At the beginning of the Second World War, the Japanese decided to build a railway between Thailand and Burma in order to facilitate the transport of troops and equipment. More than 300 000 people – prisoners of war and Asian citizens alike – were involved in this project, often working in inhumane conditions, and many of them lost their lives while working here. Today a small train operates along a section of this “railway of death” between Kanchanaburi and Nam Tok, which runs alongside the famous River Kwai and offers beautiful views of the surrounding countryside.