Death Railway
Returning to Thailand in mid-June for just the month my focus is on a tour to Northern Laos. With just one month to spend, there is just one short tour planned in Thailand. This will be to an infamous historic location.

Day 1, Monday 30 June -
Kanchanaburi

Historic Location....... This excursion starts at Thonburi railway station. This appropriate connection takes you to the end of the line at Namtok station in Kanchanaburi province. Access to Thonburi station can be achieved via the Chao Phraya River crossing near the Phra Pinklao bridge. This is close to Ko San Road, Sanam Luang, Wat Phra Kaew, The City Pillar Shrine and the Ministry of Defence Building. You can walk to the station from the pier or take a motorcycle taxi. Once aboard the train you appreciate this is a 'slow' service, but a mere 100 baht takes you to the end of the line. The route takes you west, on through Nakhon Pathom and on to Kanchanaburi. From the station here there is a selection of affordable guest houses on the Nam Kwae Yai (River Kwai). We select V N Guest House which has basic air-conditioned rooms for 400 baht.

Day 2, Tuesday 1 July - Kanchanaburi

End of the Line....... Today we continue our journey by train on to Namtok station. If you break your journey, it is another 100 baht to continue. This is the price for foreigners (farang). The round trip takes most of the day, but many chose to break the journey at the spectacular Tham Krasae station and return. Continuing to Namtok station allows access to the Hellfire Pass Memorial but only by road. The is a short section of railway that extends beyond Nam Tok station but is used only for excursion trains at weekends but today we are content just to take this iconic train journey. We return by train to Kanchanaburi and the guest house after a remarkably interesting day.

Day 3, Wednesday 2 July - Bangkok

Tragic Reminder....... Today we return to Bangkok but not before visiting the Jeath Museum and the iconic 'River Kwai bridge.' This really is a fascinating place telling the awful story behind the Japanese occupation and could easily occupy a couple of hours. Rather than return my train it is on to the bus station instead. The bus journey should have been a lot quicker but the congestion in Bangkok put paid to that and to cap it all one of the worst storms of this visit greets us.