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Kanchanaburi Province

Myanmar Soldiers, Ethnic Karen Forces Clash Near Thai Border
Kanchanaburi Province
KANCHANABURI, June 14 (Bernama) — The Myanmar government soldiers and ethnic Karen forces clashed in Phaya Tongsu town opposite Sangkhla Buri District of Thailand’s western Kanchanaburi Province Tuesday, injuring a Myanmar villager and causing damage to the market of Phaya Tongsu town.

Kanchanaburi in Thailand (Siam)

Introduction

Situated to the west of Thailand is Kanchanaburi, which is only 130 kilometres from the countries capital Bangkok.

The province has become a popular destinations for tourists and travellers alike due to its interesting history surrounding the the Death Railway and the ease of accessibility to interesting and unique attractions such as the Tiger Temple.

How to get there

There are no direct flights to Kanchanaburi due to no airport being present within the province, however due to the close proximity to Bangkok alternative methods of transport are readily available.

There are coaches that travel from Bangkok daily at 15 minute intervals and are an extremely comfortable way to travel as there are further options to take an air conditioned or non air conditioned coach. Travel time to Kanchanaburi is approximately 3 hours only, visitors wishing to travel this way will depart from the southern Bangkok bus terminal.

For those looking for an even cheaper way to travel the train service perfect. Departing from Thonburi Station, the total travel time to Kanchanaburi is 5 hours. There are no air conditioned cabins on this service as it is used by many locals, however this is a great way to travel for those on a budget and allows passengers take in the sights along the way.

Alternatively visitors can travel by taxi, this is the most expensive way but is also the quickest as it only takes 90 minutes. In Thailand it is very common to barter for the price you are willing to pay for a taxi. As a guide you should expect to pay between 2000 Baht to 3000 Baht for a taxi from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi.

History

Kanchanaburi has a mountainous border to neighbouring Burma that was formerly known as Myanmar. It is the Bilauktaung Mountains in specific that hold the fascinating history of the province as they provided a natural corridor to Burma, that is more famously known as Three Pagodas Pass.

It is believed that Buddhism was brought to Thailand in the 3rd century by Monks from India who made lengthy journeys to the country via Three Pagodas Pass.

In later years, around the 14th and the 18th century the corridor was used by the Burmese who on several occasions attempted to invade Thailand. This led to the King Rama I establishing Kanchanaburi as the first line of defence against the Burmese, due to the corridor being situated within the province.

During World War II, the Japanese had control over both Burma and Thailand subsequently they identified an alternative use for Three Pagodas Pass that would be of significant use to them and that would later play a huge part in the provinces history.

The Japanese headquarters in 1942 ordered its own army to create a supply route for a train that could handle 3000 tonnes of goods each day. The army was given 14 months to create a railway track that would include a bridge over the River Kwai stretching to lengths of just over 250 miles. The route would cut directly through the Three Pagodas Pass.

The railway was originally intended to be completed by August 1943, however the deadline was later changed to November 1943 given the magnitude of the task at hand.

In order for the project to begin the Japanese ordered Allied Prisoners and Prisoners of War (POW) to work on the project. Additionally labourers were hired from countries such as Malaysia, Burma and China to assist with the work.

Work first commenced on homes for the guards and then a building intended for cooking, finally huts were built to home the tens of thousands of workers. It was some time later that an additional building was to be built for the sole purpose of the sick.

In total the workers built three main camps, all buildings were constructed in the same order. Two camps were built in Thailand the first in Kanchanaburi and the second in Ban Pong. A third was built in Thanbyuzayat which is in Burma.

Due to the awful working conditions the workers were exposed to many become sick, however they were only allowed to stay in these buildings which had limited medical care for a short while before being summoned back to work. It was recorded that approximatively 80% of the workforce that the Japanese named the ‘well workers’ had actually contracted various illnesses such as Malaria and Cholera. Despite many of the workers being ill they were forced to continue to work.

As there were disturbing inconsistencies in the provision of nutritional and fresh food, many workers unfortunately died of malnutrition. The Thais were and are still known to be kind and respectful people and it was common for many to sneak food and medicine into the workers camps with some even giving money around the festive period. Additionally Monks would visit the camps and provide fresh cold water and fruit also.

Once the bridge and railway were completed there were 32,000 prisoners who were kept at the main and smaller camps, their duty was to maintain the roads and the railway. However, 1943 saw the beginning of several Allied bombings, this on many occasions destroyed sections of the road and bridge hence the workers needed to repair it. The bombing led to further deaths of workers, this was not helped by the fact that the Japanese would not allow them to try to protect themselves by making trenches. Instead the workers were only permitted to use their huts for protection, and considering they were mainly constructed from bamboo, they too were destroyed.

It was later recorded that approximately 16,000 prisoners and up to 100,000 labourers actually died during between 1943 and 1945 when the Japanese finally surrendered. This gave the railway the unfortunate nickname of ‘Death Railway’.

What to see

Visitors will find Kanchanaburi is full of interesting places to visit. For instance the Railway Museum provides a further insight into the bridges history. The museum is open everyday until early evening and admission is 80 Baht per person. Inside visitors can either take a guided tour or stroll around the museum exploring the many exhibits relating to the railway bridge. In addition to having traditional exhibits such as photographs which provide an insight into the history, the museum has introduced an interactive exhibition.

The War Museum and Art Gallery is situated very near to the railway bridge and costs only 40 bat to enter. Once inside visitors will find many items from World War II such as uniforms and weapons used by the Japanese army. There are also many photographs from this period enabling visitors to obtain a clear picture of what life was like around the area at this time. The museum is open until 6.30 pm every day and tours for groups can be arranged.

Dedicated to the Allied POW that lost their lives during the construction of the railway bridge over the River Kwai, is the JEATH War Museum. The word ‘JEATH’ is an acronym for the nationalities of those workers involved, for instance the Japanese, English, Australian, Thai and Dutch (Holland). The museum has been designed and built to re-create the huts that the workers built themselves and lived in.

Inside visitors will see first hand how cramped the huts were for the workers, and the bamboo bunks they had to sleep on. Additionally there are many photographs and drawings displayed on the walls of the huts that show further the conditions in which they lived in and their daily work activities. In a successful attempt to heighten the realistic atmosphere of the huts, POW that survived the ordeal have donated many items that can be found at the museum.

Entrance to the museum is 30 Baht, and is open to visitors until 6pm everyday.

Designed by Colin St Clair Oakes and situated within close proximity to the Kanchanaburi camp is the War Cemetery. There are over 6500 graves that have been divided into 10 separate plots for those that lost their lives. To the centre of the cemetery is a statue named the ‘Cross of Sacrifice’ and to the east of the entrance is ‘The Stone of Remembrance’.

Situated on the banks of Kwai Noi River is Ban Kao National Museum. It was a POW from Holland named Dr Hickderen who whilst working found a neolithic burial site, proving that the province of Kanchanaburi was a place where pre-historic men once lived. The museum homes many artefacts that were found over the years as a result of the discovery such as decorative and jewellery items made from animal bones, human skeletons and tools that had been contructed from gravel stone.

The museum is open until 4.30pm from Wednesday until Friday and costs 30 Baht to enter.

Those who are visiting from November 27th to December 8th, will arrive in time to experience the River Kwai Bridge Festival. Each year there is an elaborate sound and light show that is dedicated to those who lost their lives during the construction of the bridge and those that helped defend the country.

Tips

When travelling to Thailand it is useful to understand the basic dos and don’ts to prevent any embarrassment to yourself or the Thai people.

In Thailand the people have deep respect for their Royal Family. This is highly noticeable from the images, billboards and merchandise around the country. In movie theatres for instance prior to each movie starting a short clip dedicated to the King is played, it is custom for the audience to stand to their feet and remain silent whilst watching this clip. Any sign of dis-respect towards the King and the family will lead to trouble on the tourists part it, is not uncommon for tourists to be arrested and even in serious cases imprisoned.

Religion is a important aspect of Thai culture, therefore there are general rules that should be followed also. For instance there are many Buddhist Temples in Kanchanaburi such as Wat Ku Tao, when visiting any temple guests should ensure they are dressed appropriately. This means long trousers and a full t-shirt should be worn, those wearing shorts or swimwear will not be allowed to enter as it is deemed as a sign of disrespect. Additionally all shoes must be removed if entering a chapel, Buddha images or statues are usually kept here and are extremely sacred to the Thai and Buddhist people.

It is very common to see monk within the temple and even in surrounding areas. It is important to understand that females are forbidden to touch a monk, this even includes handing monks objects. If this is necessary it is advised to had to another male first who will then pass to the monk. Alternatively an item may be placed in a piece of cloth and the monk will accept it this way. Male visitors should note that it is impolite and not acceptable to shake a monks hand, instead placing the palms of ones hands together is called ‘Wai’. Most Thai people will greet this way too, however it is usually custom to ‘Wai’ elders first.

When travelling via public transport such as buses, it is wise to check that the seat one chooses to sit in is not intended for monks, as it is common to see specially designated seating for monks.

It is extremely frowned upon to touch the top of ones head, for instance patting a child on the head in the West may be a friendly expression, however Thais consider the head to be the temple of the body due to it being the highest part. The feet on the other hand or regarded as the lowest so pointing your feet to religious images or objects such as Buddha is a sign of disrespect.

Thai people do not like confrontation so it is unlikely to find them dealing with situations in an angered or loud manner. Instead they will smile in a bid to calm or resolve the situation.

Erawan Waterfall, Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand

www.TravelsWithSheila.com The seven level Erawan Waterfalls are located in a national park not far from the River Kwai and still in Kanchanaburi Province. It is Thailand’s 12th largest National Park and the waterfall is named after the Erawan, a mythological Hindu three-headed white elephant. Bring your bathing suit to swim in the lower level pools, watch out for very aggressive monkeys and come early before this tourist magnet (for both foreigners and Thais) becomes a big uphill traffic jam.
Kanchanaburi Province Video Rating: 4 / 5