phuket is the biggest island of thailand. in the past 40 years,phuket could only be reached by ferry from the mainland. there is now a bridge connecting the island to the mainland . phuket's main sources of income in the past were tin mining and rubber plantations. no one had foreseen that phuket, with its strong chinese inflyence, indochina architectural influence surrounded by many beautiful beaches, and delicious seafood, would become one of the biggest and most popular tourist desinations for tourists visiting thailand. phuket is about 870 kilometers from bangkok. flying takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes while bus riding takes almost 14 hours.