Report Phuket Restaurant Owner Urges More Public Bathrooms After Incidents

[snoop1130]

Photo via Facebook/ ปณณัฐ อัศวพิทักษ์ชน

 

In light of two unpleasant incidents involving foreign tourists defecating outside his restaurant, a Phuket eatery owner is urging the government to address the scarcity of public bathrooms for tourists. Pananut Asawapitakchon, owner of Salaloy Restaurant, shared his concerns on Facebook on May 22, highlighting these incidents that happened on separate occasions when his business was closed.

 

Despite Pananut’s generosity in allowing tourists to use his restaurant's facilities, even when they aren’t customers, the problem occurred when the premises were not open. He expressed a willingness to shoulder the costs for maintaining the bathroom facilities as a part of supporting tourism and hoped it would benefit his business over time.

 

The incidents saw tourists resorting to defecating outside his establishment, primarily due to the unavailability of nearby public amenities. The first incident involved a foreign man last week, followed by a foreign woman this week, the latter captured in a photo shared by Pananut, holding used tissue papers.

 

Pananut voiced concerns about his staff, who had to endure the task of cleaning the waste, a duty far beyond their regular responsibilities. He also speculated if other restaurant operators in Phuket might be facing similar challenges.

 

The restaurant owner argues that such incidents reveal a significant shortcoming in Phuket's infrastructure, a famed tourist destination known for its world-class appeal, yet lacking basic visitor necessities. He implores authorities to seriously consider expanding public bathroom facilities as part of future tourism improvements, even if the issue might seem trivial in comparison to others.

 

In his conclusion, Pananut acknowledged that while not an immediate crisis, the problem should not be overlooked. He added humorously that, in the interim, he might continue collecting the waste himself.

 

This issue echoes previous complaints from Thai netizens regarding similar incidents of public urination by tourists, attributing such behaviour partly to insufficient access to public bathrooms, beyond merely criticising tourists themselves.

 

It's clear that for Phuket to maintain its reputation as a premier tourist destination, addressing the need for accessible public amenities should be part of the broader strategy to enhance visitor experience and city management.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-05-23

 

 

[bubblegum]

Same as waste paper baskets on or near the beaches. Phuket has nothing a "top" designation should have.

[ChrisY1]

Trash bins...toilets....very hard to find....sometimes too late for many!