Hua Hin Airport 60 years ago

[Big Boy]

I seem to remember posting something similar to this quite a while ago, but not as far back as 1960. Unfortunately, I can't find the thread. I've just seen this, and found it interesting enough to share.

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[squire]

The location in 1960 seems different, with a headland in the upper right of the B&W photo, and is not at all like the coastal area where the airport is currently situated.

[pitsch]

I think 1960 is a view from the north and 2020 a view from the south.

[hhinner]

I think 1960 is a view from the north and 2020 a view from the south.

Really ought to have a laugh emoji included in this post otherwise some may think you're serious.

[dtaai-maai]

It would have been more interesting if they could have found 2 photos of similar scale.

Here's one (of Cha-am only) that I think shows that headland.

cha-am beach2.jpg (55.42 KiB) Viewed 1231 times

[caller]

I think 1960 is a view from the north and 2020 a view from the south.

Really ought to have a laugh emoji included in this post otherwise some may think you're serious.

Bo-Fai airfield opened in 1954 for military use and morphed into the airport we have today. So the location hasn't changed.

I think the Palace is visible in the 1960 pic and if you accept some change to the coastline through development and erosion, then put what is now the Hilton on the first headland and plenty of reclaimed land around Takiap, then I'd say Pitsch could well be right.

[Big Boy]

Since squire's post, I've checked on Google Maps, and he's most definitely right. The first piece of headland that matches is near the Naresuan Camp. I think the Border Police parachute training is stationed there, together with a few old aircraft. I'm wondering if the 1960 was the original military airstrip up that way - I think flying operations are from Hua Hin Airport now.

[hhinner]

I don't see it. There's a near 90 degree change of the shoreline in the 1960 photo. Could that be a product of perspective?
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IMG_20210916_153928.jpg (60.68 KiB) Viewed 1184 times

[Big Boy]

I agree, in that photo it does look a lot more extreme than the current Google maps, but there has been a lot of man made development around the 2 small peninsula's in this photo. When I've walked that way, I've not been able to get up close because it is a restricted military area. If it is in fact Hua Hin, I think that is the nearest you're going to get to the 1960 photo.

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[hhinner]

I think that pitsch might be right. It's looking south but the print was developed from a reversed negative,
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airstripmirror.jpg (55.36 KiB) Viewed 1163 times

[Big Boy]

That certainly looks like Khao Takiab at the top

Wow!!! Somebody has stolen Hua Hin.