Kanchanaburi is known mostly because of the movie Bridge over the River Kwai.
But they are also known for their Black spinel. There’s rough, there’s faceted and some incredibly ornate jewellery.
Some of the first pictures are taken in a private museum. Mama has gifted pieces to the royal family over many years.
The machinery they use is basic, but the results are fabulous.
For those of you who don’t realise Black spinel can also be called onyx and black jack.
The pictures are a little disorganised. As I was saying about the movie things were changed to suit the script.
This place of atrocities is actually named Hellfire Pass. There is an administrative centre / museum funded by the Australian Government. 150 very steep stairs go down to the actual pass and then need to be climbed up.
Andy Turk has generously shared his video of this years ANZAAC dawn service.
There is also a dedicated museum beside the war grave cemetery to commemorate the soldiers and thousands of locals who died
Needless to say but the river was not actually called Kwai but the locals have renamed it.
