Post-Thesis Activity: Day 4/7 Road Trip (16/11) – Part One

Home Phutoey River Kwai Resort offers panoramic views of the Kwai Noi River. Other than mineral hot spring bath, this relaxed international resort with a thatched-roof terrace offers a variety of activities, such as boat trips and a treetop adventure park, plus several WWII memorials. In fact, we really have an unforgettable and memorable two-night stay here.

After we checked out from Home Phutoey River Kwai Resort, we decided to visit the Hellfire Pass (known by the Japanese as Konyu Cutting). The name of a railway cutting on the former Burma Railway (“Death Railway”) in Thailand was built by forced labour during the Second World War. The Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre and Memorial Walking Trail was built and maintained by the Australian government. This is dedicated to the Allied prisoners of war and Asian labourers who suffered and died at Hellfire Pass and elsewhere in the Asia Pacific region during World War II.

The Hellfire Pass Interpretive Center was a very somber place with interesting visual learning experience so that you can immersed in the stories from the Hellfire Pass. It was a moving place to visit and remember those who worked and gave their lives as prisoners of war building this infamous railway line during the Second World War. In the small museum, there were graphic videos revealing their moments of absolute sufferings, cruelty of war, inhumanity, and heroism experienced during the construction. There was also first-person narratives and experiences of survivors. The testimonials from these heroes were truly moving.

After watching the video, we went to the Hellfire Pass Walking Trail. The trail (with the gripping audio guide) takes the experience to another level completely. There were two walking routes. Walk 1 through Hellfire Pass is about a 1km roundtrip and not difficult. Walk 2 out to Hintok Cutting is about 5km and had some steep climbs and uneven surfaces. We took the Walk 1 route. As you walk past imposing walls of rock, you can catch sight of occasional nails protruding from the chiseled surface too.

In the interests of public safety, the Cutting was temporary closed due to Thai wet season, landslide.

Konyu Cutting was one of the most notorious stretches of the Death Railway constructed. It was why it was a well worthwhile historic place to visit if you are around Kanchanaburi.

After a tragic part of history but a must visit place, we went to Thong Pha Phum. We went to a restaurant recommended by our driver to have our lunch with a bridge view.

After lunch, the driver showed us Wat Tha Khanun, a Buddhist Temple located in Thong Pha Phum at the Khao Laem reservoir. There wasn’t much to see in Thong Pha Phum but this temple and it’s Buddha up on the hill above it. It can be reached via walking up 285 steps on the hill’s south face to a pagoda on the top of the mountain. It has a beautiful view of Thong Pha Phum Village.

However, we did not have the luxury of time to head up. So, we walked over the Wat Tha Khanun rope bridge and spotted good backdrop of the lake.