The Thailand-Burma Railway Centre

The Thailand- Burma Railway Centre is an interactive museum, information and research facility dedicated to presenting the history of the Thailand-Burma Railway. This ran 415 km from Ban Pong in Thailand to Thanbuyuzayat in Burma, and was built by the Imperial Japanese Army during the second World War using Allied prisoners of war and impressed Asian labourers. The Centre is fully air- conditioned and offers the visitor an educational and moving experience.

Opening Times The Centre is open every day from 9:00am to 5:00pm, subject to official Thai closure regulations. Admission Fees Admission Fees are B100 for adults and B50 for children aged 7~12 years.

Location Kanchanaburi is 128 km west of Bangkok. The city is served by excellent road and rail links from Bangkok. Travel time from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi is about hours. The Centre is on the western side of the main Kanchanaburi War Cemetery. The cemetery is located on the left of the main street (Sanggchuto Road), 1km from the city centre. The cemetery is known in the Thai language as "Pa- cha Angrit".

THEM MISSION The Centre has been established to interpret - in a fair, balanced and non-partisan way - the story of the Thailand-Burma Railway, and to explain the significance of the two military cemeteries in Kanchanaburi. They aim to provide a resource for tourists to Kanchanaburi, designed and maintained to the highest international standards. They are mindful of them responsibility to the local community and contribute to the local community by undertaking educational projects and other charitable works. Part of the Centre's income also goes towards funding for the development of the database of Allied prisoners of war who died in the Asia-Pacific region during the Second World War, and to conduct further research into the geography of the railway.

The idea of building a permanent rail link between Burma through Thailand to China was first raised in the 1880's by the British colonial authorities in Burma. The route considered was between Phitsanoluk in northern Thailand (then the Kingdom of Siam) and Moulmein in Burma. However no investment was forthcoming and the idea was shelved. As early as 1939, Japanese agents in Thailand were preparing the ground for the construction of the railway, once Japanese forces had taken control of South-East Asia. The railway was intended purely as a strategic military supply line for the movement of troops and equipment to the Burma Front, and ultimately for the invasion of India. A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE THAILAND- BURMA RAILWAY

The Japanese had originally intended to use an Asian workforce to construct the railway, and indeed most of the railway labourers were from Burma, Java and Malaya - some 240,000 seems to be the most reliable estimate. However with the fall of Malaya, Singapore and Indonesia (then the Netherlands East Indies) in 1942, the occupying forces found themselves with a large number of prisoners of war, an event they had not planned for. What to do with these prisoners was a vexed question for the Japanese military administration for the first few weeks of their rule. It was then decided that these men - skilled, disciplined military personnel - were to be used to further the Japanese war effort.

Gradually the PoWs were grouped into 'Forces' and sent to work on various projects. Some went to Japan to work in mines and construction gangs, others to Saigon to do dock work, and still others to various parts of the newly created 'Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere'. The first group of PoWs who were ultimately to work on the railway, were those of 'A Force'. These 3,000 men were sent by ship to from Singapore to various places in Burma to work on airfield construction. Later in 1942 these isolated groups were concentrated at Thanbyuzayat to begin work on the Burma end of the railway. Construction began in June 1942, under the direction of the Imperial Japanese Army's 5th and 9th Railway Regiments. Gradually more forces were sent to Burma and Thailand; in total more than 60,000 prisoners of war were transported to the railway project during

At the same time the 'Sweat Army' of labourers from Burma, ostensibly volunteers but many conscripted by the puppet Burmese government, toiled on the construction work. Conditions in Malaya after the capitulation of the Allies caused the collapse of agricultural production, forcing many undernourished Malayan plantation workers - mostly of Tamil extraction - to volunteer for work on the railway, the terms being "A dollar and a pound of rice per day". Many went purely for the rice. The 415km line linking the Thai and Burmese railway systems was constructed simultaneously from both ends, Thanbyuzyat in Burma and Nong Pladuk in Thailand. The appalling conditions for those working on the railway are well documented elsewhere. The numbers of deaths speak for themselves. Disease (particularly dysentery, malaria, beriberi and savage cholera epidemics), starvation rations, overwork, poor or no accommodation or sanitation, and the individual brutality of Japanese and Korean engineers and guards, took their inevitable toll.

Over 13,000 prisoners of war perished during the period between late 1942 and late The numbers of deaths of the Asian labourers is harder to calculate; around 100,000 seems to be the most reliable figure. During the infamous 'speedo' period, July to October 1943, the desperation of the Japanese engineers to finish construction on time, under severe pressure from their superiors in Tokyo, meant that many men were forced to do grinding manual labour around the clock - 62 hours work out of 72 hours appears to be the record. Rest days were rare. This, combined with the first outbreak of cholera, caused the death toll to reach its peak during this time. The Thai and Burmese sections of line were joined near Konkoita in October Actual construction took a mere sixteen months - some would say a remarkable engineering feat. After the line was completed all of the PoWs were transferred from remote jungle camps to base camps and hospitals. Some, after recovery, formed new work parties destined for Japan, others returned to Singapore. A large number of PoWs remained in the Thailand base camps until the end of the war.

The majority of the Asian labourers remained in the jungle camps to operate the railway under Japanese command, and to undertake maintenance work on the line. From time to time PoW work parties were taken back onto the line to carry out maintenance work and cut wood fuel for the locomotives. This work became crucial to the Japanese; the situation on the Burma Front was becoming critical for them and their vulnerability in the waters of the South China Sea meant that the railway was a vital supply route that had, at all costs, to remain operational. An average of six trains per day operated for the life of the line, well below original Japanese expectations but still a major contribution to their strength on the Burmese Fron

The railway continued to operate, with some interruptions, until the final victory of Allied forces in August Slowly the prisoners of war and Asian labourers were rehabilitated and returned home. Some former PoW's remained in Thailand and Burma to recover their comrades from remote maintenance camps, and to work on grave recovery parties. The railway then fell into disuse through lack of maintenance, and in 1947 the line and rolling stock were sold to the Thai Government. The money being used for war reparations and to compensate those countries who lost rail stock to the Japanese. By 1957 the Thai government re- opened the section of line from Nong Pladuk to Nam Tok (known during wartime as Tha Sao), and this part of the railway still operates today. Much of the abandoned section has now been reclaimed by the jungle, but embankments, cuttings and bridge sites can still be found.

CENTRE FACILITIES MUSEUM The Museum area tells the story of the Thailand-Burma Railway in a respectful, factual and non-partisan way by using state-of the art display techniques. There are eight main galleries. Introduction / Timeline The visitor enters the museum area under a wooden bridge mockup constructed using exactly the same techniques used to build the bridges on the railway. Gallery panels describe the Japanese invasion of Southeast Asia and the capture of prisoners. A lightbox displays the dispersal of Allied prisoners after capture. Further panels discuss the planning of the route. The visitor then passes through a mockup of one of the "rice wagon" railway boxcars used to transport prisoners from Singapore and Malaya to Thailand. An electronic route map, using fibre optic lighting to display the actual routes taken, is located in the boxcar.

Planning, Construction And Logistics This gallery details the techniques used by the Japanese engineers to plan, design, and build the railway. Gallery panels compare the resourcefulness of the Japanese engineers with the actual hard labour methods of construction. Particular attention is drawn to the fact that the railway was constructed using manual labour - very little heavy equipment was used. The gallery contains actual relics of construction tools used, recovered from the route of the railway in the late 1990's.

The Geography Of The Railway The Geography gallery is almost entirely visual in content. A video display shows footage of areas of the railway line. One of the museum's major features, the 9 metre long 1:50,000 scale contour model, is situated here. This model uses fibre optic track lighting to show the route of the railway through the River Kwae valley. User-controlled LED lights pinpoint the confirmed locations of all of the work camps along the railway. Graphic panels show wartime and present day images of the line. A trestle bridge model, track and bridge relics complete the display.

Living Conditions Five panels describe the movement, accommodation, and food supplies of the prisoners, and compare the different conditions in each work area with the chances of survival of the workers. One panel is dedicated to describing the infamous "Speedo" period between March and September 1943, when the majority of deaths occurred. The gallery also contains two showcases displaying relics of personal effects found along the railway trace.

Medical Aspects The Medical Aspects gallery takes the form of a hospital hut mockup. Two major panels, Doctors, Disease And Despair and Medical Improvisation, describe the amazing resourcefulness, dedication and bravery of the doctors and medical orderlies who did their utmost to care for the men in their trust. The text is supported by reconstructions of some of the improvised medical equipment used. Summary Of Deaths The Summary Of Deaths gallery shows in graphic detail the human cost of constructing the railway. Detailed analysis of deaths by origin is supported by a histogram made from old railway sleepers studded with rail spikes. Each spike represents five hundred souls.

The End Of The Railway There are three elements to this large gallery on the first floor. The first part of the gallery describes the short time that the railway was effectively used by the Japanese forces to transport men and equipment to and from Burma. The gallery then relates the changing conditions of the war in the Pacific theatre, as the Allies gained the upper hand, and the subsequent bombing of the railway. The final part of the gallery describes the defeat of the Japanese forces and the liberation of the prisoners and Asian conscripts. Major display features in this area include a 3 metre deep model of a railway cutting being constructed at night, the almost complete AZON bomb held in a showcase, and a section of bomb damaged rail recovered from the railway trace. A video clip clearly shows AZON bombs (the world's first guided weapon) attacking and destroying a bridge on the railway.

After The War The final gallery focuses on the human experience of liberation from the ordeal of captivity and slave labour, the repatriation of Allied prisoners and Asian conscripts, the search for and recovery of bodies, the establishment of the war cemeteries in Kanchanaburi and Thanbyuzayat (Myanmar), and the final sale of the railway line to the Thai authorities in 1947.

RECEPTION AND SHOP Visitors to the Centre may pass through the shop before or after entering the Museum. The shop offers a variety of merchandise, including books on the railway and the Second World War, local handicrafts and a unique range of hand made products by the Weaving For Women Project in Sangklaburi. The shop area also serves as the reception area for visitors to the Centre.

COFFEE SHOP & CAFE Coffee and other hot beverages, water, beer, soft drinks, milk shakes, ice cream and confectionery are available in the first floor coffee shop, which has a seating capacity of over 50. A range of hot and cold food is also available including burgers, open grills, sandwiches, hot dogs, toast, raisin toast, rice dishes, steamed dim sims (dim sum) and cakes. Entry to the Coffee Shop/Cafe is available to the general public, with or without entry to the Museum, for breakfast (e.g. Bacon & Eggs), hot or cold lunch or just a snack while relaxing in air-conditioned comfort. With a friendly atmosphere and panoramic view of the beautifully kept gardens of the adjacent War Cemetery the facilities are often used by ex PoW's and/or their families as a home-away-from-home and perhaps some quiet reflection during their pilgrimages to Kanchanaburi.

A light box map showing the dispersal of PoWs throughout the japanese controlled areas of Asia A 9-metre long 1:50,000 three-dimensional scale model of the entire length of the railway A 3-metre deep model of a railway cutting being constructed Exhibit Highlight s

Large screen video display Many war time photographs of the railway under construction not previously published Diorama of prisoner of war campsite and railway construction site

Interviews With Foreigners.

What’s your name ? Andue Where you come from ? Switzerland When you come from Kanchanaburi ? 30/12/09 What impressed you in this place ? Thailand-Burma Railway centre Where have you been in Kanchanaburi ? Several Places You will visit Kanchanaburi else ? Yes

What’s your name ? Rob. Where you come from ? Holland. When you come from Kanchanaburi ? Vacation. What impressed you in this place ? Nice. Where have you been in Kanchanaburi ? Hotel. You will visit Kanchanaburi else ? No good is good.

What’s your name ? Teun jansen. Where you come from ? Holland. When you come from Kanchanaburi ? Vacation. What impressed you in this pkace ? Nice. Where have you been in Kanchanaburi ? Hotel, Company. You will visit Kanchanaburi else ? Yes.

Kochapan Onsree No. 7 Chanya Kanchanaparamapa No. 11 Tanawadee Boonsrinukul No. 13 Jaruwan Kaewbuangarn No. 10 Pawida Tanseng No. 19 Class 4/1 Present by