Phuket Social Information
People
Phuket has a population of 200,000. The main centers of
population are on opposite sides of the island. Phuket Town,
with a population of about 63,000, is located on the east
side and Patong Beach, whose population varies widely depending
on the time of year, is located on the west side.
The residents are Thais who msigrated from the mainland,
Chinese who arrived to work the tin mines, Muslims of Malaysian
extraction -- many of who come to work the rubber plantations
-- and Chao Nam or sea gypsies -- who may have occupied
the area for a millennium or more.
The Chinese now comprise 35 percent of the island’s
population. They differ from those who settled in Bangkok
and many other areas of Thailand in that they came from
the Hokkien region of China, as did those who settled in
Singapore and Malaysia. As elsewhere in Asia, many of the
Chinese have made the transition from providing cheap labor
to being merchants. The Chinese have inter-married with
native Thais and have largely been assimilated into Thai
culture. Today the descendants of the early Chinese settlers
are responsible for much of the trade and commerce that
take place on the island.
 The
influence of Indonesian-Malayan culture is still apparent
today in the ethnic makeup, language, art, and religion
of the southern Thais. About 35% of the Thais living on
Phuket are Muslims. Concentrated mostly around Surin and
a few other big villages, they work as rice and rubber farmers.
In addition to Thai and Malay languages many also speak
‘Yawi’, an ancient dialect of the Malayan language
One of the most interesting groups of people who have lived
on Phuket are the (or Sea Gypsies), traditionally a nomadic
peoples who traveled from cove to cove, staying until the
fish and other resources were depleted. They then moved
on, allowing the cove to re-establish its former ecological
balance before returning to repeat the cycle. Their history
and cultural lifestyles are hard to trace as they do not
have a written language. Sea gypsies are said to have originated
in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands between India and Burma.
They are generally darker skinned and heavier with curly
black hair. They speak their own language and follow their
own animistic religion.
Sea Gypsies consist of three groups. The Mokens still prefer
their ancestral sea nomad-style of living and are commonly
found occupying the islands north of Phuket. The Orung Laut
and the Moklens have settled on coastal areas. There are
three Sea Gypsy villages in Phuket. The one located at Rawai
is thought to be the oldest and is visited by busloads of
tourists everyday. Another village is located 8km north
of Phuket Town at Sapam Coast, and a third village is located
on Siray Island which is accessible by bridge from Phuket
Town.
The Monarchy
The King, Queen and the Royal Family are genuinely respected
by the Thais. Most homes and businesses, have one or more
photographs of the King or the royal family prominently
displayed. Showing any form of disrespect to the Royal Family
will not be appreciated by the Thais and could cause you
serious problems. If you attend a cinema during your stay,
when the portrait of the King is shown on the screen during
the national anthem you are expected to rise and remain
standing for the duration.
Social Customs
Thailand is known as the "Land of Smiles", and
for its tolerance and hospitality. The simple rule is that
if you smile people will like you. A smile is an easy way
to say ‘thank you" and can also be used to ‘excuse
yourself’ for small inconveniences. A smile is the
proper response to acknowledge the wai or greetings of small
children, and with hotel and restaurant staff. Most of us
were raised with the "Golden Rule" and that will
work for you as well in Thailand as it does at home. Nevertheless,
we will provide you with a short list of things that you
should know to help you overcome any ‘culture shock’
you may encounter.
• If you are invited into a Thai home,
you are expected to remove your footwear before entering
the door.
• It is considered disrespectful for
anyone to put his feet on the table while sitting. When
seated make sure your feet are not pointed at anyone as
this is offensive to Thais.
• Thais regard the head as the highest
(purest) part of the body, so refrain from touching or patting
the head in a friendly gesture because it is considered
impolite.
• It is not proper to lose one’s
temper or show exasperation during a misunderstanding. "Jai
yen", or a "cool heart" the Thais believe
will solve the problem.
Visiting a temple
Is one of the more interesting cultural activities for
visitors during their stay in Thailand. Visitors are welcome
and discreet photographs may be taken. Shoes must be taken
off before entering a temple, wearing shorts or other revealing
clothing is frowned upon.
Monks are the most important people in Thai society and
must be treated with respect at all times. A monk’s
vow of chastity prohibits him from touching or being touched
by a woman. Women are usually advised to smile and slightly
bow when encountering a monk and maintain enough distance
to prevent any contact with the monk or his robes.
Temple fairs are held during the cool season (November
through early March) to raise money for temple maintenance.
They are great fun. There is a carnival atmosphere lots
of good food and a chance to see normal Thai people enjoying
themselves.
 If
you get up early (sunrise) for a walk, you are likely to
encounter monks making their rounds for offering of food.
Monks carrying a bowl will be approached by Thais (usually
women) who will offer food to the monks (merit making).
Thailand is a Buddhist country and this ritual can be seen
every day all over the country.
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