The heavy downpour had just ceased and with umbrella in hand, 72-year-old Prateep Ungsongtham Hata, widely known as Khru Prateep ("Teacher Prateep"), led us single file through the damp narrow alleys of Klong Toey community, frequently pausing to reciprocate cordial greetings from community members. At one point, she called our attention to what seemed like a pile of rubble.
"The structure probably collapsed and needs to be rebuilt," she said. "Twelve families used to live here."
Khru Prateep was taking us to visit the mother of the first medical school graduate to have originated from Bangkok's largest slum community.
A Carl Zeiss Mark IV star projector.
At her modest abode, the hardworking mother was busily preparing street food.
She explained that scholarship support from the Duang Prateep Foundation had been crucial in propelling the medical aspirations of her son, who is currently specialising in paediatrics at the capital's prestigious Siriraj Hospital.
Khru Prateep established the Duang Prateep Foundation in 1978. Today, the foundation continues its mission of advancing equity and opportunities for underprivileged people by implementing projects like a vocational training programme -- in partnership with Fukui Prefecture, Japan -- which provides neglected and abused youths a new lease on life as caregivers to the elderly.
In the Klong Toey community where Khru Prateep started out over half a century ago by opening an informal school for undocumented slum children in her own home, the foundation now runs a Montessori kindergarten for over 150 children from the neighbourhood.
In the classrooms, we found kindergarteners absorbed in arranging objects according to size and colour. Khru Prateep said this approach promotes concentration and embodied learning. It was heartwarming to envision future doctors among these children. After all, the foundation has been working in the community long enough to witness such potential being realised.
"The community is a microcosm of society," remarked Khru Prateep. "And the good thing about Thai society is that if you have knowledge and ability, you can be upwardly mobile."
Interior of the Bangkok Planetarium.
The uplifting power of education was likewise a resounding theme at the Klong Toei District Learning Encouragement Center (DLEC). One learner in DLEC's basic non-formal education programme recounted that, as one of six children born to impoverished farmers, she had to drop out of school to support her family. Now a full-time restaurant employee, she attends classes every Thursday to complete her high school diploma. "This place is very important for those who lacked [educational] opportunities," she said appreciatively.
Saraiorn Boonmee, acting director of the Klong Toei DLEC, emphasised the flexibility with which teachers and learners, including those who dropped out from formal schooling, can arrange convenient times to meet as a group. "Some of our learners go on to pursue higher education," she noted.
In addition to delivering basic non-formal education, the DLEC boasts an attractive co-learning space with resources and activity corners designed to serve lifelong learning pursuits. Free courses in vocational skills development as well as foreign language study are available based on the congruence between local expertise and the interests of community members.
"I feel this centre offers good activities for the elderly," opined Siriporn Komarakul, who takes group lessons in traditional Thai dance. Her experienced instructor, Worawan Plubprasit, retired from the Thai Music Division of the Ministry of Culture's Fine Arts Department in 2020 and has been volunteering at the DLEC ever since. "I've already received a lot [in my life], so I want to give back as much as my vigour still allows," said Worawan with a radiant smile.
Given its vibrant learning culture, the Klong Toei DLEC seems a well-kept secret nestled inside Building 4 of the much more widely known Science Center for Education (SCE), which traces its roots back to 1952. "We were the first science museum in Thailand and also the first planetarium in Southeast Asia," said Nannaphat Topun, resident educator and international affairs co-ordinator.
Today, the SCE strives to address the evolving learning needs of the 21st century. Nannaphat highlighted the environmental focus of the newly renovated Building 3 (formerly an aquarium) as an example of the SCE's effort to enhance public literacy on pressing global issues, among them climate change and the need for sustainable natural resource management.
The Montessori kindergarten at the Duang Prateep Foundation.
Through her everyday interaction with visitors, Nannaphat discovered that the homeschooling community in Bangkok has grown considerably in recent years. "Many parents who homeschool their children bring them here to learn about science," she said. In response, the Department of Learning Encouragement (which oversees the SCE) introduced a credit bank system to facilitate the recognition of their studies.
In the Bangkok Planetarium, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, Nannaphat was clearly in her element as she gave us a behind-the-scenes glimpse of her work as a narrator for the popular star show. She revealed that each show features only celestial objects observable in Thailand's night sky with the naked eye on that calendar day. Narrators are given a list of celestial objects to be shown -- the list needs to be updated every three weeks or so -- and they are responsible for crafting their own script.
"We do our own research, and we have to curate what we're going to say," explained Nannaphat. Pointing to the Andromeda galaxy, which was visible at the time of our visit, she elaborated: "I would talk about the Greek myth of Perseus rescuing Andromeda."
Nannaphat mentioned that children are fond of such stories, and the way her facial expression lit up conveyed just how rewarding the experience must be for her as well.
Back at the Duang Prateep Foundation, we asked Khru Prateep what she thought of Bangkok's addition to the Unesco Global Network of Learning Cities earlier this year. She immediately replied: "This is something to be proud of." Then, with the cautious optimism of a woman of action who works indefatigably for the long term, she added: "We need to keep working. Education takes time and investment. But the result at the end of the day is tremendous."
Chairat Chongvattanakij is a Thai-Canadian consultant specialising in content creation for the Communications and Public Engagement team at the Unesco Regional Office in Bangkok.
Bangkok hosts conference
In collaboration with Unesco and partners, Bangkok will be hosting the ASEAN+3 Regional Conference on Learning Cities on Oct 29 and 30, providing a platform for learning cities in Southeast Asia as well as China, Japan and the Republic of Korea to share innovative approaches in addressing inequalities and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all at the city level.
The library at Klong Toei DLEC.
Knitting and crocheting at the Klong Toei DLEC. (Photos: UNESCO/Chairat Chongvattanakij)
