PHUKET — The owner of Sala Loy floating restaurant in Rawai subdistrict, Mueang Phuket district, has posted a message calling on Phuket provincial administrators to consider building additional public toilets for tourists in the area, after discovering foreign female tourists defecating on his restaurant premises.
Pannatat Asawapitakchon gave an interview after his post gained attention and received many comments, including widespread support. He said outsiders have now defecated on his restaurant property twice, with the most recent incident occurring on Thursday, May 22, during closing hours when he was sitting inside the restaurant and witnessed the female tourist’s behavior. He 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. 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,” he said.
In his social media post, he explained that when his restaurant is open, he allows tourists and passersby to use the restroom. He mentioned previous discussions about this issue, where staff had suggested charging a restroom fee, but the restaurant decided they could absorb costs like labor, water, electricity, cleaning supplies, and tissue paper, since tourists who visit do spend money. Even if they don’t eat at the restaurant, they spend on other things, bringing money into Thailand, which increases employment rates and people’s spending power.
“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 feces around the restaurant area. I don’t know if other business operators have experienced this,” he wrote.
He emphasized at the end of his post: “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 feces myself.”
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