Have met two old ladies in the slum. Will try to help them more. They are alone and have almost nothing.
Thursday, May 29, 2025
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
75 Year Old Lady Chases Me Down
Note* It was the second time we gave her food. I thought she had bad eyes but she spotted me from a distance . I was at least 100 meters away in a far area but she saw me.
Gave Away My Water
MS
I hope you did not faint.
GY
It was OK. Not part of the master plan but it worked out OK. I was photographing Khun Chompoo a man in his late 60s, weak from years of alcoholism and homelessness. He reached into the small communal water cooler with a cup but there was no water. I used my water to fill his cup and after a quick drink poured the rest onto the communal container. After a while, I was thirsty, thirsty for an hour or so, but no biggy. It was the right thing to do. A good memory.
Tuesday, May 27, 2025
Having Sex on the Street
After a violent fight, Dao and Prem smoked Meth before having sec on the concrete, next to a roadway.
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| Dao and Prem having sex on the street, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Khlong Toei Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2025 |
Monday, May 26, 2025
Swollen Knee
Need to lose weight to help the photography. The goal is 220 lbs, down from 250lbs.
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| If I can get down to 220lbs or even lower. My knees will have less stress on them. |
Dao and Prem Fighting, Under the Freeway
Some photos from today in the slum, my first day back after being in Mae Sot for a week. An intense day, probably the most difficult this trip.
From the series THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Khlong Toei Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2025
Note* I tried to stop what was happening as best as I could. Dao was crazy, yelling and at times hitting Prem. I spoke with him, told him not to hit her, asked him to stop. Physically jumping in was not the best option as I am 61 and he is maybe 30 and hopped up on drugs
Note** I gave Dao 100 baht to help calm him down. Prem waiied me after I did that ( placing your hands together and raising them, a way to say thank you in Thailand). It helped stop the violence. He was accusing her of stealing 100 baht ($4.42 CAD
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| Dao threatening to hit Prem, Under the Freeway |
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| Prem fighting back with a board, Under the Freeway |
Videos: Intense First Day Back Under the Freeway
HAVING TROUBLE UPLOADING THE VIDS FROM MY PHONE, WILL UPDATE LATER.
Sunday, May 25, 2025
Some more THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, 2025
Some more THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, 2025. Struggling a bit to find decent images, but kinda like these for various reasons.
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| Child playing in the light, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand, 2025 |
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| Plucking a chicken, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand 2025 |
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| Self portrait in old road mirror, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand 2025 |
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| Thai father with his Thai-Burmese son, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand 2025 |
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| Children eating rice soup, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand 2025 |
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| Young boy with donated Mama noodles, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Khlong Toei Slum, Bangkok Thailand 2025 |
Saturday, May 24, 2025
Some New Dump Images, 2025, the First Edits
A few new THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, 2025 images. These pics were made yesterday between 6 and 10 am, with the undamaged Hasselblad X1D and 45mm lens. The 45mm is the lens that did a dive off the 2nd floor, earlier this week. I am glad it is still working. Lost the 2nd body, but the lens survived to make these photographs.
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| Woman with 2 babies, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand 2025 |
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| Iye Iye's Son, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand 2025 |
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| Young girl playing with scissors, with her brother, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand 2025 |
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| Young boy dressed to go to school in his dump shack, THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP, Mae Sot, Thailand 2025 |
Friday, May 23, 2025
Photo Album Adventure!
As part of my camera bag gear, I carry a small photo album with me. The idea being that I can show pictures and share stories with my photography subjects at their location. The album always brings smiles!
A side benefit is that I also carry photos of myself in my little blue security outfit. When people get freaked out thinking that I am a pro photographer, I can show them my security job pic, which generally calms them down. That then gives me more opportunities to make photographs. One of the advantages of working as a guard for 30 years is that no one is intimidated by the job.
Two days ago I lost this photo album. I got back to my hotel and there was no album in my bag. Today at the dump it was returned to me by a large family who found it. I was photographing outside their home. I heard a bunch of GERRYs and Burmese talk. Then the album was handed to me. They must have found it on the ground somewhere in among the shacks.
Last Day in the Dump for 2025
Well today was my last day in the dump (next to the dump), visited 5 times. It was my last time this trip, maybe forever. I will have a hard time not returning, but it is a possibility.
The dump is a place that I am connected to. Every time I visit the families, we become closer. The last few days I sat around in gossiping groups of ladies, or with the men/women as they worked on a new shack. Almost a Burmese person. Can communicate with the few English speakers and the much more common Thai speakers, need to learn more Burmese thou.
VIDEO/LINKS: IYE IYE Returns!!
Dump flashback.
Today at 630am when I was photographing between the houses at the dump, I met a young women, IYE IYE. As I was making pictures, I heard someone say "Hello" in English. She was peeking through a wall of the house next to where I was standing.
IYE IYE is the second person I photographed in the dump way back in 2013. Her calmness and serenity convinced me to stay in the dump making pictures after I was initially overwhelmed by the dump, the smells, the cockroaches, the rats, the squishy mess, and most of all, the flies.
IYE IYE is now 24 and the mother of two. A beautiful young woman. She introduced herself to me this morning, not knowing who I was. I showed her some of the old videos and pictures! She got to see herself as a 12 year old. Lots of laughs and joy.
Rather remarkable to meet IYE IYE again 12 years later. My first day back in 2013 and my last day, today, in the dump for 2025.
Note* if you want to learn more about the influence she had on the project read this story/link/. I mistakenly called her Doo-Aye in the story, later I leaned her correct name.
Story about my first day in the dump
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| Iye Iye the first time I saw her, calm and graceful, in the ugliness of the dump (from video linked above). |
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| Iye Iye and her second child, a young boy. |
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| Iye Iye, her sister and me in 2013. |
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| Iye Iye and me today, 2025. |
Video: Lady puts on Tiger Balm
Ran out of this balm today, it similar to Tiger Balm. Think we handed out 25-30. This lady came up to me asking for help. She spoke Thai, told me she could not work because her knee hurt. Luckily we had 1 balm left to give her. She is 50 years old, not sure how she hurt her knee.
Note* I just realized that she is the same lady who asked to take a photo with me later that day. I guess the balm helped! Thank you UNB for your print buys, which funded the donation work in the dump.
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| Later that day. |
Video: Cookies for the Children of the Dump
Some donated cookies from the UNB, for the children of the dump.
Gerry in Photos
People asking to take pictures with me today. Probably a good sign.
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| Today with 2 nice ladies, who wanted to be in a photo with me. |
More Platinum Prints to
Looking to make more platinum prints of recent work
Old Facebook post:
Two platinum prints from the last darkroom session. Both are 8x10s print one from a digital Cannon camera and one from a 5x7 Linfof. THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP SERIES. The boy is Lay-Auh, he was walking the garbage dump barefoot at 530am.
Thursday, May 22, 2025
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Donated Lollipops
2 young Burmese refugee children today with donated lollipops. We (the donators and myself) help donate to the families, kids treats, medicines and headlamps to THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP.
Video: Woo Family Names
Sat with the Woo family today, I recorded all their names on audio. To hard to remember. Their grand-mom has been living with them a long time. All the older men are gone. The father passed in about 2020. Their young daughter Woo-Wee-Kai is working in Mae Sot.
Their family photos from 2017, the one in the hammock is from 2013, when they and I first came to the dump. Woo-Wee-Kai was only a little girl, now she works in Mae Sot. Been photographing the families for 12 years now.
The video is from 2025, thee 5x7 images from 2017, the 35mm shot of Woo-Wee-Kai from 2013.
Headlamp buy, Thank You UNB
Today’s 20 HEADLAMP buy. Headlamp in Burmese is MEE GOH, in Thai it’s FAI CHAI HOO-UH. Already handed out 7 lamps. 200 bah a piece, 4000 baht or $168 CAD. Thankyou University of New Brunswick for your 2022 print buys. Your donation is helping the people here.
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