Mueang Phuket District


Mueang Phuket District is the capital district of Phuket Province, Thailand. Phuket town itself is in the district's northeast.

Geography

The district encompasses the southern part of the island of Phuket. The western and southern coast consists of several heavily used beaches, from the northwest counter-clockwise: Karon, Kata, Kata Noi, Nai Han, Rawai, and Friendship Beach along Chalong Bay. The beaches are separated from each other by rocky capes, most notably Phromthep Cape at the southernmost tip of the island.

History

Originally named Thung Kha, it was renamed Mueang Phuket on 14 November 1938.

Temples

The most important of the 29 Buddhist temples of Phuket is Wat Chalong. It is dedicated to two venerated monks, Luang Pho Chaem and Luang Pho Chuang, who, with their knowledge of herbal medicine, helped those injured in a tin miners rebellion in 1876.

Administration

The district is divided into eight sub-districts, which are further subdivided into 44 villages. The town of Phuket has city status and covers tambons Talad Yai and Talad Nuea; Karon, Ratsada, Rawai, and Wichit have sub-district municipality status and each cover the complete same-named tambon. Chalong and Ko Kaeo have a tambon administrative organizations.