The Bridge over the River Kwai

The Bridge over the River Kwai

This famous bridge is spans the Kwai Yai River. It was brought from Java by the Japanese Army and assembled at the River Kwai by the war prisoners. Bombed several times in 1945, it was rebuilt after the war. The curved spans of the bridge are the original sections. An estimated 16,000 war prisoners and 49,000 impressed labourers died during the constrution of the bridge and the Death-Railway line that leads to Burma.


River Kwai

A riverside resort on the fabled River Kwai in Kanchanaburi located in the middle of the jungle surrounded by mountains with a view of the well know original death railway at Tham Krasair. Easy to visit by both train and car. Then rest for a while and enjoy a leisurely view of the wooden bridge. Delight in the delicious food at Tham Krasai Restaurant, the finest jungle restaurant in nearby Kanchanaburi.




Chong-Kai War Cemetery

The Chong-Kai Cemetery is smaller but more peaceful than the one in town. It is also neatly arranged with all kinds of beautiful flowers, plants, and hedges. It contains the remains of 1,750 prisoners of war.
This place can reached by boats which are available at the pier in front of the town gate and from the agent at the Bridge.

This cemetery contains the remains of 6,982 war prisoners who lost their lives during the captivity by the Japanese Army that forced them to build the Bridge over the River Kwai and the Death Railway.
The Japanese, following their invasion of Thailand during World War II, brought British, Dutch, Australian and American prisoners to Thailand by the Southern route. Impressed laborers were also used to complete the rushed construction of the railroad, which is an alternative to the sea route to Rangoon via Singapore and the Strait of Malacca, the sea route then being closed by allied submarines and aircraft.


War Museum Jeath

It is an open air bamboo hut museum on the bank of the Mae Klong River and has been built as a copy of an original and established to collect various items connected with the construction of the Death Railway by prisoners of war during the Second World War, 1942-1943.
It is divided into two sections: Section I and Section II. Section I displays a lot of pictures of the prisoners of war during their real life in the camp and Section II displays the instruments that the prisoners of war used while they were in the camp. Taking pictures is frobidden in Section I only.

JEATH stands for 6 countries involved in the second world war : Japan, England, America, Australia, Thailand and Holland.

MAP OF KANCHANABURI

1. PRASAT MUANG SINGH RUIN
2. NAMTOK RAILWAY STATION
3. LAVA CAVE
4. SAI YOK WATERFALL
5. HINDARD HOT SPRING
6. KHAO LAEM DAM
7. THREE PAGODAS PASS
8. ERAWAN WATERFALL
9. SRI NAKHARIN DAM


(by Jeed freelance tour guide)
http://www.riverkwaibridge.com/