On August 15, the annual commemoration of the victims of the construction of the Burma Railway will take place in Kanchanaburi and nearby Chunkai, including nearly 3000 Dutch prisoners of war from the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army and the Royal Navy. With the capitulation of Japan on August 15, 1945 – now 70 years ago – the Second World War in Asia also came to an end.
The construction of the Burma Railway cost the lives of around 15.000 prisoners of war. On average, 75 POWs died a day from exhaustion, disease and malnutrition, including 7.000 British, 4.500 Australians, nearly 3000 Dutch and 131 Americans. About 100.000 Thai, Indonesian, Burmese, and Malaysian forced laborers also died.
The Dutch embassy, in collaboration with the Dutch Associations in Thailand, is organizing transport from & to Bangkok on August 15 for the commemorations in Kanchanaburi and Chunkai, which will probably take place in the late morning. The embassy reports that Faber Vlaggen (Thailand) is making 3000 Dutch flags available for the graves of the Dutch victims. A wreath will be laid on behalf of the Dutch Associations. There are no costs for participation from & to Bangkok. An exact program will follow later. Everyone is welcome.
Transport from Pattaya to Bangkok vv is arranged by our association. The costs will be announced later (our association may bear these), as well as the departure time and the probable return to Pattaya. In connection with the travel times, it will in any case be a very early start in Pattaya.
Those interested can register now [email protected].
The Dutch Hua Hin and Cha Am Association also organizes a bus trip to the memorial in Kanchanaburi, including death railway and lunch. The association tries to gauge interest through an email. The cost price is determined on the basis of the size of the participation. You can register at [email protected]