Kanchanaburi

Kanchanaburi
The Bridge over the River Kwai
Kanchanaburi Location in Thailand
Coordinates: 14°1′10″N 99°31′52″E / 14.01944°N 99.53111°E / 14.01944; 99.53111
Country	Thailand
Province	Kanchanaburi Province
District	Amphoe Mueang Kanchanaburi
Elevation	100 ft (30 m)
Population (2006)
• Total	31,327

Kanchanaburi (Thai: กาญจนบุรี (Pronunciation)) is a town (thesaban mueang) in the west of Thailand and the capital of Kanchanaburi province. In 2006 it had a population of 31,327. The town covers the complete tambon Ban Nuea and Ban Tai and parts of Pak Phraek and Tha Makham, all of Mueang Kanchanaburi district, and parts of the tambon Tha Lo of Tha Muang district. In the late 19th century CE, Kanchanaburi was established by King Rama I as a defensive post against possible Burmese attacks at what is now Lat Ya subdistrict. In 1833 CE, the town was moved about 16 km towards the southeast along the river to its present location during the reign of King Rama III.^[1]

Climate

Kanchanaburi has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification Aw). Winters are dry and very warm. Temperatures rise until April, which is very hot with the average daily maximum at 38.1 °C (100.6 °F). The monsoon season runs from May through October, with heavy rain and somewhat cooler temperatures during the day, although nights remain warm.

Location

Kanchanaburi, which is located where the Khwae Noi and Khwae Yai rivers converge into the Mae Klong river, spans the northern banks of the river and is a popular spot for travelers, its location at the edge of a mountain range keeping it much cooler than the other provinces of central Thailand. The city has two major commercial districts: the downtown area consists of a grid of several streets with office buildings, shop fronts, and a shopping mall; and the riverfront area businesses are mostly located further west along River Kwai Road. Once a year a carnival comes to town and is set up in the area next to the bridge. At night there is a small pyrotechnics display that re-enacts the wartime bombing of the bridge.

Buddhism

Kanchanaburi is the birthplace of the Buddhist monk Phrabhavanaviriyakhun. It is 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) SE of the Buddhist temple Wat Tham Phu Wa which features a series of grotto shrines within a large limestone cave system. Each grotto features a statue of The Buddha at a different stage of his life. It is the easiest access point to the nearby Tiger Temple and is also home to a Vipassana meditation center.

Death railway

Start Death Railway

In 1942 Kanchanaburi was under Japanese control. It was here that Asian forced labourers and Allied POWs, building the infamous Burma Railway, constructed a bridge; an event immortalised in the film Bridge on the River Kwai. Almost half of the prisoners working on the project died from disease, maltreatment and accidents.

At Kanchanaburi, there is a memorial and two museums to commemorate the dead. In March 2003, the Thailand-Burma Railway Museum opened and the JEATH War Museum dedicated to the bridge and the Death Railway. The city is also home to the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery.

The Chong Kai Allies Cemetery is near Kanchanaburi, about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) from Wat Tham Phu Wa.

References

See also

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Kanchanaburi (city).

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kanchanaburi.

• Amphoe Mueang Kanchanaburi
• Kanchanaburi Province
• Kanchanaburi Rajabhat University
• Visuttharangsi School, the provincial secondary school of Kanchanaburi.

Coordinates: 14°1′10″N 99°31′52″E / 14.01944°N 99.53111°E / 14.01944; 99.53111

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