Hua Hin (Thai: หัวหิน, IPA: [hǔə hǐn]) is one of eight districts (amphoe) of Prachuap Khiri Khan province in the northern part of the Malay Peninsula in Thailand. Its seat of government, also named Hua Hin, is a beach resort town. The district's population was estimated at 65,983 in December 2019 by the Bureau of Registration Administration[1] in an area of 911 km2 (352 sq mi). By road, it is 199 km (124 mi) south-southwest of Bangkok.
Hua Hin
หัวหิน | |
|---|---|
 Hua Hin | |
 District location in Prachuap Khiri Khan province | |
| Coordinates: 12°34′7″N 99°57′28″E / 12.56861°N 99.95778°E | |
| Country | Thailand |
| Province | Prachuap Khiri Khan |
| Area | |
| • Total | 838.9 km2 (323.9 sq mi) |
| Population (2019-12-31 est.) | |
| • Total | 65,983 |
| • Density | 101.44/km2 (262.7/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+7 (ICT) |
| Postal code | 77110 |
| Geocode | 7707 |
Hua Hin district is in the middle of what the Thai government is promoting as the “Thai Riviera”, the stretch of coastline between Phetchaburi in the north and Chumphon in the south.[2]
History
edit
In 1834, before the name Hua Hin was coined, some agricultural areas of Phetchaburi province were hit by severe drought. A group of farmers moved south until they found a small village that had bright white sand and a row of rocks along the beach. They settled there and gave it the name Samore Riang (Samo Riang), which means 'rows of rocks'.
In 1921 the director of the state railway, Prince Purachatra, built the Railway Hotel close to the beach. Prince Krom Phra Naresworarit was the first member of the royal family to build a group of palaces at Ban Laem Hin, called Sukaves, and gave the beach next to his palace the name "Hua Hin". King Prajadhipok (Rama VII) liked the place so much that he built a summer palace there which was later named Klai Kang Won ('far from worries'). From 2004 until 2006 it was the full-time residence of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), until health issues forced him to return to Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok, where medical facilities and physicians were closer at hand.
In 1932 Hua Hin was part of Pran Buri district as a minor district (king amphoe). In 1949 Hua Hin became a separate district of Prachuap Khiri Khan.[3] After the building of Thailand's southern railway connected the district with Bangkok along with various destinations en route, Hua Hin became the first and most popular beach resort in the country.[4] Over the five-year period from 2014 to 2019, the number of Thai and foreign visitors to Hua Hin has risen six percent per year.[5]
In August 2016, there were four bomb blasts in Hua Hin over a period of 24 hours. One person died, 20 others were injured.[6][7][8][9] In the aftermath of the bombing 90 security cameras were installed and are monitored by the Tourist Police. Another 60 cameras are monitored by the municipal office. There are plans to install several hundred more.[6]
Climate
edit
Hua Hin has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification Aw). Historically, temperatures are very warm to hot throughout the year, with only small variations. The year begins with the dry season (December–April), before the monsoon arrives in May. Rains ease somewhat from June to August before the heaviest rains begin in September and continue through November.
| Climate data for Hua Hin (1991–2020, extremes 1954-present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 33.4 (92.1) |
36.5 (97.7) |
36.2 (97.2) |
38.3 (100.9) |
38.7 (101.7) |
37.5 (99.5) |
38.7 (101.7) |
37.8 (100.0) |
38.0 (100.4) |
37.3 (99.1) |
34.0 (93.2) |
34.5 (94.1) |
38.7 (101.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29.9 (85.8) |
31.1 (88.0) |
32.3 (90.1) |
33.4 (92.1) |
33.7 (92.7) |
33.4 (92.1) |
33.0 (91.4) |
32.9 (91.2) |
32.3 (90.1) |
31.0 (87.8) |
30.6 (87.1) |
29.8 (85.6) |
32.0 (89.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 26.3 (79.3) |
27.3 (81.1) |
28.5 (83.3) |
29.6 (85.3) |
29.5 (85.1) |
29.2 (84.6) |
28.8 (83.8) |
28.6 (83.5) |
28.2 (82.8) |
27.6 (81.7) |
27.4 (81.3) |
26.4 (79.5) |
28.1 (82.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 22.8 (73.0) |
23.6 (74.5) |
24.9 (76.8) |
26.0 (78.8) |
26.3 (79.3) |
26.1 (79.0) |
25.7 (78.3) |
25.6 (78.1) |
25.3 (77.5) |
24.8 (76.6) |
24.5 (76.1) |
23.3 (73.9) |
24.9 (76.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 13.9 (57.0) |
15.4 (59.7) |
17.8 (64.0) |
21.8 (71.2) |
22.4 (72.3) |
22.2 (72.0) |
22.0 (71.6) |
21.9 (71.4) |
21.2 (70.2) |
19.1 (66.4) |
17.2 (63.0) |
13.9 (57.0) |
13.9 (57.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 25.0 (0.98) |
13.8 (0.54) |
50.5 (1.99) |
46.5 (1.83) |
95.5 (3.76) |
82.4 (3.24) |
90.2 (3.55) |
67.1 (2.64) |
129.8 (5.11) |
250.4 (9.86) |
72.8 (2.87) |
11.9 (0.47) |
935.9 (36.85) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 1.3 | 0.8 | 2.2 | 2.7 | 8.5 | 9.2 | 9.7 | 9.7 | 10.6 | 12.7 | 4.2 | 1.3 | 72.9 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 71.4 | 73.0 | 73.9 | 73.3 | 74.0 | 73.6 | 73.6 | 73.9 | 77.1 | 80.2 | 73.0 | 67.6 | 73.7 |
| Average dew point °C (°F) | 20.5 (68.9) |
21.8 (71.2) |
23.2 (73.8) |
24.1 (75.4) |
24.2 (75.6) |
23.7 (74.7) |
23.4 (74.1) |
23.3 (73.9) |
23.6 (74.5) |
23.8 (74.8) |
22.0 (71.6) |
19.7 (67.5) |
22.8 (73.0) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 213.9 | 225.4 | 248.0 | 234.4 | 196.5 | 141.7 | 133.7 | 133.6 | 143.4 | 159.8 | 190.8 | 200.2 | 2,221.4 |
| Source: NOAA[10][11][12] | |||||||||||||
Administration
editCentral administration
editHua Hin district is divided into seven sub-districts (tambons), which are further subdivided into 63 administrative villages (mubans).
| No. | Name | Thai | Villages | Pop.[13] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Hua Hin | หัวหิน | - | 46,479 |
| 2. | Nong Kae | หนองแก | - | 15,527 |
| 3. | Hin Lek Fai | หินเหล็กไฟ | 16 | 13,835 |
| 4. | Nong Phlap | หนองพลับ | 10 | 10,772 |
| 5. | Thap Tai | ทับใต้ | 14 | 12,857 |
| 6. | Huai Sat Yai | ห้วยสัตว์ใหญ่ | 11 | 7,258 |
| 7. | Bueng Nakhon | บึงนคร | 12 | 4,980 |
Local administration
editThere is one town (thesaban mueang) in the district:
- Hua Hin (Thai: เทศบาลเมืองหัวหิน) consisting of sub-districts Hua Hin and Nong Kae.
There is one sub-district municipality (thesaban tambon) in the district:
- Nong Phlap (Thai: เทศบาลตำบลหนองพลับ) consisting of parts of sub-district Nong Phlap.
There are five sub-district administrative organizations (SAO) in the district:
- Hin Lek Fai (Thai: องค์การบริหารส่วนตำบลหินเหล็กไฟ) consisting of sub-district Hin Lek Fai.
- Nong Phlap (Thai: องค์การบริหารส่วนตำบลหนองพลับ) consisting of parts of sub-district Nong Phlap.
- Thap Tai (Thai: องค์การบริหารส่วนตำบลทับใต้) consisting of sub-district Thap Tai.
- Huai Sat Yai (Thai: องค์การบริหารส่วนตำบลห้วยสัตว์ใหญ่) consisting of sub-district Huai Sat Yai.
- Bueng Nakhon (Thai: องค์การบริหารส่วนตำบลบึงนคร) consisting of sub-district Bueng Nakhon.
Environment
edit
The quality of the waters of the Gulf of Thailand off central Hua Hin were rated " good to fair" in 2016 by the Pollution Control Department.[14]: 54
Boundaries
editHua Hin district is bordered by:
- North: Cha-am district, Phetchaburi province.
- East: Gulf of Thailand
- West: Myanmar (Burma)
- South: Pran Buri district, Prachuap Khiri Khan province.
Transport
editHua Hin is served by road, rail, and sea routes.
The main station is Hua Hin railway station and it is the northernmost station in the district. Smaller stations are also located in the area including Nong Kae railway station which is closer to Khao Takiap, Suan Son Pradiphat Railway Halt, close to Suan Son Pradiphat Beach and Rajabhakti Park as well as Khao Tao railway station.
As of 2019[update], work is underway on the construction of double tracks from Bangkok's Bang Sue Central Station to Chumphon. Trains will travel the route at up to 160 kilometres per hour. The new tracks—due to be completed in 2022—will enable trains to travel the Bangkok–Hua Hin segment in "two to three hours" according to a State Railway of Thailand (SRT) spokesman.[15] As a comparison, as of November 2019[update], SRT's Train 44 travels from Hua Hin to Bangkok's Bangkok Railway Station in three hours and thirty-three minutes (02:22–05:55).[16] Plans for high-speed rail from Bangkok to Surat Thani which would serve Hua Hin en route, have been shelved due to lack of investor interest.[17]
Since 2018, there is no longer daily ferry service between Hua Hin and Pattaya.[18] In November 2018, Hua Hin deputy chief Chareewat Phramanee confirmed the ferry service, suspended due to low tourist numbers during low season, would be up and running again for high season between Hua Hin and Pattaya, a 2.5 hour journey on a catamaran with a maximum capacity of 340.[19]
Hua Hin Airport is in Hua Hin District. AirAsia serves the airport with a direct flight only to Chiang Mai. The other destinations have been discontinued.[20]
In August 2018 the Department of Airports announced that it will spend 3.5 billion baht to upgrade Hua Hin Airport over the next five years. The number of travellers using the airport is expected to increase by tenfold, to three million a year, in that time frame. The upgrade is part of the "Riviera Thailand" and Southern Economic Corridor projects. The work at the airport will take four to five years. It includes enlarging the existing passenger terminal, building a second one, expanding hangar space, and widening the runway from 30 to 45 metres.[21]
Health
editHua Hin is served by Hua Hin Hospital, operated by the Ministry of Public Health. It is the largest hospital in Prachuap Khiri Khan province.
Education
editHua Hin and Cha-am host a number of tertiary education institutions such as Kasetsart University Veterinary Teaching Hospital,[22] Silpakorn University, Suan Dusit Rajabhat (Hospitality) University, and the Petchaburi Technology and Agricultural University. Webster University Thailand had a campus near Hua Hin, but ceased operations on December 31, 2021. The Rajamangala University of Technology also has a campus in the vicinity, the Rattanakosin (Wangklaikangwon Campus).
See also
edit- Ko Sai (Islands off Hua Hin)
References
edit- ^ "THAILAND: Regions and Major Cities". City Population. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
- ^ Theparat, Chatrudee; Morrissey, Gregory (5 March 2018). "Thai Riviera". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
- ^ ประกาศสำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี เรื่อง ยกฐานะกิ่งอำเภอหัวหิน อำเภอปราณบุรี จังหวัดประจวบคีรีขันธ์ ขึ้นเป็นอำเภอ (PDF). Royal Gazette (in Thai). 66 (24 ง): 1644. 26 April 1949. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 November 2014.
- ^ Wong, P. P. (1 April 1998). "Coastal tourism development in Southeast Asia: relevance and lessons for coastal zone management". Ocean & Coastal Management. 38 (2): 89–109. doi:10.1016/S0964-5691(97)00066-5.
- ^ "Brisk condo sales outlook for Hua Hin". Bangkok Post. 26 October 2019. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- ^ a b Satyaem, Chaiwat (5 August 2019). "Hua Hin urged to install new security cameras". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
- ^ "Thailand bomb blasts target Phuket and Hua Hin tourist spots". BBC. 12 August 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
- ^ "Tourist hub horror". Bangkok Post. 13 August 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
- ^ "Thailand bomb blasts: Eight explosions in Hua Hin, Phuket kill four and injure 20". The First Post. AFP. 12 August 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
- ^ "Hua Hin Climate Normals 1991-2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
- ^ "Hua Hin Climate Normals 1981-2010". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
- ^ "Hua Hin Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
- ^ "Population statistics 2015" (in Thai). Department of Provincial Administration. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
- ^ Thailand State of Pollution Report 2016 (PDF). Bangkok: Pollution Control Department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (Thailand). 2016. ISBN 978-616-316-327-1. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
- ^ Hongtong, Thodsapol (10 June 2019). "SRT planning new double track route". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
- ^ "Timetable and Fares: Hua Hin to Bangkok". State Railway of Thailand (SRT). Retrieved 5 November 2019.
- ^ "Three high-speed train projects shelved due to lack investor interest". Thai PBS. 26 September 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
- ^ "Route Time Table". Royal Passenger Liner. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
- ^ "Hua Hin ferry service back again for high season". The Thaiger. Phuket. 4 November 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
- ^ "Regular flights begin at Hua Hin airport". Bangkok Post. 18 May 2018. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ "Hua Hin airport due for upgrade, Ratchaburi could get small one". The Nation. 6 August 2018. Archived from the original on 19 April 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
- ^ "Veterinary Hospital Hua Hin". Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
External links
edit
Hua Hin travel guide from Wikivoyage
