Bridge on the River Kwai
Trip Start
Nov 07, 2006
1
103
105
Trip End
Jul 22, 2007
Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Once arriving in the bus station we were offered a taxi to which we agreed take and it was parked just around the corner. When we got to it we were shocked to find it was a bicycle with a seat/cart for one attached to the back. Now this was fun getting 2 big rucksacks, 2 bags and 2 big people in the one seat! I think in the man regretted taking us in the end, it must have been so hard work for him to peddle us.
Kanchanaburi is a town in Western Thailand made famous by a bridge aka 'Bridge on the River Kwai'. It is estimated that 16000 prisoners of war died or were killed during the war by the Japanese making the death railway. The Japanese army forced the POWS to complete the 415km railway in 16 months and the aim was to secure a supply route from Asian countries to the west. It is also that that the 90 - 100,000 labourers from Thailand,
Myanamar, Malaysia and Indonesia also died during the construction in the area.
We visited one of the cemeteries (Kanchanaburi Allied War Cemetery) were British, Dutch and Australian POW's are buried. We also went to the Jeath (Japan, England, Australia/America, Thailand, Holland) Museum. Here they have recreated one of the bamboo atap-huts used to house Allied POW's. Inside they have lots of pictures and drawings and paintings made by the POWs. We also took a look around one of the newer museums which concentrates on the construction of the death railway itself. Finally we walked across the bridge. There were two bridges constructed during the war. One wood and one steel. The wood one has long gone.
Maybe because it was low season but there didn't appear to be a great deal of places to eat so we had to eat at the same place each night. Beer was pretty cheap and it was the cheapest in all the places we have been to in Thailand so that helped pass the night away.
Incidentally there aren't too many taxis around this area and the ones that are here are very expensive. If you come here be prepared to hire a moped or bring plenty of cash.
