Social Documentary Photography for a Better World!

Sunday, November 8, 2026

VIDEO: Love my Somtum

Ordered 2 different kinds of Som Tum!, one Dum Dang, one Dum Goong Sod.

Silkworms Anyone?

Ate silkworm larvae today, fried and delicious. Thais call them Malang Tod (Friend Insects), แมลงทอด.. I try to avoid anything with legs, but these Larvae were quite good.

Used the Canon 5D Mark iV in the Slum for Day #3

 

Editing from Bangkok

Tt was fun editing UNDER THE FREEWAY pics today while listening to CFS Elks football and NHL Oilers hockey, from Edmonton.

Color versus B/W

There is beautiful light, a relaxing calming quietness to photographing at night. I like photographing more at 2am, then I do at 2pm!

Color verus b/w
Alley way

More Photos from UNDER THE FREEWAY

From my 3rd visit under the freeway, this time at night. I am struggling to find subjects as many of my friends from earlier years have moved on, or been taken away by the police/authorities, not sure. 

Khun Ging and Khun King (not sure I have their names right, very similar sounding to me)
Khun King wakes up
Khun Ging thinking
Khun Ging laughint
Khun Don
Cat runs
Khun Apple waking up
Khun Apple sleeping

Thursday, November 5, 2026

VIDEO: Riding a Motorbike Taxi Back to my Apartment in Bangkok

 

Garbage Worker Project?


Apple Lays on my Knee Again!

 

62 Tougher than 32!

 

Fat?

 

Typical Thai Business Conversation

A typical Thai business interaction today. I need a motorcycle taxi driver to take me to the MRT station (Subway).

Speaking Thai on seeing a free driver.
“Hello I need to go to the MET Station”
OK
“How much will it cost?”
HMM? 40 BAHT??”
“Yesterday day I paid 25 baht!. Can you help a farang and charge 25 baht? (Smile)”
YES OK 25 BAHT
I get on and we ride thru heavy traffic to the MRT station maybe 2 km away. We arrive at the station, I get off the bike.
HOW COME YOU SPEAK THAI SO WELL? WHAT COUNTRY ARE YOU FROM?
“ I am from Canada”
“ You work very hard, I will give you 30 baht!”
In English he says THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! ! with a big smile
I pat him on the shoulder, wish him luck, and am off to the subway and the slum to make pictures.
You gotta love Thai people!!

Fish

Had this fried fish today, cold, with onions, lemon and sticky rice. Pretty good, 35 baht ($1.46 CAD).

Thai Street Food.




VIDEO: Night 2

 

2nd Day of Shooting the Clip

Am not really getting a lot done photographically in the slum. Its hard to photograph people that are not there. I will try again tomorrow. I need to figure out where everyone is, or I will just be photographing 2 or 3 people again and again.

Apple high and Daun smoking YaBa, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Khlong Toei Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2026
Apple smoking YaBa, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Khlong Toei Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2026
Apple high on YaBa with Don watching, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Khlong Toei Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2026
Apple laughing with Don watching, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Khlong Toei Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2026
Apple  smoking YaBa #3, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Khlong Toei Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2026

Monday, November 2, 2026

FUCKING Meth!!

Life can be so harsh on the streets. I met Dao and Apple again, after being away for 1 1/2 years. Both have lost weight, both are so frail, both far younger than fat, priviledged me. Fucking Meth! 


Dao  greeting me, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Khlong Toei Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2026
Apple laying on my knee and me, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Khlong Toei Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2026

First Day Back UNDER THE FREEWAY, 2026

Am working on a few pictures shot on my first visit back to Khlong Toei Slum here in Bangkok. These photos are part of my long-term photo project, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, which I began in 2011

A lot has changed since my last visits, improvements to the area, many of my friends have gone or moved on not sure to where. Only 5 people remembered who knew me there back in 2025. I will be looking for old friends, and possibly find new ones, when I return tomorrow.

A few images:

Dao  greeting me, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Khlong Toei Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2026
Apple giving me some sunglasses, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Khlong Toei Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2026
Apple laying on my knee and me, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Khlong Toei Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2026
Apple laying on my knee thinking, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Khlong Toei Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2026
Men drinking on the street, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Khlong Toei Slum, Bangkok, Thailand 2026

VIDEO: Takraw

Was watching this for a while yesterday. They were playing it in a better area of the slum. Burmese guys, with a few Thais thrown in. A sort of kicking volleyball called "Takraw". It popular among many South East Asian countries. There were 5 guys playing, 3 on 1 side, 2 on the other. 3 of the players were outstanding athletes.

Saturday, October 31, 2026

Speaking More Thai!

 

New Series?

Thinking on a new, blunt, series of pics. Shot in digital,  in color, with flash. One of those series that might have to be published (or forgotten) after I pass.

Discusion on old THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY Seres

From Facebook comment/dicusiion on Old pics from THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY series.·

EFW
Great photos as always, but scary!
Hope it wil never become like this in the west....
  • Reply
  • Ger
    EFW
    Gerry Yaum
     It is in parts already, hopefully it will not continue to spread. Lots of addiction, meth use, and little protections for people on the edges of society here. Most folks sleep directly on the street, some have small shelters. I have $500 CAD in money raised from Artist talks of this work, that we will use to buy and give away free food. Note* 3, likely 4 of the men in the photos above have passed.

    Looking to be Inspired

    Been laying on my lazy ass here in my nice AC Bangkok apartment!! NO PHOTOS MADE. Gotta a bit sick as well, dehydrated, sore knee, upset stomach, headaches.To inspire myself I found some old pics from THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY series.