Kee Hua Chee Live!: OLD PHUKET TOWN IS COLORFUL, WELL PRESERVED, FASCINATING AND FUN WAY TO WHILE AWAY ONE OF TWO HOURS ONA LAZY, LEISURELY AFTERNOON. FLLED WITH KOPITIAM, CAFES, RESTAURANTS, BOUTIQUES AND OMNIPRESENT SOUVENIR SHOPS, OLD PHUKET IS A CHARMING DISTRICT FILLED WITH DOUBLE STOREY SHOPHOUSES THAT REMIND ME OF PENANG, MALACCA AND SINGAPORE'S NYONYA BABA PRECINTS. BUT OLD PHUKET TOWN ALSO CONTAINS TRACES OF PORTUGUESE ARCHITECTURE AND THE WALL PAINTINGS ARE AMUSING AND PRICES CHEAP!

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PHOTOS BY CANON POWERSHOT SX 720 HS

OLD PHUKET TOWN IS LOVINGLY PRESERVED AND MAINTAINED SO IT IS LIKE A STROLL DOWN MEMORY LANE!

PHUKET USED TO BE A MAJOR TIN MINING DISTRICT AND TIN FORMED THE FOUNDATION OF MANY CHINESE IMMIGRANTS WHO ARRIVED IN PHUKET TO MINE, TRADE AND FIND THEIR FORTUNE. MANY DID WHICH EXPLAINS THE PROLIFERATION OF STATELY TOWN HOUSES.

THE OWNERS WOULD LIVE UPSTAIRS WITH THEIR FAMILIES IN THEIR PRIVATE QUARTERS WHILE THE FORMAL RECEPTION HALL AND GRAND HALLS FILLED WITH COSTLY FURNITURE AND FURNISHINGS WERE PLACED ON THE GROUND FLOOR. THE GROUND FLOOR WAS ALSO USED FOR IMPORTANT CELEBRATIONS LIKE CHINESE NEW YEAR, WEDDINGS, BIRTHDAYS AND FAMILY OCCASIONS.

LIKE OTHER STRAITS SETTLEMENTS, THE CHINESE WERE MOSTLY HOKKIEN WHO MARRIED LOCAL THAI WOMEN. THESE CHINESE BLENDED WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY YET RETAINED THEIR DISTINCTIVE HOKKIEN TRAITS IN DRESSING, CUISINE AND LANGUAGE.

THE TIN INDUSTRY STARTED IN THE 16th CENTURY AND BY THE 19th CENTURY BOTH HOKKIEN CHINESE AND PORTUGUESE WERE IN FULL SWING, RESULTING IN NEW ROADS AND CANALS. THIS UNIQUE FUSION RESULTED IN THE 2 DISTINCTIVE ARCHITECTURAL STYLES---CHINESE-PORTUGUESE AND CHINESE-COLONIAL WHICH ARE MORE BRITISH.

TODAY MOST BUILDINGS IN OLD PHUKET TOWN MAINTAIN THE ORIGINAL FACADES WHILE INTERIORS HAVE BEEN MODIFIED TO SUIT MODERN TIMES.