by Monica Conrady

ith a few days to spare before my flight home from Bangkok, I decided to visit Kanchanaburi, site of 'The Bridge on the River Kwai' of movie fame. It was a two-hour journey from Bangkok by minibus, a ride I shared with two Italians, three Israelis, and two Brits. A lively trip indeed.

My home for two nights was the Felix River Kwai Resort, a delightful place on the side of the river, with The Bridge just downstream. My lovely room with large veranda overlooked lush gardens and an inviting pool-most welcome since I was melting away in the heat and humidity.

… around 16,000 Allied Prisoners of War were brought in to build the 'Death Railway' to Burma.

A brief history lesson: During the occupation of Thailand by the Imperial Japanese Army in WWII, around 16,000 Allied Prisoners of War were brought in to build the 'Death Railway' to Burma. The bridge was just a small part of it and was only in use for maybe 20 months before it was bombed by the Allies in 1945. Virtually all the POWs died, along with many more thousands of Asians from surrounding countries, brought in as slave laborers. The bridge was rebuilt after the war and is still in use today. Eventually, the story was chronicled in the book and then the movie — The Bridge on the River Kwai.

Today it is a tourist attraction, Thai-style! On the opposite bank from the Felix was a crafts market with jewelry, clothes, pirated CDs and DVDs, souvenirs and more, for sale. Moored nearby were some floating restaurants.

On our side, an elephant was posed, ready for photo ops. Occasionally, a longtail boat would zoom by. You can walk on the bridge itself--until a train comes chugging along, that is.

A visit to the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre Museum in town, as well as the nearby Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, is a very moving experience. The mind boggles at how those poor prisoners suffered.

I hated to leave my lovely hotel but, rested and refreshed from my little side trip, I was ready to face the long flight home to the States.

Felix River Kwai Resort: www.felixriverkwai.co.th
Thailand-Burma Railway Centre: www.tbrconline.com

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