Mysterious Tunnel Found In Kanchanaburi, Likely Built During WWII

[webfact]

by TNR Staff 

 

 

RESIDENTS of Kanachanaburi’s Sangkhla Buri district have discovered a mysterious tunnel that appears to have been built as a bomb shelter during World War II, Naewna newspaper said today (Mar. 31).

 

Mr. Manchai Watthanakaran and Mr. Sarawut Saisangsiriphong, residents of this district, took reporters to have a look at the tunnel believed to have been built by Allied prisoners of war and forced labourers when they constructed the Death Railway at the orders of the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II.

 

The tunnel was found dug through the hillside about 100 metres from the roadside of Route 323.

 

An inspection showed that this tunnel is approximately two metres wide, 1.80-1.90 metres high, and around 35 metres long. At the rear it opens up to a pristine forest and inside the air circulation is very good, it is cool and comfortable with the average temperature being 24-25 degrees Celsius.

 

The likely World War II tunnel was found in Kanchanaburi’s Sangkhla Buri district. Photo: Naewna

 

Full story: THAI NEWSROOM 2024-04-01

 

- Discover how Cigna Insurance can protect you with a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment. For more information on expat health insurance click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe
 

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

An inspection showed that this tunnel is approximately two metres wide, 1.80-1.90 metres high, and around 35 metres long. At the rear it opens up to a pristine forest and inside the air circulation is very good, it is cool and comfortable with the average temperature being 24-25 degrees Celsius.

Perfect for migrants.

[Aussie999]

Any actual proof it was used in WW2, or someone's idea to make money.

[DPKANKAN]

So it has just been discovered????

This photo below allegedly is my mate who works for the Thai Burma Railway Museum here, outside the tunnel in 2010!!!!

[Regyai]

Looks good for a deluge of 'Missing Japanese War Treasure' TV twaddle

[impulse]

On 4/1/2024 at 3:47 PM, DPKANKAN said:

So it has just been discovered????

This photo below allegedly is my mate who works for the Thai Burma Railway Museum here, outside the tunnel in 2010!!!!

 

The photo in the OP shows a guy standing upright at the mouth of their cave, with quite a bit of clearance.

 

It's not hard to imagine there's hundreds of such caves all over Thailand, especially along the railway where they'd expect to be bombed and had prisoner labor to dig them.

 

[DPKANKAN]

3 hours ago, impulse said:

 

The photo in the OP shows a guy standing upright at the mouth of their cave, with quite a bit of clearance.

 

It's not hard to imagine there's hundreds of such caves all over Thailand, especially along the railway where they'd expect to be bombed and had prisoner labor to dig them.

 

Another update confirming not new and actual dates again

[impulse]

46 minutes ago, DPKANKAN said:

Another update confirming not new and actual dates again

 

Both your buddy's photo and hers show caves that are barely high enough to crawl into.  The photo in the OP shows a cave with a guy standing upright in the front, with plenty of headroom. 

 

Without exact location data, there's no way of knowing if they're the same cave.  Based strictly on the photos, I'd say they're not.  In fact, based on the slope at the entrances, I'd say those are 3 photos of 3 different caves. 

 

And I'd bet there are dozens (maybe hundreds) more all along the rail line.  I've spent a lot of weekends at a temple in Sangkla Buri, near the 3 Pagodas, and it has a lot of wild area that may have dozens right there.  And probably, the locals know all about them, but not that they'd be of historical importance.  Maybe this article will jog some local memories and they'll find even more.

On a side note, I really wanted to go exploring the gorgeous mountains and hills around 3 Pagodas, but thought the better of it when I realized what a hardship I'd be putting on the locals if I fell or got bit by a snake and they had to mount a rescue.

 

 

[DPKANKAN]

36 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Both your buddy's photo and hers show caves that are barely high enough to crawl into.  The photo in the OP shows a cave with a guy standing upright in the front, with plenty of headroom. 

 

Without exact location data, there's no way of knowing if they're the same cave.  Based strictly on the photos, I'd say they're not.  In fact, based on the slope at the entrances, I'd say those are 3 photos of 3 different caves. 

 

And I'd bet there are dozens (maybe hundreds) more all along the rail line.  I've spent a lot of weekends at a temple in Sangkla Buri, near the 3 Pagodas, and it has a lot of wild area that may have dozens right there.  And probably, the locals know all about them, but not that they'd be of historical importance.  Maybe this article will jog some local memories and they'll find even more.

On a side note, I really wanted to go exploring the gorgeous mountains and hills around 3 Pagodas, but thought the better of it when I realized what a hardship I'd be putting on the locals if I fell or got bit by a snake and they had to mount a rescue.

 

 

Many of us live around and are involved with not just the history of the railway, but have still been finding and investigating these sites and relics for years. As mentioned the guy in the Photo from 2010 is full time involved with the railway research department of TBRC and has been for years.