Thai-Japan Friendship Memorial Hall Museum

Khun Yuam’s main attraction stands on the main highway near the north end of town. Housed in an impressive modern building, it is a must-see for anyone interested in the history of the Second World War, holding a large collection of war memorabilia alongside information about the ethnic groups living in the area.

The core of the collection is over 1,000 items left behind by the Japanese, who set up a camp in Khun Yuam during the war; several Japanese soldiers married local women and settled here, forging lasting cultural bonds between Thailand and Japan. On display are weapons and military equipment, uniforms and old photographs, samurai swords and more everyday objects such as dishes and spoons. The museum was established in 1995 by Police Colonel Chertchai Chomthawat, who collected items and information from across the region to create Thailand’s first museum dedicated to its role in the Second World War.

The displays also explain why the Japanese were in Khun Yuam, and in Thailand, in the first place: to establish a supply route from India through Burma and Thailand to feed their war effort in Southeast Asia. A further section is devoted to local ethnic groups such as the Hmong and Karen, with examples of their dress, culture and crafts.