| Lying about 150 km from
the capital city, Bangkok, Kanchanaburi is in the slightly
elevated valley of the Klong River where sugar cane plantations
and sapphire mines hide between mountainous jungle terrain.
Originally established by Rama 1 as the first line of defence
against the Burmese who were prone to using the old invasion
route through the Three Pagodas Pass on the Thailand/Mayanmar
border, Kanchanaburi flourished. Today this pass still causes
problems for the Thai people, as it is a popular smuggling route
for the renowned opium trade as well as a being an escape route
for illegal aliens entering Thailand from Burma.
 In
June 1942 the Japanese High Command ordered a single-line railway
to be built from Ban Pong in Thailand via Three Pagodas Pass
to Thanbyuzayat in Burma. Construction started in October 1942
and by late October 1943 was completed at the cost of lives
of 16,000 prisoners of war and 100,000 Asian slave labourers
of Chinese, South Indian, Malay, Burmese, Japanese and Dutch
origin. It is said that one life was lost for every sleeper
on the track.
Their experience has since been turned into popular film, The
Bridge Over the River Kwai. This is still being used today and
the graves of the allied soldiers who died during its construction
lie in an war cemetery close by.
The Bridge Over The River Kwai is the reason why so many visit
Kanchanaburi. It was immortalized in David Lean's epic movie
that was in fact filmed in Sri Lanka using a wooden bridge.
The ‘real’ bridge is made of steel. Today the bombing
of the bridge is celebrated annually on its anniversary with
The River Kwai Bridge Festival held 28 Nov-7 Dec. This spectacular
display is proving popular and the crowds watching the display,
increases annually.
At Nam Tok Waterfall there is a Buddhist Memorial built by
the government of Japan for the various nationalities that lost
their lives in the construction of the Death Railway. Beside
the waterfall is a spirit house and a Steam Train; number 702,
built by Mitsubishi in 1935 that was sold to the Thai Government
at the end of WW II.
The State Railway of Thailand still has seven of the original
steam trains, which are used every Saturday and Sunday for special
trips from the River Kwai Bridge to Nam Tok. If you are in Kanchanaburi,
then a ride on one of these trains is well worth taking time
out for, the journey alone, is an experience that you’ll
definitely need your camera for.
To the west and northwest of Kanchanaburi city are some of
Thailand's largest and most spectacular waterfalls and vast
tracts of land are now national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.
In fact more than half the province is devoted to the preservation
of nature and many areas are sparsely populated due to this.
The Mae Klong River along whose banks the town is built, has
become a popular picnic spot for locals as well as tourists
especially over weekends and on public holidays. Take note of
the fish-shaped streets signs throughout the town. They represent
plaa yisok, the most common edible fish found in the Mae Klong
and its tributaries. This tasty marine species is on many restaurant
menus in the area and due to its popularity may also find its
way into the history books about the area.
About Picture: The train railway sleepers
with the ragic history. It is said that one sleeper meands one
lives of the captives during the contructions. |
INFORMATION
