The
Birth of Kanchanaburi
A
relatively modern province, the origins of Kanchanaburi can
be traced back to the reign of King Rama I, who established
the area as a defence against the invading Burmese in the
late 18th century. The Thais and Burmese have a long history
of cross-border troubles and Three Pagodas Pass in Sangkhlaburi
district is still used today as a smuggling route!
Over
the next century, Thailand as a nation
became the economic power of S.E.Asia, due in large part to
the creation of small towns such as Kanchanaburi, complimenting
the established Kingdoms of Ayutthaya, Sukothai and of course
Bangkok.
The
Thai-Burma "Death Railway"
Whilst
Asia remained largely unaffected during World War I, the rise
of the Japanese empire during the 1940's plunged Thailand
into a period of history for which Kanchanaburi was to play
the central role.
Having
effectively occupied the Malay Peninsula, the Japanese Imperial
Army started construction of the infamous Thai-Burma "Death
Railway", which was needed to help carry supplies to
Japanese soldiers in Burma.
The
project was started in Ban Pong in neighbouring Ratchaburi
Province, branching off from the existing railway tracks and
heading through Kanchanaburi into Burma via Three Pagodas
Pass.
However,
the major stumbling block was to be how to cross over the
River Kwai, hence the decision to create the now famous bridge.
Over 100,000 POW's would ultimately lose their lives building
the railway, forced to work under horrific conditions with
many of them buried where they fell!
There
are monuments, museums and cemeteries all around the region
comemorating the events of 1942-1943 and the "Death Railway"
has become the iconic legacy of Kanchanaburi.
Even
Hollywood has got in on the act, with a couple of high profile
films telling the story. The highly inaccurate portrayal by
Alec Guinness and his chums in "The Bridge on the River
Kwai" as well as the more recent "To End All Wars"
which tells the story of a young POW forced to work along
the railway. The latter is far nearer the truth!
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