Culture

Lifestyle

Although Ko Phuket is in southern Thailand, where Islam has a strong influence, the original inhabitants of the island, known as 'Chao Phuket', are predominantly Buddhist. In the past most of the island locals made their living in the coconut farming business. Nowadays, however, the majority of them work in jobs related to the tourism industry.

Many of the locals have become wealthy from selling off land they have owned for decades. As a result of the extensive development of the island many Thai-Chinese have come to Phuket from the capital of Bangkok (Khung-Thep) to do business. Most of the manual labor needed to keep up with the island’s growth has been supplied by folks native to the country’s poorer north-eastern region, and as a result you have a wide cross section of economic classes on the island.

The south of Thailand is a melting pot of Buddhists, Thai Chinese, Muslims and the traditional sea faring gypsies. Ko Phuket does not seem to suffer from the religious tensions that one hears about in the news originating in communities along the southern border of Malaysia and Thailand, and in general the locals live in harmony. Outside of the tourist areas one can hear Thai language spoken with a thick Southern dialect which is even difficult for northern Thais to understand.

With this broad mixture of cultures Ko Phuket is always celebrating some tradition or another, be it part of Thai Buddhist, Thai-Chinese, Thai-Islamic, or western culture.