The present province of Phang-nga was first inhabited by small communities on the bank of the Phang-nga river in a district called Kraphu-nga. The district expanded in the reign of King Rama II (1809-1824) when the Burmese troops invaded southern Thailand. As the army from Bangkok did not arrive in time, the three important nearby towns of Takua Pa, Takua Thung, and Thalang (present Phuket) fell one after the other and their large numbers of inhabitants fled to Kraphu-nga and settled there. Later the Siamese army successfully expelled all the Burmese invaders but most people chose to stay in their new communities.

In the reign of King Rama III (1824-1851), the status of Kraphu-nga village was changed into a town under the name of Phang-nga, and by the King's order Takua Thung became part of Phang-nga. Phang-nga was elevated to a province in 1933.