Local Events Guide

Phuket “The pearl of the Andaman”

InThailand, Phuket (pronounce ‘Pooket’) generally surnamed ‘Pearlof the South’, and is the largest island in the kingdom. From north to south the length is 48 km, and 21 km. wide from east to west. Mountains and valleys all over the island. The main mountain chain runs from west to south and covers about 70% of the island’s surface. The highest mountain is Mai Tao Song with 529 m, The other 30% of the island are rather flat and situated in the center and east. Situated in the Andaman Sea, west of Southern Thailand, the island has fantastic scenery’s: rock parties, fantastic sand beaches, limestone formations, green hills, small creeks and lagoons, and of course a fantastic tropical vegetation. Thanks to the vast surface, micro-climates developed in several zones.

In the history of Phuket, on ancient maps of the south-west region of Thailand, the name ‘Junk Ceylon’ can be seen as a description of the island we call today Phuket. Al ready in the 3the century the island of Phuket was a popular stop for ships and its name probably from the Tamils en route toIndiaby the start of the 11th century. The name means ‘gems’. Phuket was part of the Malay Shivit kingdom, but most of it became part ofThailand. By the Thai Ayutthaya period tin was found on the island and the Thai government offered concessions to foreign companies. Later, in the 18th century, once again the Burmese tried to concurThailandand they attacked the island to take the ancient capital of Thalang. One of the most bloodiest battles in that period took place in 1745 when Jan, the widow of the governor and her sister Mock drove the Burmese back into the sea. After Phuket became prosper by its tin mines, first on the island and later on the sea bottom. This days there is almost no tin anymore and the economy of Phuket depends on rubber production and now most of all on tourism.

“