Phuket’s history dates back to 1025 AD. The island’s present name derives its meaning from the Tamil word, manikram, or Crystal Mountain.

However, for the greater part of the last millennium, Phuket was known as Junk Ceylon, which, with variations, is the name found on most old maps. The name is thought to have its roots in Ptolemy’s Geographia, written by the Alexandrian geographer in the 3rd century AD. He mentioned that in making a trip from Souwannapum to the Malay Peninsula, it was necessary to pass the cape of Jang Si Lang.

Phuket was a way station on the route between India and China for seafarers to stop for shelter. The island appears to have been part of the Shivite empire (called the Tam Porn Ling in Thai) that established itself on the Malay Peninsula during the first millennium AD. Later, as Muang Takua-Talang, it was part of the Srivichai and Siri Tahm empires. Governed as the eleventh in a constellation of twelve cities, Phuket’s emblem, by which it was known to others, in those largely pre-literate times, was the dog.

During the Sukothai Period, Phuket was associated with Takua Pa, in what is now Phang-Nga Province, and another area with vast tin reserves. The Dutch established a trading post during the Ayuthaya Period of the 16th century. The island’s northern and central regions were governed by the Thais, and the southern and western parts were given over to the tin trade, a concession in the hands of foreigners.

After Ayuthaya was sacked by the Burmese in 1767, there was a short interregnum in Thailand, ended by King Taksin, who drove out the Burmese and re-unified the country. The Burmese, however, were anxious to return to the offensive. They outfitted a fleet to raid the southern provinces, and carry off the population to slavery in Burma.

This led to Phuket’s most significant historic event. A passing sea captain, Francis Light, sent word that the Burmese were en route to attack. Forces in Phuket were assembled by two heroines, Kunying Jan, wife of the recently deceased Phuket governor, and her sister, Mook, After a month’s siege, the Burmese were forced to depart on 13 March, 1785. Kunying Jan and her sister were credited with the successful defense.

In recognition, King Rama I bestowed upon Kunying Jan the honorific Thao Thepkrasatri, a title of nobility usually reserved for royalty. Her sister became Thao Srisunthorn.

Phuket, 867 km from Bangkok, is Thailand’s largest island, and the country’s only island province. It is also a regional government headquarters, and with a population of 1.6 million, Phuket ranks as the sixth largest province in Thailand.

Known as the Pearl of the Andaman, Phuket derived much of its former glory and its enormous wealth from tin production, which dates back over 500 year.

Today, Phuket is the country’s major tourist attraction. The surrounding waters contain much varied marine life and the island itself is blessed with lovely seashores and forested hillsides. Approximately 1.75 million Rai of the island is forest. Phuket Town also has some wonderful examples of Sino-Portuguese architecture.