Dr. PRAWASE WASI

Dr. PRAWASE WASI, in his rise from poor farmer's son to university professor, has shown that the medical profession offers an opportunity to serve others and one's country consequentially. Born 50 years ago at Kanchanaburi in the Khwae River Valley near Burma, PRAWASE saw as a boy that the rich could do something about their lives while the poor were helpless, and he vowed to aid them. He worked his way through school and received.

the gold medal for the highest academic achievement in his class at the government Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, University of Medical Sciences, from which he graduated in After three and a half years of advanced study in hematology at the University of Colorado, and in human genetics at London University, he returned in 1961 to join the Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, in the newly named Mahidol University of which he is Vice Rector for Planning and Development.

History In 1942, Japanese forces invaded Burma from Thailand and seized it from British control. To maintain their forces in Burma, the Japanese had to bring supplies and troops to Burma by sea, through the Strait of Malacca and the Andaman Sea. This route was vulnerable to attack by Allied submarines, and a different means of transport was needed. The obvious alternative was a railway. The Japanese started the project in June 1942.

They intended to connect Ban Pong with Thanbyuzayat, through the Three Pagodas Pass. Construction started at the Thai end on 22 June 1942 and in Burma at roughly the same time. Most of the construction materials for the line, including tracks and sleepers, were brought from dismantled branches of the Federated Malay States Railway network and from the Netherlands East Indies.

On 17 October 1943, the two sections of the line met about 18 km south of the Three Pagodas Pass at Konkuita (Kaeng Khoi Tha), Sangkhla Buri district, Kanchanaburi Province). Most of the POWs were then transferred to Japan. Those left to maintain the line still suffered from the appalling living conditions as well as Allied air raids.

The ancient prehistoric civilization flourished in the western part of Thailand dates back to several tens of thousand years. From Kanchanaburi province especially in the basin of the two branches of the Kwai Yai and Kwai Noi rivers, many archaeological objects have been discovered.

One of the most important sites found in the Kwai Noi River basin is an ancient city site named Muang Sing. The important discoveries made near the ancient city remains include prehistoric human skeletons together with metal tools, vessels and ornaments; brick bases of the Dvaravati period architecture; and the laterite ruins of the13th century.

This Muang Sing must have been an important outpost of Angkor as it was mentioned in the Prasat Phra Khan inscription made during the reign of King Jayavarman VII. At present, Muang Sing on the bank of the Kwai Noi River is included in Muang Sing sub-district. The vestiges of the ancient city comprise several layers of rectangular walls and moats, having Prasat Muang Sing in the middle. Other three lesser monuments in ruins are also found in the area. From the main monument has been discovered a number of Mahayana Buddhist images.

The three lesser monuments could have been built in the same period as Prasat Muang Sing in the 13th century, in the area which had been on the important communication route that connected central Thailand to Lower Burma.

Realizing the importance of the site, the Fine Arts Department initiated the renovation of Prasart Muang Sing in The site then was a mound covered with heavily overgrown vegetation. When the renovation work of the monument was completed covering an area of around 640 rai of land, Muang Sing Historical Park had the official opening presided over by H.R.H. Princess Mahachakri Sirindhorn on April 3, Since then Muang Sing Historical Park has become a proud cultural heritage site, serving as an educational source as well as an interesting tourist attraction in the region.

In the boundary of the historical park, there is a museum which houses various artifacts and sculptures displayed comprehensively for an easy understanding of the local history. Muang Sing Histrocial Park is provided with various facilities. Excellent roads are constructed to make it easily accessible and comfortable accomodations are established on the bank of the Kwai Noi River. Thus, Muang Sing Historical Park became an important place to visit in the study of art and culture, as well as to relax in a comfortable surroundings.

Sai Yok National Park

Sai Yok National Park is 98 km. from Kanchanaburi, located in Amphur Thong Pha Phum and Sai Yok. The Park was designated on the 27th October 1980 as the 11th National Park of Thailand, with a total area of 500 km.

The park is mountainous, mostly limestone mountain runs on north- south axis. In the past, Sai Yok National Park is an area King Rama 5 used to visit and take a bath in a stream. Later, there was a composer, who composed a song describes the wonderful of Sai Yok Waterfall, the waterfall becoming famous.

Tham Krasae

About Tham Krasae Cave krasae away from Kanchanaburi town about 55 kilometers to 323 kilometers by highway number to this cave was a cave housing a prisoner of war when the route is building rail line from Thailand to Burma dying. Cavity adjacent to the railway line route Kanchanaburi - Nam Tok

The rail line is a contemporary history of World War 2 ended the current railway station cascade Within the porous cavity and sacred Buddha image is enshrined. View from the cave entrance near the train will see beautiful scenery and views over the river small river below. This area is difficult to build a rail. Curve along the path because he Distance trains, which run sandwich Rim cliffs of 400 meters in length quite

Tham Than Lot

Chalerm Rattanakosin National Park. Located in the local district Srisawat Kanchanaburi Province National Park that is not very roomy. However, forest conditions are fertile and beautiful natural features such as waterfalls and cliff caves and rivers to escape was a wonder of the collapse of the limestone. Combined with the scour of water makes them natural limestone bridge becomes tremendous.

And have evidence to show the history of Burma and the military march in Japan Space is approximately 59 square kilometers or 36,875 rai announced the establishment of a national park on 12 February 2523 using the name. "Cave National Park rivers escape."

Hellfire Pass

The Konyu cutting was a particularly difficult section of the line to build due to it being the largest rock cutting on the railway, coupled with its general remoteness and the lack of proper construction tools during building. A tunnel would have been possible to build instead of a cutting, but this could only be constructed at the two ends at any one time, whereas the cutting could be constructed at all points simultaneously despite the excess effort required by the POWs. The Australian, British, Dutch and other allied Prisoners of War were

required by the Japanese to work 18 hours a day to complete the cutting. Sixty nine men were beaten to death by Japanese and Korean guards in the six weeks it took to build the cutting, and many more died from cholera, dysentery, starvation, and exhaustion (Wigmore 568). However, the majority of deaths occurred amongst labourers whom the Japanese enticed to come to help build the line with promises ofcholeradysentery starvationexhaustion

good jobs. These labourers, mostly Malayans (Chinese, Malays and Tamils from Malaya), suffered mostly the same as the POWs at the hands of the Japanese. The Japanese kept no records of these deaths.

Erawan Waterfall The 7 levels of this stunning waterfall drops 1500 m. down steep-sided cliffs. It is surrounded by beautiful forest with many types of trees and orchids. There is a trail as far as the 6 th level and from there you have to scramble up the cliff to reach the 7th level. The climb is well worth the effort,for the sight of tumbling water, spraying off the boulders into the deep pool below. This fall resembles the head of the Erawan Elephant-the 3-headed elephant from Hindu Mythology – which gives the whole waterfall its name.

Tiger Temple Thailand

Volunteering at Tiger Temple Thailand Introduction Volunteers at Tiger Temple are involved in the day-to-day care of the animals. For example, preparing food cleaning the cages and in the near future helping to build new enclosures. We do not offer any opportunities for scientific experiment or research. Our projects are best suited to people with a genuine interest in tigers and Buddhism. The work is not easy and involves early morning starts and long afternoons in intense heat. Volunteering at Tiger Temple should not be viewed as an exotic holiday experience but rather as hard work for a good cause.

Volunteer Involvement at Tiger Temple Volunteers work a six-day week starting at 7am in the morning and finishing around 5pm in the afternoon with a few free hours late in the morning. The day starts with cleaning the cages at 7am followed by breakfast at the temple. At 9am some of the volunteers assist in taking food to the cubs, while others help prepare breakfast for our Black Asiatic bear cub. After this it is free time until early

Wat Tham Mangkon ThongDuring your tour to Kanchanaburi you can find various interesting and rare tourist attractions. Among them Wat Tham Mangkon Thong, Kanchanaburi is one. It is a temple with difference; it is not a usual temple which is adorned with numbers of images of Gods to provide places for your submissions. Wat Tham Mangkon Thong, Kanchanaburi is one of the rarest temples of Thailand. The most exciting and unique feature of Wat Tham Mangkon Thong, Kanchanaburi is the floating nun. This temple is infact well known for this floating nun. According to the local belief that in ancient time a nun dwell in this place. From this incident the custom of floating nun started it this temple. This activity of nun is a wonderful and exciting sight. The nun in the water not only floats her body but also makes different positions of Lord Buddha. According to the myth she began doing these postures because of the predecessor of this nun. Local people have the belief that her predecessors on the time of meditation sat on her back into the tub of water. This practice continues generation after generation after the death of a nun another nun takes the charge of this practice. Wat Tham Mangkon Thong, Kanchanaburi is situated 4 km away from the city and on the banks of River Kwai Noi. You can have a full sight of this wonderful and unique activity from the auditorium of the temple which is constructed to give the full view. After finishing their activities nuns offer thanks to the viewer. In this temple there is also a museum that showcases various old objects.