Where Is the River Kwai Located?

The River Kwai, also known as Khwae Noi or Khwae Sai Yok is a river located in the western region of Thailand. It is close to, but not over the country’s border with Myanmar. The river’s mouth is situated at the confluence of three rivers – Ranti, Songkalia, and Bikhli. At the Kanchanaburi point, it merges with the Khwae Yai River to become the Mae Klong River, and it finally empties in the Gulf of Thailand.

The River Kwai became popular from the Pierre Boulle novel and the film based on it – The Bridge on the River Kwai. The story depicts how the British, Dutch, and Australian prisoners of war were forced by the Japanese to build two bridges parallel to each other. These bridges were designed to cover the River Kwai river to become a section of the Burma Railway.

Out of the two bridges, one was wooden and temporary while the other was made from concrete and steel materials. The railway built on the bridge is often known as the Death Railway as many convicts lost their lives during the construction. Today, River Kwai is one of the popular tourist attractions in the country with a variety of resorts and experiences for visitors.

Category: Kanchanaburi