[PhotoSHOPadob]

This question has niggled at me ever since my last trip and I was too much of a wimp to ask at the time. Please tell me the precise mechanics for using the toliet hose. I tried and tried to use it but wound up spraying water all over the place.

I know it's a dumb question, but please no dumb answers like just point it at your bum and press the button.

[Alkassyinhisk]

-Pull your pants down as far as they'll go.

-Point the hose towards the affected area with the stream directed away from your legs; it should look a little like you're shooting yourself with a gun...in the worst possible place for a man.

- Gently depress the trigger to rinse away offensive residue.

Problems you may encounter
- If you press too hard which isn't uncommon, you'll end up spraying water everywhere, including your pants.
- Alternatively, be sure to always have a tissue package for emergency use.

[Ingeborga]

The important technique is to learn to control the pressure and not just press it full pressure otherwise you get a colonic irrigation.

[Ingeborga]

Sorry about that ..... I just couldn't resist such an answer

Each toilet I have visited is different. Some have more powerful hoses than others but most of them don't seem to be that powerful. They do take a bit to get used to but after a while you find they are far superior to the jug and bowl method used throughout India!

I never quite understood at first how Thai women could appear from the toilets as dry looking as did when they went in. Even when wearing trousers they seemed to have no damp patches. It took a little while for the coin to drop. They use the paper tissue to dry their bum! Duh!

Having experience Thai tissues disintegrating in my hand, I now always bring my own strong and comfortable tissues from England. A good point to note.

[BrianGoldsmith]

Hi there, Im not exactly sure what u are unsure of...... Perhaps you pushed the trigger so far and got a spurt of water and the hose went uncontrolable( much likeht agrdne hose)?! Personlly, I cant even remember the last time I used a hose in a Thai Toilet, some how water up your rear doesnt really appeal to me! I use Toilet paper, and ladies, i advise you to carry tissue with your wheverever you go, and gents too, do this as well, as you never know when you may get the touch of tummy-pangs due to eating too much and /or spicy Thai food!!!!

[PhotoSHOPadob]

Tks for the tips. I am not sure what I am doing wrong. Maybe it is just practise!

[poekfpojoibien]

miss_khorat

I believe the reason that you should use tissue only for drying yourself after using the "bum-squirter" (and then deposit the tissue in the waste bin provided) is that most Thai waste pipes are smaller bore than those in the west and become clogged with waste very easily if tissue etc is flushed.

This doesnt apply so much in western style hotels with western sanitary fittings, but for smaller establishments especially outside Bangkok this can cause problems.

Besides whats the difference between using the free hose in Thailand or a "bidet" in the west ... once you get the hang of it its much more hygenic and also helps after some particularly hot som tam the night before if you get my meaning

[Phywhewashect]

I don't consider myself too demented, really, but this is one of the many wonderful devices I have found in my travels. I've heard some foreigners--non-westerners, that is--who were struck with terror when finding out that so many of us don't use water after using the toilet!

Now I have irretractably joined them. In fact, I have even installed a bought-in-Thailand spray beside my toilet in my house, complete with warm water, and pressure at a comfortable level.

Incidentally, if you're really concerned about the pressure, you might even find a small adjustment shut-off valve where the hose attaches to the water supply. A couple of turns on that valve will diminish the fire-hose effect. [I wouldn't worry about this for a one-time use, but in a hotel room it might make your stay more pleasant.]

Barely yours,

Brad.

[thakitt]

I'm glad this subject has been brought up. Whilst we are on the subject of toilets I have a squatting question.
Which direction to face?

Normally, as a westerner, we would go in, turn round and park our posteriors facing the way we came in. Am I right in thinking on Thai toliets you squat facing away from the door?

I am guessing the shape of the Thai toilet has something to do with which way you are meant to face when squatting ie wider end for bum to hover over.

[BrianGoldsmith]

Guava, yea I understand what you mean. I guess say 11 months out of the year using toilet paper its hard to break that habit! And when i go back to Thailand every year, i still use toilet paper, however i dispose of it in the wastepaper basket provided! My family is Thai so hence I understand all the toilet squatting business and go there regularly! But hey, perhaps this trip i should try the hose hehe, my mum tell me that too its more hygenic, makes sense lol

[66paptroump]

Quote[/b] ]Am I right in thinking on Thai toliets you squat facing away from the door?

Depending on the construction (which I'm pretty sure is still universal) you'll want to have your arshe over the pool of water.

[BrianGoldsmith]

Poopie paper?! Have u seen how small those pipes are? Im talking about the plumbing ok?! I never had the desire to shoot my arse with a flow of water Anways, if u think it unsanitary, think of it this way, how many people in western countries have thier arse on the toilet seat b4 u?!

[ELURNSERB]

Quote[/b] ]And when i go back to Thailand every year, i still use toilet paper, however i dispose of it in the wastepaper basket provided!

Ewww... I hate walking into public restrooms and seeing the wastepaper basket with all the little pieces of poopie paper. It's terribly unsanitary. Why don't Thais just flush the paper. The paper is septic safe. It's designed to break up in water.

As for the squatters, the following was taken from www.japan-guide.com/

Quote[/b] ]
How to use [squat] style toilets:

1) Face the hood (plumming) of the toilet.
2) Pull down your trousers completely below your knees.
3) Squat down as closely to the hood as possible. In case of elevated toilets (see picture), you need to stand on the raised platform while squatting.

[TimoDass]

I love that someone finally worked up the nerve to post this topic!!!

Quote[/b] ] 2) Pull down your trousers completely below your knees.

I'm embarissed to say, but I can never master this. I always end up taking my pants off for the fear that I would miss the toliet and end up with a terrible mess on my pants.

Most of the toilets I have used in thailand do not have the spary thing for removing lose fecal matter. I usually get stuck with the bowl of water. How the thais clean off with the bowl after defication, i do not know. I'm so bad with this that I normally just remove my clothes and just take a mini bowl shower.

I have to say that using the bathrooms in thailand is one of the most ackward
things I have done.

[Abraham]

Quote[/b] ]I really should change my gender back for this post, but I am feeling so feminine

Off topic: Yeah I've been meaning to ask you about this. What's up with having a female persona all of a sudden? Was it just a joke to mess with paul? Seems you are getting comfy with this. If you're intrested I know this doctor who may be able to help.

[TimoDass]

Quote[/b] ]keeping them from slipping under you and being filled with a big poopie.

Never a dull moment with this topic!!!

[Abraham]

I must say the first time I used a thai-style toilet I was a bit intimidated. I even developed a bad habit of holding it as long as possible before i went. This wasn't because I was afarid of using it, no. I held it because of the obstical of cleaing myself afterwards. I didn't want to take a bowl and basin shower every time I deficate and I didn't want to get my clothes wet when cleaing up. I have no problem using the western-stlye thai toliets with the spray hose. I actually prefer the spray hose than the toliet paper I use here. I wish more people had the spray hose here in the west.

[ELURNSERB]

Quote[/b] ]I always end up taking my pants off for the fear that I would miss the toliet and end up with a terrible mess on my pants.

I discussed this with my roommates, and one of them suggests that when you go to squat, face the hood and get really close to it. As you squat down over the hole, allow your pulled down pants to slightly rest on the hood (keeping them from slipping under you and being filled with a big poopie.

Quote[/b] ]How the thais clean off with the bowl after defication, i do not know. I'm so bad with this that I normally just remove my clothes and just take a mini bowl shower.

Again, I had to chat with the roomies on this one. We believe, although having never been stuck with only a bowl, that while still in squat position, one will lean forward and bring the bowl around the back with the right hand while simultaneously reaching underneath with the left hand to scrub. Ewww. Anyways, it's just a theory.

[Toninvell]

since I've been warned about drinking the water in Thailand, I'm not so sure I would even use this hose.