Thai restaurant owner calls for more public toilets after defecation issues

Pannatat Asawapitakchon says he saw a female tourist defecating behind the Buddha statues outside his restaurant

A Thai restaurant owner has urged local authorities to provide more public toilets for tourists after finding foreign visitors defecating on his property.

Pannatat Asawapitakchon, owner of a floating restaurant in Phuket in southern Thailand, said he witnessed a female tourist defecating behind the Buddha statues outside the restaurant during closing hours on May 22 when he was sitting inside, according to Thai daily newspaper Khaosod. He then went out to ask her to clean up the area.

“At first she didn’t accept responsibility, but after talking for a while, she went to clean the spot where she had defecated,” he said.

“But it wasn’t clean enough, so I had to clean it again myself. That’s why I want to ask the relevant agencies about public restrooms – I’d like them to build restrooms in the Rawai Beach area.”

Such incidents had occurred twice on his restaurant premises, he added. A week before the incident, the owner said he had seen another foreign tourist defecating in front of the restaurant.

In a Facebook post last week, Pannatat said tourists and passers-by were welcome to use the restroom in his restaurant during opening hours. While staff had previously suggested charging a restroom fee, the restaurant had decided it could afford costs such as labour, water, electricity, tissue paper and cleaning supplies.

Even if tourists did not dine at the restaurant, their spending on other goods and services would boost Thailand’s economy, thereby helping create jobs and strengthen local purchasing power, Pannatat said.

“But what happened at my restaurant shows we’re not ready to efficiently accommodate tourists. This incident wasn’t the first time, and there have been many other occasions where the restaurant has had to clean up urine or faeces around the restaurant area. I don’t know if other business operators have experienced this,” he wrote.

“I ask those involved to help solve this small problem. It’s not urgent, but I’m raising the issue for future improvements. In the meantime, I’ll probably have to keep cleaning up urine and faeces myself.”

The owner’s post sparked widespread support and shock online.

“[Members of parliament], please help develop the area to facilitate tourists and take care of the locals who elected you. Or will you wait for them to go and poop on the roof of the shop?” user Chuchat Marerngsit commented under the post.

“Thailand is currently at a disadvantage. To be developed or not to be developed,” wrote another user, Wichaiyut Phumphuang.

Despite Thailand’s allure as a global travel hotspot, the country continues to grapple with a public restroom shortage and persistent hygiene issues.

In February, a local news outlet in Phuket condemned foreigners on social media for urinating in public, prompting international users to defend themselves and call for more restrooms on the island.

“I want Phuket and other tourist destinations in Thailand to have more public toilets. Two million tourists arrive, but only 100 bathrooms are available. Demand and supply are not balanced,” the Thaiger newspaper reported, citing online comments.

Meanwhile, the nation’s capital Bangkok is undergoing public restroom renovations in the city centre under an initiative to improve accessibility and create a cleaner, more user-friendly experience, according to the local government.