Local chefs/cooks toilet sink behaviour?

[Pii Kate]

None of the toilets at Kad Suan Kaew In Chiang Mai have water for cleaning, toilet paper or hand soap and towels. And the lower floor toilet is right off the food court.

The new malls offer complete service so hygiene is getting better.

[how241]

The chef not washing his hands is the least of our worries.

When buying chicken at the local market I never know whether to choose the pieces on top of the heap covered in flies, or dig deep and get a piece from the salmonella soup they're all floating in. And at an ambient 32 degrees and they've been sitting there all day (and probably all yesterday as well), they're bound to be bacteria free.

I doubt the chef can do much more damage than has been done before the food actually got to him.

+1....I never liked the way meat sits out here too.

[Khon Thai Ben Khon Dee]

Just two very quick (one word answer) questions for wym and Sayonarax.

• Do you wash your hands after you go to the toilet, be it for urination or defecation?

• Do you wash your hands before preparing food for your family?

Thanks.

[thailiketoo]

What about the eggs? The USDA says don't buy eggs not under refrigeration in the supermarket. So how many of you come from countries where eggs are not refrigerated in the market? You are all gonna die. Or.........

[In Search of Space]

Try a few dodgy restaurants in Middle East, makes what you see in Thailand wonderful

As if by magic

[LennyW]

I thought wiping your arse with your hand was an Indian thing, wipe with the right shake with the left.....?

[techboy]

Oh just make sure you take good care of your immune system and in return will do what it is supposed to do.

Yes including putting it under stress - over-sterilized lifestyle in the west - especially the US is responsible IMO for the epidemics in immune-related syndromes other countries don't have.

Lactose, gluten intolerance

Peanut allergies

Asthma

ADD/ADHD

susceptibilities to addictions

and probably many more

I will remember not to wipe next time. Seriously though. What a load of You ever take a course in microbiology dude? There is no way that a human is going to live in an aseptic environment unless it is scientifically engineered- the human immune system is continuously under stress. There is not even conclusive proof that long duty tours in Antarctica are responsible for weakening of immune system response- supplies come from the outside world. Sounds like you read an article somewhere and accepted it as gospel- I would be amazed if the author cited valid research. Oh yeah, "...

and probably many more" you say? Great! Now we have a subjective opinion by someone with no professional references.

[techboy]

Oh fudge.

[Khon Thai Ben Khon Dee]

^ A polite term for what was probably on the cook's fingers?

[HeijoshinCool]

why would he use his hand to wipe his ass... was the bum gun out of order ?

I've been in a number of bathrooms with only the squat toilet, and a concrete basin, or plastic trash can, filled with water and floating a ladle.

No gun.

So, what do you think they wipe it with?

[NCFC]

So you called the guy back and told him to wash his hands, didn't you?

[wym]

Just two very quick (one word answer) questions for wym and Sayonarax.

• Do you wash your hands after you go to the toilet, be it for urination or defecation?

• Do you wash your hands before preparing food for your family?

Thanks.

Yes to both.

But I don't get too fussed about this issue, the whole "germs cause disease" thing is productive for public policy and institutions, but pretty useless and even harmful for individuals to WORRY about.

I prefer to focus on things I can actually do something about, and I don't see a solution here other than - for others who are worked up about it - to take control over their food chain. Not an easy thing in this day and age.

[wym]

Now we have a subjective opinion by someone with no professional references.

The scientific process is pretty corrupt these days by the funding process.

Research these days is only in areas that are of potential military application or otherwise useful to large corporate interests.

What industry is going to profit from "hey people you can stop worrying about germs so much"?

Ain't gonna happen.

[Kitsune]

Same goes with the cute girls that sells you expensive international beauty/make up products, yes they dip their perfectly manucured finger into your 70 dollars face cream without having wash their hands at toilet.

If you go to a mall; you can see 90% of employees serving food or beauty items don't wash hands properly

[farang000999]

Sorry but most of the large chain restaurants do definitely employ some sanitary measures like hair nets, face masks and gloves - I am thinking of Fuji/Hachiban/Mos Burger/various Western chains... You are much less likely to get sick from a chain restaurant in Thailand than you are from the local food stall.

I know that doesn't sit with you guys who are "anti-establishment" and have your own little reality going on in your head.

[wym]

My point is you should eat where you like without worrying about this aspect.

Or only eat at home where you can directly supervise.

The worrying is more harmful than any germs.

[bluebluewater]

Oh just make sure you take good care of your immune system and in return will do what it is supposed to do.

Yes including putting it under stress - over-sterilized lifestyle in the west - especially the US is responsible IMO for the epidemics in immune-related syndromes other countries don't have.

Lactose, gluten intolerance

Peanut allergies

Asthma

ADD/ADHD

susceptibilities to addictions

and probably many more

You damn right! America did it . . . .

[Kitsune]

Sorry but most of the large chain restaurants do definitely employ some sanitary measures like hair nets, face masks and gloves - I am thinking of Fuji/Hachiban/Mos Burger/various Western chains... You are much less likely to get sick from a chain restaurant in Thailand than you are from the local food stall.

I know that doesn't sit with you guys who are "anti-establishment" and have your own little reality going on in your head.

You never queued at a mall restroom haven't ya?

You would appreciate the hygiene routine of all the chefs/waitress/beauticians of the companies you've quoted :

- No one uses drier

- Half of them do wash hand but none with soap. just a few second rinse under cold water.

- the other half just check face/make up/ hair and off you go.

Don't get fooled by hairnet or face mask it's all a show

Edited February 8, 2014 by Kitsune

[katana]

The chef not washing his hands is the least of our worries.

When buying chicken at the local market I never know whether to choose the pieces on top of the heap covered in flies, or dig deep and get a piece from the salmonella soup they're all floating in. And at an ambient 32 degrees and they've been sitting there all day (and probably all yesterday as well), they're bound to be bacteria free.

I doubt the chef can do much more damage than has been done before the food actually got to him.

+1....I never liked the way meat sits out here too.

I used to think meat in Thailand was black until someone whacked it with a stick and the flies flew off.

[thailiketoo]

I used to think meat in Thailand was black until someone whacked it with a stick and the flies flew off.

So, you want the one sprayed with insect repellent?

[wym]

An example of how worrying about this particular issue is a bit besides the point.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/07/fake-food-scandal-revealed-tests-products-mislabelled

[speedtripler]

I used to think meat in Thailand was black until someone whacked it with a stick and the flies flew off.

So, you want the one sprayed with insect repellent?

thats actually true ,meat the flies wont even land on is probably more toxic than meat they are happy to lay eggs on .........

those pesticide sprays can cause a whole host of problems from cancers to genetic deformities and god knows what else

[farang000999]

Sorry but most of the large chain restaurants do definitely employ some sanitary measures like hair nets, face masks and gloves - I am thinking of Fuji/Hachiban/Mos Burger/various Western chains... You are much less likely to get sick from a chain restaurant in Thailand than you are from the local food stall.

I know that doesn't sit with you guys who are "anti-establishment" and have your own little reality going on in your head.

You never queued at a mall restroom haven't ya?

You would appreciate the hygiene routine of all the chefs/waitress/beauticians of the companies you've quoted :

- No one uses drier

- Half of them do wash hand but none with soap. just a few second rinse under cold water.

- the other half just check face/make up/ hair and off you go.

Don't get fooled by hairnet or face mask it's all a show

You don't appreciate that they wear facemask, hairnet and gloves when preparing your food?

Huh?

[alex8912]

I've seen workers on several occasions at Subway chain check the temperature of veggies and meat and even saw a Thai worker once take out one and toss it away. It's the only chain I ever go to here and think they have better standards than most.

[Ajaan]

I feel that for the most part, the hygiene of most Thai food service workers in this regard is just fine. How do I know this? I lived in Thailand 6 years and visited once a year for four years before that, and since I left Thailand (5 years ago), I return for long trips, 3 times a year, spending a total of 3 months a year in Thailand...

...and I can count on one hand the number of times I have gotten sick from the food in Thailand. As opposed to, say, Cambodia, where, just about every time I go, I get sick.

There is a certain degree to which your system, over time, "gets used to the local bacteria"...but this does NOT apply to, say, e-coli resulting from a lack of hand-washing. I feel Thailand is pretty good in this regard.

[PJcm]

There's a mobile roti cart that parks up every night by the 7-11 opposite where we live.

Couple of times a night the guy will disappear into the small area of woodland to strain his greens and return to roll and serve up his special ammonia infused roti to an unsuspecting clientele.

Guess 'what you don't know won't kill ya' roti fans

It should be noted that urine is a sterile liquid and devoid of pathogens, it may not smell nice but in itself not harmful, it's all the other things this man touched that bring on the sh**ts.

[Spoonman]

It should be noted that urine is a sterile liquid and devoid of pathogens, it may not smell nice but in itself not harmful, it's all the other things this man touched that bring on the sh**ts.

The OP claims he put hand to ass during the cleaning process.

[wym]

It should be noted that urine is a sterile liquid and devoid of pathogens

Only while it's inside, soon as it touches the air or your skin look out, all those scary creepy crawlies are swarming. 8-)

[thailiketoo]

It should be noted that urine is a sterile liquid and devoid of pathogens

Only while it's inside, soon as it touches the air or your skin look out, all those scary creepy crawlies are swarming. 8-)

Urine collected from circumcised men is usually also sterile owing to the absence of the foreskin, which is colonized by bacteria at high density.

[hanno]

Welcome to Thailand !

Food Hygiene hub of the world........

Just for the record: I see plenty of foreigners not washing their hands after using the toilet. I remember this guy shouting at his kid to not waste time with washing his mitts.....