09 JANUARY 2019 - KANCHANABURI, THAILAND: A small ferry crosses the River Kwai. The ferry goes across the River Kwai downriver from downtown Kanchanaburi, the site of the famous "Bridge on the River Kwai." Small ferries like this, once common on Thai river crossings, are disappearing because Thailand has dramatically improved its infrastructure since this ferry started operating about 50 years ago. The ferry operator said his grandfather started the ferry, with a small raft he would pole across the river, in the late 1960s. Now his family has a metal boat with an inboard engine. There are large vehicle bridges across the river about 5 miles north and south of this ferry crossing, but for people in rural communities on the west side of the river the ferry is still the most convenient way to cross the river. PHOTO BY JACK KURTZ
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