Phuket History Information

Phuket was formerly called Ko Thalang and before that Junk Ceylon (an English corruption of the Malay 'Tanjung Salang' or Cape Salang), Phuket has a culture all of its own, combining Chinese and Portuguese influences with that of the Southern Thais and the chao leh, a seafaring, semi-nomadic group who depend on fishing and boat building, and who have occupied the area for a thousand years.

Located on the main sea trade route between China and India, Phuket had been the important trading station and fishing centre. By the 16th century, a town on the southern coast Bukit had established itself as a major tin production hub, and was visited by traders from the major European colonial powers of the day, including England, Holland and Portugal. The central Thai government maintained control over the central and northern areas of the island, essentially renting out the southern area to European mining interests. With only a fraction of today's population, Phuket boasted an impressive checklist of fauna including rhinoceros, elephants and crocodiles.

Development on Phuket has been influenced by the fact that it is connected to the mainland by a bridge, and so it receives much more vehicular traffic than any other island in the country. Combined with the opening of the Phuket Airport in 1976, this has aided in establishing.