Thailand: Bridge Over the Kwai River
The Bridge over the River Kwai, located near the Thai city of Kanchanaburi, is a historically laden structure that symbolises the suffering of thousands of prisoners of war during World War II. The bridge was part of the infamous Burma Railway (also known as the “Death Railway”), which Japan built to create a direct connection between Thailand and Burma (present-day Myanmar). This railway was supposed to supply the Japanese army in Southeast Asia, without being dependent on seagoways that were vulnerable to attack by the Allies.
Construction began in 1942 and was carried out under extreme conditions. Tens of thousands of prisoners of war from Great Britain, Australia, the Netherlands and the United States, among others, were deployed along with hundreds of thousands of Asian forced labourers. They worked in the jungle, often without adequate food, medical care or rest. Working conditions were inhumane, and it is estimated that more than 100,000 people died during construction — mostly due to illness, exhaustion and abuse.
