Kanchanaburi () is a town (
thesaban mueang) in the west of
Thailand and the capital of
Kanchanaburi province. In 2006 it had a population of 31,327. The town covers the complete
tambon Ban Nuea and Ban Tai and parts of Pak Phraek and Tha Makham, all of
Mueang Kanchanaburi district, and parts of the
tambon Tha Lo of
Tha Muang district.
Kanchanaburi is located where the
Khwae Noi and
Khwae Yai rivers converge into the
Mae Klong river, where in 1942, under Japanese control, the famous
Bridge on the River Kwai was built by prisoners of war (
POWs). A
memorial and two museums are also located here: the
Thailand-Burma Railway Museum (opened in March 2003), and the
JEATH War Museum dedicated to the bridge and the
Death Railway. The city is also home to the
Kanchanaburi War Cemetery. It is the easiest access point to the nearby
Tiger Temple.
Kanchanaburi spans the northern banks of the river and is a popular spot for travelers, its location at the edge of a mountain range keeping it much cooler than the other provinces of central Thailand. The city has two major commercial districts: the downtown area consists of a grid of several streets with office buildings, shop fronts, and a shopping mall; and the riverfront area businesses are mostly located further west along River Kwai Road. Once a year a carnival comes to town and is set up in the area next to the bridge. At night there is a small pyrotechnics display that reenacts the Allied bombing of the bridge.
Trivia
- 5 km SE of the city is a fascinating Buddhist temple Wat Tham Phu Wa which features a series of grotto shrines in a large limestone cave system. Each grotto features a statue of The Buddha at a different stage of his life.
- 3 km on the road to Wat Tham Phu Wa is the Chong Kai allies cemetery; beautifully tended this was created by the Thai Government to honour the soldiers of several WW2 allied armies who died during the defense of SE Asia.
Gallery
See also
