Visiting Kanchanaburi And Exploring The History of WWII
Last Updated: December 5 2020
Kanchanaburi wasn’t on our list when we got to Thailand, we hadn’t really heard of the place. We knew a little about the Thai-Burma railway but not about Kanchanaburi. It got to 3 weeks into our stay in Thailand and we knew we had to get back down to Bangkok in order to get our bus to Siem Reap. Our visa was running out so we only had a few extra days to stay somewhere before we headed to Bangkok. We were toying between one of Thailand’s many national parks or Kanchanaburi and we are so glad we picked to visit this amazing place. Visiting Kanchanaburi has to be on everybody’s list if they are travelling through Thailand.
How to get to Kanchanaburi?
We came from Chiang Mai and got an overnight sleeper bus which took about 12/13 hours. It wasn’t as spacious as the other overnight buses we have been on but you get what you pay for and it was comfortable enough. There is a train that goes to Kanchanaburi from Chiang Mai. There are also minibuses and trains to Kanchanaburi from Bangkok. We know you can also get to Kanchanaburi from Ayutthaya but we don’t know what the route is like or how long it takes.
The history of Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi is a town located around 130km from Bangkok. It is located on the River Kwai and has a horrific history of war crime. The Thai-Burma railway (also known as the death railway) runs through this town; it is where the famous bridge is located from the movie ‘Bridge On The River Kwai’.
The Japanese army wanted to build a railway from Thailand to Burma (now known as Myanmar) to take their men and supplies easily to Burma. They wanted it done quickly with the war escalating, so used their captured Prisoners of War and forced labourers to build the bridge. POW’s and the labourers were forced to work on building a 258 mile railway in awful conditions which led to a horrific death toll. Over 250,000 people were forced into labour to work on this railway. Without proper records it is hard to know how many people died due to this cruel event in history but it is estimated to be at least 99,000 people.
Where to visit in Kanchanaburi?
If you are visiting Kanchanaburi there are a few places you should visit to get the full experience. These include:
- The Railway Bridge – The bridge is probably the most popular place here. Even so if you get there early around 7/8am there is hardly anyone around. We got there at around 7am and we saw the train come over the bridge which was quite an experience!
- The Kanchanaburi War Cemetery – This cemetery is the main prisoner of war cemetery for the victims of the Thai–Burma railway. It is such a sad experience. We were walking through the cemetery and the ages of the POW’s were so young! We are 21 and 22, and there were so many individuals the same age or younger and we just couldn’t get our head around it! The contrast in our lives today as 21 year olds and what they went through is impossible to comprehend.
- JEATH War museum – JEATH stands for the countries involved in the death railway construction; Japan, England, America, Australia, Thailand and Holland. This museum has numerous displays including photographs, war helmets and a lot more. There are viewpoints within the museum where you can get an amazing view of the bridge. The admission fee is 40 baht each.
- Thailand – Burma railway museum – We came away from this incredible place with so much knowledge about WWII and the horrific acts that happened here. Places like this really open your eyes and leave you in awe. They also make for a very sad and sombre experience! The admission fee is 150 baht each and it is so worth it; you really start to understand the experiences of the POW’s and the details of this railway.
Where to stay in Kanchanaburi?
We stayed in a lovely little place called T&T hostel which was located right on the river Kwai; about a 20 minute walk from the railway bridge and one of the war museums. It is also close proximity to the war cemetery and the Thai-Burma Railway museum. We had a little room that actually floated on the river. It was a lovely experience and super cheap too! We only paid £15 for two nights, so is the perfect place to stay when visiting Kanchanaburi.
Thank you so much for reading this blog post. We really hope this helps you to plan your Thailand adventure. If you are travelling on a budget, why not read our “Top 10 budgeting tips for Thailand” post here.
P.S If you want more travel tips make sure you check out our pinterest at:
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/acouplescalling/
Thank you,
Jack & Abbie.
I’m one half of Acouplescalling. I'm passionate about all things travel and photography and I love sharing my experiences with others. I've seen a lot of the world already and I want to help as many people as I can do the same thing!
