Thailand

  

Sampran

  
Sampran Riverside, Thailand Sampran Riverside, Thailand
Sampran Riverside formerly the Rose Garden Riverside east of Bangkok in Nakhon Province gets you away from the hustle and bustle of the crowded city - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Sampran Riverside, Thailand Sampran Riverside, Thailand
Early morning overlooking the Ta Chine River at Sampran with the sunrise silhouetting the Bangkok skyline - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Ta Chine River, Sampran Riverside, Thailand Ta Chine River, Thailand
The hotel grounds reach down to the Ta Chine River - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Children peddling bicycle powered oxygen generators on a canal while a stall holder prepares take away snacks - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Demonstration oc rice production - Sampan Cultural Centre Demonstration oc rice production - Sampan Cultural Centre
Demonstration oc rice production - Sampan Cultural Centre Demonstration oc rice production - Sampan Cultural Centre

The various stages of rice production demonstrated at the culture centre adjoining the hotel - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Fruit carving - Sampan Cultural Centre Fruit carving - Sampan Cultural Centre

A fruit carver preparing a display - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Traditional Thai Music and Dance - Sampan Cultural Centre Traditional Thai Music and Dance - Sampan Cultural Centre
Traditional music for traditional dancing - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
A close resemblance to a Siamese cat (left) - apparently thoroughbreds are rare and very valuable.  Traditional fishing method (right - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow)
Performing/Working elephants, Sampran Thailand Performing/Working elephants, Sampran Thailand
Working elephants proceed along the street for a public performance and display.  These elephants seemed well looked after and cared for - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Bang Pon, Thailand Bang Pon, Thailand
Bang Pon was the junction from which the railway from Thailand to Burma diverged from the main Thai system - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Kanchanaburi to Wang Pho
Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Thailand Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Thailand
Kanchanaburi War Cemetery with remembrance plaque and visitors' book - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Thailand Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Thailand
The Kanchanaburi War Cemetery across from the Death Railway Museum - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Death Railway Museum, Kanchanaburi Death Railway Museum, Kanchanaburi
No photography is permitted in the Museum but some of its displays feature in the film "The Railwayman" - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Wartime locomotives at Tamarkan/River Kwai Wartime locomotives at Tamarkan/River Kwai
A commandeered British (left) and Japanese (right) locomotive used on the railway:  a truck converted to run on rails is seen in the background - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
River Kwai Station, Tamarkan, Thailand River Kwai Station, Tamarkan, Thailand
River Kwai Bridge station is thronged with tourists and souvenir and refreshment stalls.  After the success of the film "Bridge on the River Kwai" Thailand renamed the river over which the surviving bridge spans the Kwai - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Bridge on the River Kwai at Tamarkan, Thailand
Most people today seem to realise that the actual bridge (left) is nothing like the one portrayed in the totally fictitious mid 1950s film "Bridge on the River Kwai" (right) Distributed by Columbia and filmed in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), it bore little resemblance to reality - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow (Bridge on the River Kwai - Columbia Pictures)
Bridge on the River Kwai at Tamarkan, Thailand Bridge on the River Kwai at Tamarkan, Thailand
There were initially two bridges - a wooden structure followed by the permanent bridge which survives today - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Train for Wang Pho, Bridge on the River Kwai Crossing the Khwae Noi at Tamarkan, Thailand
Train arriving at River Kwai Bridge station at Tamarkan (left).  Crossing the Khwae Noi, meaning big river, above its confluence with the Khwae Yai, meaning little river. Somewhat confusingly it is the Khwae Noi which Thailand renamed (in English) the River Kwai as the bridges spanned the Khwae Noi.  But much of the railway ran alongside the Khwae Yai the name of which was corrupted to River Kwai and was the name of the river used in the novel by Pierre Boulle, published in French in 1952 and on which the film was based. Confused?  VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Running alongside the Khwae Yai, Thailand Third Class train from Bangkok to Wang Pho
The third class train running alongside the Khwae Yai - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
It is a pity that a railway through such beautiful scenery was achieved during wartime at such an horrendous cost in lives not only of allied prisoners of war but also of thousands of conscripted Asian workers - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Running alongside the Khwae Yai, Thailand Running alongside the Khwae Yai, Thailand
A signalman shows a green flag as the train approaches the trestle bridges at Wang Pho on the bank of the Khwae Yai - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Khae Yai trestles at Wang Pho  Khae Yai trestles at Wang Pho
Train on the forced labour hand built second trestle bridge at Wang Pho, Burma Thailand Railway - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Khae Yai trestles at Wang Pho Khae Yai trestles at Wang Pho
If not actually permitted, tourists are certainly not discouraged from walking out over the high trestles at Wang Pho - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Barge cruise on the Khwae Yai, Thailand Barge cruise on the Khwae Yai, Thailand
Barge cruising on the Khwae Yai near Bang Pho - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Barge cruise on the Khwae Yai, Thailand Barge cruise on the Khwae Yai, Thailand
Small motor boats tow the barges and during the cruise a buffet lunch is served - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Barge cruise on the Khwae Yai, Thailand Barge cruise on the Khwae Yai, Thailand
Spectacular scenery along the Khwae Yai, Thailand - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Back on land and heading for Bangkok - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow

Bangkok
Cityscape, Bangkok
Progress can be slow on Thailand's crowded but well-maintained roads (left).  Bangkok - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Bangkok street scene Bangkok street scene
Contrasting street scenes in Bangkok - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Electricity cables - Bangkok
Crazy wiring and ancient looking buses - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Public transport, Bangkok Bangkok Skytrain
But the buses contrast with a state of the art overhead railway system - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Bangkok BTS Bangkok BTS
Unfortunately views from the train are marred by the overall advertising.  The Bangkok BTS stations are spotless - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
foodstall, Bangkok sidewalk cafe Bangkok
Sidewalks are crowded with stalls and cafes and motor bikes can appear from anywhere - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
pedestrian crossing Bangkok
Traffic does NOT generally give way to pedestrians and motor cycles are very popular - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Grand Palace Wat Phra Kaeo, Bangkok Grand Palace Wat Phra Kaeo, Bangkok
Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo, a sub-complex within the greater Grand Palace complex - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Changing of the Guard.  Guardsmen in British Royal Marines style uniforms - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Boom Phiman Mansion, Bangkok Chakri Throne Hall, Bangkok
Built in the western style in 1903, the Borom Phiman Mansion (left) is used to accommodate visiting foreign dignitaries;  Chakri Throne Hall (right) - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Dinner cruise on the Chao Phraya
Evening dinner cruises on the Chao Phraya - the river which flows through Bangkok - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Grand Palace Wat Phra Kaeo, Bangkok
While the pleasure craft are brightly lit, this is not the case with the many barges being towed in both directions - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Rama VIII suspension bridge, Bangkok Rama VIII suspension bridge, Bangkok
Rama VIII suspension bridge, Chao Praya River, Bangkok, Thailand - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
Spectacular views from the river at night - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
As diners leave the pleasure craft they are saluted by the waiters - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow
 

Home Page