Having spent most of my time in Australia. I remember how shocked I was when I went to a bathroom in Europe and was asked to pay. Pay to go to the toilet Bhawhh???? Is this some kind of joke? Seriously?
Back in Australia there are exactly 0 paid toilets 0. None not even one. Regardless if it is a run down public toilet located in a public park or an upmarket restaurant they are all free.
In Thailand you pay to go to the bathroom. The Thai people pay to go to the bathroom. (This is slowly changing. On recent trips more and more are becoming free.) It is kind of strange but the more run down, dirty, grubby and smelly the toilet the more likely where will be a fee to use it.
Exceptions to this rule are toilets located inside large shopping centers, hotels etc.
It is not uncommon to even see a bucket hung up outside an unmanned bathroom with a price sign.
It still feels kind of strange to me when I am in Thailand that it is the norm to pay for this. I wonder where the money goes to? Do the gatekeepers own the toilet? Where does the money go? I tried to ask a few Thai people this question but they are unsure.
I do not mind paying for the toilet if the money goes towards the bathrooms upkeep. However sadly most of the time it just seems like the person at the door takes the money but does nothing to maintain the toilet.
The worst example of this is the Night Bazaar in Chiang Rai. There is a bathroom next to the stage and you guessed it. You pay to use it.
For 3 or 4 nights in a row I had dinner at the Bazaar and each night went to the bathroom once or twice.
On the first night I noticed a trash can / bin / basket hanging next to the urinal. It was full to the brim with well tissue paper and chocolate.
With many 100s of people using the bathroom and each paying a fare do you think 4 days later the basket was emptied even once?
What do you think about Thailand toilets? should the people taking the money put something back into the facility? Leave a comment below.
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