Seven thousand prisoners
Orderly rows of markers.
Rdsmith4 — CC BY-SA 2.5 · PumpkinSky — CC BY-SA 4.0 · PumpkinSky — CC BY-SA 4.0
The largest cemetery of the prisoners of war who died building the Death Railway, in the centre of town, cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Between 1942 and 1943 the Japanese army forced some sixty thousand Allied prisoners of war and hundreds of thousands of Asian labourers to build a railway about 415 kilometres long between Thailand and Burma; tens of thousands died of starvation, disease and exhaustion, and it became known as the «Death Railway». Some seven thousand prisoners lie here, mostly British, Australian and Dutch, in orderly rows of small bronze markers on meticulously tended green lawns, each with a name and age, many in their early twenties, some with short lines written by their families. At the entrance is a register of names and a summary of the history. Entry is free and the cemetery opens in the daytime. It is a place of reflection and respect, so keep quiet and dress modestly, and do not walk on the graves. The cemetery faces the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre, so visit both together before heading to the bridge. Half an hour is enough, though many find it moving and stay longer.
Orderly rows of markers.
Short lines beneath the names.
Green lawns and total calm.
Saeng Chuto Road, central Kanchanaburi
Yes, with a simple explanation of the story; it is calm and orderly. What matters is keeping quiet and respectful.
