King Rama IV, Rama V and Rama VI came to the island for rest. King Rama V initiated construction of a royal summer palace, named "Phra Chuthathut Palace" (Thai: พระจุฑาธุชราชฐาน) after his son who was born on this island. The royal residence was abandoned in 1893 after the French occupied the island during a conflict with Thailand over control of neighboring Laos. In 1900, the palace was torn down and reassembled in Bangkok, where it is now named Vimanmek Palace.
The British diplomat John Crawfurd visited the islands in 1822 during the mission described in his book Journal of an embassy from the Governor-General of India to the courts of Siam and Cochin-China: exhibiting a view of the actual state of those kingdoms. He reports that Francis Buchanan-Hamilton called the islands of Ko Sichang District the "Dutch Islands", and Ko Sichang itself as "Amsterdam", due to frequent visits by ships of the Dutch East India Company during the 17th century.[1] American diplomat Edmund Roberts visited the district in the 1830s, which he documented in his book, Embassy to the Eastern Courts of Cochin-China, Siam, and Muscat.[2]
The island was originally a minor district (King Amphoe) under the Mueang district of Samut Prakan Province. As of 1 January 1943 it was reassigned to the Si Ratcha district of Chonburi.[3] On 4 July 1994 the minor district was upgraded to a full district.[4]