hà tiên is built by chinese adventurer mo jiu (mạc cửu). cambodian king appoints him the governor of peam province, and send him here. hà tiên is built as the capital of the province. in khmer, hà tiên is called "peam" (ពាម, lit. "river mouth"). thai people call it "phutthaimat" (พุทไธมาศ) or "banthaimat" (บันทายมาศ). some foreigners call it "cancao". later, mo jiu surrender to vietnamese, peam province become hà tiên province of vietnam.