town, south-central Thailand, about 25 miles (40 km) east of Bangkok. It is a port on the Bang Pakong River. On the railway between Bangkok and the Cambodian border, Chachoengsao is connected by a coastal road to Trat (southeast) and is a site of Buddhist pilgrimage. Rice cultivation and milling are major economic activities in the region, and there is a large government distillery. Pop. (1988 est.) 44,162.