Wednesday 10 August 2011

Bathrooms in Thailand

The best and the worst of bathrooms in Thailand

Bathrooms in Thailand are vastly varying quality. In cheap hotels, guest houses and bungalows bathrooms are functional and clean at best and awkward, dirty and falling apart at worse. 

Hot water vs. cold water

Although many holiday makers want a bathroom with hot water it is not always necessary in a country where the temperature is in the 30s. It is often the case that a cold shower is preferable as a way to cool down and rinse the sweat off the body.

One popular way in Thailand to make shower water warm is to put the water storage tank on the roof. The heat of the sun warms the water and makes it a nice temperature for showering. Another option is to run the water through tubes on the roof that allow the water to warm for free.

Styles of bathroom in Thailand

Part of the glamor of tropical living is being able to luxuriate in a 5 star bathroom. Having space and surfaces to put cosmetics etc. is a great help. Marble or granite surfaces are popular. 

The color scheme of a bathroom can make it stand out. White seems sterile and out of date. Black has a stylish minimal feel and small colored tiles bring a playful feel to the room. Bold statements and center pieces can be made with tile mosaics either on the wall or the floor.

The most luxurious item for a bathroom is often a Jacuzzi. A big bath is also attractive. Both, however, use a lot of water. Many hotels now have outdoor rain showers to allow people to wash for the chlorine and salt from swimming in a pool or the sea. Deluxe places often feature a Jacuzzi on a balcony with a sea view.

Water conservation

One issue for a residential villa is water conservation. Water is not free and sometimes droughts occur in Thailand during the long hot summers. The solution is to install a low flow shower head and low flow faucet aerators in the villa. They mix air with water to halve water flow without reducing water pressure or showering pleasure. Another possibility is to employ a grey water recycling system to use unwanted shower water in the garden.

Below are just a few pictures of bathrooms in Thailand.