zz During World War II, Kanchanaburi was used as a base by the Imperial Japanese Army to invadeBritish Burma. Allied prisoners of war and labourers from other parts of Southeast Asia were forcedto build the infamous Death Railway. The railway ran 415km from Ban Pong district, Kanchanaburi, inThailand to Thanbuyuzayat in Myanmar. More than 13,000 prisoners of war died between late 1942and late 1945. The number of deaths of Asian labourers is harder to calculate; around 100,000 isthe most likely figure. The causes of deaths were disease (especially malaria, dysentery, beriberi  and cholera), starvation, poor sanitation, overworkand the cruelty of Japanese and Korean guardsand engineers. The record was 62 working hoursout of 72 hours, according to the Thailand-BurmaRailway Centre. The centre is an interactive museumand information and research facility devoted topresenting the history of the Thailand-Burma Railway.The centre is open daily 9am-5pm. Admission feesare 140 baht for adults and 70 baht for children. It islocated near the main Kanchanaburi War Cemeteryon Saengchuto Road. Visit tbrconline.com.