As Thailand pushes for a notorious railway built by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II to become a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, local residents are debating whether its widely known nickname, the "Death Railway," should be used in the campaign.
The debate is framed by a strong sense that future generations must be taught history for what it is, and on the other hand by a concern that using the popular name could cause a diplomatic rift with Japan, with which Thailand has built long-standing ties.
At a recent public hearing in Kanchanaburi, capital of the western province of the same name, nearly half of the 450 or so participants from four districts along the Thai-Burma Railway raised their hands in agreement when asked if they were concerned that using the name Death Railway could cause bad feelings and unnecessary friction with Japan.