Prachuap Khiri Khan Province
Prachuap Khiri Khan is one of the western provinces of Thailand. It is in the northern part of the Malay Peninsula, some 240 km (150 mi) south of Bangkok. Neighbouring provinces are Phetchaburi to the north and Chumphon to the south. To the west it borders Tanintharyi Region of Myanmar.
Geography......Prachuap Khiri Khan covers an area of 6,367.62 square kilometres (2,458.55 sq mi). The province is on the Kra Isthmus, the narrow land bridge connecting the Malay Peninsula with mainland Asia. The province contains the narrowest part of Thailand. At its narrowest, it is just 13 km (8.1 mi) from the coast of the Gulf of Thailand to the border with Myanmar in the Tenasserim Hills. The long coast of the Gulf of Thailand has many sandy beaches. One of the best known, Hua Hin, has been a popular resort since King Prajadhipok (Rama VII) built a summer palace there. A significant national park, Khao Sam Roi Yot was established in 1966 to protect Thailand's largest freshwater marshes. The park contains mangrove forests and mudflats. The only significant river is the Pranburi River.
History......The city of Muang Na Rang was reconstructed in 1845, after it had been abandoned during the fall of the Ayutthaya Kingdom in 1767. The town was rebuilt at the mouth of the Ron River and renamed "Prachuap Khiri Khan", which means "city in the mountains".
In 1868, King Mongkut invited foreign guests to the province to watch a solar eclipse he had predicted for 18 August. The dignitaries viewed it from an observation point in the marshes near Sam Roi Yot. He contracted malaria, of which he died on 1 October.
At the beginning of World War II, Japanese troops invaded Thailand. On 8 December 1941, they struck first near the city of Prachuap Khiri Khan. After resisting the Japanese in the Battle of Prachuap Khiri Khan, after several hours the defenders were ordered to cease fire by the government in Bangkok.
Attractions......Apart from Khao Sam Roi Yot, Pranburi Forest Park is worth a visit. The area has an abundance of secluded beaches such as Sai Noi Beach while Hua Hin Beach is an obvious starting point popular with tourists. Further south in the districts of Sam Roi Yot, Kuiburi, Tap Sakae and Bang Saphan there are excellent beaches.
main source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prachuap_Khiri_Khan_Province
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