Burma and Thai borders

Then came the long-awaited hour. In October 1943, the railway joined tracks on both the Burma and Thai borders ending an actual 16-month long harshness and cruel activities. Some described it as an engineering marvel. However, the project after being completed, the POWs working at remote forest areas were sent to base camps and hospitals. After recovery, they again rushed for new work destinations. A sizeable chunk of them remained in Thailand until the war was over.

The construction work being over, a major part of Asian laborers stayed back in the jungle areas for railway track maintenance work. They handled the job and procured jungle wood for locomotive boilers. To the Japanese, the railway assumed more importance as a vital supply route due to their weakened presence at the South China Sea. They had to have the track remain operational for obvious strategic needs. In all six trains plied in a day, despite the fact, it remained as the backbone to the distressed Japanese army fighting in all fronts.