The book/movie “The Bridge on the River Kwai” was satirical fiction and the wooden bridge they showed never actually existed. But a steel bridge was built in roughly the right area as part of the Death Railway and after the success of the movie the ever-helpful Thai authorities applied their creative geography skills to stretch the definition of the River Kwai a little to cover it.  The central section was destroyed by allied bombing but repaired after the war, otherwise it’s the original forced labor bridge.

For a small fee I was able to ride a train across the bridge and along a section of the Death Railway.  It was a scenic but slightly spooky trip.