Fragrant foliages once thrived here. Those foliages gave Khlong Bang Toei its name. We are standing at the “Canal of Pandans.” Khlong Bang Toei evolved over decades. It transformed from plantations into a residential area. It also became a financial hub.
Once, Khlong Bang Toei was an outpost. It belonged to Phra Pradaeng across the Chao Phraya River. This was in the early Ayutthaya period. Now, Phra Pradaeng is a district in Samut Prakan province.
Khlong Bang Toei was part of Khlong Hua Lamphong. It was also known as Khlong Thanon Trong. This canal flowed from the Hua Lamphong railway station area. Since the early 1960s, these canals were filled. They became an extension of Rama IV Road.
Bangkok’s main port is in Khlong Toei. The area also houses Bangkok’s largest shantytown. This is the slum of Khlong Toei.
Khlong Toei sits west in the district. It is surrounded by several places. To the north is Khlong Toei Nuea in Watthana district. Khlong Tan and Phra Khanong are also in its district. Across the Chao Phraya River are Bang Ko Bua and Bang Kachao. These are in Phra Pradaeng district of Samut Prakan province. Chong Nonsi in Yan Nawa district is nearby. Thung Maha Mek in Sathon district and Lumphini in Pathum Wan district also border it.
Khlong Thanon Trong was a canal. King Mongkut built it around 1857. He also built a parallel road. Later, different parts of the canal became Khlong Toei and Khlong Hua Lamphong. Khlong Toei means “the canal of pandan”. Pandan plants grew along the canal’s southern bank. King Vajiravudh renamed the road Rama IV Road in 1919. In 1947, a large part of Khlong Toei canal was filled. This expanded Rama IV Road.
The area used to be part of Phra Khanong district. But on November 9, 1989, it became the new Khlong Toei District. Originally, Khlong Toei had six sub-districts. Three of these later formed the new Watthana district.
Khlong Toei Port is also known as Bangkok Port. It was once Thailand’s only major port. It handled sea transportation of cargo. Construction began in 1938. It finished after World War II. The port is on the Chao Phraya River. It is not far from the Gulf of Thailand. Due to limited capacity and traffic, many operations moved. They moved to Laem Chabang Port in Chonburi province. This happened after its opening in July 1981.
Khlong Toei Market is Bangkok’s largest wet market. The Khlong Toei slum is south of the expressway. It is north of the port. It is Bangkok’s largest and oldest slum. About 100,000 people live there. They occupy about one square mile of land. The Port Authority owns this land.