Scenic Spots To See More Sanitary Restroom Spaces (Beijing)

Xinhuanet ^ | 2001/8 /15 | NG

[Hopalong]

 

Scenic Spots to See More Sanitary Restroom Spaces

Xinhuanet 2001.08.15 15:11:56

    BEIJING  August ¨Xinhuanet--Flush with cash to provide the city's  toilet  facilities  Beijing plans to improve every lavatory at all its  tourist attractions by the end  of 2002 according to today's China Daily.

    A pot of 240 million yuan US$29 million  has been set up by the  municipal  government to build or fix toilets, a movement prompted by  constant public complaints.

    Already 70 toilets have been constructed or renovated at five major  historical sites  including the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace and  the Temple of Heaven, Beijing tourism official Zhou Shuyu said.

    "We also stepped our efforts to make the appearance of toilets harmonious  with the  scenic spots," Zhou said. "The toilets that sit amid ancient  architecture must also be in  the ancient style."

    Zhou, who oversees public toilets, noted all facilities at historical  and scenic sites  will be free of charge.

    Foreign tourists have complained vociferously about unsanitary toilet  conditions in  China.

    "Of the 206 tour-related complaints received during last October's  week-long  National Day holiday 20 per cent mentioned that there were  few good toilets at tourist  attractions, " said Yang Weiyuan, an official  with the Beijing Consumers'  Association.

    But the improvements that have already been made have prompted immediate  results.

    "We have not received any complaints on toilets this year," Yang  said.

    The new bathrooms have improved odors and better overall hygiene.

    "Our goal is to make things convenient for our tourists, whether  you are a man, woman, baby, child, senior citizen or a person with  a disability," Zhou said.

    One key improvement is equipping toilets with flushing devices that  do not require  human touch. The infrared trigger reduces the chance of  tourists contracting bacterial  infections, officials said.

    Women's lavatories will be 20 per cent bigger than men's to provide  bigger space for  women to make up. In the pastthey were half the size  of the men's rooms.

    The ladies' rooms also will have desks, beds or chairs to diaper  babies and make  mothers more comfortable while feeding.

    Special lavatory pans designed for the disabled and for children will  be provided.

    Zhou said workers will receive special training to ensure optimal  loos.

    Tourists, too, may need some potty training. At the Summer Palace,  two  infrared devices have been destroyed through misuse, park officials  said.

    More money for this effort is likely to be poured in as more toilets  are built and  renovated before the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. 

[Hopalong]

For education and discussion purposes only.

[Hopalong]

FYI.

Best regards. S&W R.I.P.

[Hopalong]

FYI.

Regards to all. S&W R.I.P.

[JimSEA]

If they really hated Americans, they would install asian squat toilets.

[Hopalong]

What's next—bicycle wheels mounted upside down on stools?

Best regards. S&W R.I.P.

[jimtorr]

two infrared devices have been destroyed through misuse

Hmmm, how do you destroy an infrared device through misuse? Perhaps that's just a polite way of saying vandalism.

[LarryLied]

Know what happened to the $30,000 toilet they built for Hillary Clinton?

[cmsgop]

They are all going to be bugged too.

[Hopalong]

Haven't heard. Mobile as I recall. Also, I very vaguely remember back-up, no?

Best regards. S&W R.I.P.

[maui_hawaii]

LOL! They have a lot of them... but somehow I don't think Americans were in mind when they installed them...

[maui_hawaii]

Its long overdue...

We actually made lists of all the 'good toilets' in Beijing once and passed them out to the tourists who asked us...

[maui_hawaii]

Its long overdue...

We actually made lists of all the 'good toilets' in Beijing once and passed them out to the tourists who asked us...

[solzhenitsyn]

Better sanitary facilities for rich foreign tourists? This is good, it's a small sign of progress toward civil society. Now how about some basic human rights for their own people? I'll be more impressed when China stops murdering people for expressing their opinions.

[another cricket]

Bathrooms in the third world usually have bugs and spiders too. But as long as you keep your shoes on and.... (Off screen whisper)

What? Oh, you mean those types of bugs.

Never mind.

a.cricket

[Hopalong]

Mao despised Beijing's and all urban indoor toilets. Thus his trusty shoveller, even in the city.

Best regards. S&W R.I.P.

[JimSEA]

A never-to-be-named visitor complained to my wife that American toilets were difficult as she had trouble balancing her feet on the seat. :-)

[GOP_1900AD]

I noticed that they were fairly nonspecific about that. Especially telling was the comment about ancient toilets for ancient places. I guess that means the carved stone squat bowl instead of the stainless steel and porecelain varieties? What I will love to see are the places that, in spite of the IR detector to flush the squat bowl, the local caretakers will still put in place the water hose, the 50 gallon drum with the top taken off and the little water scooper. And what about toilet paper? (Toilet paper? Hahahhahah!....you want toilet paper? Hahhahaha....). I also wonder if they will think of partitions between the stalls and using some one besides old ladies to clean the mens room while it is in use.

[Hopalong]

"Toilet paper? Hahahhahah!....you want toilet paper? Hahhahaha..."

If I recall correctly, the Japanese invented toilet paper. Suppose that might be a problem for Chinese and Koreans?

Consult the relevant passages in Rabelais for systematic European investigations of the topic.

Best regards. S&W R.I.P.

[JimSEA]

I see we travel to similar places. I have at long last become able to "function" but I will never get used to the cleaning lady. Have you ever bought what passes for toilet paper in any market (note, you have to go to an upscale market to get any at all).

[Hopalong]

You can use wild parsnip leaves, but it's best to make sure the contact is limited to where the sun don't shine.

Best regards. S&W R.I.P.