Facebook decries how Chinese tourists wash their feet

[Thaivisa News]

Krabi:- Photos of some Chinese tourists washing their feet and sandals in face wash basins at a toilet room of the of the Hat Noppharat Thara - Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park have gone viral.

Many Thai Facebook users shared the photos and condemned the Chinese tourists for their improper behaviors. The Facebook users also proposed that there should be officials stationed at the toilet facility to clean it and to warn the tourists to behave.

Several news websites, such as Thairath Online, Manager and Prachatai reported the incident.

The photos showed some Chinese tourists placing their foot in the basins and washing it. Other photos showed them cleaning the sandals in the basins

After the photos have gone viral, Chaiyatat Boonphuphantanti, chief of the Hat Noppharat Thara - Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, said his park officials and the Mueang Krabi district officials joined hands to carry out a big cleaning day at the park and the toilet facility.

From now on, officials will take turn to stand by to clean the facility and to warn tourists to behave, Chaiyatat added.

He said the toilet facility there was use by more than 100 tourists each day because they came to the Hat Noppharat Thara beach to catch boats to visit other popular tourist destinations, including the Thale Waek, Hong islands, Phi Phi islands, Koh Lanta and even Phuket.

The park chief said warning signs will be put up and if tourists wash their feet or sandals in the face wash basins again, they will be fined.

[delgarcon]

Will they be fined an arm and a reg?

[WhamBam]

Feet being the lowest and dirtiest part of the body here in Thailand, I can understand why the Thai people get upset at having to wash their hands and rinse their face after disgusting feet and flip flops have been cleaned in there.

Why not wash them in the toilet? If no bum gun there must be a bowl of water available.

[NativeSon360]

And I say to myself, "what a wonderful world"

[trogers]

The Chinamen were caught with their foot-in-the-mouth.

[MilesofSmiles]

waaa waaa waaa

Why don't they just put a hose outside and be done with it.

[doremifasol]

Give me a break!

How many Thais I have seen over the years

touching their feet while eating at the table?

[canuckamuck]

People wash there bacteria infested dirty hands in the basins after wiping their arse. Feet are potentially cleaner than hands.

And wouldn't it be wonderful if everyone washed their feet before getting on a plane. This should be accommodated by having a foot wash station so the pretentious people can keep their feet mythology intact.

[NongKhaiKid]

Only yesterday when in a bar / restaurant two ladies and foreign bf's came in and the ladies promptly removed their shoes and sat cross legged on the seats. Quite common as with putting feet up on furniture etc yet coming from a people so very careful about removing shoes before entering a house.

[cnbiz850]

I am not sure how a mess the Chinese tourists made at the basin. But after reading this, I want to ask where and how often the Thais wash their feet. Why should they be considered dirty if you keep washing them? They are part of you and so they should be regarded as clean as your hands, face, and mind.

[LuckyLew]

enough of the bashing China tourists, getting old quickly

You invite millions of people into your country and you want even more

Thais have to accept not all will be perfect and not all will act as Thais do

They have paid their hard earned money to come here and not all will be angels

[smedly]

waaa waaa waaa

Why don't they just put a hose outside and be done with it.

seems pretty obvious - maybe there is already who knows

[FloridaExport]

I find it funny that they are calling a sink a face washing basin. If people in this country would learn proper hygiene, they would realize that all the farangs are as disgusted by them not washing their hands after dropping a deuce as they are at the Chinese tourists.

People wash there bacteria infested dirty hands in the basins after wiping their arse.

No they don't.

[arrowsdawdle]

Will they be fined an arm and a reg?

...alm and a reg...

[arrowsdawdle]

Anybody else ever notice how infrequently locals use the sinks? If anything, they may be inclined occasionally to spit in them or wash hands before using a toilet.

[klauskunkel]

They don't wash their feet like we do, they don't dig their noses like we do, they don't scratch their butts like we do, they just have no culture at all!

[Misterwhisper]

Another trifle issue totally blown out of proportion by the very same people who commonly eat on the floor, sitting in close proximity to food bowls cross-legged, inadvertently touching their naked feet (and picking their toe nails; I've seen it!) repeatedly before scooping out another ball of sticky rice from the communal container with the same hand. Then they visit the bath room with their naked feet, return and settle down on the floor again with their hoofs right next to the food.

Also: What designates a common bathroom sink a "face washing basin"?

Cultural perceptions are just that. I personally find it disgusting when I see locals picking their noses in public, extract a nice little ball of snot, examine it in an almost scientific manner before starting to knead it between their fingers in what seems like a time-honored ritual before flicking the by now compressed and solidified mucus away into any direction they please. As much as it horrifies me, I have just come to ignore it and certainly don't have time to "decry" my outrage about it on Facebook.

"From now on, officials will take turns to stand by to clean the facility and to warn tourists to behave, Chaiyatat added."

This implies that the facility was not cleaned regularly in the past, because nobody in Thailand gives a crap (pun intended) about the sanitary state of public toilets. But if someone washes their feet in an alleged "face washing basin", all hell breaks lose!

[ldiablo]

At least the Chinese wash their feet. That's more than I can say for many Thai's.

[charmonman]

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enough of the bashing China tourists, getting old quickly

You invite millions of people into your country and you want even more

Thais have to accept not all will be perfect and not all will act as Thais do

They have paid their hard earned money to come here and not all will be angels

The people doing the bashing did not do the inviting. If some Thai people are upset/disgusted by the behaviour of a particular group of tourists in their country they have the perfect right to let it be known. Tourists have a responsibility to put at least a minimal effort into learning and respecting the culture of their hosts. That is true of Europeans, Americans, Japanese AND Chinese.

[fireblade919]

If you did that in china you would be arrested or detained,it just shows the Chinese people don't have respect for thai custom! The Chinese people are rude and arrogant pigs stay away from the thai kingdom if you continue to be selfish pigs

[charmonman]

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Another trifle issue totally blown out of proportion by the very same people who commonly eat on the floor, sitting in close proximity to food bowls cross-legged, inadvertently touching their naked feet (and picking their toe nails; I've seen it!) repeatedly before scooping out another ball of sticky rice from the communal container with the same hand. Then they visit the bath room with their naked feet, return and settle down on the floor again with their hoofs right next to the food.

Also: What designates a common bathroom sink a "face washing basin"?

Cultural perceptions are just that. I personally find it disgusting when I see locals picking their noses in public, extract a nice little ball of snot, examine it in an almost scientific manner before starting to knead it between their fingers in what seems like a time-honored ritual before flicking the by now compressed and solidified mucus away into any direction they please. As much as it horrifies me, I have just come to ignore it and certainly don't have time to "decry" my outrage about it on Facebook.

"From now on, officials will take turns to stand by to clean the facility and to warn tourists to behave, Chaiyatat added."

This implies that the facility was not cleaned regularly in the past, because nobody in Thailand gives a crap (pun intended) about the sanitary state of public toilets. But if someone washes their feet in an alleged "face washing basin", all hell breaks lose!

As a foreigner who finds the behavior of Thais disgusting you have a choice to go back to your own country or to another country where you find the behavior of the locals more pleasing. A Thai who sees an ever increasing barrage of tourists entering their country whose behavior they find disgusting does not have that choice. Their only option is to complain about it and hope the message gets through.

[charmonman]

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At least the Chinese wash their feet. That's more than I can say for many Thai's.

Strange. Most of the Thai people I have met over 28 years are fairly cleanly. Outside a construction site or other situation where they can't take their typical three showers a day, they rarely have unpleasant body odor which is more than I can say about many other nationalities, including my own.

[xerostar]

I wouldn't discourage anyone from being hygienic, particularly Chinese.

After a day out at the beach it's only natural that you want to wash off all that gritty sand that's got into your feet, shoes etc.

If a basin is the only thing provided by the council, then that's what I'd use.

Aussie beaches often have an outdoor tap or shower where can freshen up before the trip home.

Maybe Thai tourist authorities could copy the Aussie example

However the Aussies (and no doubt many other nations) should learn about bum guns.

At least that part of Thai culture seems paradoxically well advanced on Western ideas of toilet-paper shit-smearing hygiene.

At least the basis is there.

[Daniel Ingalls]

..........and speaking about the bathroom itself. When will we get away from the Thai traditional one step up and on to a ceramic tiled hole in the floor where you drop your pants an squat over this hole and do your thing. Then grab a bowl floating in a tub of water to flush all evidence down this hole? Then grab your pants, hoping you didn't splash water on them.

Disgusting accommodations, Most of the ones I have encounter, some one had the runs, which splashed along the walls........Yuk ! And they complain about washing feet in a sink?

[rubyjuan]

<removed>...they lack cooth and there is utter disregard for others...Thai Public bathrooms are gross and wet and with a hole in the ground and lack many things, but nothing like a repulsive, Chinese bathroom. I've lived in both countries and can say...China is a toilet.

[Docno]

Nose-picking aside, I have to say that most Thais are know are very hygiene-minded. They shower at least twice a day and are careful not to trudge dirt from outside into the house. Those bum guns are also a step up from paper, as far as I'm concerned.

[mikiea]

waaa waaa waaa

Why don't they just put a hose outside and be done with it.

the hose would turn up missing, tucked awat in a bobo on the way back to china :-)

[chainarong]

Not much can be said about these type of Quality tourists, they seem to pop-up in every country they go too , I suppose you can say that what ye sow so ye shall reap, enough of the religion, Its all Chinese to me, I think I am turning Japanese I really think so.

[Johnny S]

What problems they have in Noppharat with chinese - you f...... invited them yourself didnt you ... (TAT-morons)?

When I see a thai-waiter cleaning his nose with his finger while people give their order for food, I Wonder what goes on in the kitchen ...

[gandalf12]

THe thing is, despite many here saying they cant see the problem, is that the sandles if nothing else have been in direct contact with the floor and all the bacteria that has. Washing them in a drinking water fountain could tranfer the bacteria from the floor to the mouth drink facility. If anyone here wants to drink water frrom the road good luck to yuo but I, and I am sure most TV members wouldnt do it