41% of Thais don’t know how to wash hands in proper ways: Public Health Min

[DrTuner]

The tap water is probably dirtier than the hands anyway. If they did use soap and tissue, you'd have to wade through a 2m high pile of used tissue to get in or out of the toilet. And break your neck when slipping on the soaped up ceramics.

It's the doorknobs you've got to be aware of if you're phobic. The second you touch that when getting out of the toilet, game over. Better take care of your immune system, than try to stay in hospital conditions in a tropic climate where bacteria grows like crazy.

[thaisabai]

I am always amazed; being highly educated in US public health procedures, to watch the employees in 80% of the bars filling the glass with ice, using their hands. Or holding a large piece of ice in their bare hand and cracking it with a spoon, so that it fits in the glass.

thaisabai

[Frank James]

If you are germ-phobic, or overly concerned about "sanitation", or "hygiene", this may not be the place for you. Consider Switzerland, perhaps.

[ghworker2010]

53.456% of all statistics are made up on the spot...

[stickylies]

just a reminder:

urine is sterile...OK it is ugly but no poison and no bacteria...theoretical you could drink it.

true, but the cock is not...

[AryanicAristocrat]

Lol! Simply Hilarious.....Not about thais and their hygiene (that we all know) but about the amount of TV members who actually go to local publ;ic toilets and observe what the locals do!.....Lol!

[janpoo]

If that's only the problem!!!!! 90% of Thais don't know what respect, responsibility and discipline are. Selfish people that they are.

[Emdog]

just a reminder:

urine is sterile...OK it is ugly but no poison and no bacteria...theoretical you could drink it.

And some weirdo Chinese medicine even recommend it (I recommend something for some mint chewing gum before speaking with other people )

Former Prime Minister of India drank his own for health benefits. Regarding hygiene, and unclean body parts, there was a good episode of Penn & Teller's "Bullshit" program covering that. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaMD7nsPuHo

[Bluespunk]

"Public Health Min: 41% of Thais dont know how to wash hands in proper ways"

Lies, damned lies and government statistics (and in the case of the bangkok survey, very old statistics).

[connda]

Dear Thailand,

Welcome to the "Nanny State".

[stubuzz]

Wash your hands as much as you like, it will not remove the bacteria from the street vendors' food that has been fermenting in the sun all day.

[steve C]

Don't really care about them washing their hands although it would be much appreciated by the ones handling my food. BUT what really pisses me off is the coughing, sneezing etc in my direction without at least covering their face with a hand, tissue etc. As far as i'm concerned most of them think hygene is a tall girl and palmolive is an island girl. Except for the ladies who spend most of their short time- time in the shower.

[noitom]

The floors in public toilets are generally being cleaned all the time. Looking above floor level things are often looking as though nobody has touched things (no naughty jokes please) since they were opened. No way will I touch anything, apart from myself, like taps, flush levers or door knobs. I use my elbows and my feet a bit.

I am talking as someone who got the romantic job of lifesaver and found out that a large part of the job was cleaning toilets.

You are right not to touch anything in Thai toilets. The friendly rage folded in front of the sink is used to clean the floor the urinal, the toilet and everything else and then wrung out and placed neatly folded again in front of the sink.

[Curt1591]

The problem isn't that 41% don't wash properly; the problem is that 95% don't wash their hands at all!

[tominbkk]

There is a balance between the non washing hands Thais and the super sanitized and bacteria free hands of westerners. Using too much soap a Purell all the time works at killing off the bodies ability to fight off infection.

[madmitch]

I thought the Thais were very god at washing their hands..............................

...............of any responsibility for anything!

[mrtoad]

I would imagine if the same question was asked back in the UK, Europe the USetc, it would be the same. Very few people probably know how to. When i was undertaking my Nurse training we had a whole day dedicated to learning how to wash hands properly.

[haltic99]

I guess not only Thais but also many foreigners ......

Absolutely, also in so many restaurants, everywhere, the chefs handling ready to eat food without protection (Gloves). touching everything and anything during tasks (pen, cell phones, shaking other people hands..etc...) bringing germs and bacteria into our food...

As per CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) only need to wash our hands for at least 20 seconds in a hot soapy water...

This problem exist not just in Thailand....

In all the Cruise Ships (this is a good example) the "Wash Your Hands Often Sign" needs to be posted in all the Restrooms, just because, PEOPLE DO NOT WASH THEIR HANDS before go to eat and the worst is that too many do not wash their hands after the use of the toilet, bringing and spreading all the nasty germs and bacteria everywhere...

In public toilets, well I do the same in any restaurant, airport etc...I wash and dry my hands when possible (not using dirty rags for sure) and open the door with my elbow

[SickOfEm]

Wash your hands as much as you like, it will not remove the bacteria from the street vendors' food that has been fermenting in the sun all day.

Many push cart vendors piss in the street holding their sausage with one hand and a fag in another.

[gemini81]

Wash your hands as much as you like, it will not remove the bacteria from the street vendors' food that has been fermenting in the sun all day.

Many push cart vendors piss in the street holding their sausage with one hand and a fag in another.

sick but true..then return to the cart, and slice up your pineapple! free pubes included while supplies last.

[h90]

I guess not only Thais but also many foreigners ......

Absolutely, also in so many restaurants, everywhere, the chefs handling ready to eat food without protection (Gloves). touching everything and anything during tasks (pen, cell phones, shaking other people hands..etc...) bringing germs and bacteria into our food...

As per CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) only need to wash our hands for at least 20 seconds in a hot soapy water...

This problem exist not just in Thailand....

In all the Cruise Ships (this is a good example) the "Wash Your Hands Often Sign" needs to be posted in all the Restrooms, just because, PEOPLE DO NOT WASH THEIR HANDS before go to eat and the worst is that too many do not wash their hands after the use of the toilet, bringing and spreading all the nasty germs and bacteria everywhere...

In public toilets, well I do the same in any restaurant, airport etc...I wash and dry my hands when possible (not using dirty rags for sure) and open the door with my elbow

For cooked food it is no problem at all what the chef is doing with his fingers.

Different case cold things that are stored long time now so cool...

[kamahele]

just a reminder:

urine is sterile...OK it is ugly but no poison and no bacteria...theoretical you could drink it.

And some weirdo Chinese medicine even recommend it (I recommend something for some mint chewing gum before speaking with other people )

Urine is sterile but I think that penises usually aren't. And yes, many many people put them in their mouths.

[smedly]

I watched the Thai owner of a bar I drink in serving cocktails and putting the ice into the mixer and glasses by hand - I know for a fact he never washes his hands after going to the toilet and neither do the rest of the staff, and TBH many falangs don't either

Edited October 17, 2013 by smedly

[h90]

just a reminder:

urine is sterile...OK it is ugly but no poison and no bacteria...theoretical you could drink it.

And some weirdo Chinese medicine even recommend it (I recommend something for some mint chewing gum before speaking with other people )

Urine is sterile but I think that penises usually aren't. And yes, many many people put them in their mouths.

Penises should be as clean or dirty as other body-parts....may depend on how often it is cleaned and what is done with it.

That "tube" inside should be almost sterile.

It is still recommended if you have a dirty wound and no clean water to wash it out with urine.....Lets hope I never get in this situation and if lets hope the wound isn't in my face.....

[ableguy]

No real need for Thais to wash their hands.

The right hand is used for eating, and the left is used for toilet ablution duties.

Or is it the other way round??

That is a Muslim practice.

[ableguy]

just a reminder:

urine is sterile...OK it is ugly but no poison and no bacteria...theoretical you could drink it.

And some weirdo Chinese medicine even recommend it (I recommend something for some mint chewing gum before speaking with other people )

Urine is sterile but I think that penises usually aren't. And yes, many many people put them in their mouths.[/quot

I have seen dogs do that. But never a man , must be double jointed.

[gk10002000]

Wash hands? How about providing some warm water and proper soap and a clean drying method after washing? Even this is water under the bridge. The practice of putthing toilet paper in open trash containers with fecal matter just gives flies more chances to throw up on your food and pass diseases. Look at the health statistics from the North Africa campain of Rommel and Montgomery during World War 2. The germans used quickly dug open latrine trenches, while the British used better covered latrines. There was a huge difference in diarrea, dysentery etc. The "germ theory" and disease spreading education just seems to be missed here in Thailand. Prevention is one of the cheapest forms of better health.

[peterbkk9]

The funny thing is that they believe themselves to be clean

Edited October 18, 2013 by peterbkk9

[neverdie]

Thais complain about dirty feet, but they haven't a clue about personal hygiene.

Funny foreigner's are quick to jump to comments like this yet the putrid BO one smells when moving about Bangkok seems to emit from farang, not all of them of course, but hey since we are busy taring everyone with the same brush, why not be consistent.

I've always found Thais to be rather clean, I guess it depends what sort of people one associates with..... Naaahhhh couldn't be that, as you were.

[mrtoad]

The legend is back ^