Thoughts on the Bridge on the River Kwai

Yeah,I had waited a long time to go to Thailand.My wife had told me it was a really nice place with friendly people.So off we went and I must say as the plane drew close to landing I looked out the window at kind of greenhouse haze and heat!Bangkok,my wife said,might take time to adjust to.She was right but I did find it a "happy place" with people who pre-dominantly had a good and friendly spirit!The day we went off to Kwai,I got my wife up (before dawn)and we set off for the main station,but the train left from Thonburi instead.Once the train started out it was an exotic and interesting ride gliding through palms,shanty towns,rice paddies and catching glimpses of Buddhist Temples.For someone out of London (a metropolis) this was real interesting indeed.
We were in 3rd class on wooden seats sharing the carriage with Buddhist Monks,Aussies and people from Germany.It was a hot sunny day when we arrived-it had taken 3 hours.I was surprised at how "homely"and welcoming it looked.The Loco trundled off towards Burma and we walked
precariously over the Bridge.It was a really pleasant afternoon-the floating resteraunt a bit disappointing but the memorabilia and ambience to be remembered.No-one was too forceful,about buying their stuff.Suitably laid back.We buzzed down the river on one of those pointed boats,that seem to have such a powerful engine-I asked him to "open it up" on the way back back,and we went roaring up the Kwai river holding onto the boat for dear life!As for the history that was 1943-44 and this was now.Overall it was a really pleasant place to visit,if one doesnt focus overtly on the horrors that took place there in the "hard times" of WWII and the poor sods who found themselves there then..I think the train journey cost 2 Euros or something like that 100 Thai Baht.A memorable experience,leaving us to gloat over the photos of a good day out.

I went to the Kwai river with some friends and their kids. We walked across the black iron “Bridge on the River Kwai” on a narrow footpath that ran parallel to the rail track. There was no guardrail and it was quite high so its not too safe to walk across after dark. I held little Jannies hand as the older kids skipped ahead. After we got back across we went down to a floating restaurant to have a splendid Thai supper of fresh river fish. The kids had great fun throwing scraps over the side to the fish. A kayak went quickly downstream a young man was paddling and a woman was swimming alongside on the side opposite us, she clung to the kayak with one hand. I suppose she was doing this out of modesty. Swift narrow swallowtail boats sped upstream leaving waves in their wake that rocked the restaurant. As darkness fell they came back downstream with more tourists. The bridge was lit up and a tiny locomotive tooted and chugged across. The scene was so tranquil it was hard to imagine the inhumanity that took place on that very spot. Here the Japanese worked thousands of Allied POWs and other Asians to death building the bridge, many were died from maltreatment and disease. In the end the infamous bridge was not of much use as it was bombed and at the end of the war the Thai-Burma line was never used. The Burmese just tore up their tracks for scrap metal. Yet another monument at the futility of war and another dark stain on Japanese history. Still, the atmosphere at the bridge more subdued than at similar sites in other Asian countries. Part of this may be the complicated relationship (complicity)of the Thais with Japan during the days of the Empire. In Thailand I faced absolutely no hostility from old or young, very different from Korea or China. There are things about my culture and country that I’m definitely not proud of and oppose. The cruelty and oppression shown on other nations during the war showed some deep negative aspects of Japanese culture and psyche. I personally don’t believe these proclivities will change without a change of heart. The heart of man is filled with darkness. i don't believe merely turning a monk and chanting mantras will not atone and will not shed light into this black void. Many Japanese turn to Buddhist thinking patterns “oh its just karma that makes war criminals. When everybody dies they become a Buddha anyway and blah..blah” If they were honest they'd admit that Buddhism for all its time hasn’t taken away the bloodthirsty rage that is in the heart of Japan (that results in heinous atrocities) it only bottles it up (suppression) given time it will once again rear its ugly head. I’m not a humanist. I don’t believe in the goodness of humanity (been doing too much humanitarian work) and I’m not optimistic of modern Japan. Muddled mysticism only frustrates victims as it removes all accountability. In this “enlightened” age denying accountability is very popular. When there are no absolutes and no power to submit to we all can become gods and oh what cruel wrath we humans have.