# Tourism-Induced Urbanization in Phuket Island, Thailand (1987-2024): A Spatiotemporal Analysis
## 3 Results
### Urban Expansion Intensity and Diversity Analysis for Phuket  
The UEII and Shannon Entropy analyses for Phuket reveal dynamic patterns of urban growth, with significant expansions and periods of stability (Table 3). High Shannon Entropy values reflect diverse and spread-out urban development, while stable periods indicate concentrated growth [51]. These insights are crucial for guiding future urban planning and ensuring sustainable development in the region [52].  
Analyzing the growth of areas and related indicators across various time frames unveils shifting urban development patterns. From 1987 to 1990 the urban space encompassed 78.9 km showing a notable UEII of 19.43 and a Shannon Entropy of 1.94 indicating high and even expansion. In the period from 1991 to 1995, the urban area expanded to 89.6 square kilometers; however, the UEII dipped into negative territory at 3.40, indicating a decline in growth intensity. Shannon Entropy rose to 2.29, reflecting increased diversity in urban area distribution patterns [44]. This trend of growth persisted through 1996-2000 as the urban area extended to 92.6 square kilometers with another negative UEII (\(-\)4.73), while Shannon Entropy saw a slight dip to 2.27. A substantial surge occurred between 2001 and 2005 as the urban space expanded to reach 97.0 km with a UEII of 23.70 denoting rapid expansion [53]. Nonetheless, Shannon Entropy slightly decreased to 2.25, hinting at the uniform expansion despite the overall area increase.  
From 2006 to 2010, the urban area kept expanding to 105.9 square kilometers with a moderate UEII of 9.15 and the highest Shannon Entropy of 2.31, showcasing an intricate urban configuration. From 2011 to 2015, there was growth in the urban area, which  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline \hline
**Study Period** & **Urban Area (Square Kilometers)** & **UEII** & **Shannon Entropy** \\ \hline
1987–1990 & 78.9 & 19.43 & 1.94 \\
1991–1995 & 89.6 & \(-\)3.40 & 2.29 \\
1996–2000 & 92.6 & \(-\)4.73 & 2.27 \\
2001–2005 & 97.0 & 23.70 & 2.25 \\
2006–2010 & 105.9 & 9.15 & 2.31 \\
2011–2015 & 106.0 & 3.77 & 2.31 \\
2016–2020 & 89.8 & 3.40 & 2.30 \\
2021–2024 & 102.4 & 14.20 & 1.98 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table}
Table 3: Phuket’s urban area, UEII, and Shannon Entropy.  
measured 106.0 square kilometers and had a lower UEII of 3.77. Despite this, the Shannon Entropy remained high at 2.31, indicating stable diversity in the spatial distribution of urban areas. Subsequently, there was a decrease in the urban area to 89.8 square kilometers between 2016 and 2020, with a UEII of 3.40 and a slightly reduced Shannon Entropy of 2.30, suggesting less complex urban growth during that period. In contrast, the urban area rebounded to 102.4 square kilometers from 2021 to 2024 with an UEII of 14.20, signaling renewed expansion intensity. However, there was a decrease in Shannon Entropy to 1.98, indicating a shift towards uniform urban growth patterns. These data showcase periods of both rapid. Slowed urban expansion with varying spatial complexities over time as discussed by [PERSON] and [PERSON] (2023)[PERSON] and [PERSON] (2023). For our study, the interaction between growth intensity and spatial complexity highlights the evolving nature of development throughout these years (Figure 6).