Officials held a wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate World War II heroes on 'Victory over Japan Day' in Thailand.

Local authorities, Dutch delegates, military attaches, and international organisation representatives participated in the ceremony held at the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery on August 15 at 11 am.

The event was led by Dutch ambassador Ambassador Remco van Wijngaarden to mourn the casualties of the second world war, including the Prisoners of War who suffered during the construction of the Siam-Burma Railway.

The ceremony is an annual observance held on August 15, also known as Victory over Japan Day, when Imperial Japan surrendered, effectively bringing an end to World War II.

The event is organised in collaboration with the Netherlands Embassy in Thailand, the British Embassy Bangkok, the Royal British Legion, and the authorities in Thailand.

Spread over an area of 17 rais, the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery holds the graves of 6,982 prisoners of war and soldiers, while the nearby Chungkai War Cemetery contains 1,692 graves. The Thai government and the Allies reached an agreement to construct both cemeteries on August 24, 1954.

During WWII, Thailand feebly surrendered and allowed the Japanese Nazi Axis to build the 'Death Railway' through the country between 1942 and 1945.

The line allowed the Japanese to send supplies from Singapore to Burma, both of which had been stolen from their British custodians during the conflict while Britain was preoccupied with defeating Hitler.