Death Railways

[airlana]

Some time ago Kasetsart University had an interesting article on their website

"Our First Engagement was in War: The Thai-Burma Railway"

A copy of the article is here

http://members.optusnet.com.au/airlana/Chapter3.htm

.

[GWR]

It appears that about 70,000 Malayans of all races were used to build the Death Railway from Thailand to Burma; and the lesser known Chumphon-Khao Fachi Railway. Of these about 40,000 perished. This link shows a 2002 project which is trying to get the present Malaysian Government to honor these victims and 'help' survivors who are still living in Thailand. This page has several scanned 'New Straits Times' articles based on interviews with Malayan survivors who were still living near the Death Railway in 2002. After following this link, further click the 'Press Coverage' link on the left.A series of links will appear for individual article and image scans:-
http://www.ourheroes.com.au/strutMedia_Web/master.asp

Perhaps someone can inform us if Malaysia has taken further steps to honor these victims since 2002.

[GWR]

Thai-Burma Railway - David Boggett - Faculty of Humanities, Kyoto Seika University
http://www.geocities.co.jp/Outdoors/6825/archive/thai-burma.html

[GWR]

Asian Romusha: The Silenced Voice of History - David Boggett - Faculty of Humanities, Kyoto Seika University
http://www.kyoto-seika.ac.jp/johokan/kiyo/pdf-data/no20/david.pdf

[Wisarut]

The Death Railway was originate as the logistic line for the JIA troops in Burma by Gen. Hiroike (the Staf of the Staffs of the 2nd Military Railway HQ), despite of the STRONG opposition from Supreme Commander HQ in Tokyo. Both Thai State Railway Dept
and IJA said even the British Railway Engineers had surveyed on that route via Kanchaburi ... but they
REFUSEDto work on that route due to the fact that thare are 2 mountain ranges impeding the construction

However, the IJA Southeast Asia Army Headquarter would pushthis project at all cost. They pointed out that there were 8 routes to go between BKk and Rangoon.

1. BKK - Chiang Mai - Kengtung - Mandalay
2. BKK - Chiang Mai - Mae Hong Son - Tongoo
3. BKK - Photsanuloke - Mae Sod - Maulalieng
[This is the route preferred by Royal Siamese Railway due to the ease of construction ... but
IJA want shorter routes ... but it was NOT approved by Prince Purajat when the route to Chiang Mai has not been DONE yet.]

4. Ban Pong - Kanchanaburi - 3 pagoda Pass - Thanbyusayat [the route preferred by IJA due to the shortest route]

5. Ban Pong - Kanchaburi - Bong Tee Checkpoint - Tavoy [this is the route recently preferred by Thai merchant after the controversial Ye- Tavoy has becomes a reality in 2000's ]

6. Prachuab Khirikhan - Tennissarim - Mergui
[the is the route preferred by Prince Purajat (the firstSimaese Director of Royal Siamese Railway -> 1917-1928) even though British governemtn rejected due to the fact that ther was NO rail link between Ye and Mergui]

7. Chumporn - Ranong - Rangoon [the route between rangoon and Ranogn willbe done by shipping]

8. [Sea route] Saigon - Shonan - Penang - Rangoon.

The sea Route between Rangoon to Saigon via Shonan
is the most dangerous route ... too many risks from submarines and bombs.

Route 1 is the longest land route ... Generally droppeddown at Lampang and then then a truck to Kengtung via Chiang Rai ... This route wasalso used by Thai Armed Forces which went to Shan State

Route 2 was not becoem a reality until Novemebr - December 1943 ... after the road from Chaing Maito Mae Hong Son was done by an engineering battalion from the 15th Division.

Route 3 has been used as a commercial route for a logn time ... but it is necesaary to pass through many gorges and mountains ... ONLY the dirt track between phisanuloke and Maesod via Tak and Sukhothai is needed despite of the APPEAL from Royal State Railway who wish to get the railway track from Phisanuloke to Maesod via Tak and Sukhothai.

Route 4 is the shortest route of all ... it has been strategic routes since the days of Ayutthya -> Ava Kingdom had used this 3 pagoda route to invade Ayutthaya at least 16 battles 2 rival kingdoms.

Route 6 was done as a dirt road by the detached the 161st Infantry Battalion in December 1944 as the escape route.... eventhoug it is antoehr wish list of Royal State Railway.

IJA has decided to construct the railway route from Ban Pong to Thanbyusayat via Kanchanaburi (route 4) as the main route for C56 locos while construct the route from Chumporn to Ranong with a terminal at La Un Canal as the provision railway route.

Ref: http://www.rotfaithai.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=2393

[GWR]

Route No 7 Chumphon - Ranong is further discussed in the following thread:-

http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?p=6300#post6300

Route No. 8 'Shonan' ('Light of the South') indicates the Japanese name imposed on Singapore during the IJA's World War II occupation. There is an interesting Museum on the Japanese occupation on Singapore's Sentosa Island. This museum completely dispels any myths that the Japanese were relatively benign occupiers. Worth a visit!:-
http://reference.allrefer.com/country-guide-study/singapore/singapore27.html

[GWR]

Ban Pong:- A railside town with a large Catholic Church and Bus Construction & Auto Accessories Industries. Also the scene of an ugly incident in WWII, with Japanese Soldiers pitted against Thai Laborers, local residents and even Thai Policemen.

Interesting, large illustrated article by David Boggett of the Faculty of Humanities at Kyoto Seika University. Too long for extracts.

It also appears that the founder of Ban Pong's Bus Industry, Khun Boonpong was well-known for his work to alleviate some of the suffering of Allied POWs:-

http://www.kyoto-seika.ac.jp/johokan/kiyo/pdf-data/no26/david.pdf

[numpty]

Not sure if this was in reply to my post but thanks for the interesting link. I had some info about the Ban Pong Incident but this filled it out.

I spent ages recently trying to find stuff about Boonpong and got zilch beyond the foundation Weary set up in their names...

:D

[numpty]

http://www.the-spiceislands.com/Thailand/banpong.htm

Something else about Ban Pong