Khlong Toei
คลองเตย
Khet
View of Khlong Toei from Asok intersection toward Nana
View of Khlong Toei from Asok intersection toward Nana
Khet location in Bangkok
Khet location in Bangkok
Coordinates: 13°42′29″N 100°35′2″E / 13.70806°N 100.58389°E / 13.70806; 100.58389
CountryThailand
ProvinceBangkok
SeatKhlong Toei
Khwaeng3
Khet established9 November 1989
Area
 • Total13.0 km2 (5.0 sq mi)
Population
 (2017)
 • Total102,945[1]
 • Density7,918.84/km2 (20,509.7/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+7 (ICT)
Postal code
10110
except parts of Phra Khanong: 10260
Geocode1033

Khlong Toei (also Klong Toey, Thai: คลองเตย, pronounced [kʰlɔ̄ːŋ tɤ̄ːj]) is a district in central Bangkok, long known for its slum. It is bordered by the Chao Phraya River and contains major port facilities. It is also the site of a major market, the Khlong Toei Market.

Neighboring districts are (clockwise from the north): Watthana, Phra Khanong, Phra Pradaeng district of Samut Prakan province (across the Chao Phraya), Yan Nawa, Sathon, and Pathum Wan.

History

Cranes at Khlong Toei harbor

The area has a history dating back to the ninth century as a port to cities upstream along the Chao Phraya River, such as Pak Nam Phra Pradaeng (Thai: เมืองปากน้ำพระประแดง) (as opposed to the current Phra Pradaeng district) built during the King Phutthayotfa Chulalok period.

Khlong Thanon Trong (Thai: คลองถนนตรง) was a khlong (canal) and a parallel road built by King Mongkut around 1857. Later, different sections of the canal became known as Khlong Toei and Khlong Hua Lamphong. Khlong Toei means 'the canal of pandan', as the plant grew along the southern bank of the canal. The road was renamed Rama IV Road by King Vajiravudh in 1919. In 1947, a large portion of Khlong Toei canal was filled to expand the Rama IV Road surface.

The area was once part of the Phra Khanong district, but on 9 November 1989 it was separated to form the new Khlong Toei District. Originally Khlong Toei consisted of six sub-districts, three of which later formed the new Watthana district (announced on 14 October 1997, effective 6 March 1998).

The squatted informal settlement was surveyed in 1971 and is one of the largest slums in Bangkok. In 2006, it was estimated that between 80,000 and 100,000 people live there.[2][3]

Administration

District map

The district is divided into three subdistricts (khwaeng). From west to east, these are:

1.Khlong Toeiคลองเตย from the railway to Soi Sukhumvit 22
2.Khlong Tanคลองตันfrom Soi Sukhumvit 22 to Soi Sukhumvit 36
3.Phra Khanongพระโขนงfrom Soi Sukhumvit 36 to Soi Sukhumvit 52

Khlong Toei is both the name of a subdistrict and the district in which it lies. Phra Khanong is both a subdistrict of Khlong Toei and a district on its own, with only subdistrict Bang Chak. Furthermore, all three subdistricts listed above have counterparts with the addition of "nuea" (north) in Watthana District.

Port

Khlong Toei Port, also known as Bangkok Port, was formerly Thailand's only major port for sea transportation of cargo. Its construction began in 1938 and finished after World War II. The port is on the Chao Phraya River, not far from the Gulf of Thailand. Due to its limited capacity and traffic problems caused by semi-trailer trucks, many of its operations have moved to Laem Chabang Port in Chonburi province since its opening in July 1981.

Places of interest

The Emporium
Benjasiri Park
Klong Toei Market

The following places of interest were formerly in Khlong Toei District:

Diplomatic missions

  • Embassy of Chile[7]
  • Embassy of Cuba[7]
  • Embassy of the Philippines[7]
  • Embassy of Romania[7]
  • Embassy of Spain[7]
  • Embassy of Sudan[7]

Transportation

Economy

  • The head office of Asia Atlantic Airlines is on the 11th floor of the Times Square Building in Khlong Toei District.
  • The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is a large landowner in Thailand. Its latest property development scheme is the Chao Phraya Gateway project, a mix of hotels, shopping centers, and condominiums.[8] It capitalizes on SRT's 277 rai, 1.16 kilometer-long stretch of land on the river in the Khlong Toei District. The SRT hopes the project will help clear its 100 billion baht debt. The project is projected to break even within eight years and deliver profits of 140 billion baht. As of April 2019, SRT's plans are being submitted to the Transport Ministry for approval.[9]

Education

The Sacred Heart Convent School is in Khlong Toei.

References

  1. ↑ "Population and House Report for Year 2017 (see page 2 for data of this district)". Department of Provincial Administration, Ministry of Internal Affairs. Retrieved 2018-04-01. (Search page)
  2. ↑ PORNCHOKCHAI, SOPON. City Report Bangkok (PDF). HABITAT.
  3. ↑ Swift, Richard (2 January 2006). "The lease on life". New Internationalist. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  4. ↑ "QSNCC event holders seek new homes". Bangkok Post. 2 April 2018. Retrieved 2019-04-17.
  5. ↑ "Chuwit opened billion Baht value garden, asking other billionaires to do the Same". Manager (in Thai). 24 December 2005. Archived from the original on 12 March 2007. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  6. ↑ Sapsuan, Peewara (2014-04-28). "Bangkok's Klong Toey Slum". BORGEN. Retrieved 2017-11-06.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Diplomatic and Consular List" (PDF). Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  8. ↑ Ruiz, Todd; Kamolvattanavith, Teirra (31 December 2019). "Khlong Toei Rising: Anxiety and unity in Bangkok's biggest slum". Coconuts Bangkok. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  9. ↑ Hongtong, Thodsapol (2019-04-16). "SRT eyes new city river icon". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 2019-04-17.
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