Dated November 14, 2018 History of the Kanchanaburi Road Construction Center Following the completion of the road construction project, a Thai-Japanese cooperation project, at the Mechanical Equipment Center in Surat Thani Province in 1977, the Japanese government expressed its desire to provide assistance in other projects. The Department of Highways considered that a road connecting Kanchanaburi Province with the northern region was urgently needed for national security and as a route for transporting minerals. Therefore, on June 1, 1978, the Department of Highways announced the establishment of the Mechanical Equipment Center in Kanchanaburi Province with the following project objectives: 1. To construct a highway between Sai Yok District and Thong Pha Phum District (approximately 61 kilometers). 2. To undertake highway construction in Kanchanaburi Province and neighboring provinces such as Ratchaburi, Suphan Buri, Nakhon Pathom, etc. 3. To train personnel in various fields for road construction and to ensure their proficiency in the use of construction machinery, as well as its maintenance, repair, and troubleshooting according to professional standards. This was made possible with the cooperation of the Japanese government, which provided a loan of 98 million baht for the purchase of machinery and approximately 31 million baht to supplement other funds. The budget used for the construction of the road from Sai Yok District to Thong Pha Phum District was also supported by the Japanese government, which provided training equipment including videotapes, projectors, slide projectors, and training films, as well as textbooks and official documents, valued at approximately 400,000 baht. The first team of highway department officials surveyed the area around Thong Pha Phum District on July 4, 1978. At that time, Thong Pha Phum and Sangkhla Buri Districts did not yet have road access. During the rainy season, travel was by boat along the Khwae Noi River, while during the dry season, two-wheel drive vehicles could travel along the roads used for hauling timber. This journey took the officials two days by road. In the initial stages of establishing the center, it was assigned to immediately proceed with the construction of the road from Sai Yok District to Thong Pha Phum District, in order to support the Khao Laem Dam construction project of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT). The center initially selected the Sai Yok Highway Section, located in Tha Sao Subdistrict, Sai Yok District, at kilometer 42 of Highway No. 323 (Sai ​​Yok - Thong Pha Phum section), as a temporary office and accommodation for administrative staff. All engineering staff resided in a construction camp. In the early stages, staff were unable to bring their families due to limited accommodation. After considering several locations for the center's office, in 1982, it was decided to use approximately 165 rai and 3 ngan of government land in Pak Phraek Subdistrict, Mueang District, Kanchanaburi Province, as the site. Construction of the office, staff residences, laboratories, workshops, and other buildings began that same year, at a cost of 26,780,000 baht. The project was completed on March 5, 1984, with the official opening ceremony of the Kanchanaburi Mechanical Equipment Center. Currently, the Kanchanaburi Mechanical Equipment Center has been renamed the Kanchanaburi Road Construction Center by order of the Department of Highways on June 24, 1985.