Phuket Mining Museum

Phuket Mining Museum was once a large mineral mine with rich natural resources which was a very significant economic foundation of Phuket at the time. However, soon after tin is depleted, the mine was abandoned and became desolated, until 2007 when Kathu municipality came to develop the site into a mining museum. The museum is surrounded by naturally rich hills. Exhibitions include the history of tin mining and Phuket’s way of living. In the past, Phuket was a major tin-producing centre and drew thousands of Chinese labourers who eventually settled on the island. In short, Phuket would not have its multicultural identity without tin.

Museum is open every day from 9 to 16. Admission fee is 100 baht.

Many are asking, if the museum is located in former tin mining headquaters? No, this is a new building, which was constructed like a building of the colonial era, in a style called Sino Portuguese. Typical are the arches, the stukko, and the square courtyard. Building was completed in year 2007. But the location is old original tin mining area, called "koh tho sung".

The History of Phuket’s Tin Mining Industry.

According to the evidence which is available, it appears that Phuket’s tin mining industry began as long ago as sixteenth century. Prior to this time, the Portuguese had occupied Malacca, which was the trade center for their Asian operations, and in 1583 they opened a tin warehouse in the Thalang district of Phuket.

In the beginning of seventeenth century the Dutch took over Java and King Sontham agreed that the Dutch be the sole agents for the tin trade in Thalang. In 1667 the people of Thalang started to fight against the Dutch and subsequently expelled them from the Island.

In 1772, the British Captain, Francis Light, who was also very busy in Penang, came to establish a tin trading station at Baan Tharua. Subsequently he became very good friends with the Governor of Thalang. In 1809 more tin minerals were found at the then named Baan Ket-ho, now known as Kathu, leading to more and more Chinese migrating to Phuket to work in the tin mining operations.

By the end of nineteenth century, Phuket has became very wealthy city. The government began collecting taxes by means of “Mhao Muang’ and in 1876 Chinese workers became unhappy and started rioting. They complained about the decrease in incomes caused by the tax system and further worsened by lowering tin prices.

In 1907, Edward Thomas Miles, an Australian captain established the Tongkah Harbor Company and it began to run the Mhuang Rua Khud mine at Thungkha Bay. It was the first tin mining operation in the world to use marine vessels for dredging ore from the sea bed.

Further on more tin mines were opened and in 1963 Thai Sarco Company implemented the first tin melting plant in Phuket. Now the tin made a lot of people wealthy.

Finally, in 1973, the Tourism Authority of Thailand announced its plans to develop Phuket into a major center of Tourism.

The government cancelled all ore mining concessions. Mining businesses closed down and the tourism industry era began.