Welcome to Khlong Toei: where Bangkok’s pulse beats raw and real. Nestled amidst the city’s hustle, this vibrant district holds tales of resilience, community, and contrasts.
Join us on a journey through its narrow alleyways, bustling markets, and serene waterways. Beyond the surface stereotypes lies a rich tapestry of life waiting to be explored.
Let’s peel back the layers and uncover the authentic essence of Khlong Toei.
Khlong Toei is one of the districts in central Bangkok. It is known for its market and slum and is about 1.5 square kilometres in size and the land is relatively low and swamp-like.
It is the largest and oldest slum in Bangkok.
The slum grew in the 1950s when the establishment shipped in thousands of rural workers to provide much-needed labor for the nearby docks.
The labourers were allowed to live informally on the land owned by the Thai government’s Port Authority, without any rent.
Khlong Toei Slum is the house of about 100,000 people and is also home to the Khlong Toei Market, the largest fresh food market in the capital.
The walkways in the slum are slim and uneven, making it hard for pedestrians and motorbikes to move along.
You will find many of the tin-roofed homes are on stilts over stagnant, polluted water, and the area is prone to flooding during the monsoon.
Trash management and sewerage are also a large problem, as the garbage seems to continue to pile up.
Many organizations are working for the betterment of this slum.
However, the government is planning to build a shopping mall in the place of the slum and for that government of Thailand wants to shift the inhabitants of the slum to a new purpose-built 26-story condominium block.
But, they can not move because of the extended families which would be impractical for modern apartment blocks to provide shelter to such a big family.
How to reach:
1. Reach by MRT:
To reach Khlong Toei Slum from Bangkok City by MRT, you have to take a blue line MRT from Hua Lamphong to Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. You will get an MRT every 5 minutes.
It is about 3.5 km away from Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. You can walk or take a cab to reach your destination.
Another way to reach the slum is to get off at Khlong Toei MRT station and then move about two km east of the station.
2. Reach Khlong Toei Slum by bus:
To reach here from Bangkok by bus, you have to take a bus from Golden Mount, Wat Saket. The bus runs after every 15 minutes.
The bus will drop you off Opposite Samoson Kan Thaurea. From here you have to walk for about 10 minutes and you will reach Khlong Toei Slum.
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