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Khlong Toei (คลองเตย)

Area - 6.051 km2 (2.336 sq mi)

Population - 75,765

 

History

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 Amphoe Phra Pradaeng) 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 LamphongKhlong 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 into 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).

 

Places

Places of interest include:

  • Bangkok Planetarium
  • Science Centre for Education
  • Tamnak Plai Noen, the historic residence of Prince Naris, now converted into a small museum.
  • Stock Exchange of Thailand Building
  • The Emporium, a luxury shopping center.
  • Nana Plaza, a major center for prostitution with go-go and hostess bars.
  • Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, served by the Bangkok Metro station of the same name, hosts various exhibitions around the year.
  • 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 2,400 m² in size and worth about 1,250 million baht at the time of opening. Opened in December 2005, it is located on Sukhumvit Soi 
  • Khlong Toei Market, Bangkok's largest wet market.
  • The Khlong Toei slum, located 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 1 square mile of land owned by the Port Authority.
  • PAT Stadium off Sunthon Kosa Road.
  • Port Authority of Thailand
  • Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekkamai)
  • Thailand Tobacco Monopoly

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

  • Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, an indoorMuay Thai arena, now moved to a new location.
  • Suan Lum Night Bazaar, closed due to contract expiry, now moved to Suan Lum Night Bazaar Ratchadaphisek.

Transport

  • Bangkok Skytrain(BTS) stations in the district are Nana, Asok (with interchange to Bangkok Metro Sukhumvit station), Phrom Phong, Thong Lo, Ekkamai, Phra Khanong, and On Nut, all along Sukhumvit Road on the BTS Sukhumvit Line.
  • Bangkok Metro(MRTA) has stations Khlong Toei, Queen Sirikit National Convention Center and Sukhumvit (interchange to BTS).
  • Eastern Bus Terminal (also called Ekkamai Bus Terminal) has inter-city buses to destinations such as Pattaya, Rayong and Trat. It is on Sukhumvit Road, near the Ekkamai BTS station.

A Muay Thai ring of the Lumpinee Boxing