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info Thanbyuzayat was the finish of the line for the notorious Burma-Siam railroad connecting Thailand with Myanmar amid the Japanese occupation in World War II.

It was known as the Death Railway (မြန်မာ-ထိုင်း သေမင်းတမန်မီးရထားလမ်း) because of the numerous detainees of war who kicked the bucket developing the 415 km long line for the Japanese Imperial Army. The line began from Nong Pladuk in Thailand, over the Mae Klong waterway (which was later renamed River Kwai in 1960) 5 km north of Kanchanaburi, through Payathounzu (Three Pagoda Pass) on the Thailand-Myanmar fringe and afterward traveled northwest to Thanbyuzayat over harsh and tough landscape.

Just 112 km of line kept running inside the limits of Burma.

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watch_later Operation hours: 9:00 - 16:00

hourglass_full Time needed: Approximately 1 hour

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An expected 100,000 individuals passed on developing the railroad, including Australian, Dutch, American and British detainees of war, and in addition workers from Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia. A Death Railway Museum has been set up about a kilometer from Thanbyuzayat's fundamental town focus. The historical center contains in addition to other things, a bit of track from the first passing railroad line that was found by the previous Australian Ambassador to Myanmar, Mr Trevor Wilson. Tragically, the principle working of the historical center is frequently bolted and passage into the building will require earlier authorization from the Thanbyuzayat's town overseer. In the grounds of the gallery, in any case, a remembrance has been set up entire with prepare track, a plaque and one of the first trains gave by the Japanese experts from a historical center in Yokohama.

Arriving: Thanbyuzayat is 60 kilometers south of Mawlamyine while in transit to Setse and Kyaikkami.

The Campaign First Phase

On 16 January 1942, a Japanese battalion occupied Victoria Point (Kawk Thaung), Tavoy fell on 19 January. The main Japanese invasion came from Raheng. They were blocked at Kawkareik, Moulmein (Mawlamyine) fell on 31 January. The British retreat across the Sittang on 19 February, and cross the river on the night of 21-22 February. On the following morning two Japanese regiments attacked the bridgehead on the eastern bank of the river At 05.20 Am of 23 February, the bridge was blown. The British pulled back to Pegu, half way to Rangoon, Pegu fell and a Japanese division was closing in to the Yangon city on 5 March, sweeping around the city to the north to attach from the west. The British realized that they couldn't hold Rangoon, and ordered an evacuation to leave along the road to Prome (Pyi), they ran into a Japanese roadblock. On 8 March, as the last British train left Rangoon, the Japanese reached into the undefended city from the west. After the fall of Rangoon the fighting died down. During the rest of March, both sides received reinforcements and prepapred for the second phase of the campaign- the inevitable Japanese attack north into the heart of Burma.

Second Phase

Serious fighting resumed in late March. The Japanese advanced into the center, to Toungoo (30 March) and Mandalay (1 May), and the east, reaching Lashio (29 April), cutting the Burma Road in the west Japanese army advanced up the Irrawaddy against the British, forcing them out of Prome (2 April) and Magwe (16 April). On 21 April, Alexander ordered general retreat across the Irrawaddy, and on 26 April the British began their long retreat back to the Indian border. The British and Burmese lost 13,463 men during the campaign in Burma, while the Chinese may have lost as many as 40,000 men. Japanese losses were much lower, at 4,597 dead and wounded. The battle in the air was a little more equal, with 116 aircrafts lost by the Allies and a similar number by the Japanese.

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place Location: Thanbyuzayat, Mon State, Myanmar

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