Don-Rak Cemetery, Kanchanaburi

The Kanchanaburi Allied War Cemetery gives a horrific indication of the vast numbers of Prisoners of War who perished during the construction of the Thailand to Burma railway. The Don-Rak Cemetery is the largest and best maintained of Kanchanaburi’s cemeteries with a total of 6,982 graves.

The Don-Rak Cemetery is located in Kanchanaburi, just north of the main city centre on the main road (Saeng Chuto Road). There is no admission fee and the graveyards are open all day long. A typical visit will last 30 minutes and is usual combined with the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre.

The Kanchanaburi Allied War Cemetery was designed by Colin Oakes and is also known as the Don-Rak Cemetery. The site covers a large expanse to the northern side of the city and is meticulous maintained by the Commonwealth War Grave Commission. The graveyard is fitting memorial to the thousands of Prisoners who died from exhaustion, malnutrition or deadly disease during the construction of the railway.

There are 6,982 graves of allied troops within the Don-Rak Cemetery. Each grave has a small headstone with a bronze plaque stating the name, age and regiment of the soldier who perished. Many of the graves are for soldiers who were under 25. For bodies who could not be identified the plaque reads ‘A soldier who died for his country’. Placed next to many of the small headstones are wreaths and flowers as a sign of respect.

To the northern edge of Don-Rak Cemetery is the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre which provides an unbiased detailed description of the construction of the Burma railway. The museum is high recommended after a visit to the Kanchanaburi Allied War Cemetery.