Chungkai War CemeteryAbout Chungkai War Cemetery
Chungkai War Cemetery lies on the far bank of the Khwae Noi, a short ride south-west of central Kanchanaburi, on the ground where the Chungkai prisoner-of-war camp once stood. It is the smaller of the two Allied cemeteries near the town and far less visited than the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, which makes it a good place for quiet reflection.
About 1,700 men are buried here, most of them British, with a smaller number of Dutch. Many died in the camp hospital, where sick prisoners were brought down from the work camps further up the line. The graves are marked with bronze plaques on low plinths, set in a mown lawn beside the river.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission maintains the cemetery. As at every war grave, keep to the paths and keep your voice low.
Nearby Attractions to Chungkai War Cemetery
Weather & Climate near Chungkai War Cemetery
Chungkai War Cemetery's climate is classified as Tropical Savanna - Tropical Savanna climate with very hot summers (peaking in April) and hot winters (coldest in December). Temperatures range from 20°C to 36°C. Abundant rainfall (1021 mm/year), wettest in October with a pronounced dry season.
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Excellent | 20° - 33° | 26° | 4 mm | some cloud | 66% | 0.6 m/s | 1.8 very high | 11.3h |
| February | Excellent | 22° - 35° | 29° | 11 mm | mostly sunny | 60% | 0.8 m/s | 2.0 extreme | 11.6h |
| March | Excellent | 23° - 36° | 31° | 32 mm | some cloud | 58% | 0.9 m/s | 2.1 extreme | 11.9h |
| April | Very Good | 25° - 36° | 34° | 69 mm | some cloud | 61% | 1.1 m/s | 2.4 extreme | 12.3h |
| May | Acceptable | 25° - 34° | 35° | 126 mm | overcast | 74% | 0.9 m/s | 2.4 extreme | 12.7h |
| June | Good | 24° - 33° | 33° | 82 mm | overcast | 80% | 1.2 m/s | 2.3 extreme | 12.8h |
| July | Good | 24° - 32° | 33° | 105 mm | overcast | 81% | 1.1 m/s | 2.3 extreme | 12.8h |
| August | Good | 24° - 32° | 32° | 100 mm | overcast | 82% | 1.0 m/s | 2.2 extreme | 12.5h |
| September | Acceptable | 24° - 32° | 32° | 206 mm | overcast | 85% | 0.6 m/s | 2.2 extreme | 12.1h |
| October | Acceptable | 23° - 32° | 32° | 226 mm | overcast | 85% | 0.8 m/s | 2.0 extreme | 11.7h |
| November | Very Good | 22° - 31° | 27° | 56 mm | partly cloudy | 81% | 1.0 m/s | 1.9 very high | 11.3h |
| December | Ideal | 20° - 31° | 26° | 4 mm | some cloud | 73% | 1.0 m/s | 1.8 very high | 11.2h |
How to Get to Chungkai War Cemetery
The cemetery is on the west bank of the Khwae Noi, south-west of the town centre. Cross the river by the road bridge and follow the riverside road; a bicycle, motorbike or tuk-tuk is the easiest way to get there. It is easy to combine with the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery and the JEATH War Museum on the same half day.
History & Culture of Chungkai War Cemetery
Chungkai was one of the first base camps on the railway. Prisoners arrived in October 1942 to build the line and clear the jungle, and a hospital opened the following month. Over the next two and a half years it treated nearly 20,000 men suffering from tropical ulcers, dysentery, malaria, cholera and malnutrition, often with improvised instruments and almost no medicine. Prisoners also built a small church here. The camp and hospital stayed open until June 1945.
After the war the camp’s burial ground became a permanent war cemetery, designed, like the cemeteries at Kanchanaburi and Thanbyuzayat, by the architect Colin St Clair Oakes.