Hua Hin History, Thailand

History of Hua Hin

While the beaches of Samui and Phuket were only discovered recently and have since became rapid and sometimes destructive developed, Hua Hin has already been the popular Thai resort for more than 70 years.

Hua Hin has a long history that predates its current name. In 1834 some agricultural areas of Phetchaburi Province were hit by severe drought. A group of farmers moved southward and found a small village that had bright white sands and a row of rocks along the beach. They settled here and gave it the name Samore Riang, which mean rows of rock.

The resort was discovered in the early 1920s by King Prajadhipok (Rama VII) as favorite getaway from the muggy metropolis of Bangkok. The serene fishing village had evolved into the Royal resort and eventually became favorite among Siam's aristocrat and nobility. In 1920 Prince Purachatra, the director of the state railway, built the Railway Hotel, today's Sofitel Central Hua Hin in the architectural style of old Siam.

King Rama VII liked the place so much that he built a summer palace Wang Klai Kang Won (Far from Worries) there, which until today remains an official royal residence. The palace is still frequently used by members of the royal family and open to the public for visits.

After the southern railway was built, ensured popularity and accessibility with a wider part of the Thai public, Hua Hin became the first and most favorite beach resort in Thailand which the elite of Bangkok society began flocking to Hua Hin.

Hua Hin continued to develop in its own gradually way, both as an aristocratic resort with the added attraction of an 18-hole golf course. Many of Bangkok's famous and rich built their own beachfront summer houses to the north and south along the curving white bay, enjoying leisurely family weekends in a resort which has maintained its unique identity.

Nowadays, among the globalize development, Hua Hin's pleasures are still tranquil, not all that different from those enjoyed by the aristocratic visitors of its past. The beloved Hua Hin - the oldest beach resort of Siam with a sense of history and a serene but scenic atmosphere.