Why Has Phuket Got Malay Name?

[chickencurry]

As far as know, it's never been a Malay province. The northern Malay states were once under Thai control. Cannot figure why it's got a Malay name not a Thai name. Did the original inhabitants, the sea-folk, speak Malay? Anyone know? Just been curious about this for some time.

[vanalli]

A lot of the names in Phuket have Malay roots. The Malays were here before the Siamese.

[Zpete]

Pirate

Haven

Under

Kings

Enjoying

Takings

[funfun]

googled it an got this?

From the 16th century and the time of Ayuthaya came the Portuguese, the Dutch and later the British. The Burmese invaded four times. In 1785 a five-week invasion by the Burmese was repulsed thanks to the ingenuity of two sisters, since elevated to national heroines. Realising they were outnumbered, Chan and Mook persuaded all the island's women to dress up as men thus fooling the Burmese into believing that the island was too well defended. In fact, the island's governor had just died and the Thais were leaderless.

As you drive to your hotel from the airport you will pass a statue, located on a roundabout, honouring the two sisters. The Burmese returned 24 years later, seized and burned Thalang, then Phuket Island's main town, completely to the ground. A new Thalang was rebuilt on a different site to the south and its name was changed to Phuket, from the Malay word bukit, or 'hill', after Kao Rang in Phuket Town the capital of the Province.

http://www.divetheworldthailand.com/phuket...ion.php#History

[Prakanong]

Interesting - I never associated Phuket with Bukit - I will ask at work tomorrow as I bet the Singaporeans and others I work with do not either - I live in Bukit Timah

I also found some interesting stuff here

http://baanjochim.wordpress.com/a-brief-history-of-phuket/

[ade100]

According to my GF, the source of all my knowledge on Phuket, the Muslim community on Phuket originate from Penang in Malaysia. When they started arriving by boat, Phuket looked like this hill jutting out of the water so they called in “Bukit”.

[logbags]

If you look around there are still places called Bhukit and I remember a Bhukit supermarket was around in the past. The Thais called it Koh Thalang and the people who were the leaders took the surname Na Thalang. I have heard old people in PhangNga call Phuket Thung Khaa which is a form of long grass as in the past apparently the whole island was covered in it.

When I first came to Patong in 1984 my landlord was an old guy called Tun, he was born and bred in Patong and he told me tigers were in the hills behind Soi Nam Yen and you could hear them roar at night.

Anybody with the name Na Thalang probably comes from an old Phuket family unless they got the name though marriage. My nephews name was Na Nakhon and his fathers family name was Na Thalang. It has little meaning these days as most of the wealth is controlled by Chinese who incidently often have the prefix Seh before their surname.

After the 2nd world war a lot of Chinese arrived from Shiang Hai after the revolution and were told to take Thai names for citizenship. They are so easy to spot as they often have the Chinese name in there like the finance minister Suebwonglee.

You see a Wong or Lee or a name with the Thai word gold in it and for sure the family is Chinese. Thaksin has all his children named Pinthongthae, Panthongthae etc. Golden chalice etc. Thongthae means genuine gold. His company was named Ample rich and you have the Golden Land company etc. An obsession about money?

Real Thai names are like Phetkaew or other simple names where both family names were put together. Some names are very long. The Chinese came here for the tin, Kathu was the heart of tin mining as was Takua Pa and a few other places.

A Chinese friend once told me if there was money to be made on the moon the Chinese would be there already.

[khall64au]

As I understand - Bukit in Malay means peninsular. Many moons ago, Phuket was a peninsular before a previous tidal surge cut it off from the mainland.

[Felt 35]

250 years ago Phuket was known as Thalang Island.

The French called it Toyon which is Malay.

Toyon comes from “To Kan Jong” = dock for big ships

"Yong" means junk (Jong- Junk)

"To kan" means form, shape

Combined the word mean a dock for big ships.

[Sir Burr]

As I understand - Bukit in Malay means peninsular. Many moons ago, Phuket was a peninsular before a previous tidal surge cut it off from the mainland.

Bukit in Malay means "Hill", not peninsula.

[PhilHarries]

As I understand - Bukit in Malay means peninsular. Many moons ago, Phuket was a peninsular before a previous tidal surge cut it off from the mainland.

Bukit in Malay means "Hill", not peninsula.

Correct, hence Bukit Bintang and Bukit Nanas in the centre of KL.

One thing all this proves is that the history of the region is far more complex than the lines on the map drawn by colonialists would suggest.

[LivinLOS]

Often pointed out that my brother lives on the Bukit on Bali and I live on the same here

[Nirvana]

As I understand - Bukit in Malay means peninsular. Many moons ago, Phuket was a peninsular before a previous tidal surge cut it off from the mainland.

Another incorrect fact/ post. It means Hill not peninsular

[Nirvana]

Interesting - I never associated Phuket with Bukit - I will ask at work tomorrow as I bet the Singaporeans and others I work with do not either - I live in Bukit Timah

I also found some interesting stuff here

http://baanjochim.wordpress.com/a-brief-history-of-phuket/

Prakanong, near the nature park on the hill ? I understand alot of Thais live there

[Felt 35]

Pirate

Haven

Under

Kings

Enjoying

Takings

Maybe not literally, but 2-300 years ago it was in fact the practise to that time Government Officials here.

[chickencurry]

Interesting - I never associated Phuket with Bukit - I will ask at work tomorrow as I bet the Singaporeans and others I work with do not either - I live in Bukit Timah

I also found some interesting stuff here

http://baanjochim.wordpress.com/a-brief-history-of-phuket/

Wow that's really interesting. I've just read about half of it - it's very long isn't it? But confirms what Ade's GF also said about original permanent settlers being Malay. I've read a potted history of Thailand in a Thai book and nothing mentioned about Malay settlers (politically incorrect I suppose). Okay, puzzle solved - thanks very much everyone!

Prakanong, I haven't met you have I?? Was in a bar in Rawai about a month ago and met a couple who lived in Bukit Timah who were visiting - they had a holiday villa in Nai Harn. Just wondered. Though I guess a lot of Bukit Timah residents come to Phuket (or Bukit ).

[chickencurry]

According to my GF, the source of all my knowledge on Phuket, the Muslim community on Phuket originate from Penang in Malaysia. When they started arriving by boat, Phuket looked like this hill jutting out of the water so they called in "Bukit".

Thanks to your GF !!

[Boksida]

Apparently there are several different pronunciations.

[khall64au]

As I understand - Bukit in Malay means peninsular. Many moons ago, Phuket was a peninsular before a previous tidal surge cut it off from the mainland.

Bukit in Malay means "Hill", not peninsula.

Thankyou for pointing that out Sir Burr - I was confused when recently in Bali that 'Bukit' referred to the hills - contrary to what I'd read in previous research into historical Phuket which referred to the theory of Phuket as peninsular several hundred years ago, before it was theoretically cut off from the mainland by a major tidal surge. Perhaps it was meaning "hilly" peninsular.

We may never know so I'm happy to accept the mainstream interpretation.

[Sir Burr]

As I understand - Bukit in Malay means peninsular. Many moons ago, Phuket was a peninsular before a previous tidal surge cut it off from the mainland.

Bukit in Malay means "Hill", not peninsula.

Thankyou for pointing that out Sir Burr - I was confused when recently in Bali that 'Bukit' referred to the hills - contrary to what I'd read in previous research into historical Phuket which referred to the theory of Phuket as peninsular several hundred years ago, before it was theoretically cut off from the mainland by a major tidal surge. Perhaps it was meaning "hilly" peninsular.

We may never know so I'm happy to accept the mainstream interpretation.

Firstly, two other posters also pointed out that Bukit means Hill.

(pedant mode) Secondly, whatever your source was regarding Phuket at one time being a peninsular (it was) and that maybe Bukit means "hilly peninsular" is incorrect.

This is a black and white issue. Bukit means hill, not hilly peninsular.

Go on-line and check in a Malay/English, or, Indonesian/English dictionary if you still have doubts (pedant mode).

[Prakanong]

As I understand - Bukit in Malay means peninsular. Many moons ago, Phuket was a peninsular before a previous tidal surge cut it off from the mainland.

Bukit in Malay means "Hill", not peninsula.

Thankyou for pointing that out Sir Burr - I was confused when recently in Bali that 'Bukit' referred to the hills - contrary to what I'd read in previous research into historical Phuket which referred to the theory of Phuket as peninsular several hundred years ago, before it was theoretically cut off from the mainland by a major tidal surge. Perhaps it was meaning "hilly" peninsular.

We may never know so I'm happy to accept the mainstream interpretation.

Firstly, two other posters also pointed out that Bukit means Hill.

(pedant mode) Secondly, whatever your source was regarding Phuket at one time being a peninsular (it was) and that maybe Bukit means "hilly peninsular" is incorrect.

This is a black and white issue. Bukit means hill, not hilly peninsular.

Go on-line and check in a Malay/English, or, Indonesian/English dictionary if you still have doubts (pedant mode).

I have a malay dictionary sitting right next to me at the moment - a very nice lady I work with.

Bukit is hill and nothing at all to do with peninsula - not even a hilly one

She actually can not think of the Malay word for the geographic feature peninsula but will look it up.

[Prakanong]

"Prakanong, I haven't met you have I?? Was in a bar in Rawai about a month ago and met a couple who lived in Bukit Timah who were visiting - they had a holiday villa in Nai Harn. Just wondered. Though I guess a lot of Bukit Timah residents come to Phuket (or Bukit ). "

Not me - I have only been to Phuket once a few years ago and it rained

BT residents with holiday villa's in Phuket - sounds about right - there are a lot of rich Singaporeans with landed property in Bukit Timah including ministers etc.

[khall64au]

As I understand - Bukit in Malay means peninsular. Many moons ago, Phuket was a peninsular before a previous tidal surge cut it off from the mainland.

Bukit in Malay means "Hill", not peninsula.

Thankyou for pointing that out Sir Burr - I was confused when recently in Bali that 'Bukit' referred to the hills - contrary to what I'd read in previous research into historical Phuket which referred to the theory of Phuket as peninsular several hundred years ago, before it was theoretically cut off from the mainland by a major tidal surge. Perhaps it was meaning "hilly" peninsular.

We may never know so I'm happy to accept the mainstream interpretation.

Firstly, two other posters also pointed out that Bukit means Hill.

(pedant mode) Secondly, whatever your source was regarding Phuket at one time being a peninsular (it was) and that maybe Bukit means "hilly peninsular" is incorrect.

This is a black and white issue. Bukit means hill, not hilly peninsular.

Go on-line and check in a Malay/English, or, Indonesian/English dictionary if you still have doubts (pedant mode).

You are really pushing the point Sir Burr - why did you feel the need to correct me if two other posters "pointed out Bukit means Hill"? Get a grip!

[Sir Burr]

Because you don't seem to want to listen.

You first claimed Bukit meant peninsula. Three posters told you it meant hill.

Then you suggest it could mean hilly peninsula.

Maybe it is you that should get a grip and gracefully admit that you are/were wrong.

[ChiefBEM]

Wrap-up

1. Phuket is a hill.

2. The Hill was occupied by Malay people.

3. The Hill now belongs to Thailand.

[khall64au]

Because you don't seem to want to listen.

You first claimed Bukit meant peninsula. Three posters told you it meant hill.

Then you suggest it could mean hilly peninsula.

Maybe it is you that should get a grip and gracefully admit that you are/were wrong.

ThaiVisa is a discussion forum not a history competition! I suggested that "as I understand from prior research, Bukit means peninsular" ... so what if I'm wrong - no big deal! Doesn't make the other "hill" suggestions right either - unless there is definite historical proof that Bukit means Hill.

Nobody can find Noah's Ark, after all...

[Sir Burr]

It's got nothing to do with history.

Bukit meaning hill is not a suggestion, it's a fact, if you don't like that answer, it doesn't change the fact that it's true.

[LeungKen]

I was always given to believe that the seafaring Bugis people (from the Malay peninsular and the north-western islands of Indonesia) named many of the places around S.E Asia some stuck, some didn't, and some even changed over time, the Similan Islands being one, as it apparantly derives it's name from Sembilan (the number 9 ) in Malay and Indonesian.

That, supposedly was how the Similan got it's Malay or Bugis name, and one famous street in Singapore got it's name.

[Boo]

It's got nothing to do with history.

Bukit meaning hill is not a suggestion, it's a fact, if you don't like that answer, it doesn't change the fact that it's true.

I dont' see that khall said that her suggestion to the name was fact so why the need to make such an issue over her answer only? I see several other posters put up their idea which also doesn't match your opinion. Any reason why hers should illicit such a snidey response from you?

[LivinginKata]

It's got nothing to do with history.

Bukit meaning hill is not a suggestion, it's a fact, if you don't like that answer, it doesn't change the fact that it's true.

I dont' see that khall said that her suggestion to the name was fact so why the need to make such an issue over her answer only? I see several other posters put up their idea which also doesn't match your opinion. Any reason why hers should illicit such a snidey response from you?

I suggest this sort of dialogue (especially by a mod) should be addressed by PM direct to the 'offending' member.