Panwa peninsula

Panwa

Panwa is a peninsula on the island of Phuket between Phuket town and Chalong. There's a road that leads to the point on the north and south side of the peninsula. It's not a particulary touristy place to visit but it has spectacular views and this nice hidden beach. There is Koh Khaew viewpoint on the south side where I took the Big Buddha pictures. Another viewing option is from a viewing tower at the top of the hill near Koh Khaew. The viewing tower has 360 degree panoramic views. Getting up to the tower from Koh Khaew was a challenge for our motorbike because the grade is so steep. Once you arrive at the parking lot you have a staircase to climb to the tower and more stairs to climb to get to the various viewing points. The political side of Thailand is mixed. There is oppression. There is inequality. The wealthy have power. The poor are relegated to the fringe of society. An example are the Moken nomadic water people. Their territory stretches on the Andaman sea from the coast of Burma to the coast of Thailand at Phuket. Here's an article at the Human Rights Watch website that highlights some of their struggle for rights and access to healthcare and land ownership. Tourism is big business in Phuket and Thailand in general, so this struggle is not exposed to the public. The article talks about how the Moken people are not allowed to be citizens because of their identity. They are denied citizenship by Thailand and Phuket. They are shot at and robbed by the navy.
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