Toilets in Bangkok: where to find them and how they work

Where to find toilets

Shopping malls are the best answer. Those at Siam, Terminal 21 or Iconsiam have free, clean, air-conditioned toilets on almost every floor. In a city where you walk a lot in the heat, this is the reflex to have: spot the nearest mall.

Large hotels, supermarkets and petrol stations generally let you in to use the toilets; ask politely, or buy a coffee.

Public parks in the city, like Lumphini Park, have free toilets of varying cleanliness.

Temples and tourist sites have them too: at the Grand Palace, it is better to use the toilets before going in and starting the visit, because they are not easy to find in the halls. At remote sites such as Wat Saman Rattanaram, plan to go before you leave and take your own paper.

Markets almost always have some, often paid. The Chatuchak market has several toilet blocks, which fill up at the weekend peak: do not wait until you are desperate.

The metro and the Skytrain. BTS stations generally have no toilets open to travellers; some MRT stations do, including several on the Blue Line (Silom, Lumphini, Sukhumvit…) according to lists kept by transport enthusiasts. Do not count on it: check before you set out.

Prices

Toilets in malls, hotels and restaurants are free. At bus stations, near markets and at some tourist sites, expect a few baht in coins, often 5 baht for one visit, sometimes 10 baht; an attendant or a booth at the entrance collects the money. Keep change.

How they work

The spray hose. In most sit-down toilets, a small hose with a nozzle, fixed to the wall next to the bowl, replaces paper: you use it to wash. English-speaking travellers nickname it the "bum gun". Hold it close to you, open it gently, and dry yourself with paper afterwards. A sign sometimes forbids using it for anything else (rinsing belongings, for example).

Squat toilets. In old districts, on markets and in some restaurants and remote sites, the pan is at floor level. A bucket of water and a scoop are used to flush: you pour water after use. Spot the bucket before going in and take your belongings with you.

Paper. Many toilets have no paper, or sell a roll at the entrance. When a bin stands next to the bowl, the paper goes in the bin and not in the bowl: the plumbing does not always cope. Follow the signs.

The floor. It is often wet: wear shoes that can take water, and do not put your things on the floor.

What to carry

• Tissues or a small roll of paper, and hand sanitiser: soap is missing in many public toilets.
• Change (5 and 10 baht coins).
• Wipes, useful when the spray is missing or broken.

Before a long walk, stop at a mall's toilets, and spot those of a site as soon as you arrive if you will be there for several hours.

Useful phrases

More phrases are in our guide to useful Thai phrases.

Going further

For the other practical aspects of a stay, see our guide to a first trip to Bangkok and, for health, health in Bangkok, which explains why it is better to drink bottled water. For getting between stops, see getting around Bangkok.