They’ve closed the slaughterhouse for almost two months now. Why should that be news? Because when they mess with the bowels of the city, it affects us all. The Slaughterhouse slum serves as a barometer: tell me what’s happening in the Rong Mu, and I’ll give you a “tea leaf” reading of the city, accurate...
Outsiders say the old pig, cattle and water buffalo Slaughterhouse neighborhood at the southeast end of the Klong Toey slums, just where the river wraps around the port, is a dangerous part of town. Some even say it has the worst reputation in Bangkok, one it has earned from decades of crime and violence. But...
This is a story about children who sell flower garlands on the street corners of the Klong Toey slums, their moms and a new law that is child-friendly. But it’s still hard for the law, policemen, courts, lawyers, or social workers to save a kid when the moms and their cohorts won’t play by the...
Is it a love story or a tale of survival, a heroic cry for help? Maybe just another grim account from Bangkok’s uncaring streets? You tell me. But first, let me tell you about Ang and Tuk. Both Ang and Tuk are drug addicts, not all the time, but more often than not. And they...
Slum people always rebuild their homes after fires. Always. And as quickly as possible. I’ll tell you why in a minute. First, let’s revisit the Tap Gaew slum the day after the fire. You could still smell the fire as you approached. The families that had been burned out were camped temporarily next to an...
She was given the nickname of Poey, meaning “plump,” because that’s what she’s been since infancy—just a little bit plump. She used to rent a room in the Tap Gaew slum for 1,000 baht a month—less than a dollar a day—until she started the fire. She didn’t start it intentionally. She accidentally left a candle...
The man who died was named Somchai. Perhaps it was murder; nobody knows for sure. He died from a hard blow to the head. He had been drinking a bit of the Eleven Tigers, a tonic made with rice wine, so some people assumed that he just fell down and hit his head, but the...
Miss Vipa’s nickname is Jai, meaning, “heart.” Jai is a high-powered poetry-in-motion waif, skipping, hopping and jumping to her destinations. If there’s a tree nearby, she climbs it too. Just six years old and a star pupil in her kindergarten class, Jai is that rare one-in-a-million child, a pure joy and blessing to everyone she...
This is the most fabulous wedding story I’ve known in thirty-three years as a priest and at least 500 weddings. It’s about a famous model in Bangkok and ten street children she asked to be her bridesmaids and flower girls. Can’t use her real name, I promised, so we’ll just call her Model Lady, because...
The school year in Thailand starts in May, and last Tuesday was the first day. We have over 200 kids in our Mercy Centre homes and every school-age kid attends school so it’s a huge day for us, too. The preparations are immense, getting all the kids kitted out in uniforms with proper schoolbooks in...
Pim, aged twelve, had been “walking” drugs for six years. In Thai they call these people “horse walkers.” She walked them all over Southeastern Bangkok. That’s where she’s from—born and raised in Klong Toey. Two months ago, police caught Pim and arrested her Uncle Pai-lawd. That brings the total to sixteen family members currently incarcerated....
When we support vulnerable children, it is natural to ask an important question: What difference does our support actually make? A donation can provide food. A school renovation can create a safer classroom. A book can help a child learn. A volunteer can give their time. But the real impact goes beyond any single activity....
Every child experiences difficult moments. They may feel worried about school, upset after an argument with a friend or frightened by something happening at home. For some children, however, difficult circumstances are not temporary. Financial hardship, family difficulties, unstable living conditions or other challenges can create ongoing uncertainty. During these times, children need more than...
A school is more than a building. It is a place where children learn, make friends, discover their interests and begin imagining their futures. But the condition of the environment where children learn can make a real difference. A classroom that is safe, clean and welcoming can help children feel comfortable and ready to learn....
Technology is becoming part of almost every area of modern life. Children use technology to learn, communicate, create and explore. As they grow older, digital skills will also become increasingly important in education and employment. For children growing up in difficult circumstances, however, access to technology and digital education may not always be equal. A...
When we think about a child’s education, we often think about reading, writing and mathematics. These subjects are important. But children also need opportunities to create, explore, move, play and express themselves. Arts, music and sport can play an important role in childhood development. They can help children build confidence, discover their interests and develop...
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