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 The Allies saw the danger and bombed the railway, succeeding in slowing down these supplies in 1944. By this time the Japanese had reached India and the Battle of Kohima took place. The Japanese were defeated at Kohima and the Allies were on the offensive, driving the Japanese forces back into Burma. It was evident that if the Japanese were pushed back through Burma it could result in their forces being cut off, an escape route was required, the Mergui Road was built for this reason.
The Mergui Road started construction in April 1945, the prisoners that survived were still working on the road when the Japanese surrendered on 18th August 1945.
Approximately fifty per cent of the work force were selected from the Nakom Pathon hospital patients by the Japanese medical officer, Neguchi, who showed no regard for their physical condition. The Japanese said the work party of 1000 prisoners was for light work in Malaya.
Many of the prisoners at Nakom Pathon had worked for the last 12 to 18 months on the Death railway and were very ill and undernourished but they saw Nakom Pathon as a place of death and many wanted to get away. This false promise from the Japanese of light work was yet another lie, the work force was for the construction of the Mergui Road, the road was to be made over a mountainous region between Mergui in Burma and Prachuap Khiri Khan in Thailand.
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