Town (pop., 1999 est.: 105,176), southern Thailand, on the eastern coast of the Malay Peninsula .
The walled town, one of Thailand's oldest, was founded more than 1,000 years ago. It was the capital of a powerful state that controlled the midsection of the peninsula and was often called Ligor until the early 20th century. It is the area's commercial centre and site of the Wat Mahathudu temple complex. The town is noted for its niello work in silver.