KANCHANABURI

Bridge on the River Kwai

On the weekend, Ken and I caught a bus to Kanchanaburi, not far from the Burmese border. This area is infamous for the Bridge on the River Kwai. While constructing the Death Railroad, more Thai people died than British POW's. The famous movie really softened the realities that these people suffered. Also, the movie made it look like a Commando raid brought down the bridge, but it was actually bombed by Allied planes. Parts of the original bridge remain as components of the existing bridge today.

If only this keg had been there for the guys building the bridge.

Here is the bridge. I took this picture from the top floor of the war museum. The arc components are from the original, and yes they are steel, not wood.

Here are some pics from the war museum in Kanchanaburi beside the bridge.

Pics from the British cemetery in Kanchanaburi.

Here's where we stayed, a cheap but clean bungalow.

The weirdest event of my entire holiday took place here in Kanchanaburi. I didn't email anyone about this (except Joanne and some fellow staff), but at around 11 pm on Saturday night, Ken and I stumbled out of a bar. A group of people on motorbikes zipped up coincidentally right beside us, looking back to another approaching group. One of the guys from the second group jumped off the back of a motorbike, wielding and waving a big club. Then, one of the members of the first group pulled out a pistol and fired at the club-wielder!!! This happened not more than a few feet from us. I stood there stupidly, everyone else took off (except Ken), and nobody fell. I can't imagine how the guy would have missed at that range, unless it was a warning shot or maybe the guy was indeed hit and was able to leave. Obviously a drug related incident. Ken and I had to go get another brew to calm our nerves. The Thai government has allowed their police to shoot drug dealers at will with no paperwork. One thousand people have been shot in one month in Bangkok, and witnesses are hunted down. I assume dealers are under immense pressure and it wouldn't be too hard to imagine dealers informing the police about competing dealers and their transactions to eliminate the competition. This episode did not involve police, but perhaps competing dealers. I don't know how deep this incident ran, and maybe I've misinterpreted the whole thing. Still, quite shocking.