Great Asian Railway Journeys

Michael Portillo continues his rail journey through Thailand from Lampang, stopping to help at an elephant hospital, where they care for animals wounded by landmines. In the former Siamese capital of Ayutthaya, Michael admires gigantic ruined temples and finds out about what was one of the greatest cities in Asia. He makes a trip to an unusual market - a must for any self-respecting train-lover. Michael finishes this leg of his Thai journey at Kanchanaburi, close to the border with Myanmar, to ride one of the world’s most notorious tracks and, for him, the most poignant - the Death Railway.