Page 43 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Phuket

Moments in History ❮❮ 41

1933: Phuket Province
7 TOP 10 HISTORICAL FIGURES
During the reign of King
Rama V (r.1868–1910), Phuket
solidified its role as the adminis­
trative center of the south ern
pro vinces. The island was, however,
only a rural sub division at the time.
It became a full province in 1933.
1970s: Phuket
8
“Discovered”
Although the island had been a
hotbed of international economic
activity for centuries, some still claim Portrait of King Rama V
that Phuket was “discovered” by
Western back packers in the 1970s. 1 René Charbonneau
It is true, however, that the revival in (17th century)
This French medical missionary once
travel during this decade led to the served as the governor of Phuket.
creation of tourism infra structure.
2 Alexandre Chevalier de
26 December 2004:
9 Chaumont (1640–1710)
France’s first ambassador to Siam
Indian Ocean Tsunami
The devastation caused by the was granted the country’s tin
monopoly in 1685.
tsunami was immense – thou sands
of lives lost in a matter of minutes. 3 Thao Thep Kasattri (18th century)
This gutsy Thai woman and her sister
In Thailand, the tsunami represen ted rallied Siamese troops to rise up
the worst natural disaster in his tory, against the Burmese invasion.
leaving some 8,000 peo ple dead.
Busy merchant streets became 4 Thao Srisoonthorn (18th century)
The Heroines’ Monument was built
lethal rapids, and everything on Ko in honor of Thao Srisoonthorn and
Phi Phi was essentially washed away. her sister Thao Thep Kasattri.
5 Captain Francis Light (1740–94)
This British colonial officer alerted the
administration in 1785 that Burmese
troops were mass ing for an attack.
6 King Rama V (1853–1910)
Rama V was credited with modernizing
Siam and preventing the nation from
being colonized by Western powers.
7 Luang Pho Chaem (19th century)
The abbot of Wat Chalong, this monk
sheltered local residents during a
violent tin worker uprising in 1876.
8 Khaw Sim Bee (1857–1913)
Aftermath of the 2004 tsunami A Chinese immigrant who started the
May 2014: Military Coup
0 Thai rubber industry, Khaw was made
governor of Phuket by Rama V.
After Prime Minister Yingluck
Shinawatra was ousted for involve­ 9 Mom Luang Tridosyuth Devakul
(20th century)
ment in a corrupt rice­buying scheme, Hotelier and restaurateur, Mom Tri has
the new military leaders began a helped raise Phuket’s luxury standards
nationwide anti­corruption campaign. since the 1980s.
Phuket was an early target: officials 10 Pote Sarasin (1905–2000)
working with illegal developers, the The Sarasin Bridge (completed 1967)
taxi mafia, and pushy beach vendors was named after this Thai politician.
were all called to account.

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