Siam Snapshots: Previously unpublished pictures of Jim Thompson at the River Kwai, 1960

By Robert Rochlen

SIAM SNAPSHOTS — These photos were taken in December of 1960 on a trip up to the area where the Bridge on the River Kwai stood.

On the trip were Jim Thompson, Ethan Emory (the husband of Lily Tuck, author of “Siam, or the Woman Who Shot a Man”), my father Donald Rochlen, my brother Roger Rochlen, and two unknown Thais. These pictures were taken on the trip back from the bridge site while traveling on the River Kwai Noi.

Ethan Emory is on the left, Jim Thompson on the right, and the third photo includes a partial shot of Roger. My father took the photos.

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2016/07/01/siam-snapshots-previously-unpublished-pictures-jim-thompson-river-kwai-1960

-- Coconuts Bangkok 2016-07-02

As far as I am aware the Bridge still stands or has it been knocked down?

As far as I am aware the Bridge still stands or has it been knocked down?

The original bridge was in a different location than the bridge you'll see today and the jungle hills you may see in the movie are located in Sri Lanka.

....one of the first foreigners in recent recorded history to be bumped off....and have his bones picked clean....

...and 'others'** profited....... and revel in his legacy......

...to this day nothing has been done to protect foreigners....their rights...their assets......

...so the crimes against foreigners continue....unchecked.......

....one of the first foreigners in recent recorded history to be bumped off....and have his bones picked clean....

You are trolling, right? Of course it would be even better if the Cameron Highlands happened to be in Thailand.

Dear SOTIRIOS..... I thought I was the only one who had figured out what "really" happened to JT.....?

But then again, maybe it is more obvious than all the conspiracy theories try to cover up.

As far as I am aware the Bridge still stands or has it been knocked down?

The original bridge was in a different location than the bridge you'll see today and the jungle hills you may see in the movie are located in Sri Lanka.

I know that. It was near Ratnapura I have been there and seen the signed photos of the actors who made it

....why does some always....like to post their posts....

...and typed their posts....... this is particular manner......

...it makes it hard to read....and confusing...why?......

...i cant understand really....so i try to type this way as well.......

That aside nice pictures btw.

Several off-topic and argumentative posts have been removed from this thread.

As far as I am aware the Bridge still stands or has it been knocked down?

The original bridge was in a different location than the bridge you'll see today and the jungle hills you may see in the movie are located in Sri Lanka.

The so-called bridge over the river Kwai, build by the Japanese and slave labour from material sourced from Java stands today in the very same location. If you are discussing the "bridge" built for the nonsense movie, well that's an entirely different story.

As far as I am aware the Bridge still stands or has it been knocked down?

The original bridge was in a different location than the bridge you'll see today and the jungle hills you may see in the movie are located in Sri Lanka.

The so-called bridge over the river Kwai, build by the Japanese and slave labour from material sourced from Java stands today in the very same location. If you are discussing the "bridge" built for the nonsense movie, well that's an entirely different story.

I believe that the "so-called bridge" was destroyed by bombers using radio controled bombs, according to some autobiographical books I have read! I could be wrong but??

As far as I am aware the Bridge still stands or has it been knocked down?

The original bridge was in a different location than the bridge you'll see today and the jungle hills you may see in the movie are located in Sri Lanka.

The so-called bridge over the river Kwai, build by the Japanese and slave labour from material sourced from Java stands today in the very same location. If you are discussing the "bridge" built for the nonsense movie, well that's an entirely different story.

I believe that the "so-called bridge" was destroyed by bombers using radio controled bombs, according to some autobiographical books I have read! I could be wrong but??

The "bridge" still stands,the bombing destroyed a couple of sections which were replaced. The replaced sections are of a different design which is obvious when you look.

Nonsense movie? Gee I rather liked it? Anyone else like it or am I alone on this.

My mum went to see it 5 times 'cos she was in love with William Holden.And every bloody christmas, too,if it was shown.

Nonsense movie? Gee I rather liked it? Anyone else like it or am I alone on this.

Liking it and it containing any truth are two different matters.

My mum went to see it 5 times 'cos she was in love with William Holden.And every bloody christmas, too,if it was shown.

My dad also went to see it and had trouble sitting all the way thru' it and considered it an absolute load of BS, why did he say that - simple reason, he had been a POW on the Thai-Burma railway.

As far as I am aware the Bridge still stands or has it been knocked down?

The original bridge was in a different location than the bridge you'll see today and the jungle hills you may see in the movie are located in Sri Lanka.

As far as I know ,....The original bridge is in Burma !!!

My mum went to see it 5 times 'cos she was in love with William Holden.And every bloody christmas, too,if it was shown.

You were lucky.

My mum loved The Sound of Music.

Artisi.

My great uncle Jack was a prisoner on the Burma march.They removed his teeth.His mate had to chew his food for him.He survived and came back home,but my nan said he was not the same man as the one that went.He never talked about it either.

A lot of mis-information, guess work etc. on what is commonly called and considered the "Bridge on the river Kwai".

The attached link hopefully will clear this up, if not there is a lot more of info on the net for those interested.

http://hellfire-pass.commemoration.gov.au/remembering-the-railway/bridge-on-the-river-kwai.php

Artisi.

My great uncle Jack was a prisoner on the Burma march.They removed his teeth.His mate had to chew his food for him.He survived and came back home,but my nan said he was not the same man as the one that went.He never talked about it either.

My dad made it back, all in one piece (outwardly) although he never manifested any psychological problems other than nightmares for a few years and recurring bouts of malaria, which doesn't occur in Australia according to the Dr's , but guess the pans under the bed catching the perspiration dripping thru' the mattress convinced the local GP otherwise.

Likewise he never spoke about it and lived approx. 50 years after the event, after what he had been thru' he considered everyday a bonus and I never heard him complain once - although the mistreatment did cause him a few problems in later years.

I have visited the "railway" on many occasions and have visited the area at Three Padoga Pass when he spent considerable time -- this area was considered the worst of the worst for mistreatment and disease etc.

....why does some always....like to post their posts....

...and typed their posts....... this is particular manner......

...it makes it hard to read....and confusing...why?......

...i cant understand really....so i try to type this way as well.......

That aside nice pictures btw.

Because...we can....you...do...not...have...to...read...the...posts...

Never been to Jim Thompson's house, but have been to the bridge in kanchanaburi. Had a great time on a disco boat, got roaring drunk then went home on the train. A great day out. Nowdays though the disco boat has been banned, not part of the new boring Thailand image of temples and beaches. Sex, parties and fun drought expected to worsen as big P continues his crusade for the elite.

Some years ago my wife and I rode on the train up to Nam Tok. We took a Songtaw to the Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum, it was fascinating and very moving. My wife had never been taught about the "Death Railway" or indeed anything about the second world war,(except that the Thais had defeated the French), she was unaware of the whole railway project. A very pleasant gentleman. a retired Australian Army Officer (a Lieutenant Colonel I think) took us around, and explained everything, in Thai, to my wife.

She was very quiet on the trip back.

​I can understand the Thais having a very limited knowledge of European History, up to and including the Second World War, ( after all, few of us know much about about the campaigns in South East Asia and China), but it is a shame that they are not taught the history of that period in their own country.

Who is Jim Thompson?

Who is Jim Thompson?

Well I did not know either so I visited Google. Suggest you do the same.

Who is Jim Thompson?

Suggestion, type Jim Thompson into google, you might get a pleasant surprise.

Who is Jim Thompson?

Suggestion, type Jim Thompson into google, you might get a pleasant surprise.

Also the book "Jim Thompson, the unsolved mystery" is a good read.

The novel on which the film is based was written by a Frenchman , Pierre Boulle, who had been a prisoner on the Burma railway. He said that the inspiration for the Nicholson character ( Alec Guiness) came from his own observations of collaborationist French rather than English.

He had never been to the bridge near Kan: ie the one bombed by the allies and still in use today. The more likely source of inspiration for the bridge is the area further up: ie past where the trellis railway line clings to the cliff face ( assuming it's still there) towards Nam Tok/ Kan Tok/ Something Tok (?). Past hellfire pass where the remains track disappears into the jungle. I went on a trek up there with returning POWs about 35 years ago but haven't been back since

As for the William Holden character: well, there were no American characters in the book or on the railway ( French, Dutch, Brits, Aussies, Kiwis, a few Canadians and thousands of Indentured labourers). Hollywood required an American just as they did for The Great Escape .

Jim Thompson: William Warren knew him, wrote the book and is still living in Bangkok. He doesn't know what happened and given that it's 50 years ago soon, likely nobody else does.

The novel on which the film is based was written by a Frenchman , Pierre Boulle, who had been a prisoner on the Burma railway. He said that the inspiration for the Nicholson character ( Alec Guiness) came from his own observations of collaborationist French rather than English.

He had never been to the bridge near Kan: ie the one bombed by the allies and still in use today. The more likely source of inspiration for the bridge is the area further up: ie past where the trellis railway line clings to the cliff face ( assuming it's still there) towards Nam Tok/ Kan Tok/ Something Tok (?). Past hellfire pass where the remains track disappears into the jungle. I went on a trek up there with returning POWs about 35 years ago but haven't been back since

As for the William Holden character: well, there were no American characters in the book or on the railway ( French, Dutch, Brits, Aussies, Kiwis, a few Canadians and thousands of Indentured labourers). Hollywood required an American just as they did for The Great Escape .

Jim Thompson: William Warren knew him, wrote the book and is still living in Bangkok. He doesn't know what happened and given that it's 50 years ago soon, likely nobody else does.

The trestle bridge is at Wampo, before Hell-Fire pass, it is still operational and certainly worth a visit, it is easily reached by road and a very short walk, there is also a Buddha statue in a cave at the end of the bridge maintained by the local people.

I believe there were few Americans on the railway, they were navy or merchant navy - would need to check to make sure.