"On arrival at the staging post near Bangkok, the next phase of the journey was often on foot, marching along newly-established tracks to increasingly distant work camps along the railway trace. Where possible, river transport was used as an effective alternative to difficult overland travel." Open-topped train carriages containing prisoners-of-war, many of whom are holding out their arms for food from the people by the side of the railway, who are in the bottom left of the composition. A steam engine is directly behind the carriage to the right, and there are buildings and trees in the background.