Phuket as Most Populated and Largest Island of Thailand - Term Paper Example

Geography of Region Phuket Location Phuket, most populated and largest island of Thailand (alsoknown as The Land of Smiles) is situated approximately Eight hundred and twenty kilometers on the Southern side of Bangkok. Previously, it was known as Thalang. This island is not bounded by land from anywhere. However, its neighboring areas are Krabi and Phang Nga. The size of Phuket Island is as big as the size of whole of Singapore. It is located in southern Thailand in Andaman Sea (also known as Burma Sea) on the western coast of Thailand. Many small islands surround the Phuket Island which increases the land area of the island to a further seventy kilometers. Phuket is alienated from mainland Thailand in the northern most part by Chong Pak Phra Chanel; there is a land bridge is situated which is a source of connection between the mainland Thailand and Phuket Island. Strategically, Phuket Island deems great importance as its airfield and sea harbor is halfway between Singapore and Rangoon (Stripp, 1989). Due to its location, it is best suited for any future re-takeover of Malaya by the British. The location of Phuket Island, somewhat between Asia, Africa and Austrailia, makes it an ideal place for tourism, sea-food delicacies and water sports as well. On the Southern coast of Andaman Island, it is the quieter half of the seas. Due to its location, it is crowded almost all around the year. The warm waters of Andaman Sea are part of the Indian Ocean, which is located south of Burma, hence the name Burma Sea, is in the western side of Thailand. It is on the southeastern side of the Bay of Bengal and serves as a significant site for coral reefs and tourism. ( Murthy, 2007) Place The island is mostly covered by mountains and is surrounded by various mountain ranges. Approximately seventy percent of the island has mountains. A mountain range runs from north to south in the west of the island. Phuket mountain range is formed at the south of the island; this rande is approximately four hundred and forty kilometers (two hundred and seventy miles) from Kra Isthmus. The highest point of the island is known as Twelve Canes (Mai Thao Sip) which is about one thousand, seven hundred and thirty six feet (five hundred and twenty nine meters) well above sea level. The whole area of Phuket is very hilly in nature. Only a few of the peaks are above the height of five hundred meters; the highest peak is about five hundred and twenty nine meters of Mai Tao Sipsong. Most of the peaks are covered by lush green trees. The lowlands comprise of pineapple, coconut, rubber plantations, and paddies of rice. They cover almost sixty percent of the area of the island. It also has a major portion of rainforest (almost twenty kilometer square) which is now preserved as the Khao Phra Thaeo Park. The lowlands most highest pont is Khao Prathiu which is about three hundred and eighty four metres (about one thousand, two hundred and sixty feet); then the second one is Khao Bang Pae which is about three hundred and eighty eight meters (Around one thousand, two hundred and seventy three feet) and the lowest of three is four hundred and twenty two meters which is called Khao Phara and is about one thousand, three hundred and eighty five feet. Sirinat National Part on the north west shore covers an area of about ninety kilometer square (about thirty five square miles) and covers a total of sixty eight kilometers (forty two miles) of marine region; it also comprises of the area of Nai Yang coast where the sea turtles come to lay eggs. Most of the enchanting beaches are sited on the western coast of the island. They are separated by headlands and rocky coves. The East coast, however, is made up of limestone shoals with only some sandy beaches. It is muddy in nature. It is the remaining thirty percent of the island that is plains. These beaches are decorated by extravagant limestone that further beautifies the place. Coral reefs or coral gardens adorn the beaches as huge varieties of marine life reside in the spectacular waters governing the island. Disappointedly, most of the coral reefs are vanishing because of human activities and industrial developments. The central part of the island is also made up of plains and has nine creeks and brooks but no important river. The west shore of the island is sandy in nature and comprises of sandy shorelines. Brahma’s Cape, which is known as Laem Promthep, is located in the south of Phuket Island is the point where sun-set could be beautifully enjoyed the most. (Skolnick, 2010) Movement Phuket Island is connected to most of the key airports of Asia. It is an hour’s distance from either Singapore or Bengkok. The standard time zone for Phuket is UTC/GMT +7hours. Its abbreviation for time zone is ICT (Indochina Time). It has been decided that there will be no day light saving in Phuket for 2012. (World Clock) Most of the time, Phuket experience a hot and tropical weather throughout the year which makes it a perfect spot for tourism. It has monsoon rainfall all across the year which makes it a romantic spot for newly married couples. It gets dry and arid temperatures in the months of November, December, January, February, March and April and also gets some rain in months of May, June, July, August, September, and October. The temperatures are almost the same all around the year. The highest temperature this region experience is from eighty four degree Fahrenheit (twenty nine degree Celsius) to ninety nine degree Fahrenheit (thirty three degree Celsius). The lowest temperatures this area experience is on average around seventy three degree Fahrenheit (twenty three ddegree Celsius) to seventy nine degree Fahrenheit (twenty six degree Celsius). (Skolnick, 2010) Phuket province does have an international airport situated on the northern side of the island. This airport caters local as well as international flights from Europe, Asia, North America, and Australia. Phuket does not have any connections to the outside world by land as there is no concept of rail road here in Phuket. Trains do connect to nearby area of Surat Thani; here passenger pick-up automobiles known as Songthaews serve as the primary transportation mode. The Songthaews found in Phuket are relatively bigger in size as compared to the rest of Thailand. These passenger pick-up automobiles go through the sea shores and towns of Phuket. Also found in Phuket are the motorbike taxis and conservative bus services. Motorbike taxis usually cover the areas of Patong Beach and the actual town area. The once prevalent tuk-tuks are now taken over by little wagons which are usually red in color or sometimes could be green or yellow. The most inexpensive way of moving around the island is Songthaews. (Skolnick, 2010) Human-Environment Interactions Phuket Island is a worth seeing place. There are numerous attractions of this area which adds to its grandeur. The Old Phuket Town of Phuket Island has its charms: from funky shops to Sino-Portuguese magnificence, the most unexpected places please and astonish the tourists in the senile, and quiet provincial capital of Phuket. Phuket town has an exclusive combination of Chinese art and architecture and colonial design that it will pleasant tourists more than they could envision. It has amazing restaurants and hotels and gives an unforgettable enjoyable experience. Thai boxing is also a name in itself. The Saphan Hin Stadium located in Phuket city offers electrifying manifestations for its spectators. Muay Thai popularity is increasing very vastly in the world and Phuket city has all to offer. The agility and handiness of extraordinary fit fighters is exemplified here at Saphan Hin Stadium where tourists can definitely enjoy the marvels of this hazardous sport. The thai participants of the boxing arena are also well disciplined in body as well as spirit. Most importantly, the Phang Nga Bay (also known as Phang Nga) on the northeastern side of the Island is a silent bay that keeps tourists captivated. This bay is made up of pure limestone cliffs that stand out perpendicularly right of those emerald-green warm waters. The island pays homage to privileged fauna which is the ultimate attraction of the area. The Chalong or Big Buddha just recently was added to the charisma of the island. You can view it from anywhere in the south of Phuket. The statue is placed on Nakkred Hills and covers Rawai, kata and Chalong areas (Asia Web). Its height is 45 meters and its construction cost around thirty million baht. When travelling up to the Big Buddha, one can get enriched from the ‘genuine’ Thailand as you can have fun viewing all the sights from there. The Patong Beach is the best site for human-environment interaction as the Bangla Road Night life is the most cherished one. If you are seeking fun in Phuket, you have to come up with an open mind and a good sense of humor. Its exotic girls, enthralled westerners (most of them males), lady boys, shopping, sipping beer are the moments which are amiable than Disney world. The Phuket Fanta Sea Show on the Kamala beach is no lesser than any Las-Vegas show. The pyrotechnics, elephants on stade, trapeze artists all come together to perform professionally. This is the show that is only a one show in the entire world. Fanta Sea’s burlesque is a highly fascinating and spellbinding show that keeps one awestruck with a loose plotline, fantasy and humor all engraved together to give tourists the experience of lifetime. (Burke, 2008) Regions The three regions of Phuket mainly make part of its topography. They together are known as Amphoe. These three regions have seventeen sub divisions which collectively are called tanbon and also one hundred and three villages (also called muban). The three main divisions are Thalang, Kathu, and Mueang Phuket. Phuket has just received the status of a city, known as thesaban nakhon in Thai. Urban areas of the province are nine in total, called thesaben in Thai language. The chief towns of Kathu and Patong bear the status of town, i.e. thesaban mueang in Thai language. Furthermore, it is sub divided into six metropolises called thesaban tambon in Thai language. These are Thep Krasattri, Wichit, Ratsada, Choeng, Karon, Rawai and Thale. The nine tambon directorial firms also called TAO control the non-metropolis areas. (Phuket Tours) The capital of Phuket as discussed earlier is Amphoe Mueang Phuket. It is situated on the northwestern side of the province. This district is located on the south of Phuket island. A number of beaches are a massive attraction of the district whose names are Nai Harn,kata, Rawai, Karon, kata Noi and Beach of Friendship. All these beaches are situated on the Bay of Chalong. Stony capes separate one beach from the other.This cape is famous among the people for watching the sun set there. Formerly, this district was called Thung Kha which was later renamed as Mueang Phuket on 14th November, 1938. The district of Mueang Phuket is further divided into eight sub districts. These are collectively known as tanbon which are then further divided into forty four villages collectively called muban. This district encompasses a status of city. (Phuket Tours) Another district of the province of Phuket is Kathu which is situated on the western side of the island. It is further divided into three sub districts and fourteen villages. This district of Kathu was degraded and put into a smaller district of King Amphoe and became a part of Mueang Phuket region. It regained its district status back on 10th of December, 1959. (Phuket Tours) The original and most important center of the province of Phuket is Thalang. It was a small district till 1898 and was known as Phraya Thalang; it was recognized as a region then in 1898. In the south of this region are Kathu and Mueang Phuket. On the Northern side of the district is Takua Thung of the province of Phang Nga which is isolated from the district by Pak Prah strait. A non-hunting area of the island is the rainforest is about twenty kilometer square known as Khao Phra Thaeo. The highest of these hills are Khao Bang Pae (three eighty eight meters), Khao Phara (four hundred and twenty two meters) and Khao Prathiu (three hundred and eighty four meters). Nai Yang beach is the attraction of this district where the sea turtles come to lay their eggs. Also, Phuket International Airport is situated in this area. Highway 402 runs in this region from the Pak Prah to the city of Phuket. This region is further divided into six districts and forty six villages. The sub districts do bear the name of sub district and are called Choeng Thale and Thep Krassattri. Tambon is officially the name of all of the sub districts and districts of Phuket. A Tambon Administrative organization (TAO) administers all of the six tambons of this district. (Phuket Tours)   References Stripp, Alan. Codebreaker in the Far East. London, England: F. Cass, 1989. Print. Top of Form Skolnick, Adam, and Austin Bush. Phuket. Footscray, Victoria: Lonely Planet, 2010. Print. Bottom of Form Murthy, R V. R. Andaman and Nicobar Islands: A Geo-Political and Strategic Perspective. New Delhi: Northern Book Centre, 2007. Print. Burke, Andrew. Thailand's Islands & Beaches. Footscray, Vic: Lonely Planet, 2008. Print. World Clock. Current local time in Phuket.. www.timeanddate.com May 23, 2012 [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=1230 Asia Web. 10 things to do in Phuket: Phuket must-see attractions and places. Hotels By Asia Web Direct [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.phuket.com/island/10mustsee.htm Phuket Tours. Thailand Travel Destination. Administrative Divisions, Phuket, Thailand. Phuket Thailand Tourist Attractions, Hotels, Beach Resorts Online Reservations [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.toursphuket.net/divisions.php Read More