In 1834, before the name Hua Hin was established, severe droughts in Phetchaburi province prompted a group of farmers to move south, where they found a small village with bright white sand and rocky shores, naming it Samore Riang, meaning “rows of rocks.”
In 1921, Prince Purachatra, the railway director, built the Railway Hotel near the beach, and Prince Krom Phra Naresworarit constructed palaces at Ban Laem Hin, naming the adjoining beach “Hua Hin.” King Prajadhipok (Rama VII) later built a summer palace there called Klai Kang Won, which served as King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s (Rama IX) residence from 2004 until health issues required him to return to Bangkok.
By 1932, Hua Hin was part of Pran Buri as a minor district and became a separate district of Prachuap Khiri Khan in 1949. The completion of Thailand’s southern railway connected Hua Hin to Bangkok, turning it into the country’s first popular beach resort. Visitor numbers grew six percent annually from 2014 to 2019.
In August 2016, Hua Hin experienced four bomb blasts over 24 hours, resulting in one death and 20 injuries. In response, 90 security cameras were installed, monitored by the Tourist Police, with plans for hundreds more.
Hua Hin Night Market
Photos: Alexi Van Damme CEO and Founder AX Media Thailand
