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Sep 05th
     
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Kanchanaburi attractions

Bridge Over the River Kwai (Death Bridge)

Bridge Over the River Kwai (Death Bridge)

Address: Kanchanaburi

Directions: Near the center of the city Kanchanaburi

Opening Hours: Daily

Admission Fee: Free

Phone: none

Information:

The bridge over the Kwai River is famously known as the ‘Death Bridge’. The construction of the bridge started during the World War II in September 1942, although the original plan was ready long before in 1939 by the Japanese.

The intention of building this was to provide a steady supply line capable of delivering around 3000 tons of supplies to the troops fighting in Burma.

The engineers estimated that it would take around 5 years to complete the 257 miles track as the terrain was harsh and the
weather conditions were treacherous.

Moreover, the most strenuous section of the track was the one which ran through Thailand and it required high
altitude bridges and cuttings through deep mountains.

To cut the time, however, over 61000 allied prisoners were made to work in inhumane conditions out of which 16000 died from diseases like beri beri, cholera, malaria, typhoid and others.

Another 200000 Asian labors, mostly Thai were forced to work and over 80000 met with death. Thus the bridges got the name ‘Death Bridge’ as a reminder of the atrocities.

Even with all these sacrifices, the railway operated just for twenty-one months and was soon crippled by the Allied troops and weapons. Only the eighty-mile stretch from Nong Pladuk to Tha Sao is still in operation daily.

Chong Kai War Cemetery

Chong Kai War CemeteryAddress: 2 km south of the town

Directions: about 2 km south of town on the bank of the Kwai Noi River, the cemetery can be reached by boats, available at the pier in front of the town gate and also from the bridge 

Opening Hours: Daily

Admission Fee: Free

Phone: unknown

Information:

The second War Cemetery is about 2 km south of town on the bank of the Kwai Noi River and occupies the former Conk-Kai Prisoner of War Camp. This cemetery is more peaceful, attractively landscaped and contains 1,740 remains (by countries: 1,379 British, 313 Netherlands, 42 Malayan and 6 Indian). It was the site of a base camp, a hospital and a church built by the prisoners themselves. The great majority of 1,740 casualties buried in this war cemetery, which is the original burial ground started by the prisoners, are men who died in the hospital nearby.

Kanchanaburi Monkey School

Kanchanaburi Monkey SchoolAddress: unknown

Directions: It is located on the way to Khao Pun Cave.

Opening Hours: Daily from 10.00 am - 4.30 pm

Admission Fee: 200 Thb.

Phone: unknown

Information:

The Kanchanaburi Monkey School trains rescued monkeys and gibbons to harvest coconuts and play games.

Kanchanaburi War Cemetery (Don-Rak War Cemetery)

Kanchanaburi War Cemetery (Don-Rak War Cemetery)

Address: along Saeng Chuto Road Kanchanaburi

Directions: The Kanchanaburi War Cemetery situated in the North-Western part of the town along Saeng Chuto Road. A Commission signpost faces the cemetery on the opposite side of the road.

Opening Hours: Daily

Admission Fee: Free

Phone:  unknown

Information:

Kanchanaburi War Cemetery is only a short distance from the site of the former 'Kanburi', the prisoner of war base camp through which most of the prisoners passed on their way to other camps. It was created by the Army Graves Service who transferred to it graves along the southern half of railway, from Bangkok to Nieke. More than 5,000 Commonwealth and 1,800 Dutch casualties are buried or commemorated in the cemetery. The cemetery was designed by Colin St Clair Oakes.

The Kanchanaburi Memorial is located in Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, which is situated in the North-Western part of the town along Saeng Chuto Road. A Commission signpost faces the cemetery on the opposite side of the road.

The cemetery and memorial registers are kept in the cemetery service area and must be requested from one of the gardeners. The location or design of this site, makes wheelchair access impossible.