Kathu district

Kathu (Thai: กะทู้, pronounced [kā.tʰúː]) is a district (amphoe) of Phuket province, Thailand. The district is in the west of Phuket Island. It borders Thalang to the north, Mueang Phuket to the east and south, and the Andaman Sea to the west.

Kathu
กะทู้
District location in Phuket province
District location in Phuket province
Coordinates: 7°54′32″N 98°20′0″E
CountryThailand
ProvincePhuket
SeatKathu
Area
  Total67.09 km2 (25.90 sq mi)
Population
 (31 March 2004)
  Total43,541
  Density649/km2 (1,680/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+7 (ICT)
Postal code83150
Geocode8302

Geography

Kathu is the district which includes the tourist beach of Patong. Kamala Beach to the north is much less developed.

History

On 5 December 1938 the district was downgraded to a minor district (king amphoe) and became a subordinate of Mueang Phuket district.[1] It was upgraded to a full district again on 10 December 1959.[2]

During the King Mongkut (Rama IV)'s regin in early Rattanakosin period, Kathu has experienced tragedy when two Chinese triad gangs were killed here. Mueang Phuket gangsters has lured Kathu gangsters to eat here and seize the opportunity to burn them alive, 413 people were killed and only one survived. Nowadays, a shrine has been established to dedicate to them, named Tong Yong Su (Chinese: 忠勇祠; pinyin: zhōngyǒng cí), which means "the shrine of courageous and upright ancestors".[3]

Administration

The district is divided into three sub-districts (tambons), which are further subdivided into 14 villages (mubans). Patong has town (thesaban mueang) status, Kathu has sub-district municipality (thesaban tambon) status, and Kamala is led by a tambon administrative organization (TAO). Each of the municipalities has the name of the sub-district.

Nr. Name Thai name Villages Pop.
1.Kathuกะทู้820,239
2.Pa Tongป่าตอง-17,843
3.Kamalaกมลา65,459
Map of Tambon

References

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