Maybe they will offer a free glass of water to make you visit them more often!

If I am out and about in town and suddenly get the call of nature, I just walk into any of the nice tourist hotels that always have very posh VIP status toilets in their reception areas.

Being a farangy I have never been challenged. I just blend in with all the other farangs walking in and out, they have no idea whether I am a guest or not, no one gives me a second glance and no one ever asks.

Sometimes being a pale face in Thailand can have it`s advantages.

Nothing beats a five star pee for free.

Used this technique all over the world for many years of travelling.

I'm used to paying 5 baht in bars that didn't have toilets a few years back. Sounds like a good deal to me. If you need to go pay it, you do not want an accident!

Just pee in a Beer Singh tower & see if anyone notices

In Chiang Mai there's always a wat close by, and most of them have free toilets, usually the older style with the imbedded footprints, water pail, and swarms of mosquitoes. Sometimes there's a donation box, or a seated person to accept your coins. Whatever the facility, it does cost money to maintain these rooms.

On the whole, even if you have to pay a few baht, the public toilet situation in Thailand is much better than in the USA. At a gas station/minimart combo, you have to request a key, which is conspicuously large, and given to you with a sigh of disgust. Once I was in a big supermarket and needed to go. I asked the assist manager, who said there was no restroom for the "Gen'rul Pub-lick."

Thanks for the thread. I must remember to carry a few coins with me, just in case. However, as others have noted, these pay toilets have been in place at Anusarn and Galare all along.

Good thing you are not trying to go to a London underground station toilet, that they charge 20pence to go in........

Yes, the ones at Paddington have turnstiles which is great if you've just got off the Heathrow Express and have luggage with you.

Really thought it through they have.

I was on the SouthBank a few weeks ago and they were charging 50p!

If places in the U.S. were charging the equivalent of 50 pence (about 90 cents U.S.) then there would be a lot more public toilets in the U.S. As Frank James said, this is a big problem in the U.S. It's a real delight in Thailand to find every nearly every highway petrol station with a reasonably clean public toilet and no need to play "mother-may-I" to ask for a key to gain entry to a room that hasn't seen a cleaning product in years.

Alot of these places, markets, bus stations etc actually put the running of their toilets out to tender, hence the charge. I heard a figure of 100k bht was the winning bid for the large bus station near where I live.

no money no dunny

No way I'd bust a big note for a 3 Bt pee. Pee free, against a tree or a wall.

I've used the facilities at various Wats around the city. Always a pleasure, and payment only voluntary.

If places in the U.S. were charging the equivalent of 50 pence (about 90 cents U.S.) then there would be a lot more public toilets in the U.S. As Frank James said, this is a big problem in the U.S. It's a real delight in Thailand to find every nearly every highway petrol station with a reasonably clean public toilet and no need to play "mother-may-I" to ask for a key to gain entry to a room that hasn't seen a cleaning product in years.

I agree. In the UK if you're out your choice is limited when driving - the service stations have them yes, but many regular petrol stations don't have toilets for the general public. Normally means you have to pull over and go against a bush with your car doors covering you. Certainly the case for kids who can't hold on.

McDonalds is a favourite for free toilets but some of them you need to get the key. For me when I'm in England and out and about I normally head straight to the bookmakers if I need a leak! One of the few places that don't mind non-customers using. Restaurants aren't keen for obvious reasons and that leaves just the ones in department stores, McDonalds or a pub if you don't know where the public toilets are or aren't near them.

I don't mind paying at all, much more preferable to me than lack of availability, i.e. closures of unkept.

Good thing you are not trying to go to a London underground station toilet, that they charge 20pence to go in........

Yes, the ones at Paddington have turnstiles which is great if you've just got off the Heathrow Express and have luggage with you.

Really thought it through they have.

I was on the SouthBank a few weeks ago and they were charging 50p!

But you were going in the famous, mighty River Thames

Its just the inconvenience of finding 3 baht coins that irritates me.

I've solved that problem, killing two birds with one stone. I give them twenty baht and get a card that they chop. The seventh trip is discounted, and the eight trip is free.

T

I always cheat the system by taking a dump instead.

ONG! That was YOU. Please flush next time.

And by the way, may I say how impressed I was at the extent to which you got your money's worth.

T

No way I'd bust a big note for a 3 Bt pee. Pee free, against a tree or a wall.

If you are busting for either number one or twos no Thai on earth will deny you entry. Just make that face that you will shit your pants if not allowed in.

Done it a few times, and always make a point of coming back to pay.

The problem with paid toilets is that it discourages their use. I was at the night market with my son not too long ago, and when we asked where the nearest toilet was, the vendor said the fence out back.

Chiengmaijoe, your profile says you've been a member just since 2013. Perhaps that's when you came to Chiang Mai, so you can be forgiven not knowing that a 3 baht charge for a public toilet is standard at the markets like Warorot, Tanin, in the bus station, train station, etc. Anyone who's been here for any length of time knows not to venture out without a few small coins and some tissue.

My goodness, I can see the need for me to adopt a "nom de pee" and do "The Nancy P Toilet Map of Chiang Mai" is greater than I thought.

25 years and counting. Enough time to see the transition from filthy stinky public toilets everywhere, including restaurants, to mostly clean toilets , very often with proper tissue and occasionally hot air hand dryers.

I know that most local markets and bus stations still charge but nowadayss most toilets at tourist spots are now clean and free. That's why I was surprised to see Galare bazaar buck the trend and after years of offering free toilets, start to charge for the exact same mediocre toilets. I suppose times are hard for them and despite the investment, those 3 bahts must add up.

Why they went for full body turnstiles is beyond me. Did they really expect people to try to slide under or jump over the bar?

The first places to offer clean , free toilets were the likes of Big C and Airport Plaza ( they did charge initially but soon followed suit) and gas stations eventually followed suit. Of course the other funny thing about this was hearing an expat moan about the 3 baht charge and saying that he sometimes doesn't come into town because of 'this sort of thing'.

In Chiang Mai there's always a wat close by, and most of them have free toilets, usually the older style with the imbedded footprints, water pail, and swarms of mosquitoes. Sometimes there's a donation box, or a seated person to accept your coins. Whatever the facility, it does cost money to maintain these rooms.

On the whole, even if you have to pay a few baht, the public toilet situation in Thailand is much better than in the USA. At a gas station/minimart combo, you have to request a key, which is conspicuously large, and given to you with a sigh of disgust. Once I was in a big supermarket and needed to go. I asked the assist manager, who said there was no restroom for the "Gen'rul Pub-lick."

Thanks for the thread. I must remember to carry a few coins with me, just in case. However, as others have noted, these pay toilets have been in place at Anusarn and Galare all along.

They're definitely new at Galare bazaar, I have used them before on nights I go to Boys bar, and you'd certainly remember the 7 foot tall turnstile if it was there before. It reminded me of the days in the 70s when I used to be a regular at Anfield. Anusarn and Galare bazaar are both owned by Chiang Mai's biggest property holder and one of Thailand's wealthiest people, Mr Charoen of Chang beer fame.

Good thing you are not trying to go to a London underground station toilet, that they charge 20pence to go in........

Yes, the ones at Paddington have turnstiles which is great if you've just got off the Heathrow Express and have luggage with you.

Really thought it through they have.

I was on the SouthBank a few weeks ago and they were charging 50p!

But you were going in the famous, mighty River Thames

I used the facilities in the Royal Festival Hall, the Thames would have been an option if it had been a bit less crowded.

No way I'd bust a big note for a 3 Bt pee. Pee free, against a tree or a wall.

Side by side with a tuck tuck driver?

re

I was at the night market with my son not too long ago, and when we asked where the nearest toilet was, the vendor said the fence out back.

great .. if you want to risk being electrocuted out the back

dave2

I've used the facilities at various Wats around the city. Always a pleasure, and payment only voluntary.

I generally head to Wat Pra Singh when the time comes. Donation suggested, and the old lady screams at the Chinese 'MONEY MONEY!'

Very nice toilets. Beetlejuice's idea of hotels is good, I've used their pools before but never thought of them as a toilet stop.

In Chiang Mai there's always a wat close by, and most of them have free toilets, usually the older style with the imbedded footprints, water pail, and swarms of mosquitoes. Sometimes there's a donation box, or a seated person to accept your coins. Whatever the facility, it does cost money to maintain these rooms.

On the whole, even if you have to pay a few baht, the public toilet situation in Thailand is much better than in the USA. At a gas station/minimart combo, you have to request a key, which is conspicuously large, and given to you with a sigh of disgust. Once I was in a big supermarket and needed to go. I asked the assist manager, who said there was no restroom for the "Gen'rul Pub-lick."

Thanks for the thread. I must remember to carry a few coins with me, just in case. However, as others have noted, these pay toilets have been in place at Anusarn and Galare all along.

They're definitely new at Galare bazaar, I have used them before on nights I go to Boys bar, and you'd certainly remember the 7 foot tall turnstile if it was there before. It reminded me of the days in the 70s when I used to be a regular at Anfield. Anusarn and Galare bazaar are both owned by Chiang Mai's biggest property holder and one of Thailand's wealthiest people, Mr Charoen of Chang beer fame.

your right mate there all shit houses,and analfield is the biggest of them all.

In Chiang Mai there's always a wat close by, and most of them have free toilets, usually the older style with the imbedded footprints, water pail, and swarms of mosquitoes. Sometimes there's a donation box, or a seated person to accept your coins. Whatever the facility, it does cost money to maintain these rooms.

On the whole, even if you have to pay a few baht, the public toilet situation in Thailand is much better than in the USA. At a gas station/minimart combo, you have to request a key, which is conspicuously large, and given to you with a sigh of disgust. Once I was in a big supermarket and needed to go. I asked the assist manager, who said there was no restroom for the "Gen'rul Pub-lick."

Thanks for the thread. I must remember to carry a few coins with me, just in case. However, as others have noted, these pay toilets have been in place at Anusarn and Galare all along.

They're definitely new at Galare bazaar, I have used them before on nights I go to Boys bar, and you'd certainly remember the 7 foot tall turnstile if it was there before. It reminded me of the days in the 70s when I used to be a regular at Anfield. Anusarn and Galare bazaar are both owned by Chiang Mai's biggest property holder and one of Thailand's wealthiest people, Mr Charoen of Chang beer fame.

your right mate there all shit houses,and analfield is the biggest of them all.

An invaluable contribution. Keep them coming.

"Why they went for full body turnstiles is beyond me. Did they really expect people to try to slide under or jump over the bar?

Maybe they are just cast offs from an other enterprise which the local manager thinks is a good idea to put there.

Increasing demand for a NancyL "Pee Free" map ? ... 5555

Why not just use any 7-11 and save three baht? They all have toilets in the back, all you need to do is ask.

And before anyone starts, it's three baht now, but don't come crying back here when it gets upped to the inevitable 5.

fill the moat up like others do cheers

fill the moat up like others do cheers

You've got quite a "range" if you can reach the moat from Galare