Hua Hin Railway Station & Royal Waiting Room
While it's not a museum in the traditional sense, the Hua Hin Railway Station is an important historical landmark with a royal waiting room that is often considered a living museum because of its heritage and the significance in the history of Hua Hin.
Hua Hin Railway Station, located in Hua Hin, a popular beach resort town in the Prachuap Khiri Khan Province of Thailand, is one of the country's oldest and most beautiful train stations. It's known for its distinctive royal pavilion and traditional Thai architectural style, which make it an attractive tourist destination apart from its functional role as a transportation hub.
The Royal Waiting Room, which is the station's most iconic feature, was originally constructed at Sanam Chan Palace in Nakhon Pathom Province in 1910. Later, it was moved to Hua Hin in 1916 during the reign of King Rama VI, to serve as a royal pavilion for the king and his court when they were visiting the seaside. This was because Hua Hin was favored by Thai royalty as a summer retreat, notably King Rama VII, who built a summer palace nearby that is known as Klai Kangwon, meaning "Far from Worries."
This elegant waiting room is designed in the same style as Maruekhathaiyawan Palace and is characterized by its intricately carved wooden structures, steep red-tile roofs, and open airy waiting areas designed to accommodate the tropical climate.
The Hua Hin Railway Station building itself exudes a Victorian feel, painted in bright colors and featuring old-fashioned signs, giving a sense of stepping back in time to an era when rail travel held a sense of romance and adventure. It continues to serve regular train services on the Southern Line of the State Railway of Thailand, connecting Bangkok with the southern provinces.
Visitors often take photographs of the station and the Royal Waiting Room due to their aesthetic and historical significance. If you plan to visit Hua Hin, taking a train could be a memorable experience allowing you to appreciate the charm of this historical railway station.
The Royal Waiting Room, which is the station's most iconic feature, was originally constructed at Sanam Chan Palace in Nakhon Pathom Province in 1910. Later, it was moved to Hua Hin in 1916 during the reign of King Rama VI, to serve as a royal pavilion for the king and his court when they were visiting the seaside. This was because Hua Hin was favored by Thai royalty as a summer retreat, notably King Rama VII, who built a summer palace nearby that is known as Klai Kangwon, meaning "Far from Worries."
This elegant waiting room is designed in the same style as Maruekhathaiyawan Palace and is characterized by its intricately carved wooden structures, steep red-tile roofs, and open airy waiting areas designed to accommodate the tropical climate.
The Hua Hin Railway Station building itself exudes a Victorian feel, painted in bright colors and featuring old-fashioned signs, giving a sense of stepping back in time to an era when rail travel held a sense of romance and adventure. It continues to serve regular train services on the Southern Line of the State Railway of Thailand, connecting Bangkok with the southern provinces.
Visitors often take photographs of the station and the Royal Waiting Room due to their aesthetic and historical significance. If you plan to visit Hua Hin, taking a train could be a memorable experience allowing you to appreciate the charm of this historical railway station.