Memorial of The Japanese 37th Army Division

The Memorial of the Japanese 37th Army Division sits on the grounds of Wat Phrammani, on the edge of Nakhon Nayok town rather than out among Khao Yai’s forested hills — the coordinates and even the contact phone number match the temple itself, since the memorial is a single stone pedestal within its compound rather than a separate site. It’s a small, quiet stop, not a museum complex.

The history behind it: in December 1944, the Imperial Japanese Army’s 37th Division was redeployed south toward French Indochina and placed under the 38th Army’s command. It was based in Nakhon Nayok province to guard against a British invasion of Thailand expected to come from Burma, and it set up its camp on the grounds of Wat Phrammani and nearby Khao Turian hill. The division stayed in Thailand until the war ended in August 1945 — by most accounts it came through the war largely intact, with a reputation for discipline. Nakhon Nayok’s military connections didn’t end with the war either: the province is now home to the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy, Thailand’s own national military academy.

The memorial itself is a pedestal built in 1992 by a Japan-Thailand war veterans’ association to hold the ashes of soldiers who had been buried within the temple grounds during the occupation — most Thai sources put the number honored at 7,920. There’s no museum building, artifact hall, or bilingual exhibit here; it’s a commemorative marker on active temple land, visited mostly by people already at Wat Phrammani for the Luang Pho Pak Daeng Buddha image or passing through en route to Namtok Sarika further up the same road.

Insider Tip: Combine the visit with Wat Phrammani itself — the temple’s main draw, the red-lipped Luang Pho Pak Daeng Buddha image, is a two-minute walk from the memorial pedestal, and the same admission-free hours apply to both.

Watch out: This is a solemn wartime memorial on working temple grounds, not a tourist attraction with signage or guided commentary. Dress and behave as you would at any Thai temple — covered shoulders, no loud conversation near the pedestal.

The site is a short drive from Nakhon Nayok town center on Sarika-Nang Rong Road, easy to combine with Wat Phrammani and, further along the same road, Namtok Sarika. There’s no dedicated parking lot beyond what the temple provides, and no food or souvenir stalls on site — bring water if you’re visiting at midday.