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Through Urban area, UNESCO and Buddhism
Phuket is 862 km (535.6 mi) south of Bangkok.
History
Phuket is one of the oldest cities in Thailand. It was an important port on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula where Chinese immigrants first landed.
Phuket Old Town has heritage buildings in ten streets: Klang, Phang Nga, Rassada, Dee Buk, Krabi, Thep Kasattri, Phuket, Yaowarat, Satun, and Soi Rammanee. These older buildings show Phuket town's former prosperity. They were constructed when tin mining was an important industry on the island. Their architectural style is called "Sino-Portuguese", characteristic of which is a single or two-storey building with a narrow front compensated for by considerable depth. The tiles, doors, perforated windows, and other details are all influenced by Chinese and European styles combined. "Phuket Old Town" is a 2.7 km2 area covering a total of 210 rai.
As of 2019, the Fine Arts Department and the Phuket provincial authorities are preparing a proposal to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for Phuket Old Town to be listed as a World Heritage Site.
In 2004, the town was elevated to city status (thesaban nakhon, Thai: เทศบาลนคร).
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Culture
The major religion is Buddhism. The Buddhist temples in the city are attractive destinations for national and international tourists. Along the streets some Hindu temples depicting the statues of Ganesha and Brahma can also be seen. Despite this there are actually far more registered mosques in Phuket than there are Buddhist Wats.
Phuket was registered by Creative Cities Network of UNESCO for the City of Gastronomy in 2015, becoming the first city in SEA to receive this title for its unique, multicultural, and historic of Phuket cuisines.
Climate
Demographics
Since 2005, the population of Phuket has been increasing.
Transportation
Locals and tourists alike mainly use the songthaews to travel around. Pink songthaews call at stops around Phuket Old Town, while blue songthaews connect Phuket Old Town with the various beach resorts around the island.
Phuket International Airport is 36 kilometres (22 mi) northwest of Phuket Old Town. There is currently an hourly scheduled bus service between the airport and Phuket Old Town.
Sister cities
- Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
- George Town, Penang, Malaysia