Khlong Toei (also Klong Toey, th, คลองเตย, ) is a district in central Bangkok, long known for its

slum A slum is a highly populated urban residential area consisting of densely packed housing units of weak build quality and often associated with poverty. The infrastructure in slums is often deteriorated or incomplete, and they are primarily inh ...

. It is bordered by the

Chao Phraya River The Chao Phraya ( or ; th, แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา, , or ) is the major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It flows through Bangkok and then into the Gulf of Thailand. Et ...

and contains major port facilities. It is also the site of a major market, the

Khlong Toei Market Khlong Toei Market ( th, ตลาดคลองเตย, , ) is Bangkok's biggest fresh market. It is located on Rama IV Road near the ''Khlong Toei'' and ''Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre'' MRT stations in the Khlong Toei neighborhood. ...

. 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

The area has a history dating back to the ninth century as a port to cities upstream along the

, 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 A ''khlong'' ( th, คลอง, ), alternatively spelt as ''klong'' () commonly refers to a canal in Thailand. These canals are spawned by the rivers Chao Phraya, Tha Chin, and Mae Klong, along with their tributaries particularly in the low-ly ...

(canal) and a parallel road built by King

Mongkut Mongkut ( th, มงกุฏ; 18 October 18041 October 1868) was the fourth monarch of Siam (Thailand) under the House of Chakri, titled Rama IV. He ruled from 1851 to 1868. His full title in Thai was ''Phra Bat Somdet Phra Menthora Ramathibod ...

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 Vajiravudh ( th, วชิราวุธ, , 1 January 188126 November 1925) was the sixth monarch of Siam under the Chakri dynasty as Rama VI. He ruled from 23 October 1910 until his death in 1925. King Vajiravudh is best known for his efforts ...

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.

Administration

The district is divided into three subdistricts (''khwaeng''). From west to east, these are: 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 The Gulf of Thailand, also known as the Gulf of Siam, is a shallow inlet in the southwestern South China Sea, bounded between the southwestern shores of the Indochinese Peninsula and the northern half of the Malay Peninsula. It is around in l ...

. 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

* Bangkok Planetarium *

Science Center for Education The Science Center for Education (, ') is a science museum in Khlong Toei District, Bangkok, Thailand. It is located next to the Eastern Bus Terminal ( Ekkamai) on Sukhumvit Road, and is a science exhibition center. It includes an aquarium, a com ...

* Tamnak Plai Noen, the historic residence of Prince Naris, now converted into a small museum. * The Emporium, a luxury shopping center. * Nana Plaza, a major adult entertainment center, known for

prostitution Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in Sex work, sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, n ...

and go-go and hostess bars. * Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, served by the MRT station of the same name, hosts various exhibitions around the year. The venue will be closed for renovation following contract extension. * Benjakitti Park, a public park next to the convention center. It includes a lake and is on land that was formerly occupied by the Tobacco Monopoly, the government's tobacco factory. * Benjasiri Park, a public park created to commemorate Her Majesty Queen Sirikit's 60th birthday. It is next to the Emporium. * Chuvit Garden, a public park in the district created by massage parlor tycoon-turned-politician Chuwit Kamolvisit from his own plot of land, about in size and worth about 1,250 million baht at the time of opening. Opened in December 2005, it is on Sukhumvit Soi 10. *

, Bangkok's largest wet market. * The Khlong Toei slum, south of the expressway and north of the port, is the largest and oldest slum of Bangkok. It houses some 100,000 people on about one square mile (260 ha) of land owned by the Port Authority. * Metropolitan Electricity Authority * The Customs Department * PAT Stadium off Sunthon Kosa Road. * Port Authority of Thailand and

Bangkok Port Bangkok Port ( th, ท่าเรือกรุงเทพ) (BKP), popularly known as Khlong Toei Port (), is an international port on the Chao Phraya River in Khlong Toei District of the Thai capital city, Bangkok. It is operated by the Port Au ...

* Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekkamai) * Tobacco Authority of Thailand (Formerly known as Thailand Tobacco Monopoly) The following places of interest were formerly in Khlong Toei District: * Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, an indoor

Muay Thai Muay Thai ( th, มวยไทย, , ), sometimes referred to as Thai boxing, is a combat sport that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. This discipline is known as the "art of eight limbs", as it is characterised ...

arena, now moved to Ram Intra Road, Bang Khen District. *

Suan Lum Night Bazaar Suan Lum Night Bazaar was a market in Bangkok's Pathum Wan district, at the intersection of Rama IV and Wireless/Sathorn Roads, opposite Lumphini Park at the MRT's Lumphini Station. Located on land owned by the Crown Property Bureau. It opened in ...

, closed due to contract expiry, now moved to Suan Lum Night Bazaar Ratchadaphisek. *

Stock Exchange of Thailand The Stock Exchange of Thailand ( th, ตลาดหลักทรัพย์แห่งประเทศไทย), or SET, is the only stock exchange in Thailand. Founded on 30 April 1975, it is ASEAN’s 2nd largest after Singapore and the ...

Building. Now the office is moved to Din Daeng district.

Diplomatic missions

* Embassy of Chile * Embassy of Cuba * Embassy of the Philippines * Embassy of Romania * Embassy of Spain * Embassy of Sudan

Transportation

BTS skytrain The Bangkok Mass Transit System, commonly known as the BTS Skytrain ( th, รถไฟฟ้าบีทีเอส '' TS'), is an elevated rapid transit system in Bangkok, Thailand. It is operated by Bangkok Mass Transit System PCL (BTSC), a ...

(BTS) stations in the district include Nana,

Asok Asok is a common spelling of Ashoka. It may additionally refer to: * Asok (Dilbert), a character in the ''Dilbert'' comic strip * Asok or Asoke, short name for Asok Montri Road or Sukhumvit Soi 21 in Bangkok * Asok BTS Station, a BTS skytrain sta ...

(with interchange to MRT Sukhumvit station),

Phrom Phong Phrom Phong station ( th, สถานีพร้อมพงษ์, ) is a BTS Skytrain station, on the Sukhumvit Line between Khlong Toei and Watthana Districts, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is on Sukhumvit Road at Soi Phrom Phong (Soi S ...

, Thong Lo, Ekkamai, Phra Khanong, and On Nut, respectively, all of which are located along Sukhumvit Road on the BTS Sukhumvit Line. * MRT (MRTA) has stations Khlong Toei, Queen Sirikit National Convention Center and Sukhumvit (interchange to BTS). *Eastern Bus Terminal (also called Ekkamai Bus Terminal) has intercity buses to destinations such as

Pattaya Pattaya ( th, พัทยา, , ) is a city in Thailand. It is on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, about southeast of Bangkok, within, but not part of, Bang Lamung district in the province of Chonburi province, Chonburi. Pattaya City ( ...

Rayong Rayong ( th, ระยอง, ) is a city (''thesaban nakhon'') on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand and the capital of Rayong province. It covers tambons Tha Pradu and Pak Nam and parts of ''tambons'' Choeng Noen and Noen Phra, all within ...

and Trat. It is on Sukhumvit Road, near the Ekkamai BTS station.

Economy

* The head office of

Asia Atlantic Airlines Asia Atlantic Airlines ( th, เอเชีย แอตแลนติก แอร์ไลน์ส, was a charter airline headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand. It was a subsidiary of the Japanese travel agency H.I.S. History Asia Atlantic A ...

is on the 11th floor of the Times Square Building in Khlong Toei District. * The

State Railway of Thailand The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) ( th, การรถไฟแห่งประเทศไทย, abbrev. รฟท., ) is the state-owned rail operator under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transport in Thailand. History The SRT was ...

(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. 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. , SRT's plans are being submitted to the Transport Ministry for approval.

Education

The Sacred Heart Convent School is in Khlong Toei.

References

External links

BMA website with the tourist landmarks of Khlong ToeiKhlong Toei district office
(Thai only)
History of Khlong Toei port
{{Khet Bangkok Districts of Bangkok Poverty in Thailand Slums in Thailand