Gaybutton Posted November 19, 2006 Posted November 19, 2006 Thailand's "Happy Toilet" Soon in the Pipeline BANGKOK, Nov 18 (TNA) Not content to sit back and enjoy its flush of success as host of the 2nd World Toilet Expo & Forum 2006 which ended here Saturday, making great strides in promoting higher hygienic standards for clean and safe public loos, Thailand's Ministry of Public Health plans to introduce a "happy toilet" which is not only user-friendly and cares for the environment but also a place of pleasure to relieve one's bowels. Already known as the Land of Smiles, Thailand's Ministry of Public Health wants to put commodious smiles on the faces of those who are ridding themselves of feces. Dr. Narongsakdi Aungkhasuvapala, director-general of Thailand's Department of Health, floated the idea as the 2nd World Toilet Expo & Forum 2006 concluded here on Saturday. The three-day event was held to promote the development of public toilets based on three guiding principles -- health, accessibility and safety. He said the forum's discussions highlighted the importance of proper structural designs of toilet, cleansing management and user habits as major factors that will help reduce the risk of spreading diseases and accidents as well as increasing patron comfort of the use they variably equipped 'comfort rooms', 'water closets', 'restrooms', 'johns,' 'heads' and 'hong nams' throughout 'The Land of Smiles'. To achieve more public satisfaction in using public loos, Dr. Narongsakdi said, Thailand will introduce a new set of standards that goes further beyond the current HAS formal Quote
Guest Snowkat Posted November 19, 2006 Posted November 19, 2006 The health department director-general also promised that Thailand will launch a campaign to raise public awareness to provide public toilet and other facilities for the elderly and the handicapped people in every public place. I'd be "happy" to find a western type toilet in public areas instead of the usual hole in the floor ! As a country who's economy is based on tourism it has always amazed me how many toilets in public places, particularly motorway/expressway service areas are of the asian squat variety. When on a 5 day trip to Issan I was unable to find a sitdown toilet anywhere except in larger hotels in the bigger cities. The western body seems to be genetically designed differently from asians, or becomes more inflexible from an early age, in that the squat position can be extremely uncomfortable and painful and at times impossible, particularly for partially disabled people (including me). I have always wondered how disabled or physically impaired Thais manage when they have to use the ubiquitous hole in the floor toilets. Quote
Guest namjai Posted November 19, 2006 Posted November 19, 2006 When in Issan utilize restrooms at Big C and other large shopping malls. I love north country, but hate the squats. Also, when I used to go on trips up north, I would take a modified "field toilet" with me which fits over the "hole" and I could sit on it. Got some smiles from the locals, but that is ok with me. Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted November 20, 2006 Posted November 20, 2006 Don't you love it when you find a western toilet and it has footprints on the rim? Another thing. Why are the urinals at Big C in N. Pattaya numbered? Someone told me it was so repairmen know which one needs repairing when necessary. If that is so, why are the stalls not numbered? MMMMM "tis a puzzlement". Quote
Guest pete1969 Posted November 20, 2006 Posted November 20, 2006 Ahh yes, the Big C and the Lotus were my friends when it came to toilets. I actually had to learn when traveling in rural LOS to consider my toilet needs and how I would take care of them. At a home show I went to in BKK with my BF, I saw these super-duper toilet seats that included a warmer, an air dryer for the backside, and much more. The toilet seats were around 15,000 baht I think. Pete Quote
