# Kanchanaburi province

Kanchanaburi (Thai: กาญจนบุรี, pronounced) is the largest of the western provinces (changwat) of Thailand. The neighboring provinces are (clockwise, from the north) Tak, Uthai Thani, Suphan Buri, Nakhon Pathom, and Ratchaburi. In the west it borders Kayin State, Mon State, and the Tanintharyi Region of Myanmar.
Tourists are attracted by the history of its ancient civilization and the World War II Bridge over the River Kwai, originally spelt "Khwae" but officially changed to Kwai to accommodate the expectations of tourists.

## Geography

The province is in the west of Thailand, 129 km from Bangkok, and covers a total area of approximately 19,483 km$^2$ (7,522 sq mi). It is the country's third largest province, after Nakhon Ratchasima and Chiang Mai. Topographically, it is covered with timber and evergreen forests. The total forest area is 12,002 km$^2$ (4,634 sq mi) or 61.9 percent of provincial area. The district covers the source valleys of the rivers Kwae Yai and Kwae Noi ("River Kwai"), which merge at Kanchanaburi city to form the Mae Klong River.
Bong Ti is a transnational border crossing point, which is expected to gain in importance if the planned Dawei deepwater port project goes ahead, along with a highway and a railway line between Bangkok and the port.

### National parks

There area seven national parks in the mountainous areas of the Tenasserim Hills, along with two other national parks, make up region 3 (Ban Pong) of Thailand's protected areas.
* Khuean Srinagarindra National Park, 1,532 km$^2$ (592 sq mi)$^{:39}$
* Khao Laem National Park, 1,497 km$^2$ (578 sq mi)$^{:67}$
* Thong Pha Phum National Park, 1,236 km$^2$ (477 sq mi)$^{:114}$
* Lam Khlong Ngu National Park, 673 km$^2$ (260 sq mi)$^{:123}$
* Erawan National Park, 550 km$^2$ (210 sq mi)$^{:12}$
* Sai Yok National Park, 500 km$^2$ (190 sq mi)$^{:19}$
* Chaloem Rattanakosin National park, 59 km$^2$ (23 sq mi)$^{:17}$

### Wildlife sanctuaries

There are two wildlife sanctuaries, along with one other wildlife sanctuary, make up region 3 (Ban Pong) of Thailand's protected areas.
* Thung Yai Naresuan West Wildlife Sanctuary, 2,130 km$^2$ (820 sq mi)$^{:2}$
* Salak Phra Wildlife Sanctuary, 859 km$^2$ (332 sq mi)$^{:1}$

## History

Archaeological remains found in Kanchanaburi date back to the 4th century, with evidence of trade with surrounding regions at that time. Very little is known about the historical Khmer influence in Kanchanaburi, but Prasat Muang Sing, one of the country's most well-known Khmer sites, provides evidence of their occupation.
Not much was historically recorded about Kanchanaburi province before the reign of King Rama I, but some historians believe that the province was of strategic importance during the Ayutthaya period, since it was on the invasion route from Burma. In 1982, many human and elephant skeletons and swords were found in Phanom Thuan district, leading to speculation that this site might even have been the site of the famous battle of King Naresuan against the Burmese crown prince, most commonly assigned to the Don Chedi district in nearby Suphanburi province.
Most foreigners are mainly aware of Kanchanaburi's recent history with the Burma Railway. During the Japanese occupation of Thailand in 1942, both allied POWs and Asian labourers were ordered by the Japanese to build a Thailand-Burma railway. Eventually, more than 100,000 people (16,000 allied POWs and 90,000 local Asian labourers) died from horrific working conditions.

## Symbols

The seal of the province shows the three stupas on Bantadthong Mountain. They give the name to the mountain pass to Myanmar, called "Three Pagodas Pass".
The provincial flower is the night-flowering jasmine (Nyctanthes arbortristis). The provincial tree is the Moulmein lancewood (Homalium tomentosum). The provincial aquatic animal is the Jullien's golden carp (Probarbus jullieni).
The provincial motto is "The ancient province. The (Three) Pagodas Pass Checkpoint, Gems of Kan, Bridge on the River Kwai. Source of minerals and waterfalls."

## Administrative divisions
### Provincial government

Kanchanaburi is divided into 13 districts (amphoe). The districts are further divided into 98 subdistricts (tambon) and 887 villages (muban).
| Mueang Kanchanaburi Sai Yok Bo Phloi Si Sawat Tha Maka Tha Muang Thong Pha Phum | Sangkhla Buri Phanom Thuan Lao Khwan Dan Makham Tia Nong Prue Huai Krachao |

### Local government

As of 26 November 2019 there are: one Kanchanaburi Provincial Administration Organisation (ongkan borihan suan changwat) and 49 municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. Kanchanaburi and Tha Ruea Phra Thaen have town (thesaban mueang) status. Further 47 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). The non-municipal areas are administered by 72 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations – SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).

## Transport

Kanchanaburi's main railway station is Kanchanaburi railway station, served by the Southern Line Nam Tok Branch Line (Burma Railway).

## Health

Phaholpolpayuhasena Hospital is the main hospital of the province, operated by the MInistry of Public Health.

## Economy
### Mining

In 1918, alluvial sapphire deposits were discovered near Bo Ploi. It was a major source of sapphires in the 1980s and 1990s.
Kanchanaburi province is the site of Klity Creek, a waterway heavily polluted by the practices of the Lead Concentrate Company. The company was ordered by a Thai court to clean up its environmental damage in 2013. To date (2019) the court ordered clean-up has been halting and ineffectual.

### Tourism

The Thailand–Burma Railway Centre, which gives a good introduction of the Burma Railway and its history. There are also two war cemeteries, Kanchanaburi War Cemetery and Chungkai War Cemetery.
The JEATH War Museum is located near the Thailand–Burma Railway station of Kanchanaburi. Although it is called the War Museum, the museum also houses a historical art gallery with murals and statues of historical figures and events from that region. Moreover, aside from WWII artifacts, there is also a sanctuary for stray cats, a wildlife atrium, a Miss Thailand costume museum, an archive library from the founder of the museum, the Chansiri family. The museum was inaugurated on May 11, 1987.

## National parks

* Erawan National Park is a 550 km$^2$ park in western Thailand in the Tenasserim Hills of Kanchanaburi province, Amphoe Si Sawat in tambon Tha Kradan. Founded in 1975, it was Thailand's 12th national park. The major attraction of the park is Erawan Falls, a waterfall named after the erawan, the three-headed white elephant of Hindu mythology. The seven-tiered falls are said to resemble the erawan. There are four caves in the park: Mi, Rua, Wang Bahdan, and Phartat. Rising northeast of the waterfall area there is a breast-shaped hill named Khao Nom Nang.
* Thong Pha Phum National Park is a national park. The park has numerous waterfalls and caves. Chok Kradin waterfall descends 30 metres (100 ft) over a cliff. Another large waterfall is Khao Yai, with three levels. Other park waterfalls include Dip Yai, Bi Teng and Huai Meuang. Khao Noi cave houses Buddha images. Khao Khat viewpoint offers a panoramic view over the park.
* Khao Laem National Park is a park of about 1,500 square kilometers in western Thailand, located in the northern area of the Tenasserim Hills, Kanchanaburi province. It is a part of the Western Forest Complex, a system of protected wilderness in the Dawna–Tenasserim Hills area of western Thailand. The park surrounds the Khao Laem Reservoir in Kanchanaburi province about 340 km northwest of Bangkok. It is cut through by Road 323. The vegetation consists of mixed deciduous, hill evergreen and dry evergreen forest. It is adjacent to the Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary, which is situated to the northeast of Khao Laem National Park. Large animals of the area include tigers, elephants, gaurs, sambar deer, barking deer and wild boars.
* Sai Yok National Park is a national park in Sai Yok District. The park, home to mountains, waterfalls and caves, is part of the Western Forest Complex protected area. The park's major attractions are its waterfalls, including Sai Yok Yai waterfall which flows into the Khwae Noi river. Sai Yok Yai Lek waterfall lies south of Sai Yok Yai along the Khwae Noi. The park also contains numerous caves, the largest of which is Tham Lawa with a length of 500 metres (1,600 ft). This cave complex consists of five large caverns, each containing large stalactites and stalagmites. Another cave system, Tham Daowadueng, is 100 metres (330 ft) long and was discovered in 1972. Tham Daowadung consists of eight chambers of stalactites and stalagmites.
* Khuean Srinagarindra National Park is a national park of about 1,532 square kilometers. It covers the area of amphoes of Sai Yok, Si Sawat, Thong Pha Phum, and part of Srinagarind Dam, hence the name. Its territory adjacent to the area of Sai Yok National Park, Erawan National Park, Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary, and Salak Phra Wildlife Sanctuary. The park highlights include Srinagarind Reservoir and several beautiful waterfalls, such as Huai Mae Khamin Waterfall.

## Human achievement index 2022

| Health | Education | Employment | Income |
| 23 | 69 | 24 | 49 |
| Housing | Family | Transport | Participation |
| 4 | 61 | 56 | 43 |
| Province Kanchanaburi, with an HAI 2022 value of 0.6372 is "average", occupies place 43 in the ranking. ||||
Since 2003, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Thailand has tracked progress on human development at sub-national level using the Human achievement index (HAI), a composite index covering all the eight key areas of human development. National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) has taken over this task since 2017.
| Rank | Classification |
| 1–13 | "High" |
| 14–29 | "Somewhat high" |
| 30–45 | "Average" |
| 46–61 | "Somewhat low" |
| 62–77 | "Low" |
* Map with provinces and HAI 2022 rankings

## Notable people

* Boonpong Sirivejjabhandu (1906–1982), merchant
* Vajirañāṇasaṃvara (1913–2013), 19th Supreme Patriarch of Thailand
* Prawase Wasi (born 1931), haematologist, political actor and public intellectual
* Luang Por Dattajivo (born 1940), Buddhist monk
* Chatchai Plengpanich (born 1960), actor
* Sontirat Sontijirawong (born 1960), politician
* Suchao Nuchnum (born 1983), football player
* Weluree Ditsayabut (born 1992), Miss Universe Thailand 2014