11.22.2005

Flush your way to Good Health...and Tourism

Thailand has dreams. With the opening of a new international airport in Bangkok next year, the Thai government hopes its goal of being a regional aviation hub can be achieved. Medical tourism is also another area in which Thailand hopes to be a major player.

Meanwhile, Thailand is in the toilet. Literally. This week the World Toilet Organization (yes, there is such a beast) announced that Thailand will host the World Toilet Expo and Forum 2006. While it may not rival the Olympics or APEC, it promises to be a most unique "public health brainstorming session."

This is what Jack Sim, the WTO founder, has to say about it all:
"We hope the event will be a catalyst and facilitate Thailand towards the progressive development and standardization of public toilet service," said Sim. "Governments everywhere realize that toilets are the competitive edge of a nation. People who are healthy produce more."

If that wasn't enough inspire a worldwide toilet revolution, Sim has another promise up his sleeve:
"If you have better toilets you will have more tourists."

Well, why didn't someone tell the folks in Afghanistan all about that magic solution? If they replace all those stinky old port-o-potties with shiny new porcelain fixtures, I'm sure tourists will start flocking to Kabul in droves.

1 comment:

John in Atlanta said...

If you flush it, they will come.