I have just bought a new property in Pattaya, east of Sukhumvit in a new development.

The toilets seem to drain into a large pit in the back garden. There was initial blockage which seems to have been cleared but the drains in the bathroom smell very bad. Can anyone tell me how the system works and what I need to do to keep it free of smells.

Is there a good reliable drainage company in Pattaya who could give me advice; the builders of the new housing village seem to have run out of ideas!!

Many thanks

The toilet should go into a plastic or cement septic tank and the tank will most likely overflow into the normal drain system. Brown water from bath/sinks will normally go directly into the drain system. The drain system normally stinks. To keep odors out you have to have water traps so air can not come up. Like the bend below a sink they keep a little water at the top of drain and the drain cap with have an inverted cone that dips into it. Should have been built with these but if you just have a cover and no water below it ask builder to replace. That are available at any hardware store and cost little. If you have to DIY a worker can do it in half day or less - will require cutting a little tile out and cement work. If you can not do that now cover the drains when not in use with something rubber.

Often with the proper drains people will remove the top cover to increase drain flow (rather than clean it) and this will case the water seal to be bypassed and odors to enter.