4 days ago
Don't panic: Your essential guide to Thai squat toilets
Visiting Thai public restrooms in destinations like temples or gas stations can sometimes surprise travellers with an unexpected encounter with the traditional squat toilet. This toilet type, despite being challenging for those unaccustomed to squatting, remains the preferred choice for many Thai people.
The history of squat toilets
Squatting has long been the natural position for defecation throughout human history. In ancient times, this was done outdoors in forests and gardens, with only the aristocracy having the luxury of relieving themselves indoors.
During the late reign of King Chulalongkorn in the 1890s, as Siam strove to modernise and match Western standards, public lavatories began to appear across the kingdom. However, these early toilets were simple bucket-style facilities that resembled pit latrines. They featured wooden platforms covering holes designed for sitting, with buckets beneath to collect waste.
A significant breakthrough came in 1924 when Phraya Nakhon Phra Ram, then governor of Sawankhalok and Uttaradit provinces, introduced an improved squat-toilet design. This innovation featured a pour-flush mechanism with a water trap to prevent flies from entering and a vent pipe to minimise odours elements that remain standard in modern squat toilet design.
The decline of squat toilets
Western flush toilets arrived in Thailand as expensive imports, requiring users to adopt an unfamiliar flat sitting position rather than the traditional squatting posture. Between 1917 and 1947, these modern toilets remained confined to royal palaces and the wealthy homes of those who had been educated abroad.
Adoption of Western-style toilets increased significantly after World War II during the period of modern home construction. By the 1950s, flush toilets had gained widespread popularity and today dominate urban Thailand. They have evolved into essential home components with increasingly advanced designs and features.
Advantages of squat toilets
At first glance, squat toilets may appear problematic. They can cause knee pain and discomfort, prove unsuitable for elderly and disabled users and present challenges for personal hygiene. Despite these drawbacks, squat toilets retain loyal advocates who argue for their continued relevance based on several compelling advantages.
Hygiene benefits: Squat toilets eliminate direct contact of hind thigh with the toilet seat, addressing significant cleanliness concerns in public spaces where maintaining sanitary conditions can be challenging.
Health advantages: Medical research suggests that squatting naturally straightens the anorectal angle, allowing for more efficient waste elimination. This positioning mimics the body's natural defecation posture and may reduce straining during bowel movements.
The squatting position facilitates faster waste elimination, which can help prevent constipation caused by prolonged sitting. Extended sitting on traditional toilets may lead to stagnated waste movement and a decrease urge to defecate. Prolonged sitting can cause blood pooling around the anal area, and excessive straining creates abdominal pressure that impedes venous drainage, potentially contributing to hemorrhoid development.
Economic benefits: Squat toilets cost significantly less to install and maintain compared to Western-style toilets, making them an economical choice for public facilities and developing regions.
How to properly use a squat toilet
For many visitors to Thailand, encountering a squat toilet can prove daunting, particularly when urgent needs arise at temples or roadside facilities. The unfamiliar design presents several practical challenges that locals navigate with practiced ease.
Clothing management
Clothing management is often the first challenge for newcomers. Beginners often find that completely removing all lower garments provides the safest approach, while more experienced users can manage by lowering clothing to ankle level.
However, an important middle-ground technique involves lowering pants only to knee level rather than the ankles, ensuring the fabric stays clear of the squatting area and does not obstruct the process.
Experienced locals recommend emptying pockets beforehand, as dropped valuables rarely survive the encounter unscathed.
Proper positioning
Correct positioning requires users to stand with feet planted firmly on either side of the toilet bowl, ideally facing toward the front of the facility. The squatting technique demands fully bending the knees with hips lowered to approximately ankle level. Those unaccustomed to deep squats often find that embracing their knees or holding onto nearby rails provides essential stability and balance.
Cleaning process
The cleaning process often causes the greatest cultural adjustment for Western visitors, as it relies entirely on water rather than toilet paper. Even some Thai users acknowledge that the learning curve can initially leave newcomers feeling drenched and frustrated.
Most facilities provide either a water scoop with a bucket or sometimes a handheld bidet spray. Using a bucket requires coordination - pouring water with one hand while cleaning with the other.
Many locations provide no toilet paper whatsoever, making wet wipes or tissues valuable additions to any travel kit.
Important etiquette
When toilet paper is used, it must be disposed of in designated waste bins rather than flushed, as most squat toilet plumbing systems cannot handle paper waste effectively.
Manual flushing using the provided water bucket ensures complete waste removal and maintains the facility for the next user. It is important to stand before flushing to prevent any risks of splash.
While squat toilets may initially seem challenging for those accustomed to Western-style facilities, understanding their history, benefits and proper usage can help travellers navigate these encounters with confidence. As Thailand continues to modernise, squat toilets remain an important part of the cultural landscape, particularly in rural areas and traditional settings.
