1.
GV.BRIDGE OVER RIVER KWAI
0.03

2.
CU.NAME "BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER KWAI"
0.16

3.
SV.PEOPLE CROSSING
0.10

4.
LV.TRAIN PASSING OVER
0.14

5.
GV.CEMETERY (2 SHOTS)
0.24

6.
LV.AUSTRALIAN REPRESENTATIVES WITH WREATHS
0.28

7.
LV.MEMORIAL
0.36

8.
SV.AMBASSADOR
0.41

9.
SV.OFFICERS
0.44

10.
SV.AUSTRALIAN AMBASSADOR LAYS WREATH (2 SHOTS)
0.54

11.
GV.CEREMONY
0.59

12.
SV.PEOPLE LOOK ON
1.00

13.
GV.MEMORIAL (2 SHOTS)
1.12

14.
GV.CEMETERY
1.16

15.
GV.BRIDGE OVER RIVER KWAI
1.23



Initials DHC/VS/JH/JG



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: REPRESENTATIVES FROM BRITAIN, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND AND THAILAND RECENTLY TOOK PART IN AN ANZAC DAY CEREMONY IN THE TINY VILLAGE OF KANCHANBURI, ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER KWAI.

WAR GRAVES CLOSE TO THE ALMOST LEGENDARY BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER RECALL THE 16,000 MEN WHO DIED THERE DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR.

THE NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA AMBASSADORS TO THAILAND TOOK PART THE BRIEF WREATH-LAYING CEREMONY. BRITAIN'S CHARGE D'AFFAIRES IN THAILAND AND A MEMBER OF A THAI EX-SERVICE ORGANISATION ALSO TOOK PART.

DURING THE WAR 20,000 PRISONERS OF THE JAPANESE WERE FORCED TO BUILD THE BRIDGE. THEY WERE HOUSED IN ROUGH WOODEN HUTS WHICH WERE BOMBED REGULARLY BY ALLIED FORCES. UNAWARE THAT IT WAS A PRISONER-OF-WAR COMPOUND.

A REGULAR STREAM OF ENGLISH, AUSTRALIAN AND TOURISTS OF OTHER NATIONALITIES VISIT THE BRIDGE AND LAY WREATHS ON THE GRAVES.

A YOUNG THAI WOMAN WHO WATCHED THE WARTIME BOMBING AS A CHILD STILL LIVES THERE OPERATING A SMALL INN AND SOUVENIR SHOP.