Ancient records reveal that before establishment of the current dynasty in the late 18th Century, the area called Phangnga was a district attrached to Takuapa, the leading town thereabouts. Then with the beginning of the Rattanakosin Dynasty, during the reign of Rama I, Phang-nga was given equal status with Takuapa and another nearby town, Takuatung, and all three were removed from the government's Harbor Department and put under the Ministry of Defense.
The best evidence indicates that Phang-nga was officially established in 1809 during the reign of Rama II, when one of the periodic wars with Burma was reging. The king there, Padung Kasatri, appointed Ah Terng Woon to lead an invasion force for attack on Thailand's southern towns. The ship-borne army carried off the populations of Takuatung, and Thaland (in Phuket). Thalang was razed to the ground. An army under the direction of a royal prince was therefore sent from Bangkok to drive of the attackers.