Phang Nga

Phang-Nga is a province in southern Thailand, bordering the Andaman Sea on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Phang-Nga Bay, in southern Ao Phang-Nga National Park, is distinguished by its tall limestone rock-like islets. One of the islets, Khao Phing Kan, is known for a 20m-tall rock called Ko Tapu, or James Bond Island, which is featured in the film “The Man with the Golden Gun.”

Historically, during the reign of King Rama II, nearby areas (including Thalang, now known as Phuket) were occupied by the Burmese and so many people fled to Kraphu Nga. In 1824 when Siamese troops defeated the Burmese and they were expelled, King Rama III renamed the area adjacent to the bay phang-nga. This bastardisation of Malay pangan offers indicates that the entire region may have been populated by Orang Asli or other aboriginal peoples. In 1933 the town was promoted to provincial status.