During World War II the Japanese wanted to build a railway that would unite the conquered territories of Singapore and the current Myanmar through Thailand so they can quickly move troops and weapons through the jungle. Work began in 1942 with over a hundreds of thousand of prisoner of war from different nationalities. By the time the work finally stopped tens of thousands of prisoners had died in its construction due to diseases such as malaria, typhoid and cholera. Thus, the railway came to be known as the Death Railway.
Its tragic history can be revisited from the memories and real items from the past, kept for public view at the Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum, where the fallen soldiers lie in peace. The beautiful place also houses some of the rare pictures taken during the construction and much more. The Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum is a must-see spot. You will be left with a mixture of feelings ranging from sorrow for the lost souls and wonder from the history of the Death Railway. It is definitely exciting to see how Thailand has shaped itself from the experiences of it’s past to it’s hope for the future!
