Tourists travel in Thailand along the "road of death. Thai Burmese Railway Death Road World War II
22.10.2018
130 km from Bangkok (the capital of Thailand) is located provincial town Kanchanaburi.
Tourists from all over the world come here to see the famous "Road of Death" - the railway between Thailand and Burma.
The classic version of the tour includes: a military cemetery, a war museum, a trip along the "Bridge of Death". Lasts 1 day, approximately from 7 am to 6 pm.
If you have enough time, you can enrich the tour with other attractions. For example, on the first day, visit the Death Road, the War Museum and the Hell Fire Pass Museum, on the second day - the floating market, the Temple of the Tigers, on the third - Yerevan Park, the village of elephants. With such a schedule, it will be convenient to live in Kachanaburi.
Those who like comfort and stability will, of course, choose an excursion through a travel agency. It is convenient because everything goes according to schedule and not a “step to the right, a step to the left”. If you want to truly feel the flavor, enjoy it to your heart's content beautiful scenery, taste untouched nature, plunge into history without haste, then it is better to take a map (guide with the main stops), a taxi or a rental car and explore the area yourself.
You can get there by bus (2-3.5 hours) with or without air conditioning and amenities (cheaper). Departure from the South Bus Station every 20 minutes. Or by train (3-3.5 hours), but this is not the same. In any case, the tour will be interesting and useful.
In 2 hours, the car will take you from Bangkok to the military cemetery (Kanchanaburi War Cemetry), where almost 7 yew are buried. prisoners of war from Austria, Holland, Great Britain.
Next - the Museum of War, or literally JEATH War Museum. The first word of the name is composed of the first letters of the list of countries that participated in the construction of the bridge across the River Kwai. These are Japan (Japan), England (England), Australia (Australia), Thailand (Thailand), Holland (Holland).
In the museum you can see photographs, weapons, testimonies of the surviving builders of the unfortunate bridge and much more from those times. There is also a souvenir shop with lots of beautiful trinkets.
The Bridge of Death is the most famous section of the Thai-Burmese railway. The reinforced concrete bridge originally crossed a river called Maeklong. But after the successful release on the big screen of the film "The Bridge on the River Kwai" (1957r), the Thai authorities gave her a name that tourists still hear about - the Kwai River. During the war, the bridge was bombed 2 times and rebuilt 2 times.
The next stop on our tour is the "Road of Death", with a length of more than 240 thousand crippled destinies, more than 100 thousand. killed by inhuman working conditions, hard labor and constant bullying.
At such a price, the Japanese authorities during the Second World War shortened the path from Burma to Thailand to supply their troops with everything they needed. But the British authorities in Burma also considered such construction. But the dense impenetrable jungle, a large number of rivers, rocks and mountains made this task impossible.
Japan retook Burma from Britain. There is a sea route from Thailand to Burma, but it is very unreliable. It was often attacked, many submarines and ships were required. Therefore, the Japanese authorities decided to build a bypass shortcut at any cost. For a little over a year, convicts and prisoners built 415 km of railway track through thickets and stones, through torment, illness and death.
To date, 130 km of the road have been reconstructed, the rest is in the plans. And Japan's actions are recognized as a war crime. A ride on the Death Road train serves as a reminder of the resilience and courage of the builders, of the terrible consequences of World War II.
You can also visit the museum and the Hell Fire Pass. This 4km section of the Death Road passes through a hole in the rock of HellFire Pass to the border with Burma. When it was built, almost 700 people died. Nearby, in the Hell Passage, there is a museum and an Australian memorial (in memory of the dead builders).
On the river Kwai, many tourists raft in vests for about 2 km along the stream. In this case, you do not need to do anything, the river itself will carry you.
Damnon Saduak floating market is located 100 km from Bangkok. From the very morning, merchants from different neighborhoods come here in narrow boats. They sell fruits, souvenirs, flowers, seafood, fashionable clothes, etc.
To appreciate the beauty and unusualness of the market, the variety of goods, the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the merchants, it is better to rent a boat for half a day. So you can enjoy Thai life, capture moments and treat yourself to dishes national cuisine cooked on a boat. And 4 hours will fly by.
The rest of the day can be spent at the Temple of the Tigers. It works until 16.30. The bus will take you here in half an hour from Kanchanaburi (40 km). Founded in 1994, the temple has become a haven for many tiger cubs, as well as a couple of wild boars, horses, water bulls and other exotic animals of the local jungle.
During the day, they do not sit in enclosures, but roam freely, eating from the hands of tourists. For a fee, you will be taken closer to the tigers and given the opportunity to take pictures together. Many visitors believe that the monks are very overpriced. But it's up to you to decide whether or not to support the temple and the animals living in it.
On the third day of the tour, you can pay attention to the Elephant Village and Yerevan National Park with its amazing waterfalls. This system of waterfalls is conditionally divided into 7 levels: the first level is the lowest in height, and then, gradually, you need to climb up and go through all the rapids.
The water here is saturated with calcium, so it takes on unusual shapes and has a beautiful turquoise color. In many places, lakes and baths are formed in which you can swim or lie down, enjoying the panorama of the jungle. And a lot of small fish will peel your legs (they gnaw on keratinized and dead skin). Feelings are fantastic. If you come to Kanchanaburi, be sure to visit Yerevan Park.
The next stop is the elephant village. Here you can watch the show of elephants, take pictures with them or feed bananas, as well as ride elephants in the jungle for an additional fee. Only the elephant rides, it's safer that way.
For such a rather big excursion, you need to take a little: cameras / camcorders, swimwear / swimming trunks, change of underwear, a light hat, beach slippers, a warm sweater and towel, soap, toothpaste and a brush if you are planning an excursion for more than one day. Clothing should be made from natural fabrics (cotton, for example).
Your guide will be very helpful. One of the best guides in the world - Lonely Planet guides. Its cost is rather big. The information provided in it (routes around the country, description, schedule of robots, entrance fees to museums, galleries, castles, hotel rooms and meals) is worth it. It will save you time, money and effort. And, of course, don't forget to grab a good mood!
Tourists who come to Kachanaburi must be vaccinated against hepatitis A and hepatitis B because of the risk of contracting encephalitis and malaria. In the floating market, it is impossible to deny yourself the purchase of fresh fruits, but they must be thoroughly washed before consumption.
It is also not advisable to get carried away with the various exotic drinks themselves, of which there are a large number. This may not be within your body's power. If you want to try local spirits, the best way to do this is to buy a beer. It is pleasant enough to taste and will not cause a violent reaction in your body. Stroking, caressing local cats, dogs is undesirable. Lots of fleas.
There is a myth that Thailand is a very cheap country. Everything is relative. For example, a taxi from Bangkok to Kachanaburi will cost around $100. Bus and train will be cheaper. Car rental from $30 per day, moped - from $5. Gasoline - about $ 1 per liter. The price of a hotel room ranges from $20 to $200. You can have lunch in a cafe for $3-5. There is no way to go to the floating market without a boat. It's another $3/hour.
The cost of products and souvenirs in different sellers of the market may differ significantly. Souvenirs, very popular among tourists, are made by the hands of Thais, as well as gold, silver items with semi-precious and precious stones. In museums, someone uses a guide with a detailed description of the sights, and someone is more comfortable with a guide (such services start at $ 30).
Taxi from Kachanaburi to Tiger Temple costs about $20. Entrance fee - 15. If you take an excursion to Kachanaburi there, local travel agencies will ask from $ 100. bus to national park Yerevan - $ 2, taxi - 30, entrance - $ 6.5. Walking in the jungle on elephants - $ 13.5 per person.
Sightseeing tours in agencies in Kanchanaburi are quite expensive and include 4-5 excursions per day. To enjoy and remember well, you need at least 3 days. The bridge over the River Kwai must be seen separately from the Temple of the Tigers or the exotic Yerevan waterfall.
If possible, it is better to take a tour for a few days or explore the area yourself. Almost anywhere can be reached by local buses. There are no problems with accommodation and meals in Kachanaburi. There are many hotels with different levels of amenities and prices, many cafes, bars, restaurants.
The sights of the city and the surrounding area are very interesting and informative. The most popular among tourists is the Death Road tour, in which the history and richness of nature, culture and pain of Europe and Asia are intertwined.
The Death Railway is Railway, 415 km long, built by Japan during World War II. The purpose of the construction was to connect Bangkok and Rangoon (Burma). The road got its name because of the use of hard labor and work in the most difficult conditions, under which death was an inevitable companion.
For the construction of the railway, the labor of about 60,000 prisoners of war was used, as well as about 200,000 prisoners and forced laborers who were forced to work in inhuman conditions to meet construction deadlines.
Over 16,000 prisoners of war and about 90,000 prisoners and forced laborers died from exhaustion, starvation, disease, and torture during the construction of the railroad.
In 1942, the Japanese entered Burma (Myanmar) from Thailand, which was then a British colony. The only place for army supplies for the occupying army was the port of Rangoon, but American forces attacked the Japanese supply ships and inflicted heavy damage on them. Therefore, it was decided to connect Bangkok and Rangoon by rail. In June 1942, the Japanese began the construction of the Thai-Burma Railway, which in the post-war period received a different name - the "Death Road". 
The Japanese plan was to connect Ban Pong in Ratchaburi Province of Thailand with the city of Thanbyuzayat in Burma. Work began simultaneously on both sides of the line at the end of June 1942 and, in October 1943, construction teams met in the Three Pagodas area (now there is a border crossing).
More than 60,000 prisoners of war (most of whom were Australians, Dutch and British) and more than 200,000 prisoners and forced laborers from neighboring countries. Most of the work was done by hand, and the conditions were inhuman - starvation, disease, exhaustion, torture, resulting in the death of more than 100,000 people during construction.
In Kanchanaburi there are various memorial complexes dedicated to what happened here during World War II - cemeteries, museums, a bridge on the River Kwai, a segment of Hellfire Pass - I will talk about them in other articles on my site.
Bridge over the River Kwai. I am often asked if it is part of the Death Road, the answer to this question is yes, the bridge is only one of the segments of this famous railway. In general terms, everything related to the Bridge of Kwai is one large salad, well cut and chaotically seasoned. It's a bit of history, a pinch of literary imagination, a teaspoon of tourist passion for new, unexplored places, all on a platter of Thai creative enterprise. Therefore, there was a bridge, even a river is present, but a little bit of the wrong bridge and not quite the same river. All historical 
facts and all the stories, some of them, of course, entertaining - in the article "The Bridge on the River Kwai".
Railway line today. After the war, the condition of the road was very bad and
unusable. In the 50s, sections of the route were restored - first from the city of Kanchanaburi to Nong Pladuk (Rathburi province), and then to the city of Wang Po. Later, the canvas was restored to the town of Nam Tok, not far from the Sai Yok Noi waterfalls.
I consider the train ride to Kanchanaburi to be one of the area's most spectacular and unique attractions. Therefore, don't miss it!
The train ride from Kanchanaburi to the north passes through gorgeous natural areas and along the river, so just hop on the train and relax - you will see the scenery that is simply breathtaking.
Ride between railway station Kanchanaburi city and the final station in Nam Tok city is about two hours (one way), so the journey will take at least about 4 hours.
The current version of the page has not yet been reviewed by experienced members and may differ significantly from the one reviewed on December 15, 2017; checks are required.
Thai Burmese Railway, also known as Death Road- the railway between Bangkok (Thailand) and Rangoon (Burma), built by Imperial Japan during World War II. The length of the road was 415 kilometers (of which almost 13 km (8 miles) were bridges). The road was used to supply Japanese troops in the "Burmese Campaign".
The possibility of building a railway line between Thailand and Burma was considered in the 20th century by the British government of Burma, but the proposed direction of the road, through rolling jungle with many rivers, was considered an impossible task. In 1942, Japanese troops invaded Burma from Thailand and recaptured it from Britain. To supply their troops in Burma, the Japanese used the sea route through the Strait of Malacca and the Andaman Sea. This route was constantly attacked by Allied submarines and required a large number of transport ships. The obvious alternative was the construction of the railway. It began almost simultaneously on both sides in June 1942. On October 17, 1943, both lines merged. But by that time the situation at the front began to change in favor of the allies, and the need for the road disappeared, as the Japanese began to retreat from Southeast Asia.
The most famous part of the road is the Number 277 Bridge over the Khweiai River. Initially, the river was called Makhlong, but the success of the film “Bridge over the River Kwai” (based on the novel of the same name by Pierre Boulle) released in 1957 prompted the Thai authorities to rename the river in 1960 above the confluence of the tributary Khuenoi (“small tributary”) to Khweyai (“large inflow").
The first wooden bridge over this river was completed in February 1943, the reinforced concrete bridge was completed in June. Allied aviation tried several times to destroy this bridge, but only on April 2, 1945, bridge 277 was bombed. After the end of the war, the two center sections were rebuilt in Japan and given to Thailand under reparations.
As a result of hostilities, the road was brought into disrepair, and there was no traffic along it for a long time. The reconstruction took place in three stages and ended on July 1, 1958. Only part of the road (130 km) located in Thailand has been restored and is still in use. Most of the line has been dismantled, and the rails have been used in the construction of other railway facilities. Mostly tourists travel here, as well as relatives and descendants of the dead prisoners.
The northern sections of the road passing through the territory of Burma (now Myanmar) were deliberately not restored due to fear of an armed attack from Maoist China. Today they are swallowed up by the jungle. In the 1990s, there were plans for a complete reconstruction of the railway, but so far they have not materialized.
Hard labor was used in the construction of the road. Working and living conditions were terrible. About 180 thousand Asian convicts and 60 thousand prisoners of war of the anti-Hitler coalition built the Road of Death. During construction, about 90,000 Asian convicts and 16,000 prisoners of war died of starvation, disease, and ill-treatment. Among the dead prisoners of war, there were: 6318 British, 2815 Australians, 2490 Dutch, 356 Americans and several located in the city of Kanchanaburi, where 6982 prisoners of war are buried.
Several museums tell of those who lost their lives building the railroad. The largest of them is located in the Hellfire Pass - the place where many builders died. There is also an Australian memorial here.
There is a plaque on the bridge over the Khweiai River in memory of the victims of Japanese crimes.
Thailand- the country of "Smiles", which is associated mainly with snow-white beaches, an abundance of fruits and peaceful tranquility. Tourists visiting this paradise, often do not even know about the sad chapters of Siamese history.
One of the leading tourist destinations in Thailand is a trip to the river Kwai in Kanchanaburi province. People from all over the world come here for unforgettable experience from elephant riding, river rafting, swimming in waterfalls and wildlife. But only the British, Australians, Americans and the Netherlands come here not for entertainment, but to bow and pay tribute to the memory of thousands of dead fellow citizens.
In the city of Kanchanaburi, there is a cemetery where 6982 prisoners of war soldiers who took part in the construction of the legendary "Death Road" are buried. The creation of which was started during the Second World War under the leadership of the Japanese Empire, which captured Burma (controlled by Great Britain) in 1942. Japan, allied with Thailand, made the unprecedented decision to build a railroad track that was supposed to connect Bangkok (Thailand) and Rangoon (Burma, now Myanmar) to supply its large army. An attempt to create such a structure was already considered by the British government, but due to the complexity of the terrain (the road had to pass through the jungle and cross a large number of rivers and hills) and technical execution, it was rejected. The Japanese were forced to start building the railway, as sea routes through the Andaman Sea were not reliable and were constantly subjected to enemy military attacks.
The construction of the railway, which began in June 1942, was completed on October 17, 1943. Contrary to the British Government's five-year expectations, the road was commissioned just 17 months after the first sleeper was laid. The length of the railway track was 415 km, of which about 13 km were occupied by bridges. During the construction period, more than one hundred thousand convicts and prisoners of war died (including: 6318 British, 2815 Australians, 2490 Dutch, 356 Americans). The construction of the railway connecting Thailand and Burma was recognized as a war crime and went down in history as one of the most tragic stages of the Burmese Company. The apogee of construction is the construction of bridge No. 277 across the River Kwai, described by Pierre Boulle in the novel "The Bridge on the River Kwai" and received wide publicity around the world in 1957 after the release of the film of the same name.
During the war years, the road was subjected to massive bombardments and was completely destroyed. Restore the road, according to the results of the war, was attributed to Japan. The final reconstruction was completed in 1958. Currently, about 130 km of the legendary path are recognized as operating, five of which, including Bridge No. 277 across the River Kwai, serve historical and tourist purposes. Every year at the end of November, Thailand hosts a week-long festival dedicated to the "Bridge on the River Kwai", which includes various exhibitions and musical shows. The culmination, according to tradition, is a grandiose reconstruction of the bombardment of the bridge.
There are several ways to get to the Death Road. The easiest way to get from Pattaya is to buy a ready-made tour to the River Kwai, which includes a visit to Bridge No. 277. But, the disadvantages of such a trip are limited time. You can also get to your destination from Bangkok by car, taxi (approximately 3,000 baht from Bangkok) or bus (approximately 100 baht). Buses to Kanchanaburi depart from the South and North terminals of Bangkok with an interval of 15 minutes. Another option is the train. You can buy a ticket (about 100 baht) at the Thonburi Train Station in Bangkok. Minus - the carriage of the 3rd class, the lack of air conditioning and wooden seats. Plus - incredible views of the nature of Thailand.
Tourists from all over the world come to Thailand these days. But not everyone is attracted to world-famous resorts. Relatives of thousands of soldiers who died in Thailand during World War II want to see a forgotten jungle prison.
With the hands of prisoners of war, the Japanese built a railway crossing here. The Bridge on the River Kwai was made famous throughout the world by the eponymous film directed by Lyn David. About the "road of death" reportage NTV Special Correspondent Airat Shavaliyev.
Once every half an hour, the seats heated in the sun are occupied by tourists, and the old steam locomotive starts moving. The driver can lead his composition and with eyes closed For 30 years he crosses this river. Around the usual tropical paradise, below sail boats, elephants graze. But the tourists of the old train are reserved and sad. They come here not to rejoice, but to mourn.
Somkiart Chamnankul, train driver: “My mother told me that on this shore there was a camp for prisoners of war who, under the protection of the Japanese, were building a bridge. So many people died here."
The original piers of the bridge have been preserved. The British, Australians, Americans and Dutch, even in captivity, built to last. Prisoners of war to the west of Thailand began to be taken in 1942, when the Japanese needed a railway from Bangkok to Burma.
The whole world learned about the construction after the war thanks to the film "The Bridge on the River Kwai". The march of prisoners of war from this picture is still required to be performed at parades.
Even the war memorial in Thailand consists of frivolous bungalows. One thatched structure is genuine, the camp guard's watchtower. The curator of the museum is more suitable for the role of an exhibit she saw with her own eyes how the death railway was being built. Shows a photo of the doctor who saved her life, then a ten-year-old girl.
Exhausting labor, heat and tropical diseases daily killed people at the construction site. They didn't even have time to bury them. 16,000 prisoners of war and 100,000 local workers died.
The museum does not remain without visitors. A lot of Europeans, Australians, Americans come. There are both Japanese and Germans here.
What would you earn locals if not for the legacy of the war? The Kwai River is the only tourist "attraction" in this part of Thailand. On one side of the river there is a museum, on the other side there is a military cemetery.
Dozens of Thais take care of the graves, trying to stop the violence of the local nature. Cemetery a corner of Europe in the middle rainforest. Modest tombstones go into the distance prisoners of war were reburied after the war.
The Book of Memory contains dozens of reviews. The British and Australians thank for the attention to the graves. Actually, mourning death is not in the tradition of Buddhists, but Thais respect someone else's grief. Besides, $15 for the crossing is not superfluous money.
