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Phuket Facts & Worksheets

Phuket, a rainforested, mountainous island in the Andaman Sea, has some of Thailand’s most popular beaches, mainly situated along the clear waters of the western shore.

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Phuket, a rainforested, mountainous island in the Andaman Sea, has some of Thailand’s most popular beaches, mainly situated along the clear waters of the western shore. The island is home to many high-end seaside resorts, spas and restaurants. Phuket City, the capital, has old shophouses and busy markets. Patong, the main resort town, has many nightclubs, bars and discos.

See the fact file below for more information on the Phuket or alternatively, you can download our 21-page Phuket worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

QUICK FACTS ABOUT PHUKET

  • Phuket is a province in Thailand in Asia that borders the Andaman Sea.
  • The current population of Phuket is about 600,000 people, made up of migrants, expats, and indigenous Thais.
  • The province of Phuket consists of the island of Phuket as well as 32 additional smaller islands off the coast.
  • Phuket was formerly known as Thlang, meaning “cape”. The word “Phuket” actually means mountain jewel.
  • The area of Phuket province is about 222 square miles, and is the second-smallest province of Thailand.
  • It is slightly smaller than Singapore.
  • Phuket city, which is located in the southeastern part of the province, is a major port and commercial centre.
  • Phuket is well-known around the world for its beaches. There are 36 on the island in total, which contribute significantly to the island’s tourism sector.
  • Certain parts of Phuket have been considered as some of the riskiest places to indulge in water activities such as swimming and scuba diving.

HISTORY OF PHUKET

  • The island of Phuket was settled as early as the 1st century BCE by colonists from India.
  • In the 3rd century BCE, the Greek geographer Ptolemy referred to Phuket as “Jang Si Lang” (this is what you might see on an ancient map of the area).
  • In the 16th century, the island was incorporated into the Ayutthaya kingdom, which was a Siamese kingdom that existed from 1350 to 1767, and was one of the biggest and wealthiest cities in the East.
  • Portuguese explorer Fernão Mendes Pinto arrived in Siam (the former name for Thailand) in 1545. There, he described the kingdom in great detail.
  • Pinto was one of the first European explorers to write a detailed account of Phuket in his travel diaries; he referred to it as “Junk Ceylon”, which was the Portuguese name for Phuket Island.
  • Phuket was also visited by the Dutch, French, and British who caught wind of the island’s rich natural reserves like ivory, timber, and animal hides, and who wanted the opportunity to trade with Phuket.
  • During the mid-16th century, Phuket was dealing with an influx of pirates and rough seas, which deterred explorers from visiting.
  • During that time, the British sent Captain Francis Light to figure out how to obtain and control the Malacca Straits by using Phuket as a base, as the Straits were (and still are) a crucial shipping channel between the Indian and Pacific Oceans and are often frequented by pirates and privateers. The strait can be seen in the picture above.
  • In 1785, Captain Francis Light spotted an invading Burmese army fleet passing by the island. He quickly alerted the authorities who then assembled local forces to fight.
  • After a month-long siege, the Burmese were forced to retreat, and the women of the island (who had disguised as men fighters) became heroines, for whom there is still a monument in Phuket.
  • Due to Phuket’s proximity to trading routes between China and India, the island was subject to foreign influences for many years, especially from China.
  • By the 19th century, any indigenous tribes living in the interior jungle of the island were displaced by tin miners (many of whom were Chinese laborers). This influx of Chinese people has had a lasting effect on Phuket, which now is the province with the highest percentage of ethnic Chinese in the country.
  • At the turn of the 20th century, large areas of the island’s interior ancient rainforests were cleared in order to set up rubber plantations, which have had a huge impact on the landscape of the island.
  • By the 1970s, tourism began attracting visitors from all over the world who wanted to bask in the tropical paradise of Phuket’s tropical beaches, clear waters, and lush paradise.

CULTURE AND ECONOMY OF PHUKET

  • Phuket is known for its rich resources including tin and ore, but these were phased out by the 20th century and replaced with the production of rubber as well as tourism.
  • Phuket is continually undergoing development for tourism (it welcomes millions of annual visitors). People love visiting not only for the incredible beaches and weather, but also for the kindness and hospitality of the Thai people.
  • In addition to tourism, pineapples, palm oil, and cashew nuts contribute to the economy.
  • A 148 foot-tall marble Buddha can be viewed in Phuket, and boasts excellent views of the island.

GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE OF PHUKET

  • Phuket is hot and humid with a tropical monsoon climate. Due to its proximity to the equator, there is little variation in temperatures.
  • Its average temperatures range between 81 and 95 degrees fahrenheit.
  • The most rainfall occurs during the monsoon months of July to September, with about 11-14 inches of rain each month.
  • The island is mostly mountainous (about 70% of the island is covered with mountains). There are no major rivers in Phuket.
  • Forest, rubber, and palm oil plantations cover about 60% of the island.
  • The eastern coast of Phuket tends to have muddier beaches, with the best beaches found on the west coast.
  • The most popular beach is Patong Beach (meaning “the forest filled with banana leaves”), and it is highly developed.
  • The surface area of Phuket is mostly level land with some hills.
  • Some animals you might see in Phuket include snakes, geckos, birds, monkeys, and plenty of sealife and marine animals.

Phuket Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Phuket across 21 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Phuket worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Phuket, a rainforested, mountainous island in the Andaman Sea, which has some of Thailand’s most popular beaches, mainly situated along the clear waters of the western shore. The island is home to many high-end seaside resorts, spas and restaurants. Phuket City, the capital, has old shophouses and busy markets. Patong, the main resort town, has many nightclubs, bars and discos.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Phuket Wordsearch
  • Captain Francis Light
  • Traveling to Thailand
  • Festivals in Phuket
  • Phuket Crossword
  • Thai Script Decoding
  • Design a Postcard
  • Fill-in-the-Blanks
  • Map of Thailand
  • Phuket Acrostic

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Link will appear as Phuket Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, May 13, 2019

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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