Than Lwin Bridge from Motama (formerly known as Martaban) to Mawlamyine
(formerly known as Moulmein)
I took this picture while I was going back to Mudon from Yangon. At that time, there was no sign saying "No pictures." This bridge put me into a train of thoughts. When my mother was a university student, when she went to Yangon (Rangoon) from Mawlamyine (Moulmein), she had to cross Than Lwin (Salween) river and Sit Taung river with boats.
However, when I became a university student, we had a bridge crossing Sit Taung river. No more boats at Sit Taung for our generation.
Now, my children (if I am going to have any ;-) in the future) don't need to cross Than Lwin and Sit Taung with boats. If a country does not develop that much in 3 generations, that is not a place to live. No need to brag. My government is boasting like they are building bridges left and right. It's normal developement. If a government can't do that much, it's failing its obligations to the people. The developement in Burma is not very fast like the New Light of Myanmar is bragging. If, in 3 generations, it does not have this much development, that country, honestly, is not a place to live.
I want Burma to develop more than this for my children and their children generations.
Some of my BARS students at the Ann Hasseltine Judson's memorial tomb in Kyaik Ka Me (formerly known as Amherst)
Bau La Doi, Lwin Moe and Gaw Thaw listening to the explanation about the tomb
A BARS religion student at the Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery
Two BARS students at the Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery
A BARS religion student at the Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery
About the cemetery taken from this site:
http://www.cofepow.org.uk/remembrance/cemeteries/html/burma.htm
The Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery is situated in the village of Thanbyuzayat (which roughly translated means "a white iron resting hut") and is approximately 65 kilometres south of Moulein. It lies at the foothills that separate Burma from Thailand and is virtually inaccessible. The only road is driveable, but in a bad state of repair.
The first Prisoners of War arrived at Thanbyuzayat via Moulmein in September 1942 and established a POW base camp. There was also the base for a large hospital camp. It was here at Thanbyuzayat that the northern section of the pre-war rail line was connected to the newly laid rail line the prisoners constructed through Thailand. The southern end of the line was connected to the existing line at Nong Pladuk, west of Bangkok.
Prisoners who died in the camps in the north of Thailand - from Nikke going north to Moulmein in Burma - were initially buried in small cemeteries located close to the camps in which they had died, but after the war the Army Graves Service located most of the deceased from the camps between Nikke and Moulmein and they were moved to the War Cemetery at Thanbyuzayat.
The total number of graves in Thanbyuzayat is 3,771, of which 1,588 were British including 27 unknown graves. 1,335 were Australian and 621 were Dutch and numerous others.
The cemetery is set out in a semi-circle with the main aisle running through the centre with the Cross of Sacrifice standing at the end. On either side of this cross are clusters of large white flowering trees and small flowering shrubs are in abundance throughout. Most of the War Cemeteries in the Far East flaunt an abundance of lush green grass due to the constant water sprinklers; however, the grass at Thanbyuzayat is yellow and dry due to the lack of piped water in the area. This by no means detracts from the overall beautiful appearance and serenity of this remote cemetery but when the rainy season comes it quickly returns to a carpet of luxuriant grass.
A refugee's house near Songkhla, Southern Thailand, near the Thai-Burma border
You should visit these places in Thailand and the border area so you know how people are really living there.
Kwai River Christian Hospital in Songkhlaburi, Thailand
