The Truth about Our Neighborhood

Most people don’t go out of their way to visit our patch in the slums, known as “70 Rai,” between the port and a spaghetti bowl of highway on-and-off ramps. Taxi drivers tend to refuse fares to 70 Rai. They say it’s not worth the risk. It’s true, 70 Rai has earned its reputation as a nexus of drugs and crime the hard way – by having more than its fair share of both. But it’s also true that during the day and much of the night, Moms, Grandmas, and kids rule the streets. Photos by Yooni Kim.