Khlong Toei is one of Bangkok’s best-known communities.
It is also one of the places where the contrasts of modern Bangkok are particularly visible.
Within a relatively small area, you can find major transport infrastructure, markets, businesses, apartment buildings and some of the city’s most disadvantaged communities.
For decades, Khlong Toei has also been home to families who have faced poverty, overcrowded living conditions, insecure employment and limited access to opportunities.
But describing Khlong Toei simply as a “poor community” misses an important part of the story.
Khlong Toei is also a community of families, workers, teachers, volunteers, community leaders, businesses and organisations working to create better opportunities for children.
It is a community with challenges — but also with resilience, talent and potential.
And for more than 50 years, Mercy Centre has been part of that community.
Where Is Khlong Toei?
Khlong Toei is located in central Bangkok, close to some of the city’s major commercial and transport areas.
The district is particularly associated with Bangkok’s large port and the communities that developed around it.
UNICEF has described the wider Khlong Toei community as Thailand’s largest low-income community. In research published during the COVID-19 pandemic, UNICEF reported that the community consisted of 43 sub-communities and approximately 100,000 people.
The figure is important for understanding the scale of the community, but it should not be interpreted as meaning that every person living in Khlong Toei experiences poverty in the same way.
Like any large community, Khlong Toei is diverse.
Poverty Is More Than Income
One of the biggest mistakes when discussing poverty is to look only at household income.
A family can experience financial hardship while also facing challenges involving:
- Education
- Housing
- Nutrition
- Healthcare
- Employment
- Child protection
- Access to information
- Social support
- Transportation
- Safety
UNICEF and Thailand’s National Economic and Social Development Council have used a multidimensional approach to child poverty, recognising that children’s wellbeing depends on much more than household income.
This is particularly relevant when looking at urban communities.
A child may live only a few kilometres from some of Bangkok’s wealthiest areas while experiencing very different opportunities.
Children Can Experience Poverty Differently
A child does not choose the circumstances into which they are born.
They cannot choose their family’s income.
They cannot choose their housing.
They cannot decide whether their parents have secure employment.
They cannot determine whether their family can afford additional educational activities.
This is why childhood poverty deserves particular attention.
UNICEF reported that Thailand’s child poverty rate was 9.9% in 2021, compared with 6.3% for the population overall.
The difference demonstrates why looking specifically at children matters.
A child who experiences disadvantage early in life may have fewer opportunities to develop the skills and resources needed to escape poverty later.
The Education Gap
Education is one of the clearest examples of how inequality can affect children.
UNICEF has highlighted the importance of early childhood education because the first years of life establish foundations for later learning and development.
For families facing financial difficulties, additional educational opportunities may be difficult to afford.
UNICEF has reported that children in Khlong Toei can face barriers to opportunities such as extracurricular activities, sports, music and private tutoring. A UNICEF profile of the community noted that some children could not afford these additional opportunities.
That does not mean that children in Khlong Toei lack ability.
It means that opportunity is not always distributed equally.
Why Early Education Matters
A child entering primary school with a strong foundation in language, social skills and basic learning habits may have an advantage.
Early education can help children develop:
- Language
- Communication
- Social skills
- Confidence
- Problem-solving
- Independence
- Classroom routines
It can also provide children with a safe and structured environment.
Mercy Centre operates 17 kindergarten schools serving approximately 1,000 children from some of Bangkok’s poorest areas.
The organisation describes these schools as providing education, nutrition and a safe, stable environment.
Mercy Centre and Khlong Toei
Mercy Centre was established in the early 1970s and has remained closely connected to Khlong Toei for more than five decades.
Today, its work includes:
- Early childhood education
- Children’s homes
- Child protection
- Community support
- Emergency assistance
- Support for vulnerable families
Mercy Centre describes its mission as empowering children, families and communities in Khlong Toei through holistic care, education and compassionate support.
That community-based approach is important.
Instead of treating poverty as an abstract problem, it means working with people where they actually live.
A Community Cannot Be Defined by Poverty
It is easy for outsiders to look at Khlong Toei and see only deprivation.
But communities are more complicated than statistics.
People in Khlong Toei work.
They run businesses.
They raise children.
They attend schools.
They build relationships.
They volunteer.
They organise community activities.
They support neighbours.
They respond to emergencies.
They create opportunities for their children.
UNICEF has documented community-led initiatives in Khlong Toei where local people created spaces for children to learn, play and participate in activities that families might otherwise struggle to afford.
This is an important part of understanding the area.
People living in disadvantaged communities are not simply recipients of help. They are also part of the solution.
Community Networks Matter
One of the strengths of a long-established community organisation is that it can develop relationships over time.
This can help organisations understand:
- Which families need support
- Which children may be vulnerable
- Where emergencies are occurring
- Which services already exist
- What local people actually need
During the COVID-19 outbreak, UNICEF worked with volunteers in Khlong Toei to distribute essential supplies.
In one 2021 initiative, UNICEF reported that 22,000 hygiene and learning kits were packed for distribution to children and families.
This demonstrated the importance of having community networks already in place when a crisis occurs.
Poverty and the Cost of Opportunity
Sometimes poverty is not simply about whether a family can afford the most basic necessities.
It is also about what a family cannot afford.
For example, a child may have access to a government school but not:
- Private tutoring
- Music lessons
- Sports
- Computers
- Educational trips
- English-language activities
- Additional learning resources
Over time, these differences can accumulate.
Two children may technically have access to education while experiencing very different educational environments.
This is why supporting children requires thinking about quality and opportunity, not simply access.
The Importance of Nutrition
Children need food to grow, develop and learn.
For families under financial pressure, food costs can represent a significant part of the household budget.
Mercy Centre’s kindergarten programmes include nutritious meals as part of their support for children.
A meal at school can therefore have several benefits.
It supports the child’s nutritional needs while also reducing one of the pressures facing families.
More importantly, it can help create an environment in which children are ready to learn.
When a Crisis Hits
Communities experiencing poverty can be particularly vulnerable to economic and environmental shocks.
A sudden loss of income can make it difficult for families to pay for:
- Food
- Rent
- Transport
- School-related costs
- Healthcare
- Utilities
The impact can be particularly serious when families have little financial buffer.
Khlong Toei has also experienced major emergencies over the decades, including fires and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mercy Centre’s long-standing presence in the community has allowed it to provide assistance during emergencies as well as ongoing education and support.
Why Being Present Matters
There is a difference between visiting a community during a crisis and being part of the community before a crisis occurs.
An organisation that already knows local families may be able to identify needs more quickly.
It may already have:
- Staff
- Volunteers
- Community relationships
- Facilities
- Communication networks
- Knowledge of vulnerable families
This is one reason long-term community organisations can play an important role in disaster response and recovery.
The Story of Khlong Toei Is Also a Story of Opportunity
Poverty can create barriers.
But barriers are not the same as destiny.
The story of Khlong Toei includes people who have overcome difficult circumstances, pursued education, built careers and supported their families.
UNICEF’s 2023 profile of Lakkana Timjiem provides one example.
Growing up in Khlong Toei, she experienced financial difficulties and eventually left school to help her mother. Yet she later worked to support her own children’s education, both of whom completed higher education and found employment.
Individual stories cannot solve structural poverty.
But they demonstrate something important:
circumstances can change.
Education Can Help Change Those Circumstances
Education isn’t a magic solution to poverty.
Children also need safe housing, healthcare, nutrition, family support and economic opportunities.
But education can increase future possibilities.
That is why Mercy Centre’s kindergarten programme is important.
The organisation currently supports approximately 1,000 children through 17 kindergarten schools.
For those children, education isn’t simply about learning letters and numbers.
It is about developing a foundation for the next stage of life.
What Does Supporting Khlong Toei’s Children Look Like?
There isn’t one answer.
Different people can contribute in different ways.
Volunteer
Teachers, professionals, students and other volunteers can contribute their time and skills.
Learn about volunteering with Mercy Centre
Sponsor a Child
Child sponsorship provides an opportunity to make a longer-term commitment to vulnerable children.
Donate
Financial contributions help support Mercy Centre’s programmes for children and families.
Raise Awareness
You can also help by sharing reliable information about child poverty, education and community development.
Awareness can help bring additional supporters, volunteers and resources to organisations doing long-term work.
What Should Responsible Support Look Like?
Supporting a community requires more than good intentions.
It requires respect.
That means:
- Listening to local people
- Supporting established organisations
- Avoiding stereotypes
- Respecting children’s privacy
- Following safeguarding procedures
- Understanding local needs
- Thinking about long-term outcomes
- Supporting solutions rather than creating dependency
Most importantly, it means recognising the dignity of the people you are trying to support.
Khlong Toei Is More Than a Statistic
It is easy to describe Khlong Toei using numbers.
100,000 people.
43 sub-communities.
17 Mercy Centre schools.
1,000 children.
These numbers help us understand scale.
But they cannot tell us everything.
Behind the numbers are parents going to work.
Teachers preparing lessons.
Children learning.
Neighbours helping neighbours.
Volunteers distributing supplies.
Community leaders organising activities.
Families trying to build better futures.
And organisations working alongside them.
More Than 50 Years of Community Work
Mercy Centre has been part of Khlong Toei since 1972.
What began as a response to urgent needs developed into a wider network of education, residential care and community programmes.
Today, Mercy Centre reports:
- 17 kindergarten schools
- Approximately 1,000 students
- 82 children living in four Mercy Homes
- More than 50 years of work in the Khlong Toei community
That history provides an important lesson.
Community development rarely happens overnight.
It requires people who are willing to stay, listen, adapt and continue working when the immediate attention has moved elsewhere.
How You Can Help Children in Khlong Toei
You don’t need to live in Bangkok to support children in Khlong Toei.
You can contribute from almost anywhere.
Sponsor a Child
A regular sponsorship commitment can help provide stability and ongoing support.
Sponsor a Child with Mercy Centre
Make a Donation
A financial contribution can help support education, nutrition, children’s homes and other programmes.
Volunteer
If you are in Bangkok, consider contributing your time or professional skills.
Share the Story
You can also help by sharing accurate information about Khlong Toei and the work being done to support children.
The more people who understand the issues, the more opportunities there are to build support.
The Future of Khlong Toei’s Children
Khlong Toei’s challenges are real.
So are its opportunities.
Children growing up in disadvantaged circumstances should not be defined by their postcode, their parents’ income or the difficulties they experienced during childhood.
They should have opportunities to learn.
They should have safe environments.
They should have access to nutrition and support.
And they should have the opportunity to determine their own futures.
That is why community-based organisations matter.
That is why education matters.
And that is why supporting children in communities such as Khlong Toei matters.
For more than five decades, Mercy Centre has worked alongside the Khlong Toei community. Its 17 schools now provide early education to approximately 1,000 children.
The work continues.
And there are many ways to become part of it.
Volunteer | Sponsor a Child | Donate
Sources
- Mercy Centre — About HDF Mercy Centre — organisational history, mission and work in Khlong Toei.
- Mercy Centre — Schools — current figures for schools, students and children’s homes.
- Human Development Foundation — History and Programmes — background on HDF’s origins and community work.
- UNICEF Thailand — Working Hand in Hand for Klong Toey — community response and distribution of 22,000 hygiene and learning kits.
- UNICEF Thailand — Klong Toey Community — population and community context.
- UNICEF Thailand — Child of the Seventies — personal history and educational opportunities in Khlong Toei.
- UNICEF Thailand — Investment in Children and Poverty — Thailand’s child poverty data.
- UNICEF Thailand — Multidimensional Child Poverty — multidimensional poverty context.