KANCHANABURI, Thailand — A railway station linked to World War II’s infamous “Death Railway” has re-emerged in western Thailand after spending decades beneath a reservoir, offering historians and researchers a rare opportunity to examine a site largely hidden since the 1980s.
Nithe Station, a former depot on the Thailand-Myanmar railway, resurfaced after water levels in the Vajiralongkorn Dam reservoir were lowered for maintenance work, according to researchers and Thai authorities. The station, located in Kanchanaburi province, has drawn historians, local residents and visitors since becoming visible in recent weeks.
Researchers said the exposure of the site is temporary and could end when dam maintenance is completed and seasonal rains begin refilling the reservoir.
The railway, built by Japanese forces during World War II, connected what were then Siam and Burma as part of a military supply route through mainland Southeast Asia. Historians say tens of thousands of Allied prisoners of war and large numbers of Asian laborers were forced to work on the line under harsh conditions.
According to researchers studying the site, Nithe Station served as a major depot along the route. The station and surrounding infrastructure were submerged after completion of the Vajiralongkorn Dam in 1984.
Independent researcher Martyn Fryer, whose grandfather died while working on the railway as a prisoner of war, traveled from Australia to survey the exposed remains. He said the unusually low water levels allowed a clearer view of the station than during previous visits.
“I’ve been to Nithe Station three times in the past, but the water level has always been too high to actually really appreciate the remaining infrastructure and the layout of the railway itself,” Fryer said.
Researchers have been using historic aerial photographs, wartime maps and metal-detection equipment to identify features of the station and search for artifacts. Items recovered include railway hardware and other remnants associated with the wartime route, according to those involved in the survey work.
Andrew Snow, a researcher with the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre, said the temporary exposure provides an important opportunity to document the site and improve historical records.
“It is a good opportunity for us to do some surveying,” Snow said.
The reappearance of the station has also attracted public interest, with videos and photographs shared widely on social media. Local residents reported increased visitor numbers at the site.
For now, researchers continue documenting the remains of Nithe Station, but officials and historians say the window for study is limited. With reservoir maintenance scheduled to conclude in the coming months and the rainy season underway, the station is expected to be submerged again once water levels rise.
