Blogs from Kanchanaburi, Western Thailand, Thailand, Asia - page 59

Well here i was after a hectic couple of weeks travelling around some of the main attractions of Thailand. Most of the pics here are of the floating hotel on the River Kwai, which simply has to be the most magical places i've ever stayed, including palace type hotels in India . Anyway this little 2 day tour took in various spots, including (irritatingly) the usual chance to buy artefacts at the tour guides' favourite shops. I hate that!. Moan over, we first visited Hellfire Pass, part of the "Railway of Death" constructed by Allied POW's and anyone else the Japanese didnt like the look of. This included many many thousands of local people who for one reason or another upset the occupying forces, and is something not often documented, so i have. There is a ... read more

During the second World War, the Japanese army forced prisoners of war to build a railway between Thailand and Myanmar. The length of this railway was about 415km through very difficult terrain. It is estimated that about 16,000 POWs died while building the railway. The Bridge of River Kwai was bombed several times during the war. Nowadays the bridge is still used by trains. At the Jeath War Museum there are replicas of the bamboo-huts used to house POWs during the occupation. We also visited the Kanchanaburi Allied War Cemetery and took a ride on the train beside the River Kwai. Hellfire Pass is the name of the railway cutting accomplished with minimal equipment through rocks. The name comes from the fact that the torchlights used by the POW's, made look the place like a scene ... read more