying off the northwest Andaman coast 700km south of Bangkok and 150 kilometres from the Malaysian border, Phuket is roughly the same size as Singapore. Many have remarked on the similarity Phuket has, when viewed on a map, to a pearl drop. For this reason, amongst others, the island has been dubbed "The Pearl of the South." It’s connected to the province of Phang Nga by two northern bridges. Most tourists arrive by air, but there are excellent road connections to Bangkok and surrounding provinces to Phuket that are well worth visiting.

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Climate

Roughly on the same latitude as Central America, Phuket’s climate is a lot easier going than say, Costa Rica’s. The average temperature is 28 degrees Celsius and varies from 22 degrees to 35 degrees depending on the time of year. One thing you can depend on, however, is that it’s always humid on this island. From November to April the skies are generally clear and a fresh northeasterly breeze sweeps through the region, making yachting, scuba diving and a host of other water sports instantly accessible. From May until October Phuket is a lot wetter, due to westerly monsoons, but it doesn’t rain all day every day. For this reason, Phuket’s rainy season can sometimes be a misnomer. There is a mini-summer in June/July when the island is perhaps at its most idyllic with quiet beaches and glorious weather for three or more weeks.

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Geography

A central mountain range forms the backbone of the island. The highest point is 529 metres. Much of the rest of the island is given over to rubber and pineapple plantations. The West Coast is studded with truly beautiful beaches from where you can witness spectacular sunsets whereas prawn farms, mangrove forests and yachting facilities dominate the East side of the island. If there is one word that has been used to describe Phuket it is "Verdant". The island positively bursts with green plants, crops, trees and shrubbery. There is the Khao Phra Taew National Park in the northwest of the island where wild animals live in their natural habitat and Phuket is no more than two hours away from some of the most unspoiled jungle in Asia: at Khao Sok National Park.
32 smaller islands - almost all easily accessible by boat - surround Phuket, affording a rich choice of day trips and scuba/snorkeling sites.

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History

Since early times Phuket has been a melting pot of races and ethnic beliefs. The early populations were made up of hunters and gatherers. When trade routes opened and people began to travel more freely the island hosted a multitude of nationalities. Sub continental Indians, Arabs, Malay and Mokken sea nomads all arrived to make their cultural mark but with the advent of tin mining in the 18^th century the demography of the island changed radically. Hokkien Chinese migrants from Penang, seeking employment in the tin industry, arrived in large numbers and subsequently intermarried with locals, adding a persuasive Chinese hue to the multi ethnic mix on the island. At this point Phuket Town became the island’s capital and centre of administration, superseding Thalang. With the recent decline of the tin industry many mines were abandoned, leaving ugly scars and craters on the landscape. Happily, many of these eyesores have been converted and assimilated into golf courses and hotel grounds. The result is quite spectacular and a triumph for local environmentalists. In the early eighties, tourism replaced tin mining and rubber as the island’s major industry.
For historians, the best place to see architectural evidence of Phuket’s 18^th and 19^th century melting pot and financial boom is Phuket Town itself, with its Sino-Portugese style buildings. Whole streets of this mode of architecture exist downtown and exotic rubber and tin-financed mansions are to be found ensconced in the rapidly growing suburbs of this sprawling provincial capital. Phuket Town may not be the prettiest sight but it’s certainly the place to check out the recent history of this island.

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Religion

Because of the proximity of Phuket to Malaysia, there is a greater percentage of Muslims on the island than in central or northern Thailand. 35% of Phuket’s population is Muslim, compared to about 5% nationwide. Buddhism, however, is the main religion on Phuket although there are a higher number of mosques than Buddhist wats or temples on the island: Some 38 to 37, respectively. Visitors are encouraged to dress politely when viewing holy places in Thailand. Despite the heat, arms and - whenever possible - legs should be covered. Shoes must be removed when entering temples.

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Culture

Thais are proud of their rich culture, and rightly so. It’s a mixture of easy going Buddhism with strong roots in familial obligations yet is never imposing to the outsider. This is one of the reasons why Thailand is so attractive to foreigners. Thais, you’ll soon notice, are easy going people. One of the central beliefs in Thai culture is the importance in having fun: Sanuk. No wonder then that Thailand has long been called "The Land of Smiles." Tellingly, one of the worst comments one could possibly make about a work mate, a boss or anyone for that matter in Thailand is: "He’s such a serious person." A smile, therefore, goes a long way in this country.
Thais have different taboos from the west. For example: Visitors should not touch Thai people’s heads, it being the highest part of the body. Contrariwise the feet, being the lowest part, are not to be raised above, or pointed at objects or people. Open anger and extreme emotion is also frowned upon. A favourite Thai expression in times of stress is: "Jai yen, jai yen." Meaning: "Keep a cool head/heart - don’t lose face by losing your temper." Elders should always be treated with extreme respect. The wai – a closed palm greeting should be used when greeting elder people or anyone in a position of authority. Simply close palms, prayer-like and place them, fingers-upward, under your chin. A slight bow at the same time will do wonders. Do not wai people of a lower social bracket than yourself. It will only confuse and muddle things. If a waitress, a hotel clerk or a child wais to you, simply smile and nod back. Despite the complexity of correct social behaviour in Thailand the visitor is readily forgiven for his/her gaffes. It’s all part of that famous Thai hopitality.

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