What can we learn from living in Thailand?

[Frank Hovis]

You would think it would be more prevalent in the west with the western hygiene paranoia, but even bidets are few and far between in the UK. Moist toilet tissue seems to be all the rage in the UK these days so perhaps the progression is slowly going from that terrible wax/sandpaper they had at school to soft-paper to moist paper and eventually to bum-sprays. If I ever have to go back to a non-bum spray country I'll definitely take a supply with me.

And your message, in plain English, says ?

The little water pipe with the spray headed end that can be found near most toilets in Thailand cleans poo off your number two hole area much better than wiping that area with tissue paper and that's a good thing because there can be germs in poop that might make you very sick.

[sand_dancer]

The little water pipe with the spray headed end that can be found near most toilets in Thailand cleans poo off your number two hole area much better than wiping that area with tissue paper and that's a good thing because there can be germs in poop that might make you very sick.

[STEVE G]

There are clearly different sections of immigration....and being true to the OP's question about what we can learn from here, then dare I say immigration policy is one of them....maybe not in all it's forms here, but generally regarding most could perhaps gives pointers to the way forward in other places.

Thailand has far more illegal immigrants than the UK, there are millions of Burmese, Cambodians and Laos there, as many as five million according to some reports.

[caller]

You, clearly, have a problem, amongst other aspects of the English language, in understanding the word - INDIGENOUS.

No I don't.

[MrPlum]

We can learn to smile. To be less politically correct and sensitive.. Thais have no problem calling someone 'fat', who is fat and so on. They simply smile back at you. They seem more tolerant of foreigners, even while being protective of their own. I don't see any 'Paki-bashing' occurring.

The police don't look like a steroid-pumped military army bursting into our homes in the middle of the night and are generally pleasant when you encounter them. Likewise Immigration.

The Thai ladies fall immediately in love with our children even if the child is in the middle of a tantrum. 'He lovely' I hear said of some western brat, as they whisk the child off to be thoroughly spoilt. Blonde hair and blue eyes are to die for.

Inviting complete strangers to eat a chilli dish with extra chillies and chilli sauce is a social requirement, despite the odd occasion where chancers invite their whole family, then present you with the bill and a beaming smile, that says 'There's one born every minute'.

[Spitfire]

Thailand has far more illegal immigrants than the UK, there are millions of Burmese, Cambodians and Laos there, as many as five million according to some reports.

That's perhaps a contributing factor as to why Thailand came in 7th in the slavery league tables that were recently published. They [illegal immigrants to Thailand] are here at high risk to themselves from pseudo 'employers' and the police........and are certainly not allowed to sponge from the government other than increase the strain on the prison population.

Europe thinks it can 'wave a magic wand' indefinitely and fix the world's problems with endless spending for lofty and idyllic social services that simply encourage dependency and idleness from people who have no intention of integrating one bit. All you get is sectarianism....look no further than London.

[Pleng]

It's not as if it would be difficult to implement and has to be a better option than the 'paper only' one, both together is the answer......lol.

I'm waiting for them to invent the bum-blow-dryrer; a hand-held, anal equivalent of the hand drying air blowing machines!

[hhfarang]

You would think it would be more prevalent in the west with the western hygiene paranoia, but even bidets are few and far between in the UK. Moist toilet tissue seems to be all the rage in the UK these days so perhaps the progression is slowly going from that terrible wax/sandpaper they had at school to soft-paper to moist paper and eventually to bum-sprays. If I ever have to go back to a non-bum spray country I'll definitely take a supply with me.

One of my favorite things about Thailand... never felt cleaner after a good sit down on the thrown! As we've been thinking about moving back to the U.S., I checked online to see if they are sold there and found several companies that sell them, however, because of health standards there, they are more complex and expensive, but I'll definitely have one installed if I go back. I think the standard/complexity/expense is due to the fact that if you leave the head in the toilet it can cause back flow into the public water system so if you use one there is has to have some automatic one way valve to prevent this.

I'm waiting for them to invent the bum-blow-dryrer; a hand-held, anal equivalent of the hand drying air blowing machines!

I think the Japanese have already invented that.

[Big Boy]

You can buy the all singing, all dancing loos here that do 'most' of the work for you. You just press the relevant button at the relevant time - I'll try to find a photo.

[Big Boy]

Here you go:

[hhfarang]

And if you want more personal control (or aim), there are handheld varieties out there:

Bidet 2.jpg (21.26 KiB) Viewed 412 times

[sand_dancer]

Very nice..... Amazing how much a toilet can be " pimped "......

Or you could save a few bob.....

By simply " Borrowing "...... Your other half's hairdryer.......

[Pleng]

Yea I like the idea of the hand-held blow-dryer, though the one in that diagram looks more like a mini hair dryer (no crude comments, please!!! ), something in the shape of a regular bum shower that just blows hot air would be grand.

Not sure I like the toilet that does it all for you. I can imagine it being either a bit to thorough, or not enough 555

[PeteC]

What the fkcu has happened here? I haven't looked in a day and all of a sudden we're talking about European immigration and Japanese automatic toilets? You really do have to laugh as I guess we're not learning much, as perhaps not much to learn. Carry on mates. Pete

[STEVE G]

You really do have to laugh as I guess we're not learning much, as perhaps not much to learn.

I think you've hit the nail on the head Pete; I'm presently in a prosperous European country that is sane, largely incorrupt and crime free with a high standard of living, good education, health care and pretty safe roads.
I love being in Thailand but that probably comes more from the excitment of the chaotic nature of the place and I'm not sure that there is much to learn from it. The people in rural areas are laid back and less materialistic but those in cities like Bangkok are probably worst in that respect than many in the West.