Unforgotten Memories: Kanchanaburi & Bridge Over the River Kwai
Kanchanaburi is just under two hours north-west of Bangkok by taxi. It is here that the history of the ‘Death Railway’ crossing the Bridge over the River Kwai, which was constructed by prisoners of war during the Second World War, lives on.
The Scottish writer, Eric Lomax, who was a prisoner of war on the Death Railway writes in his book, The Railway Man, “It is impossible for others to help you come to terms with the past, if for you the past is a pile of wounded memories, and angry humiliations, and the future is just a nursery of revenge.”
But for all the time that has passed since those dark days of the Second World War, the memories of those fateful years have not been forgotten in Kanchanaburi.
Aerial view of Kanchanaburi and the Bridge over the River Kwai. Image: © Thanatip S.
We set out early on a warm Thursday morning from Bangkok. We intend to follow the trail of history to see the famous bridge that crosses the River Kwai. The only daily train from Thon Buri station leaves for Kanchanaburi at 7.50am. It is a slow train with third class seating and open-air windows and takes around two and half hours to reach Kanchanaburi.
As we are waiting for the taxi to arrive, the night manager of the hotel tells me I have the wrong station and that the train for Kanchanaburi does not leave from Thon Buri station, instead it leaves from the main station. I tell him I have done my research, I show him the information, but he is adamant, I am wrong, there is no train from that station; we need to be going to the main station. So, I am now totally confused and think that as he is a local, he must be right.
When the taxi arrives, we inform him we now need to go to the main station to catch the train which leaves at 8.30am. But as the clock ticks over to 8.30am we are still sitting in the taxi, gridlocked in an early morning traffic jam in the heart of Bangkok and our train has departed without us. So we renegotiate the day with the driver. He will take us on a round trip to Kanchanaburi and take us to the sites we want to see.
The Death Railway Museum and Research Centre. Image: © Vin Coffey
The highway is a much less scenic route to Kanchanaburi than the train would have been. We pass industries, road-side stalls, villages, and temples all fronting the main highway in an unending strip of daily life and busyness. However, the consolation for missing the train is the air-conditioned taxi and a safe driver.
We begin our day in Kanchanaburi at The Death Railway Museum and Research Centre, a privately owned historical museum and research facility. It offers an interactive, in-depth exploration of the history of the 415-kilometre railway track that was constructed by POWs and Asian labourers from Burma to Thailand during the Second World War.
Located over two floors, this very informative, well researched history is a sombre reminder of the fate the POWs suffered at the hands of the Japanese while building the railway. There are eight main galleries with extensive detail on the planning and construction of the railway, the living conditions, and the human cost of building the railway.
Inspecting graves at the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery. Image: © Vin Coffey
The characteristics of the railway are a not-to-be-missed exhibition in the museum. A scale model of the track has been well constructed with fibre optic lighting detailing the direction of the track through the valley of the River Kwai while also showing where the work camps were situated along the line.
Viewing this exhibit gives an excellent overview of just how long the railway was and how many men were working along the track. For those who are history buffs, this museum is a must.
Across the road from the museum is the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery where a large contingent of mostly Australian, British and Dutch POWs are buried. During the construction of the Burma-Siam railway many of those who died were buried in small or isolated plots along the line and were eventually transferred to other cemeteries, including Kanchanaburi.
A gardener maintaining graves at the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery. Image: © Vin Coffey
This site is very close to the former prisoner of war base camp, Kanburi, where most of the prisoners passed through on their way to other camps.
The entrance to the war graves is through an arched white stone portico which reveals an expanse of manicured land, meticulously maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Identical small headstones, interspersed with little shrubs and flowers are lined in rows with military precision across the site.
There are people wandering among the rows, reading the moving personal inscriptions which have been chosen by families to commemorate the lives of their precious sons. I reach a point of not being able to read anymore. I find it overwhelmingly sad to think of all those young and not so young lives lost.
The Bridge over the River Kwai from the northern side. Image: © Vin Coffey
As I sit in the portico, reflecting on what I have seen, a young Thai tour guide waiting for his clients who are also exploring the cemetery tells me that my reaction is felt by many people he brings to this cemetery.
And patiently waiting for us under a nearby tree outside the cemetery is our taxi driver ready to take us to the Bridge over the River Kwai, a short distance away. While there are many guided tours and accommodation packages available, we wanted to have the chance to experience the location without the pressure of time constraints, having to follow a tour guide and to be taken to sites we did not necessarily want to see. And the flexibility of our driver has allowed us to do that.
The classic 1957 British-American war film ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’ was based on the 1952 novel by Pierre Boulle ‘The Bridge over the River Kwai’. Although some liberties were taken in the storyline it is still a sobering portrayal of the brutality of life for POWs who were under the direction of the Japanese during the construction of the Burma-Thai Railway during the Second World War. So acclaimed was the movie that it won a string of awards including: 7 Academy Awards, 3 Golden Globes and 4 BAFTA awards.
The floating restaurants next to the Bridge over the River Kwai. Image: © Vin Coffey
Arriving at the Bridge has a completely different feel from the confronting information in the Death Museum and the sadness of the Allied cemetery. Today, the sun is shining, the river is calm and glass-like, and small trinket sellers and street food vendors are hoping to attract the tourist dollar.
As we walk onto the Bridge there are few tourists which allows us an opportunity to walk the length of the bridge without any disruptions. Partway along the bridge we stop to view the river. I am surprised at the width of the river as a couple of long boats glide silently by. It is a peaceful scene which is in direct contrast to the history of this area.
We make sure we are off the bridge before the daily train rumbles through, stopping to collect passengers. We head to one of the nearby restaurants, a floating pontoon on the banks of the river. From here, we get a window seat with an up close and uninterrupted view of the structure of the bridge as we take some time out to reflect on all that we have seen today.
Taking a rest at the small River Kwai railway station. Image: © Vin Coffey
Later, back at our hotel, the front-of-house staff are most apologetic as they acknowledge that yes, the train to Kanchanaburi does leave from Thon Buri station and the night manager had given us the wrong information. While we lost our chance to experience that journey, it did not diminish the experience of having a glimpse into history.
For those who want an authentic experience whilst staying in Thailand, the day trip by train from Bangkok – catching the morning train from Thon Buri to Kanchanaburi and the afternoon train back – costs only a couple of dollars and will give you access to an enjoyable ride through the Thai countryside.
If you wish to stay longer and further explore the area, there is a wide choice of accommodation along the river and in the area.
Header image: © PIAMSUK
