Thailand has long been a popular holiday destination for Australian travellers. Bangkok, Phuket and Koh Samui – all have regular flights, filled with couples, families and solo travellers seeking the delights of a tropical country with delicious cuisine, affordable shopping and indulgent Thai Spa centres. Amazingly Hua Hin has managed to evade the hordes of tourists despite all its beauty. Easily accessible from Bangkok – just a 3hr drive south, the city has always been popular with those keen to escape the stifling heat of Thailand’s capital. In the 1920s, Rama VI (King Vajiravudh) and Rama VII (King Prajadhipok) built summer residences here. The enormous Phra Ratchawang Klai Kangwon (Far From Worries Palace) remains a royal residence. In the 1980s there was a construction boom, which put the area on…