Sunken station on WWII 'Death Railway' resurfaces from reservoir

Tuesday, June 16, 2026

Nithe Station, a former stop on the World War II Death Railway in western Thailand, has resurfaced due to lowered water levels in Vajiralongkorn Reservoir, allowing historians to study the site and recover wartime artifacts. This rare exposure offers researchers and descendants of POWs a unique chance to better understand and document the harsh conditions faced during the railway’s construction before the area is potentially resubmerged.

A former railway station on the World War II "Death Railway" has reemerged from beneath a reservoir in western Thailand, providing historians and researchers a rare opportunity to examine the site closely. Nithe Station, located in Kanchanaburi province, has been submerged underwater for decades until recent maintenance work at Vajiralongkorn Dam caused the reservoir’s water levels to drop significantly.

The Death Railway, officially known as the Thailand-Burma Railway, was constructed during World War II by approximately 60,000 Allied prisoners of war (POWs) and hundreds of thousands of Asian laborers forced by the Japanese occupying forces to work under brutal conditions. The 257-mile rail line connected Thailand (then Siam) with Myanmar (then Burma) and was critical for supplying Japanese troops in the region. More than 12,500 POWs, mostly from Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the former Dutch East Indies, and an estimated 75,000 Asian laborers perished during its construction, leading to its grim nickname.

The recent lowering of the reservoir by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand for dam maintenance has exposed remnants of Nithe Station, allowing historians to conduct on-site surveys and artifact recovery. Researchers are eager to study the site before the scheduled completion of dam works in August and the onset of the rainy season, which could again submerge the area.

Among those drawn to the site is Australian independent researcher Martyn Fryer, who traveled from Perth to explore the station. Fryer’s grandfather died as a POW working on the railway after his capture in Singapore in 1942. Using metal detectors, Fryer uncovered iron dog spikes, bridge staples, and other wartime relics in the muddy terrain, which reached temperatures around 38 degrees Celsius (100 Fahrenheit). He described the visit as a way to better understand the conditions endured by POWs during the railway’s construction.

Fryer, author of "From the Woodlands to the Jungle," has visited Nithe Station multiple times but noted that previous high water levels limited access and visibility. This year’s unusually low water levels have revealed previously hidden infrastructure and features of the railway.

Researcher Andrew Snow, affiliated with the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre, assisted in locating former POW camp sites by comparing wartime aerial photographs with hand-drawn maps. Like Fryer, Snow has a personal connection to the railway, as his father was also captured in Singapore and forced to work on the railway.

Snow noted that although seasonal drops in water have exposed parts of the station in past years, this year’s rapid decline in water level was unprecedented. The result has enabled a more thorough survey of the site, potentially allowing relatives of those who suffered and died on the railway to better visualize the conditions endured by their family members during the war.