Historic WWII "Death Railway" Resurfaces in Thailand’s Rantee River

On 4/11/2026 at 12:05 PM, fredwiggy said:

True that it was filmed in Sri Lanka. About the film. The Bridge on the River Kwai wasn't blown up by a team but bombed a few times, with some prisoners the victims of the bombings. There are many stories on the Death Railway and Bridge that tell the truth. Hollywood sometimes fictionalizes things.

Fictionise, what would be an understatement and unfortunately they still do, just look current debacle they are polishing to suit their agenda.

3 minutes ago, Artisi said:

Fictionise, what would be an understatement and unfortunately they still do, just look current debacle they are polishing to suit their agenda.

Can you explain this post..rather confusing...thanks in advance

Away from the posts about the "death Railway" and the despicable treatment of the POWs and locals who were forced to build it, in Australia and New Zealand, Anzac Day will be recognised today (April 25) at ceremonies throughout the country.

Here is a quote from an article in the New Zealand Herald newspaper.......

ANZAC Day was a time to reflect on those involved in the Gallipoli campaign 111 years ago, as well as those who served in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq.

“We must remember that Anzac Day is not a celebration of military victory. It is a solemn acknowledgement of everyone who has served, died and suffered”.

Australian Army Colonel Adam Boyde, who was born in Whanganui, made his second Anzac address.

He said New Zealanders and Australians had served together in two world wars, the Korean War, the Malayan Emergency, the Borneo Confrontation, Vietnam, the Middle East and various peacekeeping missions.

“Our bond is only separated by a passage of water and scoreboard results on the sporting field,” he said.

He shared that the term Anzac (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) was first created for convenient telegram messages.

“Little did they know how important and enduring the symbol of Anzac would become,” Boyde said.

Suffice it to say that Anzac forces supported the USA in their battles of the past, however it would seem as if Pete Hegseth knows nothing about this during his daily blustering briefs detailing how wonderful the American forces are doing against people who really "belong in the Stone Age", because he is part of the archetypal ignorant Trump administration. He is an absolute disgrace.

The white slaves who died building the death railway should always be remembered. I won't sugar coat it. They were slaves. All of us who served in military campaigns remember those slaves as we remember all military who have suffered.

The troops that built the forced to build the railway which you seem to know nothing about were Prisoners of War. Yes, they were used as slave labour but calling POW's slaves is very demeaning and certainly not warranted.

52 minutes ago, 1tooth said:

The white slaves who died building the death railway should always be remembered. I won't sugar coat it. They were slaves. All of us who served in military campaigns remember those slaves as we remember all military who have suffered.

On 4/11/2026 at 8:22 AM, Olav Seglem said:

There are a couple of movies (at least);

First one one was the "famous" "Hollywood Brigde on River Kwai" which all POVs hated.

Better one is "The Railway Man" with Colin Firth.

Without the Hollywood film, few would know of this event at all. And the Colin Firth movie likely would never have been made.

7 minutes ago, John Drake said:

Without the Hollywood film, few would know of this event at all. And the Colin Firth movie likely would never have been made.

I don't entirely agree with your comment "few would know of this event" - many, many Australians, Brits, Dutch and a number of Americans were well informed about the atrocities and mistreatment without seeing either film. I know that many Australians didn't bother watching either film as they failed to show what really happened.

I did end up watching the first one and came away from it very disappointed about the nonsense it contained considering my father was part of the real thing.

OK, it may well of made some people aware of the event but certainly didn't portray any significant details of the true suffering, abuse, hardships and vicious treatment handed out by the Japanese in charge of the POW's and the ongoing problems for those who survived it and carried it for the rest of their lives.

On 4/11/2026 at 8:56 AM, Emdog said:

Over 100,000 Asians died on that project, about 10X as many Asians than Europeans. Seven Asians had graves. Nonsense that slaves were mostly Europeans. If you get your history from "Bridge" film, you'd think only Asians at sites were Japanese guards, etc. Infuriating. Also filmed in Sri Lanka, for what that is worth.

Absolutely true.

Typically Hollywood type movies contradict the fact that no more than 25 US military prisoners were ever on site at any moment during the actual River Kwai bridge construction horror.

Maiays were scammed into believing paid employment and dies in droves. European victims were never accorded war convention treatment and indeed were treated as slaves.

The Japanese never considered defeat so slaves of any denomination were expendables.

On 4/11/2026 at 8:22 AM, Olav Seglem said:

There are a couple of movies (at least);

First one one was the "famous" "Hollywood Brigde on River Kwai" which all POVs hated.

Better one is "The Railway Man" with Colin Firth.

Bridge over the River Kwai with Jack Hawkins trying to speak Thai ,that was filmed, I think in Sri Lanka

The Railway man, now that was good.