If ever we need a reminder of how fortunate we are, our visit to the Kanchanaburi Prisoner of War cemetery, and the Death Railway museum that sits beside it, provides a sobering and emotional period of reflection. More than 5,000 Commonwealth and almost 2,000 Dutch casualties are laid to rest in the peaceful and neat rows of memorial plaques that sit under the baking sun. We even see a couple of young British soldiers, almost half my age that bear my surname, perhaps distant relations who gave their lives in these foreign lands.
In 1942, in order to find a shorter and more secure line of supply between Burma (now Myanmar) and Siam (now Thailand), the Japanese used prisoners of war and civilian labour to build a 250 mile-long railway. Two forces worked from opposite ends of the line, battling through mountainous jungle and meeting at Konkuita in October 1943. The project cost the lives of 15,000 prisoners of war and 100,000 civilians as a result of sickness, malnutrition, exhaustion and mistreatment. What a terrible episode of human history.
This cemetery, the largest of three on the Burma-Siam Railway, is located near the site of the former ‘Kanburi POW Base Camp’ through which most prisoners passed on their way to other camps. There they endured the barbaric brutality of the Japanese army, while falling victim to appalling diseases and infections, as they were forced to dig tunnels, clear jungle, lay tracks and build bridges.
The sobering museum, with its upsetting displays and documents chronicling this period, lies in stark contrast to the freedoms and privileges we have enjoyed in our lives, including the ability to visit this beautiful country in comfort and peace, unlike those who fell before us. We both find ourselves deeply moved and overcome with sadness as we pay heartfelt respects to those who suffered here.
Determined to enjoy and honour every moment of happiness we have in our lives, sadly denied to those who perished here, we drive to Erawan National Park, about an hour away, to experience the wonders of Mother Nature. Erawan means Heaven and within the park are seven waterfalls that create a winding and beautiful stairway to celestial paradise. Or they would if they were not absolutely rammed with locals, holidaymakers and tourists all taking advantage of New Year’s Eve for a day out. But apparently today’s crowds are nothing compared to yesterday when vehicles were queuing back to the main road just to enter the park.
There are also far more than seven waterfalls to take in as we hike the well-trodden trail to the top and back, but the seven designated spots provide pools for swimming and splashing around in, so with the obligatory life-jackets rented for 50p, we set off. It’s a two hour round trip and we elect to make it all the way to the top first and then have a dip on the way back down, opting for waterfall number 5 to cool down in, before making it back to the entrance.
Lunch at the main on-site restaurant is very welcome after our exertions and with Toto reiterating to the staff that we are those weird western ‘vegetarians’ we have a lovely cashew and vegetable stir fry and a zingy papaya salad. We find ourselves having to to pick little fragments of chicken out of our vegetarian pad thai but the Thai pancakes we are served as dessert are delicious - very sweet, with a condensed milk sauce, and full of pineapple.
We make it back to to U-Inchantree hotel just in time for the massages we have booked, which are of varying intensity. Despite having them side by side, mine is pretty firm and vigorous while Coman’s lady seems afraid of applying any pressure and even continues her gentle kneading one-handed while she takes phone calls midway through.
Walking back to the room I notice a sign beside a large tree and reading it I discover the hotel derives its name from the towering Inchan tree which has stood proudly in the grounds for over 200 years and still bears edible fruit which appear twice each year. It transpires the Inchan tree is a rarity in Thailand with only a few known examples including the one in the resort.
Its name comes from, the fact that it produces two types of fruit, the In and the Chan, which ripen at alternating times each year and represent the stability of two lovers who shared an everlasting love for each other and prayed to be together in this life and to have eternal love in the next. Seems rather appropriate for the two of us, and ties in later to an unexpected moment in Sukothai with an amulet-maker.
With dinner once more at the Keeree Tara Retreat a short walk away, we end our New Year’s Eve by watching the local fireworks display in the fields behind our hotel from the safety of our bathroom. The rock concert and funfair they have there is too far to walk to, and as the impressive display comes to an end with some utterly deafening explosions that sound like enormous unleashing of wartime munitions, we remember once more those far less lucky than us who died in the surrounding jungles over 80 years ago.
