31 August 2026 — H.E. Waritha Sanguansermsri, Governor of Kanchanaburi, visited the Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre and Hellfire Pass (Konyu Cutting), as well as a local military base, to learn more about the work and missions of agencies operating in the province. The visit marked Governor Waritha’s first visit to the Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre since resuming her position as Governor of Kanchanaburi in December 2025.
During her visit to the Centre, the Governor received a briefing on the establishment and development of the Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre, its role in preserving and interpreting the history of the Burma–Thailand Railway, and the services provided to visitors. She was also briefed on the Australian Department of Veterans’ Affairs’ longstanding commitment to the Centre, including its support for the Centre’s operations and funding.
Following the Centre tour, Governor Waritha proceeded to Hellfire Pass, where she learned more about the construction of the railway and the immense physical challenges faced by those who worked to cut the railway through the steep and rugged terrain. The visit provided an opportunity to reflect on the difficult working conditions and hardships experienced by Allied prisoners of war and Asian labourers during the construction of the Burma–Thailand Railway.
Hellfire Pass Manager Mick Clarke OAM also briefed the Governor on the Centre’s annual Anzac Day Dawn Service, including its significance as a commemorative event and its role in bringing together visitors, representatives, veterans’ communities and local people to remember those who suffered and died during the construction of the railway. The service continues to attract more than 1,000 attendees each year.
Governor Waritha expressed her appreciation for the Centre’s continued success in welcoming a large number of visitors throughout the year. She also recognised the significance of the annual Anzac Day Dawn Service, noting that the Centre’s visitors and commemorative events contribute not only to preserving the history and memory of the Burma–Thailand Railway, but also to the local economy by bringing visitors to Kanchanaburi and supporting local businesses and communities.
The visit reaffirmed the importance of continued cooperation between the Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre and local authorities in preserving this significant history, supporting meaningful commemoration, and ensuring that Hellfire Pass remains an important place of remembrance and learning for visitors from Thailand and around the world.
