Hello everyone, welcome back to Mobile Photographer and the Urban Explorer project, which is now in its second episode.

This time, Kaew will take everyone to a place that everyone will definitely not expect, which is "Khlong Toei".

Many people may think, may believe that Khlong Toei is a slum, a drug trafficking area,
full of poor people, violence, things that seem to be another side of society, are all gathered here. But that was just the past. . . .

Today, Kaew wants everyone to open their minds and follow me to experience this place again. And you will change your mind.

The starting point of the glass is the Duang Prateep Foundation, which is located at the very front of the Khlong Toei community. But it seems that the glass came a little early, no one has arrived yet. I feel very lucky that the day I came, the weather was cool and comfortable for walking around.

A sign at the front of the foundation, which was founded in 1978 by Khru Prathip and thousands of underprivileged children.

After much talk and preparation, it's finally time to begin! Our team and community leaders from various parts of Khlong Toei have gathered at the foundation's multipurpose court. Today's trip participants, a total of 3 people, include an office worker, two female teachers, and yours truly, just your average blogger. 55 5

The community leaders welcomed us and gave us a brief overview of the tour.

And these are the little guide siblings who have been trained by the Duang Prateep Foundation and Local A Like.
Each of them has all-round abilities, both in terms of providing information, guiding tours, and welcoming and taking care of guests.

One thing, and it's something that Kaew is very impressed with, is that the people of Khlong Toei want everyone to understand who they are.
It's not what people outside think it is. They just want to be understood, not sided with.

Okay, let's start walking. The Khlong Toei community is divided into 3 main zones:
[ 1. Community Lock 1-2-3 ] , [ 2. Community Lock 4-5-6 ] , [ 3. Community 70 Rai ]
Right now, Kaeo is walking into the Lock 4-5-6 community.

Images of the community on both sides of the main road we are traveling on today

Within the community, there is also a vocational training school that has been built by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to develop the careers and well-being of the people in the community.

This barbershop is a product of a vocational school. As you can see, the prices are incredibly cheap.
But it also allows the shop to survive, and the customers are happy to pay without breaking the bank.

Next to it, แก้ว came across a fried chicken shop. But wait, when she looked closer, it was a chicken skeleton.

To be honest, I can count on one hand the number of times I've bought chicken frames in my life. But the people in the community told me that this one is the best.
While I was standing there talking and taking pictures, someone actually came and ordered a lot of them. They ordered so much that they were almost out. Luckily, the team bought some for me to try.
Otherwise, I would have missed out and been so sad. 55 5

Let's continue walking. Now Kaew has arrived at the railway tracks, which are located on the edge of the Lock 4-5-6 community and serve as a barrier between their community and the main road. It's unbelievable that there are houses built right next to the railway tracks, and they're permanent structures too. They're built in a long row.

Both sides of the railway tracks are home to many people, their houses and workplaces.

We walked along the railway tracks, talking to the young guides who were giving us advice, as well as to the community leaders, about why the people of Khlong Toei have to live by the railway tracks.

The main reasons are the lack of adequate living space and income to find better housing.
In addition, their relatives live here, so they don't want to move anywhere.

But what Kaew walked on and met all the way was that everyone was smiling brightly, even though their living conditions were like this.

Smiles and small, colorful houses can still be found here. This is what Khlong Toei is.

The house is very stylish. The way they managed the limited space is impressive. I'm still amazed by it.

This small house seems to be a favorite among the people on the trip.

The simple way of life of the people in the community reminds me of the simplicity and ordinariness of life. It doesn't require much embellishment to find happiness.

Before the glass traveled to the community, Lock 1-2-3, Kaew heard something. Yes, it was a train.
The community leader and the team said that we were very lucky to come at the right time when the train arrived. Because the train
on this route is a train that transports oil from Bangchak, which does not run on a fixed schedule.

There it is, it's come a long way from that angle, friends will see that the railway tracks are really close to everyone's houses, as if they were part of the community. It's like it's normal for everyone to be used to the sound of trains going by.

This image is something that I don't think you can find in Bangkok. Everyone in the trip was happy to see it.
The real Unseen of Khlong Toei, the umbrella market looks so ordinary compared to this. The train runs so close to the houses every day.

Okay, now we're going to continue into the Lock 1-2-3 community. Walk along the path inside.
It's a narrow path, but motorcycles can pass through. It's paved with wood in some places and concrete in others.

Along the way, there are houses of villagers that are almost facing each other. Some angles look uncomfortable.

But from another perspective, it also makes you feel warm in a different way.

This cute little mouse must have been ordered to sit and watch over the chickens of his own house. He sits there and doesn't go anywhere.
Many houses with glass windows will also raise chickens or ducks.

No matter how many trips I go on, I can't help but take pictures of cats. This fat cat is huge, with a round face. So cute -3-

In the community, each household has a different occupation, including cooking, grilling chicken, and grilling pork for sale.

This restaurant is a noodle shop. It's packed with people. I really want to go in and try it.

Walk a little further and we will find the shrine of Father Ko Cho, a revered figure with a fascinating history.
It is said that during the construction of the new Port Authority warehouse, a crocodile escaped and hid somewhere within the building. Despite extensive searches, the crocodile was never found. However, people continued to report sightings, leading to a deep respect and reverence among the locals. It is believed that those who pray at this shrine will have their wishes granted, particularly in the areas of education and career opportunities.

As you walk a little further, you will come across the only mosque in the Khlong Toei community. This is because there are quite a few Muslims in the community.
This place is therefore used for religious ceremonies and also for community events. It is a multi-purpose space.

We walked through the community of Lock 1-2-3. Some parts of this community are located next to the expressway, which means that some houses are located under the expressway. Let's see what life is like for people living under the expressway.

Underneath the expressway we see here, there are houses built permanently. There are parking lots, restaurants selling cooked-to-order dishes, papaya salad, and dessert shops.
When I went in, I was surprised myself that a place like this could be a permanent residence.

This is the center of the community square, where people from the foundation come to give free haircuts to children on Saturdays and Sundays.

Nearby is the house of an old grandmother. She has been selling cup desserts for over 20 years. Originally from Lopburi province, she moved here with her husband to start a new life. The taste of her cup desserts is, I must say, very delicious. You will see that there are children sitting and waiting to eat everywhere.

It's all gone in a blink of an eye! Look!!

Tourists came to eat sweets and took pictures for her to keep as a souvenir. It was a small source of pride and joy for the grandmother.

Next to it, there was a street vendor selling something. At first, Kaew thought it was grilled eggs, but the vendor said it was "egg sucking".
Egg sucking, huh? What is it? It's a grilled egg where the yolk isn't fully cooked, with a hole drilled on top and a straw inserted for sucking.

Okay, now that it's almost noon, the guide tells us that we'll be stopping for lunch at a house in the heart of the Lhok 1-2-3 community.

Even in a small space, Keaw can still see beautiful angles and good feelings from this small space.

On the way to the house where we were going to stay for lunch, Kaew passed many places. This place, for example, is the center of the Buddhist community in Khlong Toei, where people come to perform ceremonies, whether it's ordination, making merit, or holding a party.

A multi-purpose courtyard where children can play sports after school.
This is another corner that แก้ว really likes. It gives a feeling of childhood.

As Kaew walked along, she stumbled upon this. Looking from afar, she was initially startled, thinking it was a fish maw. 55 5 In reality, it was
chicken feet that had been de-nailed. This is a profession of the people here, to send them for sale outside.

Plucking chicken feet is easy. You only need a pair of gloves and a pair of scissors. This aunt is very skilled and fast.

Ever wondered where the bagged rice we eat comes from? Today, Kaew has the answer for you.

This is it, folks, beautiful, fragrant rice grains that are so tempting. This is how we produce hot, freshly cooked rice that is delivered all over Bangkok.

After a long walk, we finally get to rest and have some lunch. We're all famished! Our guides, the Local A Like team, and the community leaders have been taking such good care of us.

The food cooked by the villagers is quite delicious. It feels like we are eating at home.

Let's move on to an activity that Kaew is very good at (sarcasm intended), which is stringing garlands. 55 5
I read from the schedule that there was one, but I couldn't help but be excited. How many times in a man's life will he get to string garlands, right?

How's it going? You see, I can make a garland like this too (It was almost too much, the guide kids helped me out).

Now that we've successfully strung it all together, let's take a group photo! Hooray!

And now we've arrived at the final zone of our tour, the Khlong Toei 70 Rai community.
This community has been reorganized by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the Port Authority of Thailand, making it much cleaner
and more orderly than other areas of Khlong Toei.

This area is the main commercial district, the central market for the entire Khlong Toei community.

This is the shrine of Phra Pradaeng, where the villagers of Khlong Toei community come to pay respect and pray for good fortune regularly. It is located in the middle of the market.

The library and activity area is a great place for children in the community to use. This is one of the projects of the Duang Prateep Foundation. In addition, there is also an earthworm breeding center and a mushroom farm, which are both good occupations for people in the community.

After completing our tour, we gathered to discuss our experiences. We shared our knowledge, feelings, and suggestions for improvement to ensure that future trips are even better and more enjoyable. This feedback will be invaluable to the community leaders and Local A Like as they work to refine and enhance the social tourism experience. Our hope is that this form of tourism will become a groundbreaking phenomenon in Thailand, attracting widespread attention.

Now that we've reached this point, what do you guys think about the Khlong Toei community? For me, the images I had in my head and what I actually encountered today were completely different. This place is full of smiles, even though it's still a slum community and lacks many opportunities. But one thing that's definitely not lacking here is kindness and happiness. This is Khlong Toei.

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Thank you for reading.

[ About the Author ]

My name is "Kaew". I love to travel, explore and take photos since I was a child.

Currently, I have a full-time job. On my free days, I am a writer, writing anything that comes to mind.
I also love photography and sometimes people hire me to take photos for them. 55 5
I just want to share what I love with others, so I created this blog.

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