Thailand remains a popular tourist destination for travellers especially from Sri Lanka who are lured to particularly to Bangkok by its tantalising promises of cheap shopping, cuisine and arguably louche nightlife. It is not all about shopping or temples in Thailand, a country steeped in history. Thailand is also home to the famous Bridge on the River Kwai imortalised by David Lean’s film of the same name based on the eponymous French novel (1952) by Pierre Boulle which starred Sir Alec Guiness.

Although the film was shot in Sri Lanka the actual bridge is in Kanchanaburi by the Myanmar border, 130km away from Bangkok. During World War 2, Japan constructed the meter-gauge railway line from Ban Pong, Thailand to Thanbyusayat, Burma. The railway line passes through the scenic Three Pagodas Pass and runs for 250 miles. Also known as the Death Railway, the railway line was meant to transport cargo to India daily to back up their planned attack on India. The construction of the railway line was done using Prisoners of War and Asian slave labourers in deplorable conditions. The work started in October 1942 and was completed in one year at a huge cost of human lives which ran in to thousands. It is believed that one life was lost for each sleeper laid in the track.

Allied Forces bombed the iron bridge in 1944 and destroyed three sections. The present bridge has had two of its central spans rebuilt. The original parts of the bridge are now displayed in the War Museum a short walk away from the actual bridge.

The nearby Kanchanaburi War Cemetery has around 7000 Prisoners of War who sacrificed their lives in the construction of the railway while another 2000 are buried at the Chungkai cemetery, both open to visitors.

Now a tourist destination for those interested in history and to those who wish to escape Bangkok, The Bridge on the River Kwai is a perfect day out. The track is now developed in to a walkway with side platforms. This allows people to cross the railway bridge on foot. There are mini platforms built on the either side of the bridge which offer useful viewpoint and for avoiding the small tourist train wich runs back and forth across the bridge.

A short drive away from the Bridge is a train station called Tha Kilen which offers a train ride to Nam Tok and is one not to be missed. Experience a journey in to the past as the train moves along the infamous stretch of The Death Railway between Tha Kilen station and Tham Krasae Station. The stunning scenery on either side is in stark contrast to the atrocious conditions experienced by the Prisoners of War and labourers who lost their lives in the building of the railway. It is also ironic that the only POW’s who travelled on the train were perhaps the ones who had clung on to life long enough to be transported back out to their prison camps.

Many hotels offer day trips to visit the Bridge on the River Kwai coupled with visits to other tourist attractions nearby. You could also visit the area by yourself as regular buses ply the route from the Southern Bus Terminal in Bangkok. Check the internet for special tour packages too. The area is scenic and has much to offer so consider spending a couple of days exploring this peaceful area far away from the maddening crowds of Bangkok.

Text and pics by Tina Edward Gunawardhana