Kanchanaburi is famous for the Bridge over the River Kwai and it is also home to many cemetaries of fallen World War II soldiers. The bridge that stands today was constructed by allied Prisoners of War and Asian slave labourers under the control of Japanese forces, as was the original wooden bridge. This was bombed by the Allies in an attempt to damage the Japanese presence in Burma by cutting lines of communication. The famous stretch known as the Death Railway still stands precariously today and trains still operate.
There are many cemetaries spread across the town, the Allied ones being the most visited and these are kept in pristine condition by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
