Kanchanaburi - JEATH War Museum

JEATH stands for Japan, England, America, Australia, Thailand and Holland, representing the nationalities of the prisoners of war (POW's) who were forced to work on the construction of the famous "Bridge On The River Kwai".

The museum is on the bank of the River, inside Wat Chai Chumphon temple. The present Chief Abbot, the Venerable Phra Theppanyasuthee, takes responsibility for the upkeep of the museum.

This tribute was established to show actual items that were connected with the construction of the Death Railway by POW's between 1942-1943.

The first thing that strikes you when you visit the museum is the bamboo hut with a collection of photographs displayed. The hut is a replica of the conditions the POW's were forced to live in.

The museum displays graphic images of the terrible conditions inflicted on the many young men that died and the many that survived to tell the story.

To bring these atrocities to the public domain, the museum exhibits many photographs taken of real situations either by Thai's or POW's.

There are also many real accounts written by former POW's, their relatives, friends and authors that interviewed the many prisoners that suffered at the hands of the Imperial Japanese Army.