The island of Phuket, which is also called the "Pearl of the South" is the biggest island of Thailand, it stretches to 570 sq km. The islands current name comes from a Tamil word "Manikram" which means Crystal Mountain. In the earlier centuries however, the island was known as Junk Ceylon. According to historical sources the island was once a cape until some sort of a natural disaster separated it from the mainland. Travelling to the island to relax and replenish has long been part of Phuket's attraction, it is told that sea merchants were one of the firsts to enjoy the island's beauty when they stopped here to rest.
In the 1st century AD, Phuket as a part of the Malaysian Peninsula, was under the influence of the Shivite Empire. Later on it was ruled by the Srivichai and Siri Tahm empires. In the 13th century Thai power dominated over the island which made fame for its glorious city and flourishing trade of ivory, gems, ambergris, caulk, hides, firewood, and spices. Later in the 15th century, Phuket became a major tin mining producer of the region. So much so, that later in the 16th century the Dutch made it their business region. Due to the growing importance of tin, traders from all around the world started to flow to the island and because of this, the king of Thailand decided that a European governor was needed. Renee Charbonneau was chosen to be governor between the periods 1681 and 1685. The rich resources of Phuket were also noticed by the British and as a result, the East India Company decided to choose Phuket as their base to administer the Malacca Straits.
One of the most important events in the history of Phuket was the Burmese attack in 1785. The East India Company sent Captain Francis Light to scout out the island, and as he arrived to do so, he noticed Burmese forces returning to Phuket. He immediately tried to alert the governor, without knowing that he passed away recently. The mission to save the island was left to the governors wife Kunying Jan and her sister Mook. The two women assembled Phukets military and, to make the army bigger and more frightening, they disguised local women as men. In spite of the army looking bigger than ever, the Burmese still attacked but after a short siege they withdrew quickly. After the battle the two women became the heroines of Phuket, and they were awarded the 'Thao Thep Kasattri' by King Rama I, a noble title reserved for nobility. Today a monument stands on the Thep Kassattri road, to commemorate their bravery and smart thinking.
The tin mining activity hit the roof in the 19th century with thousands of Chinese labourers coming to work at the European mine owners. With this a cultural mixing began between the Chinese and Thai people, this included things such as religious beliefs and fusion cuisine. After a while inter-marriage of Chinese labourers and Thai inhabitants created a new culture called the "Baba". Many people of the Baba became merchants and decided to settle in Phuket town, where they built mansions showcasing fine Portuguese and Chinese accents and influences. These "Sino-Portugese" houses have been restored to show their original beauty, tourist can enjoy them in Phuket Old town where the houses now host myriads of tiny cafes and restaurants as well as wee shops with traditional Thai jewellery and fabrics.
Unfortunately not all the Chinese labourers were all that satisfied with their working conditions and salary and a result of this in 1987 a bloody riot of theft and murder began on the island. To get shelter from the riot the locals headed to Wat Chalong to seek shelter from two prominent monks. The riots ended when the monks convinced the labourers to settle and the region gained back its passivity. Now a temple in Wat Chalong can be visited so people can pay their respect to the two monks.
Phuket;s status as a holiday destination really started off in the 1970s when the first elite sunbathers appeared on the coast, to relax, swim in the crystal clear water, and enjoy the beauty of the island. The number of tourists started to grow with Thai Airways offering daily flights from Bangkok making the access to the island easier for everyone. From here, there was no stopping. The tourist industry flourished and hotels, restaurants and resorts started to appear everywhere bringing in more and more visitors.
A tragic day in Phukets history was quite a recent one, on the 26th of December in 2004 Tsunami hit the island wrecking houses and killing 250 people. The worst hit areas were Patong and Phuket Town. In a year 80% of the tourist business were rebuilt and Phuket started to rise once again. Now tourist from all over the world come to see the beautiful beaches and lie in the sand or like us, to do interesting research project on marine animals and enjoy the culture.
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