Latest news with #This Week in Asia

South China Morning Post

The pitfalls of squat toilets, major and minor

Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at [email protected] or filling in this Google form . Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification Advertisement I refer to the This Week in Asia article , 'As Asia modernises, squat toilets are being dethroned' (July 25). Although there are credible advantages to how the squat toilet reduces skin contact with the toilet and therefore contamination of the thighs and buttocks, the stamina that is required to maintain a squatting position for the duration of the act is a challenge for many. Besides, there remains the risk of backsplash. For this user, the peril of accidentally falling backwards and getting stuck in the hole in the floor also prevents one from having a comfortable experience when there are no sit-down units. Squatting on a daily basis improves venous circulation in the lower limbs, yet the emergency doctor in me fears for the elderly user with hip and pelvic floor weakness, for whom the latrine pit could be a real menace. Advertisement Recently, during a rainforest trek in Borneo's Sarawak, I fell into one such hole dug in the ground. Unwitnessed and alone, I briskly righted myself to stand.