Famous Thai Temple to Build Separate Toilets for Non-Chinese

[bubba]

I lived in China for about a year some time ago. This provided me with an opportunity to observe many aspects of mainland culture, including toilet culture, by comparison to my own country's and also to Thailand's.

If you asked me, I believe Wat Rong Khun's action here is very sensitive to cultural differences. The mainland Chinese tourists will be able to practice their own toilet culture at Wat Rong Khun just as they do back home, without having to be concerned with offending anyone in Thailand. Even if they do not worry about offending anyone in Thailand.

[Pete Beale]

This has all the tones of the Southern American state and South African apartheid days.

Not acceptable in this day and age and hope tourists boycott this place.

no, its not. nice try though.

this is about hygiene, nothing else, get off your high horse

No. I'd say this is about bigotry rather than hygiene

Make it about race if you want, i still say its about shit-smeared toilets.

you make a mess at my house and you are not coming back, period,

I dont care what colour your skin is

A totally irrelevant issue from the OP.

For example, if a Malaysian guy visits your house, gets diarrhoea and accidentally peddle dashes your toilet room walls, than you would further ban all Malaysians from your home or provide a separate toilet for them? As this is what the issue is all about.

Well if a Malaysian did such a thing and then another and another and I ended up with a toilet covered in Malaysian poop every day I'd certainly ban all Malaysians from my home, so they're getting off lightly by just having to use their own karseys IMHO.

[Robby nz]

How about separate toilets for the Chinese.

[iReason]

This has all the tones of the Southern American state and South African apartheid days.

Not acceptable in this day and age and hope tourists boycott this place.

no, its not. nice try though.

this is about hygiene, nothing else, get off your high horse

No. I'd say this is about bigotry rather than hygiene

Make it about race if you want, i still say its about shit-smeared toilets.

you make a mess at my house and you are not coming back, period,

I dont care what colour your skin is

And everyone else of that Nationality/Race/Color that made a mess?

As the temple is doing?

[Blackfish64]

Yes, racism is in fact quite natural here. There is racism even among the same races in Asia.

After 13 years of marriage, my sister in law still refers to me as "farang" and does not consider me a part of the family. I don't think she even knows my name. I live within a few feet of her, and we have not spoken a single word to each other in well over a year. This sort of thing is normal in Asia. So much for Buddhism and the enlightened state here in Thailand. Just because it's a Buddhist country doesn't mean that everybody in the country has reaching the enlightened state, of course. Very few ever do. Like most religion, Buddhism isn't practiced as it should be, as spiritual awakening and enlightenment, but is instead reduced to Dogma, useless prayer and worshipping idols, and sheer nonsense.

This rest room fiasco at the White Temple does not surprise me in the least.

I was going to say I feel sorry for you having a sister-in-law like that but then I read your line - "This sort of thing is normal in Asia" and thought maybe it is your attitude that is to blame.

Your comments about Buddhism confirmed it.

I would not mind betting the posters making all the comments about racism and apartheid have never been to China and experienced their toilet habits first hand. It is nothing short of disgusting and if I owned a tourist attraction anywhere in the world I would not let them in the gate.

They spit all over the floor even in restaurants, can you imagine what they do in toilets ?

Actually, sister-in-law does that to all the farang who come here. She admits her racism openly. We have to keep her away from many customers.

I wasn't making any comments about Buddhism, but about some of the practitioners. You may feel the need to brush up on your reading skills.

I am no Buddhist, but I do use many of the teachings therein. I have meditated for many years and find it incredibly powerful medicine and more. Good stuff. All religions have their good points. I take the goods and discard the trash. More often than not, the bad stuff that comes from religion is a misinterpretation on behalf of the practitioner; that would include the dogma, useless prayer, worshipping idols, and useless, stupid nonsense.

For the most part, all religion is monkeyshine, nonsense, and foolery; a good way to lead people to ruin and control them. And now I have made a comment about Buddhism AND practitioners.

[mikemac]

I lived in China for about a year some time ago. This provided me with an opportunity to observe many aspects of mainland culture, including toilet culture, by comparison to my own country's and also to Thailand's.

If you asked me, I believe Wat Rong Khun's action here is very sensitive to cultural differences. The mainland Chinese tourists will be able to practice their own toilet culture at Wat Rong Khun just as they do back home, without having to be concerned with offending anyone in Thailand. Even if they do not worry about offending anyone in Thailand.

I doubt if worrying about offending anyone in Thailand, or anywhere in the world for that matter, is on their "to do" list.

[paddyjenkins]

This has all the tones of the Southern American state and South African apartheid days.

Not acceptable in this day and age and hope tourists boycott this place.

no, its not. nice try though.

this is about hygiene, nothing else, get off your high horse

No. I'd say this is about bigotry rather than hygiene

Make it about race if you want, i still say its about shit-smeared toilets.

you make a mess at my house and you are not coming back, period,

I dont care what colour your skin is

A totally irrelevant issue from the OP.

For example, if a Malaysian guy visits your house, gets diarrhoea and accidentally peddle dashes your toilet room walls, than you would further ban all Malaysians from your home or provide a separate toilet for them? As this is what the issue is all about.

Thats an interesting hypothetical question and having now thought it through i would say, yes, i would ban all of them. In fact, its now of so much concern to me that just in case it does happen in the future, I am preemptively banning them and have let my wife know the new rule regarding Malaysians.

Edited February 28, 2015 by paddyjenkins

[bubba]

Hope it's ok to quote this. More detail from Singapore's Straits Times today:

Wat Rong Khun, better known as the White Temple, in Chiang Rai will add the new toilets as a solution to complaints about alleged grossly inconsiderate behaviour by Chinese tourists, temple officials said according to DPA.

"They had defecated on the floor, urinated on the walls outside and left sanitary pads on the wall of the bathrooms," an official who requested anonymity was quoted as saying.

The temple's designer, Chalermchai Kositpipat, said in a television interview that it was "impossible" for other tourists to use the bathrooms so he would build new ones, DPA reported.

http://www.straitstimes.com/news/asia/south-east-asia/story/thai-temple-build-separate-toilets-non-chinese-visitors-after-compla

[iReason]

Don't forget the drinking fountains.

Edited February 28, 2015 by iReason

[rondii]

Yes, racism is in fact quite natural here. There is racism even among the same races in Asia.

After 13 years of marriage, my sister in law still refers to me as "farang" and does not consider me a part of the family. I don't think she even knows my name. I live within a few feet of her, and we have not spoken a single word to each other in well over a year. This sort of thing is normal in Asia. So much for Buddhism and the enlightened state here in Thailand. Just because it's a Buddhist country doesn't mean that everybody in the country has reaching the enlightened state, of course. Very few ever do. Like most religion, Buddhism isn't practiced as it should be, as spiritual awakening and enlightenment, but is instead reduced to Dogma, useless prayer and worshipping idols, and sheer nonsense.

This rest room fiasco at the White Temple does not surprise me in the least.

They have had a problem with Chinese tourists making a awful mess in the toilets. I would say they are being Nice to them giving them their own toilet, while Thais and other nationalities, including 'farangs', use the other ones. They could have just banned them from using the toilets period.

But what has that got to do with your sister-in-law being pissed at the unwanted advances of a middle aged arrogant farang, namely you?

[mikemac]

Yes, racism is in fact quite natural here. There is racism even among the same races in Asia.

After 13 years of marriage, my sister in law still refers to me as "farang" and does not consider me a part of the family. I don't think she even knows my name. I live within a few feet of her, and we have not spoken a single word to each other in well over a year. This sort of thing is normal in Asia. So much for Buddhism and the enlightened state here in Thailand. Just because it's a Buddhist country doesn't mean that everybody in the country has reaching the enlightened state, of course. Very few ever do. Like most religion, Buddhism isn't practiced as it should be, as spiritual awakening and enlightenment, but is instead reduced to Dogma, useless prayer and worshipping idols, and sheer nonsense.

This rest room fiasco at the White Temple does not surprise me in the least.

I was going to say I feel sorry for you having a sister-in-law like that but then I read your line - "This sort of thing is normal in Asia" and thought maybe it is your attitude that is to blame.

Your comments about Buddhism confirmed it.

I would not mind betting the posters making all the comments about racism and apartheid have never been to China and experienced their toilet habits first hand. It is nothing short of disgusting and if I owned a tourist attraction anywhere in the world I would not let them in the gate.

They spit all over the floor even in restaurants, can you imagine what they do in toilets ?

Actually, sister-in-law does that to all the farang who come here. She admits her racism openly. We have to keep her away from many customers.

I wasn't making any comments about Buddhism, but about some of the practitioners. You may feel the need to brush up on your reading skills.

I am no Buddhist, but I do use many of the teachings therein. I have meditated for many years and find it incredibly powerful medicine and more. Good stuff. All religions have their good points. I take the goods and discard the trash. More often than not, the bad stuff that comes from religion is a misinterpretation on behalf of the practitioner; that would include the dogma, useless prayer, worshipping idols, and useless, stupid nonsense.

For the most part, all religion is monkeyshine, nonsense, and foolery; a good way to lead people to ruin and control them. And now I have made a comment about Buddhism AND practitioners.

.............................."So much for Buddhism and the enlightened state here in Thailand."................................

My reading skills are fine thanks.

[sirineou]

an other idiotic solution to a real problem

The truth of the matter is, that some Chinese have some toilet habits that are not acceptable to others, apparently the problem must be such where the temple is willing to spend money to create separate facilities

I dont know what the best solution is,

but I know that segregating all Chines , is not.

Not all Chinese have the same habits and to treat all the same is the essence of racism .

I leave it to people smarter than me to find a better solution

[Mannykub]

Yes, racism is in fact quite natural here. There is racism even among the same races in Asia.

After 13 years of marriage, my sister in law still refers to me as "farang" and does not consider me a part of the family. I don't think she even knows my name. I live within a few feet of her, and we have not spoken a single word to each other in well over a year. This sort of thing is normal in Asia. So much for Buddhism and the enlightened state here in Thailand. Just because it's a Buddhist country doesn't mean that everybody in the country has reaching the enlightened state, of course. Very few ever do. Like most religion, Buddhism isn't practiced as it should be, as spiritual awakening and enlightenment, but is instead reduced to Dogma, useless prayer and worshipping idols, and sheer nonsense.

This rest room fiasco at the White Temple does not surprise me in the least.

I'm Thai. I think most educated people in Thai are not racism. You might misunderstood for the word "farang". It is not racism. "farang" is the same to the word "foreigner" but specific to white people. As you can say Asian is mean Asia people(yellow skin) or European is mean people who living in Europe, etc. Nothing to rude in the word "farang". Why don't you ask your wife?

My older sister married to Aussie. So, I'm brother in law of my sister husband. I'm not living with my sister or her husband, but I know his name, his parent name, his brother name, their job, their origin, and lot of things. It is common, isn't it? I'm so wonder why you've got that experience.

I'm atheist. So, generally I don't mind what Temple do, but in this case(news). I agree with them. We are(Thai) not anti Chinese people(and also all people around the world). We can talk, walk, sit or having meal witht Chinese, but some Chinese hygiene are terrible, especially using toilet. So, instead of reject Chinese prople, just build toilet for them. why it so bad?

Imagine if you were company owner and your partner(who've never listened to you) always mess up office toilet everyday. what would you do? You can't retire them. You can't just tell them. Build new toilet just for them is alternate way to solve the problem, isn't it?

[Beetlejuice]

This is an extremely sanctimonious act, considering that if the Thais decided to repatriate all those born in the country who have Chinese ancestry, that at least 90% of the population would be gone by the end of the year.

[roo860]

This has all the tones of the Southern American state and South African apartheid days.

Not acceptable in this day and age and hope tourists boycott this place.

Totally acceptable.

[soalbundy]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

This has all the tones of the Southern American state and South African apartheid days.

Not acceptable in this day and age and hope tourists boycott this place.

I think the Chinese will jump at the chance of their own toilet

jump in it more likely

[canuckamuck]

Perhaps they need to have a video on all planes arriving from mainland China showing the difference between Chinese toilet habits from other more hygienic cultures.

[sirineou]

Yes, racism is in fact quite natural here. There is racism even among the same races in Asia.

After 13 years of marriage, my sister in law still refers to me as "farang" and does not consider me a part of the family. I don't think she even knows my name. I live within a few feet of her, and we have not spoken a single word to each other in well over a year. This sort of thing is normal in Asia. So much for Buddhism and the enlightened state here in Thailand. Just because it's a Buddhist country doesn't mean that everybody in the country has reaching the enlightened state, of course. Very few ever do. Like most religion, Buddhism isn't practiced as it should be, as spiritual awakening and enlightenment, but is instead reduced to Dogma, useless prayer and worshipping idols, and sheer nonsense.

This rest room fiasco at the White Temple does not surprise me in the least.

I'm Thai. I think most educated people in Thai are not racism. You might misunderstood for the word "farang". It is not racism. "farang" is the same to the word "foreigner" but specific to white people. As you can say Asian is mean Asia people(yellow skin) or European is mean people who living in Europe, etc. Nothing to rude in the word "farang". Why don't you ask your wife?

My older sister married to Aussie. So, I'm brother in law of my sister husband. I'm not living with my sister or her husband, but I know his name, his parent name, his brother name, their job, their origin, and lot of things. It is common, isn't it? I'm so wonder why you've got that experience.

I'm atheist. So, generally I don't mind what Temple do, but in this case(news). I agree with them. We are(Thai) not anti Chinese people(and also all people around the world). We can talk, walk, sit or having meal witht Chinese, but some Chinese hygiene are terrible, especially using toilet. So, instead of reject Chinese prople, just build toilet for them. why it so bad?

Imagine if you were company owner and your partner(who've never listened to you) always mess up office toilet everyday. what would you do? You can't retire them. You can't just tell them. Build new toilet just for them is alternate way to solve the problem, isn't it?

Yes Sure

That is one solution, but is it the best solution?

I must admite I am not an expert in Chinese toilet habits, so I accept others assertion that they must be bad, But China is a big country, with many different Chinese people, who have different habits, as is Thailand

As you would not want all Thai people treated the same because of the habits of some, you would not want all Chinese people treated the same because of the habits of some.

There must be a better solution.

[roo860]

This has all the tones of the Southern American state and South African apartheid days.

Not acceptable in this day and age and hope tourists boycott this place.

no, its not. nice try though.

this is about hygiene, nothing else, get off your high horse

They can go round and use his floor as toilet!!!! Edited February 28, 2015 by roo860

[soalbundy]

Yes, racism is in fact quite natural here. There is racism even among the same races in Asia.

After 13 years of marriage, my sister in law still refers to me as "farang" and does not consider me a part of the family. I don't think she even knows my name. I live within a few feet of her, and we have not spoken a single word to each other in well over a year. This sort of thing is normal in Asia. So much for Buddhism and the enlightened state here in Thailand. Just because it's a Buddhist country doesn't mean that everybody in the country has reaching the enlightened state, of course. Very few ever do. Like most religion, Buddhism isn't practiced as it should be, as spiritual awakening and enlightenment, but is instead reduced to Dogma, useless prayer and worshipping idols, and sheer nonsense.

This rest room fiasco at the White Temple does not surprise me in the least.

I'm Thai. I think most educated people in Thai are not racism. You might misunderstood for the word "farang". It is not racism. "farang" is the same to the word "foreigner" but specific to white people. As you can say Asian is mean Asia people(yellow skin) or European is mean people who living in Europe, etc. Nothing to rude in the word "farang". Why don't you ask your wife?

My older sister married to Aussie. So, I'm brother in law of my sister husband. I'm not living with my sister or her husband, but I know his name, his parent name, his brother name, their job, their origin, and lot of things. It is common, isn't it? I'm so wonder why you've got that experience.

I'm atheist. So, generally I don't mind what Temple do, but in this case(news). I agree with them. We are(Thai) not anti Chinese people(and also all people around the world). We can talk, walk, sit or having meal witht Chinese, but some Chinese hygiene are terrible, especially using toilet. So, instead of reject Chinese prople, just build toilet for them. why it so bad?

Imagine if you were company owner and your partner(who've never listened to you) always mess up office toilet everyday. what would you do? You can't retire them. You can't just tell them. Build new toilet just for them is alternate way to solve the problem, isn't it?

I was told farang is a name for a lizard with a white stomach, not that i care that much, for many the word matches.

[roo860]

This has all the tones of the Southern American state and South African apartheid days.

Not acceptable in this day and age and hope tourists boycott this place.

no, its not. nice try though.

this is about hygiene, nothing else, get off your high horse

No. I'd say this is about bigotry rather than hygiene

Make it about race if you want, i still say its about shit-smeared toilets.

you make a mess at my house and you are not coming back, period,

I dont care what colour your skin is

A totally irrelevant issue from the OP.

For example, if a Malaysian guy visits your house, gets diarrhoea and accidentally peddle dashes your toilet room walls, than you would further ban all Malaysians from your home or provide a separate toilet for them? As this is what the issue is all about.

'Peddle' dash, that's a new one!!! Come on a bike as he!!

[sirineou]

Yes, racism is in fact quite natural here. There is racism even among the same races in Asia.

After 13 years of marriage, my sister in law still refers to me as "farang" and does not consider me a part of the family. I don't think she even knows my name. I live within a few feet of her, and we have not spoken a single word to each other in well over a year. This sort of thing is normal in Asia. So much for Buddhism and the enlightened state here in Thailand. Just because it's a Buddhist country doesn't mean that everybody in the country has reaching the enlightened state, of course. Very few ever do. Like most religion, Buddhism isn't practiced as it should be, as spiritual awakening and enlightenment, but is instead reduced to Dogma, useless prayer and worshipping idols, and sheer nonsense.

This rest room fiasco at the White Temple does not surprise me in the least.

I'm Thai. I think most educated people in Thai are not racism. You might misunderstood for the word "farang". It is not racism. "farang" is the same to the word "foreigner" but specific to white people. As you can say Asian is mean Asia people(yellow skin) or European is mean people who living in Europe, etc. Nothing to rude in the word "farang". Why don't you ask your wife?

My older sister married to Aussie. So, I'm brother in law of my sister husband. I'm not living with my sister or her husband, but I know his name, his parent name, his brother name, their job, their origin, and lot of things. It is common, isn't it? I'm so wonder why you've got that experience.

I'm atheist. So, generally I don't mind what Temple do, but in this case(news). I agree with them. We are(Thai) not anti Chinese people(and also all people around the world). We can talk, walk, sit or having meal witht Chinese, but some Chinese hygiene are terrible, especially using toilet. So, instead of reject Chinese prople, just build toilet for them. why it so bad?

Imagine if you were company owner and your partner(who've never listened to you) always mess up office toilet everyday. what would you do? You can't retire them. You can't just tell them. Build new toilet just for them is alternate way to solve the problem, isn't it?

I was told farang is a name for a lizard with a white stomach, not that i care that much, for many the word matches.

No you are thinking of Frank, though many farangs can described as reptilian not all have white stomachs

[gandalf12]

I love the way the posts on here make it sound as if racism is something unheard of anywhere else in the world. Most if not all exhibits racism in one form or another. Because you say you cant be racist that is not going to stop stop people doing what they can right up to the line were the word racism comes in.

Being treated different because of the place you live is an example. Canada does it I know I worked there. Tell them you, as a Westerner, live in South East Asia and you have a lot more hoops to jump through that you do if you tell them you live in Europe for example.

Because it exists in Thailand, although from my experience of 30 years, there is less than in many Western countries

[Prbkk]

The temple is OTT and tacky and so is the 'artist' behind it. A pity it didn't collapse completely in the erathquake . A vulgar monstrosity.

[A1Str8]

That's a really good idea. Them Chinese are dirty.

[Beetlejuice]

Yes, racism is in fact quite natural here. There is racism even among the same races in Asia.

After 13 years of marriage, my sister in law still refers to me as "farang" and does not consider me a part of the family. I don't think she even knows my name. I live within a few feet of her, and we have not spoken a single word to each other in well over a year. This sort of thing is normal in Asia. So much for Buddhism and the enlightened state here in Thailand. Just because it's a Buddhist country doesn't mean that everybody in the country has reaching the enlightened state, of course. Very few ever do. Like most religion, Buddhism isn't practiced as it should be, as spiritual awakening and enlightenment, but is instead reduced to Dogma, useless prayer and worshipping idols, and sheer nonsense.

This rest room fiasco at the White Temple does not surprise me in the least.

I'm Thai. I think most educated people in Thai are not racism. You might misunderstood for the word "farang". It is not racism. "farang" is the same to the word "foreigner" but specific to white people. As you can say Asian is mean Asia people(yellow skin) or European is mean people who living in Europe, etc. Nothing to rude in the word "farang". Why don't you ask your wife?

My older sister married to Aussie. So, I'm brother in law of my sister husband. I'm not living with my sister or her husband, but I know his name, his parent name, his brother name, their job, their origin, and lot of things. It is common, isn't it? I'm so wonder why you've got that experience.

I'm atheist. So, generally I don't mind what Temple do, but in this case(news). I agree with them. We are(Thai) not anti Chinese people(and also all people around the world). We can talk, walk, sit or having meal witht Chinese, but some Chinese hygiene are terrible, especially using toilet. So, instead of reject Chinese prople, just build toilet for them. why it so bad?

Imagine if you were company owner and your partner(who've never listened to you) always mess up office toilet everyday. what would you do? You can't retire them. You can't just tell them. Build new toilet just for them is alternate way to solve the problem, isn't it?

Total crapola.

Do not stereotype people of a certain race as all having the same traits. Segregating people on the basis that it is believed a nationality and race of people all have some inferior cultural habits based on the unrefined behaviours of a few Chinese tourists in Chiang Rai is morally and ethically wrong.

I have known and still know of many Thais who have extreme anti social habits, such as burning waste in residential areas without a thought or concern for anyone else, letting their dogs roam about so it is not safe to walk about at certain times and playing loud music on a regular basis, believing their choice of music is so good that everyone in the area should hear it. But this does not mean I consider that all Thais are the same and should be treated as such.

Another point, how do they know it is all Chinese people that are making the mess in the said toilets? Are their turds blue or have a different smell or something?

Edited February 28, 2015 by Beetlejuice

[Suradit69]

Then so are the prices for toilet use the same for every nation?

Or will it then exist there also a price differentiation?

Toilets are free at the White Temple.

But may be, he will charge the Chinese to teach them how to wipe their asses properly and don't throw the paper everywhere.

And I wouldn't blame him.

Sounds like you're angling for some part-time employment, but before you apply for this teaching position, make sure you have the proper work permit & credentials.., and you should prepare an instructional video on a loop as well as the requisite "paper."

[roo860]

This is an extremely sanctimonious act, considering that if the Thais decided to repatriate all those born in the country who have Chinese ancestry, that at least 90% of the population would be gone by the end of the year.

What a load of b.....ks!!!:lol:

[NCFC]

Apartheid is alive and well. At a temple.

Sometimes you can't believe these people.

To you, male and female toilets are sexist, yes?

[gandalf12]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

This is an extremely sanctimonious act, considering that if the Thais decided to repatriate all those born in the country who have Chinese ancestry, that at least 90% of the population would be gone by the end of the year.

What a load of b.....ks!!!

Thais originally came from South West China