History of Phuket

Early History

Due to Phuket’s strategic location on the trade routes between China and India, the island was subject to foreign influence at a time when other parts of Thailand were relatively isolated.  The natural harbours and prevailing monsoon winds provided a perfect stop off point for Chinese merchants en route to the sub continent and the island enjoyed a period of relative prosperity.

This prosperity made Phuket an attractive target for regional powers and in the thirteenth century the island became part of the state of Thailand when armies from the Thai capital of Sukhothai successfully defeated forces of the Sirivijaya Empire.

At this time the interior of the island was covered by dense rainforests and was inhabited by indigenous tribes.  The coastal areas were the domain of the Chao Leh, a tribe of nomadic sea gypsies who fished the waters and were known for piracy.

Tin Mining

By the sixteenth century Phuket was now governed by the Thai kingdom of Ayuthaya.  At this time it was recorded that the island was prospering as an important supplier of tin and that the first European visitors arrived.

Predominately from England and Portugal, the European visitors recognised the island’s potential as both a trading post and a supplier of tin, and looked to exert greater influence over the future direction of the tin trade.  The Portugese tin barons constructed beautiful homes and many of these Sino-Portugese style buildings can still be seen throughout Phuket Town.

In the nineteenth century the British secured a concession allowing them to control Phuket’s tin mining operations.  They considered claiming the island part of the British Empire but decided instead to operate out of Penang in Malaysia, where it was decided that the natural harbour was more suitable for their requirements.

Much of the island’s interior remained untouched at the end of the 19th century, however by the beginning of the 20th century much of the jungle was cleared to allow rubber plantations to be built.  Although a little of the rainforest still remains, the landscape was changed dramatically.

Tourism

Until the early 1970’s tourism in Phuket was restricted to the odd intrepid adventurer and the island’s economy mainly relied on pineapple and rubber plantations for its source of income.

Like many other areas in Thailand however, things began to change with the influx of hippy backpackers in the early 70’s, resulting in the first beach bungalows being established at Patong beach.  Thereafter, tourism rapidly expanded and the opening of Phuket International Airport in 1976 opened the gates to the floods of foreign visitors that now flock to the island on an annual basis.

Phuket is now one of the most popular tourist destinations in Asia and tourism is now by far the island’s main industry and source of wealth.  In terms of income per capita, Phuket is second only to Bangkok, with tourism accounting for the almost all of the island’s prosperity.

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