On all of the previous tours, we’ve coincidentally been the only people on the tour. Though we did typically book small group tours, it’s just worked out to be with a guide.
This is our first tour on a big bus - 9 people... it worked out well. Out of the nine, we were the only people from the U.S. We had tour mates from the Gold Coast of Australia, Yorkshire, England and the Philippines. (Incidentally, they all can’t believe what happened in our election and asked us “How could that happen?” - We have no intelligent answer.)
World War II history...
The tour was to the Bridge over the River Kwai and to see and ride on the Burma Railway, also known as the Death Railway. It was built by the Empire of Japan in 1943 to support its forces in the Burma campaign of World War II. This railway completed the rail link between Bangkok, Thailand and Rangoon, Burma.
Forced labor was used in its construction. More than 180,000—possibly many more—Southeast Asian civilian laborers and 60,000 Allied prisoners of war (POWs) worked on the railway. Japanese, Malayan Tamils of Indian origin, Burmese, Chinese, Thai and other Southeast Asians, forcibly drafted by the Imperial Japanese Army to work on the railway. 12,621 Allied POWs died during the construction. The dead POWs included 6,904 British personnel, 2,802 Australians, 2,782 Dutch, and 133 Americans.
After the end of World War II, 111 Japanese military officials were tried for war crimes because of their brutalization of POWs during the construction of the railway, with 32 of these sentenced to death.
Here we are on the bus taking us to the railway
A railway ticket.
After departing the bus, we took a long-tail boat, which is a type of watercraft native to Southeast Asia. The craft is designed to carry passengers on a river and its design is like a lightweight long canoe hull. Although there are variations to this type of boat, the sole defining characteristic is a secondhand car or truck engine and a long shaft with the propellor at the end.
The Bridge Over the River Kwai and Death railway
A ride on the Death Railway.
On the bridge...
After a 1 hour train ride and a delicious local lunch (including a cold local beer!), we ended our tour with a 3 hour bus journey back to Bangkok. 😄
Have you had any really spicy/hot food?! I can only imagine the choices....! Yuuuuummmmmmm!
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