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illions of people visit Thailand each year in order to learn 0.1' our 11Ch culture, view our beautiful '~~fDsce~elY, experience .our delight~ul cuisine, and perhaps make new frie~ds from a people born of a heritage of compassion and smiles that dates back more than a thousand years. Yet, not all of these millions step cut of the attractions of today' s present world and attempt to see firsthand an edifice constructed as a wonderful technological fe-atby the hands of.a people subjugated under the cruelness of war. The-railway, the bridge, and ihc beautiful cemetery of those who gave their lives in its. construotion are a timeless monument. .. one that gives pa'CL'3C, and perhaps gives meaning to thc.valuc¡pflife.

TIlls train passes from the past into' the present, from the sorrows of the past into the hopes of the future, from the ugliness of war into the' serene beauty of nature, over the cool gurgling waters of the River Kwai

which case the thirst.of the land it traverses on its way to the sea. May the thirst for peace for all peoples end all wars through the soothing waters of reconcilliation. ings from Karrchanaburi for your presence,

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T4e actual World War 11history of the "Death Railway" is somewhat different from the novel. In June 1942 the Japanese. Imperial J.Ieadqual:ter~ directed' its army to build a single-line, one - meter - gauge - 250 miles long railway from Thailand to Burma. The railway was to carry 3,000 tons per day from Ban Pong in Thailand via the Three Pagodas Pass on the Thai - Burmese borderto the Burma Railway in Thanbyuzayat between Moulmein and Y«. The work was to be completed within 14,months, or by the end of 1943 atthe latest Work started in October 1942 to meet the August 1943 deadline. The complection date was later extended to November 1943. The more than 250 miles oftrack, much of it through the'jungle, was finally completed at the end ofOctober 1943. More then 16,000 prisoners of war and 100,000 laborers, including Chinese; South Indians, Malays, Burmese, Japanese and Dutch, Indonesian Eurasians died buildingthe railway. Most ofthe deaths were from disease; malnutrition and exhaustion. .

The railway was to be an alternative to the sea route to Rangoon via Singapore and the Straits of Malacca, since the sea route was being closed in by Allied submariiles and air~rail. The only land road from Thailand to southern Burma, which ran from Rahcng through Kowkarcik to Moulmcin, was insufficient. Before the war. Thailand. and Burma had begun work on a Bangok - Moulmein Railway, but it was never finished.

With the Japanese decision to complete the railroad, more-than 61,000 prisoners taken during campaigns in Southeast Asia and the Pacific were brought to Thailand and ,Burma, J3etween 1942 and 1945,30,000 British, 18,000 Dutch, 13,000 Australianand 700 American prisoners were moved in from Indonesia, Singapore and HongKong. Cooolies were brought from Malaya and IndonesJa. Otherswere conscripted in Thailand and Burma: This labor force was divided into two groups, one in Burma and one in Thailand, to work from opposite ends of the track toward the center. ~ The. prisoners of war builr two, wooden and one steel bridge across the River K wai, The metal bridges was brouuht from Java by the Japanese. It was carried up to Kanchanaburi by barge and assembied by the prisoners.

After the war, the State Railway of Thailand bought the railway from the Allies for 50 Million baht. The spans of the bridge which bad been destoryed by bombing were rebuilt by a Japanese firm as part'oftbe war indemnity. The bridge is still used by the State Railway, which runs a passenger train to the end of the line, Saiyok Noi Waterfall, once a day leaving Kanchanaburi at 6 a.m.

A [though a careful aerial SUl'VCY of the railroad route preceded the constuction due to poor engineering and inferior materials, (he track was in constant need of repair. Prisoners used the worst wood they could und for bui lding the bridges ..The unseasoned timber usually rotted, after three months.

Food supplies were irregular and inadequate, even at the main camps. Officers were paid 30 dollars a month ill cash, of which seven dollars went to supplement the men's food and another five towards their own food. Themen wer~ paid four pence' (one bath) a day. When conditions turned worse, rile pay was totally inadequate for canned < " milk or eggs to keep sick men alive or to pay, for medicine. The prisoners pawned their rings, silverware, nickel and stainless steel knives and jewelery . < A typical mess kit would include a loin cloth, a rectangle - shaped cloth with II string at one end worn by both the prisoners. and the Japanese; an old hat; boots with leaky soles; sometimes a pair of shorts be worn lor ,,'full dress" occasions ; a water bottle, a mess tin and spoon; a ground sheer ; 1::\';0 sacks 01' a blanket ; a pack, and maybe il mosquito net. Author John Coast, a Iormer'prisoner of war, and remembers many prisoners as having far less.

Away from .the large camps, men sometimes lived' for weeks on only the daily ration of rice with <I little salt. . Rations were usually below even the official Japanese scales sfncc it was impossible to maintain consistent service.

Supplies were brought up the K.~¥iliNoi River by barge or by truck along jungle roads.

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Train Travel Tour CO"ltd 378 Thanae, Thanl~kij" KanchanaCuri, 7baltand.

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TRAIN TRAVELTOUR CO.,LTD. ft'lfJlIUOUSnnll18S1D

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MEMOIRES OF THE THAILAND-SURMA RAILROAD The actual World War II history Of~lhe "Death Railway" is somewhat different from the novel. In June 1942 the Japans e Imperial General Headquarters directed its army to build a single-line, onemeter g age railway 250 miles long from Thailand to Burma. The railway was to carry 3,000;tons per day from Ban Pong in Thailand via the Three Pagodas Pass on the Thai'iBurmese border to the Burma Railway at Thanbyuzayat between Moulmein and Ye; The work was to be completed within 14 months, or by the end of 1943 at the latest.

Work started in Gctorber 1942 to ~eet the August 1943 deadline. The completion date was later extended to November 1943. The more than 250 miles of track, much of it through dense jungle, was finai.ty completed at the end of Octorber 1943.

More than 16,000 prisoners of war and ,~OO,OOO impressesed laborers, inclu"ding~ Chinese, South Indians, Malays, Burmese,~apanese and Dutch-Indonesian,Eurasians died building the railway. Most of the deaths were from disease, malnutritionand exhaustion. ( With the Japanese decision to complete the railroad, more than 61,000 prisoners taken during the campaigns in S~utheastAsia and the Pacific were brought into Thailand and Burma. Between 1942 and 1945, 30,000 British, 18,000 Dutch, 13,000 Australian and 700 American 'risoners were moved in from Indonesia, Singapore and Hong Kong. Coolies were rought from Malaya and Indonesia. Others were conscripted in Thailand and 8urm~" This labor force was divided into two group, one in Burma and one in Thail nd to work from opposite ends of the track towards the center. , I