Thailand to Get Rid of Squat Toilets

Toilets that you have to squat to use – which have been a nightmare story from many tourists to Thailand could become a thing of the past. The Thai government has decided to discard the squat toilets, which are prevalent across the country, in an attempt to mitigate the number of people suffering from squat-related arthritis. The move comes after the government realised how many people were suffering from arthritis due to squat toilets, which are present in 85 per cent of households and public facilities in the country.

The Public Health Ministry revealed that around six million natives, including expats, now suffer from the symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee due to the poor standard of the toilets.  The ministry plans to replace them these with the style of sit-down toilet that is prominent and popular across the developed world.

The Deputy Minister of the concerned department, Cholanan Srikaew, suggested that the scrapping of these squat toilets will not only help control arthritis cases in the country but will also generate more money via the tourism industry. The tourism industry accounts for seven percent of the country’s gross domestic product. And it is thought that more sanitary and pleasant conditions could boost Thailand’s status.

With regards to Thailand’s tourism, the Tourism Authority of Thailand expects tourism revenue from the European segment to increase by five to six percent this year. Thailand receives 22 million tourists last year, according to a Ministry of Sports and Tourism report. This is a substantial jump of 16 percent from 2011. The European market also saw an increase of 10 per cent in the same time period.