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Toilet in Korea, but not in Bhutan


If there is one thing to talk about Korea, I can talk or share my admirable experience of toilet facilities and the system of Korea for days. Perhaps, it was just breathtaking. It was classic. It was world class, and it was excellent everywhere.

Let's solve this puzzle and our biggest challenges. The question of –Who is responsible for the toilets in Korea? How did they manage all this stuff?

Amusingly I found toilets in Korea are the same everywhere –public toilet, hotel, private, highway, subway, airplane, etc. No water problem. No management problem. No paying system. Zero smell. No stain, it was perfect everywhere, and anytime. However, you may think Korean do not use toilets or do not poop, pee, etc. The answer is absolutely no. They are like anyone of us. But, they have better civic sense, well educated, good mindset, good habits, and above all they have this so called sense of belonging. Every toilet facilities given to them in the open, street, subway, train etc…are their own properties, everyone's properties. They never take home, they never destroy them, they never temper with them, they never personalize them, etc...But, rather they care and use it mindfully. 

I have also learnt that every Korean from very young to very old is well educated and given all the good values at school, home and community. They have invested million times more of our total GDP of 100 years into education. Their teachers are highly paid. Today their schools are one of the best in the world. Education in Korea is everyone's business –parents, students, teachers, public, community, local government and central government. They leave no one behind for education because they firmly believe that education is the wealth of an individual, family, and country. They strongly believe that education can bring home money, peace, wealth, good mindset, in fact everything. They did this not very long ago –they have done it just over 50 years ago and here they are today. Looking at their education system –it seems they have sacrificed a lot in the education system and into their curriculum, into their infrastructure and teacher education. They strongly believe in the "One world, One future" concept for all Koreans. Undeniably, everyone commits themselves for any kind of work. I can easily see and feel that they have done it and now they are heavily enjoying their hardship.

However, ours is very different and a unique case. We talk so much of quality education, importance of teachers, importance of school and sending every child to school, etc, etc… But, how badly we criticize our own system, our own education system. Therefore, bad toilets are our poor mindset due to poor education.

Ours is very easy if we come into common consensus. Unlike Korea, we have hardly seven hundred thousand people, which is even less than the people in their smallest village. Therefore, it's easy in our case. Less people means less burden, we need a very less budget to fix our toilet problem. However, we all need to work together, we all need to think as one nation, we all need to have civic sense, we all need to take individual responsibilities, we all need to think public properties are our own property. It's a country's wealth and it's for everyone.

Don't we have the right to enjoy clean toilets, smell less toilets and other good facilities in our toilets?

First we have to build our strong mindset, we have to commit ourselves, we have to work hard together spirit, we have to have a sense of belongingness, and the toilet is everyone's responsibility.

However, we have sad news as well – "the water pump drawing water to Tamchog Highway Restroom was stolen a few nights before". What breaking news in the Land of Happiness? I cannot imagine how this has happened. Who did this mischievous act? If such an act keeps on happening, we cannot fulfil our wish and we still need to rely on pit latrines, and disgusting toilets without any water and other facilities. God! Only knows the truth.

If we can firmly commit ourselves to the above points, we just need a few years to have our own good smelling toilet everywhere. Perhaps, BTO is doing a great job. They need everyone's cooperation, helping hands, good mindset, and commitment. Their motto is everyone's motto. Their spirit is everyone's spirit. Let's work together to make our toilet mission a grand and a successful one for now and to our future generation. 

The following are some of the restroom facilities for everyone. However, urinals and most of the toilet pots and works with sensors and even other hand dryers and water basins work with sensors. 


Urinals in one of the Primary School, Seoul

Urinals in one of the Korean restaurants, Seoul

Urinals in one of the subways, Seoul

Toilet pot in one of the hotel, Seoul

Hand Washing basins --everywhere in the restroom


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