Phuket People and their Occupations

Phuket People and their Occupations

According to the latest available statistics,the population of phuket is 221,835 There are many groups of people living in Phuket. The majority,about 60%,are Thai Buddhists of Chinese origin.There are also Thai Muslims,estimated at about 35% In addition,there are Sikhs,Christians and a minority group called Thai Mai or better know as sea gypsies.
The Chinese are the majority in the ethnic population of Phuket.It is believed that they might have come to phuket during the end of the ayuthaya period in the 17th century when a large number of foreigners began trading with the Thai Kingdom.However,a large number of Chinese came to work in the Phuket tin mines at the end of the 19 th century.They came from China and also from Penang,Malaysia.From the time of King Ram III onward,the Chinese became the majority group of people and have played an important role in the development of the local economy.
Sea gypsies are believed to be the oldest inhabitants of the island.These people have existed along the coast from Southern Burma to Malaysia for centuries.They used to live on boats and traveled along the coast,but now they have settled down on the coast.The sea gypsies are good swimmers and divers,able to stay in the water for hours at a time and able to work at great depths.Therefore,they collect crabs and lobsters and dive for pearls and oysters for their living.There are about three communities of sea gypsies in Phuket.The way of life of the sea gypsies is very interesting because these people still retain their own culture and tradition.Moreover,they also have their own language.

the per capita income of Phuket is quite high compared to other provinces of thailand.It is approximately 156,675 bath.whereas the national average is 55,992 bath.The greatest source of income of Phuket is from the tourism which includes hotels, restaurants, tour agencies, and souvenir shop.However, agriculture is also important in Phuket.Some of the major crops grown on the island are rubber, coconuts, pineapples and rice.Some of the people earn their living by fishing, and raising fish and shellfish on farms.