Thread: Kanchanaburi March 2009

This is the view as you approach Thonburi station in Bangkok.

All the happy punters sweating there bolliks off.

The train from hell just after I arrived but it would be a good trip in the cool season.

Excellent town is Kanchanaburi, very easy to blow away a week exploring the town and outer ares.

Because today is Anzac day and very important to all the countries that fought in the war and in particular the prisoners of war that were brutalized by the Japs in kanchanaburi I'm going to stick with that theme for this thread. This is the museum where there are replicas of the railway and the conditions it was built under. My first time there and it was brilliant, informative and impressive.

This is the main cemetery in Kanchanaburi, bus loads of visitors arrive everyday and its a very moving experience to actually walk amongst these graves, I was surprised by my reaction. The Australian government pays for the upkeep and the Thais do an awesome job to keep it immaculate.

Even though buses arrive regularly many times one can be alone here.

This impressed me to see local Thai school children converging on this cemetery and being immersed in history. Many Thais assisted the prisoners in those dark days and I thought maybe some of these children had relatives who did just such.

The graves seem to go on forever.

And not so young, plenty of troops 45 + also lay here.

Outside the railway museum which sits opposite the cemetery. No photos allowed inside unfortunately.

The famous bridge over the river Kwai. A prisoner of war camp sat below this bridge.

I had never been to this cemetery before and the following pictures are a tribute to the Thai gardeners who tend this place.

Great Shots

May they all rest in Peace.......

The inscriptions are very emotional when standing in front of them, many people moved to tears.

When I was here the Thais where cleaning and relakering every name plate in the cemetery. Massive undertaking, I had a chat with these guys and they told me it was approximately a 2 year job. They have my upmost respect as there amount of care and dedication to this job was inspiring.

These are the two guys banging away at the plaques. Take into consideration its late march and stinking hot.

This guy is the cleaner.

This guys banging away at the lacquering.

There workshop.

The end result and work to be well proud of.