Tucked away in the countryside to the east of Bangkok, this provincial town is hardly visited by foreign tourists - mainly because it's not on the major road or rail networks out of the capital. It's home to one of the most sacred Buddha images in Thailand - Phra Phuttha Sothon - which is housed in the Wat Sothon Wararam Worawihaan. The origins of the modest 198-cm-high Phra Phuttha Sothon are cloaked in mystery but the image is said to be associated with a famous monk with holy powers who supposedly predicted the exact moment of his death.
Chachoengsao makes a great day-trip destination to escape Bangkok's turbulence and Ayuthaya's tourists and touts, and it's a fine place to experience provincial Thai life. Buses to Chachoengsao leave frequently from Bangkok's eastern terminal; ditto trains from Bangkok's Hualamphong station. It takes one and a half hours to reach Chachoengsao by both modes of transport.