Pai Historical Bridge

The dark green steel bridge spans the Pai River and serves as the gateway to Pai District. It connects the road from Chiang Mai to Pai District in Mae Hong Son. Located in Ban Tha Pai, Mae Hi Subdistrict, Pai District, Mae Hong Son Province, along Highway 1095 (Mae Malai-Pai) at kilometer 88, this bridge was built during World War II by Japanese soldiers. It was used to cross the Pai River and transport supplies and weapons to attack Burma (then a British colony). Originally, the bridge was made of wood. Japanese soldiers conscripted Thai villagers from various villages to clear the route from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son. Meanwhile, villagers from Mae Hong Son were also conscripted to clear the route towards Chiang Mai. Both routes converged at the riverbank in Ban Tha Pai, Pai District. Together, they used elephants to drag large 30-inch logs from the forest to build the bridge, connecting both sides over the Pai River. This became a historical war route and bridge. After the war ended, the Japanese soldiers retreated and burned the wooden bridge, causing inconvenience for the people of Pai who had used the bridge with the Japanese soldiers. They had to revert to using boats made from logs to cross the river. The villagers, accustomed to using the bridge, worked together to build another wooden bridge to cross the Pai River. However, a major flood severely damaged the farms and fields, and the floodwaters washed away the wooden bridge. The Pai District then requested the old Nawarat steel bridge from Chiang Mai, which was no longer in use, to replace the wooden bridge that had been destroyed by the floodwaters. The Nawarat Bridge from Chiang Mai was gradually transported and reassembled in Pai District, Mae Hong Son Province. After a full year, the bridge was completed and became the Tha Pai Historical Bridge as it stands today.