August 10, 2018 – During my motorbike trip/tour of Kanchanaburi, Western Thailand.
Hellfire Pass (Thai: ช่องเขาขาด, known by the Japanese as Konyu Cutting) is the name of a railway cutting on the former Burma Railway (“Death Railway”) in Thailand which was built with forced labour during the Second World War, in part by Allied prisoners of war (POW). The pass is noted for the harsh conditions and heavy loss of life suffered by its labourers during construction. It was called Hellfire Pass because the sight of emaciated prisoners labouring by burning torchlight resembled a scene from Hell. (Source from Wikipedia)
According to some sources, around 13,000 Allied Prisoners of War (POW) died during the work, alongside 100,000 local workers from across the region. They perished in unimaginably horrific conditions – starved, overworked, sick and mistreated. (click Telegraph.co.uk)
Click the following links for further information.
- Dark-tourism.com
- Tourism of Thailand on Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum
- Australian Government Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Next is a live video I shared on FB on the actual day to share the moment of the historic Hellfire Pass. It was a fruitful 1 hour walk at the accessible walkways to experience the actual scene and situation.
If you are around Kanchanaburi, this is a must-see attraction apart from the famous Bridge Over River Kwae.
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