Hellfire Pass: Tracing the History of the Death Railway (Thailand-Burma Railway)

A solemn tribute to the lost lives of people who suffered beyond words...or imagination

Hellfire Pass Memorial — The Hellfire Pass hike is about 5.5km long (return route). The short route is about 485m and takes you to Konyu Cutting (Hellfire Pass)

The Death Railway, or Thailand-Burma Railway, has a morbid history. As a Thai, I grew up knowing about it from my visits to a tiny section called The Bridge on the River Kwai (pronounced “kwae”). I knew it as an important landmark and very little else about its story, or the stories of people who lost their precious lives here, or the manner in which their lives were taken away from them and their beloved families…until I revisited the sites that are left standing today and pieced together the entire history of what once took place on Thai soil.

What happened here was unfathomable, unimaginable, and beyond heartbreaking. Nothing prepared me for a full-on immersive experience of this infamous part of WWII history, as I traced the entire journey possible today.

It’s one thing to learn about this part of WWII history from books, documentaries, or movies. There is plenty of information available out there. It’s another thing, however, to actually walk the path, feel the heat (literally), and trace the history from the actual ground.

Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre and Memorial Walking Trail

My journey started here. In Thailand, Hellfire Pass is known as Chong Khao Kaad, which is roughly translated as "severed mountain pass". Severed...as in being torn or ripped apart. Without knowing its history, I can only imagine some kind of extreme geological events that could actually rip massive rocky mountains apart like this. But here, the severing and ripping apart was all done by hand...

The Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre and Memorial Walking Trail was the highlight of my learning experience. There is a museum, for learning about the history, and the walking trail that follows the old, dismantled railroad tracks. I walked the entire stretch of this trail (about 5.5km return route) in 40+ C heat, unrelenting direct sunlight, with little to no tree shade because it was dry season (March). It felt excruciatingly long and intense. I could feel my body burning from the inside out, and dehydration despite drinking enough water.

And this was only a tiny fraction of what the soldiers went through, while constructing the railway. I couldn’t imagine the horrendous conditions back then, the way they were inhumanely treated, the oppression, deprivation, and complete obliteration of their body and spirit by their tormentors.

The Australian government has done an excellent job of curating and enhancing the learning experience, as well as ensuring the safety of visitors who choose to walk the entire length of the path. Before setting out, the center’s staff gave me a walkie talkie, to check-in on me every hour, and a media player set that contains information about the history and stories of real people who went through hell while constructing the railroad.

Hiking the Hellfire Pass route feels like a pilgrimage

Listening to the stories while walking the trail intensified the learning experience for me. I felt like I was walking the same path, taking in the same heat, and reliving a tiny fraction of what they went through. Their stories weighed heavily in my heart, as I traced each footstep of their journey. The scenes came to life, through all my senses, leaving mental imprints that will stay with me far into the future.

I completed my learning experience at the center’s museum, an excellent place to absorb more information about this section of the Death Railway project. As I left the site, my heart was heavy, body extremely exhausted (from the heat), but my soul was touched and changed forever.

Route Information

Practical Information

There are two walking routes: route 1 is 485m (one way), takes you to Konyu Cutting and Memorial; route 2 is 2.64km (one way) goes to Hintok Cutting.
Due to its rocky mountainous geography, Kanchanaburi is one of the hottest locations in Thailand. Avoid walking the trail in April or May, when the temperature usually rises above 40C and trees without leaves.
Plan to go early, as the walk can take up to 3 hours (you don’t want to be in direct sunlight and heat at noon — exactly what I did).
Bring an insulated water bottle, so that your water remains chilled, especially if you decide to do this walk in March, April, or May.
No admission fee

Location Map

Kanchanaburi is about 127km from Bangkok. Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre and Memorial Walking Trail is another 70km from Kanchanaburi city center.