JEATH War Museum



The JEATH War Museum (พิพิธภัณฑ์อักษะเชลยศึก) is one of two war museums in Thailand about the Death Railway built from 1942 to 1943 by Allied POWs under the direction of the Japanese, a part of the famous Thai-Burma railways.

Founding
The museum was founded in 1977 by the chief abbot of Wat Chaichumpol Venerable Phra Theppanyasuthee. It is located on the grounds of a temple at the junction of the Khwae Yai and Khwae Noi rivers in Kanchanaburi and it is a part of the famous Bridge over the River Kwai saga.

JEATH
The acronym JEATH stands for the primary nationalities involved in the construction of the railway: Japanese, English, Australian, American, Thai and Holland, whereas the Thai name is Phíphítháphan Songkhram Wát Tâi (Wat Tai War Museum).

The Museum
The museum is divided into two sections, depicting the construction of the Death Railway is meant to recreate the quarters used by Allied POWs, the reconstructed bamboo huts contain such items as paintings, drawing and photos of and by the prisoners, weapons, tools, maps and so forth. It includes a prehistoric view on the province as well as the Miss Thailand contest room.

Tourist photos are not permitted in the museum.