Amphoe Mueang Phuket

Infobox Amphoe
thai=เมืองภูเก็ต
name=Mueang Phuket
province=Phuket
coordinates=coord|7|53|24|N|98|23|6|E|type:adm2nd_region:TH
capital=Talat Yai
area=224.0
population=196,733
population_as_of=2007
postal_code=83000 and 83100
density=878.3
geocode=8301

Amphoe Mueang Phuket ( _th. เมืองภูเก็ต) is the capital district ("Amphoe Mueang") of Phuket Province. The town Phuket itself is in the northwest of the district.

Geography

The district covers the southern part of the island Phuket. The western and southern coast consists of several more or less touristical beaches, from the northwest: Karon, Kata, Kata Noi, Nai Harn, Rawai and the Friendship Beach along the Chalong Bay. The beaches are separated from each other by rocky capes, most notably the Promthep Cape with the southernmost tip of the island. The cape is popular for Thai people to see the sunset there.

History

Originally named Thung Kha (ทุ่งคา), it was renamed to Mueang Phuket according to the province name on November 14 1938. [cite journal|journal=Royal Gazette|volume=55|issue=0 ก|pages=658|title=พระราชกฤษฎีกาเปลี่ยนนามจังหวัด และอำเภอบางแห่ง พุทธศักราช ๒๔๘๑|url=http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2481/A/658.PDF|date=November 14 1938|language=Thai]

Temples

The most important of the 29 buddhist temples of Phuket is Wat Chalong (วัดฉลอง, วัดไชยธาราราม). It is dedicated to two highly venerable monks, Luang Pho Chaem (หลวงพ่อแช่ม) and Luang Pho Chuang (หลวงพ่อช่วง), who with their knowledge of herbal medicine helped the injured of a tin miners rebellion in 1876.

Administration

The district is subdivided into 8 subdistricts ("tambon"), which are further subdivided into 44 villages ("muban"). The town of Phuket has city status ("thesaban nakhon") and covers the "tambon" Talad Yai and Talad Nuea, Karon, Rawai and Wichit have subdistrict municipality status ("thesaban tambon") and each cover the complete same-named "tambon". There are further 4 Tambon administrative organizations (TAO) for the remaining four subdistricts.

References

External links

* [http://www.amphoe.com/menu.php?mid=1&am=450&pv=40 amphoe.com]