Central
Thailand / Kanchanaburi
Photo: City Pillar of Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi
is the capital of Kanchanaburi Province. This author regards the
breathtaking countryside as the chief attraction of the area.
However, Kanchanaburi is principally known, not only among war-historians
and movie-buffs, as the site of the notorious Death Railway
and the Bridge over the River Kwai. Archaeologists come
for its Neolithic burial grounds.
The town of
Kanchanaburi is about 129km (81mi) west of Bangkok (over a good
road, approximately 2 hours by bus or slightly longer by car)
at the point two tributaries, the Kwai Noi and Kwai
Yai (which have their source in the Ta Now Sri Range) meet
and form the Mae Klong River. The present provincial capital
is a relatively new town built by King Rama III (reigned 1824-1851)
in 1833. The old town was 18km (11mi) away.
What certainly
pulls most tourists to Kanchanaburi, is the Bridge over the
River Kwai, made famous by Pierre Boulle's book and the movie
of the same name.
More information
on Kanchanaburi:
