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Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Christmas Elephants in Ayutthaya
Friday, December 4, 2009
A Backpacker’s Guide to Thailand; A Bog Blog
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An insight into Thai toilets without pictures or photos. You’re safe to continue eating your breakfast!
For those backpackers who are well travelled, toilets in Thailand will come as no surprise, indeed this type of toilet is still bog standard in France.
For the uninitiated, however, some information helps to prevent Thai toilets from frightening the shit out of you. Basically, and believe me basic is the word, a Thai toilet is a hole in the floor of a wet room. Toilet and bathroom are translated into Thai with one word: hongnaam, which literally means “room water”. The hole has a ceramic surround with places to put your feet. The idea, then, is to squat and perform! Now if you’re a natural squatter all is achieved in one simple movement, but if you’re an inexperienced squatter you might be well advised to find a night class at your local adult education centre. Look for: “How to Squat. A 6 Week All Out Course”
Where to find Thai toilets.
Thailand, of course!! No, seriously though, please don’t go looking for them, they will find you. Not all is lost, however, as all the hotels, hostels and guest houses I’ve been to have fully operational farang toilets.
Public toilets, for which there is usually a nominal charge of 2 or 3 Baht, and toilets in some of the bars and restaurants outside the tourist zones have “the hole”. They are usually quite small and certainly not big enough for you and your backpack.
Next to the hole is a trough of water and a ladle with which to sluice away your achievements. Warning: don’t drink the water!!
.How to ask, “Where is the toilet?”
In Thai: “hongnaam tee nai?” Got it?
Backpackers dashing around asking, “Where can I have a crap?” will arouse some amusement. Khrap in Thai is as an appendage indicating respect, as we might use the word please in English.
Neither will “I need a poo” help you much because phu in Thai means grandfather, nor pee, as this means sister.
Certainly the dirtiest toilets are those in bus stations, so discretion should be used when contemplating a long bus ride with a touch of the Delhi Belly!! You have been duly warned.
For your convenience, good, clean, Farang toilets can be found in supermarkets, shopping malls, department stores and air-conditioned restaurants.
A tip; Always carry some tissues with you, as they are not usually provided.
The word toilet is dumped into this diatribe with sincere apologies to Americans, who euphemistically refer to toilets as restrooms. Should you come across a Thai toilet in which you are comfortable taking a rest, please comment accordingly.
Good backpacking.
For those backpackers who are well travelled, toilets in Thailand will come as no surprise, indeed this type of toilet is still bog standard in France.
For the uninitiated, however, some information helps to prevent Thai toilets from frightening the shit out of you. Basically, and believe me basic is the word, a Thai toilet is a hole in the floor of a wet room. Toilet and bathroom are translated into Thai with one word: hongnaam, which literally means “room water”. The hole has a ceramic surround with places to put your feet. The idea, then, is to squat and perform! Now if you’re a natural squatter all is achieved in one simple movement, but if you’re an inexperienced squatter you might be well advised to find a night class at your local adult education centre. Look for: “How to Squat. A 6 Week All Out Course”
Where to find Thai toilets.
Thailand, of course!! No, seriously though, please don’t go looking for them, they will find you. Not all is lost, however, as all the hotels, hostels and guest houses I’ve been to have fully operational farang toilets.
Public toilets, for which there is usually a nominal charge of 2 or 3 Baht, and toilets in some of the bars and restaurants outside the tourist zones have “the hole”. They are usually quite small and certainly not big enough for you and your backpack.
Next to the hole is a trough of water and a ladle with which to sluice away your achievements. Warning: don’t drink the water!!
.How to ask, “Where is the toilet?”
In Thai: “hongnaam tee nai?” Got it?
Backpackers dashing around asking, “Where can I have a crap?” will arouse some amusement. Khrap in Thai is as an appendage indicating respect, as we might use the word please in English.
Neither will “I need a poo” help you much because phu in Thai means grandfather, nor pee, as this means sister.
Certainly the dirtiest toilets are those in bus stations, so discretion should be used when contemplating a long bus ride with a touch of the Delhi Belly!! You have been duly warned.
For your convenience, good, clean, Farang toilets can be found in supermarkets, shopping malls, department stores and air-conditioned restaurants.
A tip; Always carry some tissues with you, as they are not usually provided.
The word toilet is dumped into this diatribe with sincere apologies to Americans, who euphemistically refer to toilets as restrooms. Should you come across a Thai toilet in which you are comfortable taking a rest, please comment accordingly.
Good backpacking.
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