The most significant event in the history of Phuket was the attack by the Burmese in 1785. Sir Francis Light, a British East India Company captain passing by the island, sent word to the local administration that he had observed Burmese forces preparing to attack. Khunying Jan, the wife of the recently deceased governor, and her sister Mook then assembled what forces they could. After a month-long siege, the Burmese were forced to retreat March 13th 1785. The two women became local heroines, receiving the honorary titles Thao Thep Kasatri and Thao Sri Sunthon from King Rama I.

During the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), Phuket became the administrative center of the tin-producing southern provinces. In 1933 Monthon Phuket was dissolved and Phuket became a province by itself.

Old names of the island include Koh Thalang.

Patong Beach on Phuket was one of the worst affected areas on Phuket in the tsunami disaster of December 2004.

On December 26th, 2004, Phuket and other nearby areas on Thailand's western coast suffered extensive damage when they were struck by a tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. The waves destroyed several highly populated areas in the region, killing as many as 5,300 people nationwide, and tens of thousands more throughout the wider Asian region. As many as 250 people were reported dead in Phuket, including foreign tourists. ITN journalist John Irvine and his family survived the tsunami, despite being washed 50 m inland. Almost all the major beaches on the west coast, especially Patong, Kamala, Karon and Kata, sustained major damage, with some damage also being caused to resorts and villages on the island's southern beaches.

However, by February 2005 most undamaged resorts were back in business, and throughout 2005 life slowly returned to normal for the people of Phuket. As of November 2006, following strenuous recovery pro grammes, there is little obvious tsunami damage remaining other than at more remote beaches, and the tourist industry which drives the Phuket economy has fully recovered.

As with most of Thailand, the majority of the population are Buddhits, but there is a significant number of Muslims (30%) in Phuket, mainly descendants of the island's original sea-dwelling people.

The provincial seal shows the two heroines of the province, Thao Thep Kasattri and Thao Sri Sunthorn.

The provincial tree is the Burmese Rosewood (Pterocarpus indicus), and the provincial flower the Pepper Flower (Bougainvilleasp.).

The most important of the 29 buddhist temples of Phuket is Wat Chalong. It is dedicated to two highly venerable monks, Luang Pho Chaem and Luang Pho Chuang , who with their knowledge of herbal medicine helped the injured tin miners in the rebellion in 1876.

Phuket is divided into 3 districts (Amphoe), which are further subdivided into 17 communes (tambon) and 103 villages (muban). There is also one city (thesaban nakhon), one town (thesaban mueang) and 4 townships (thesaban tambon), and also 13 tambon administrative organizations (TAO).

1/. Mueang Phuket

2/. Kathu

3/. Thalang