Jump to content
Parrothead

Cambodia builds $40,000 lakeside toilet for Thai princess's visit

Recommended Posts

Parrothead

- and plans to demolish it when she leaves

 
The visit of a Thai princess to one of Cambodia’s poorest provinces has sparked controversy after at least $40,000 was spent building an air-conditioned outhouse in anticipation of her arrival.
 
The luxury toilet has been assembled on the banks of the protected Lake Yeak Laom in Ratanakkiri province, where Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will spend the relaxing first leg of her three-day visit to the country.
 
With silver railings up its white-washed steps and an all-white tiled roof, the 8-metre square building has taken Thai construction company SCG around 19 days to complete.
 
The toilet will be reserved exclusively for the use of the princess during her one-night visit to the lake and, once she is done with it, will be disassembled.
 
Local officials told the Khmer Times that $40,000 was, given the number of Thai workers involved and the fact that all the materials were imported from Bangkok, a low estimate.
 
An SCG manager identified as Mr Pursat told the newspaper the community could use the small building as an office after the royal delegation had left, and defended spending such a figure on a facility that will be used only once.
 
“If you have a king—well, just, normal people can’t use the king’s toilet,” he said.
 
Ven Churk, head of the Yeak Lom Lake committee, said local community leaders had been told to make sure the princess’s visit goes well or risk losing control of the nature reserve to the government.
 
With a sparse population largely made up of subsistence farmers and a history of logging and mining exploitation, Ratanakkiri is one of the least developed provinces in Cambodia.
 
The director of the Cambodian Rural Development Team, Channy Or, said Princess Sirindhorn’s bathroom cost around 130 times more than a standard public toilet for the region.
 
He suggested Bangkok could have spent “$1,000 or $2,000 on a good bathroom and then give the rest to the communities and villages”.
 
After being given private use of the lake on Monday, the princess is scheduled to open a health centre in the province, visit a number of primary schools, inaugurate a new technology institute and meet with King Norodom Sihamoni, Cambodia Daily reported.
 
Andrew MacGregor Marshall, a former journalist and author of the book on Thailand A Kingdom in Crisis, said the cost of the toilet belied “royalist propaganda” about the Thai monarchy’s simple lifestyles and humanitarian works.
 
He said the lakeside bathroom was “an insult to the Cambodian people”. “Most Cambodians have limited access to modern sanitation,” he said. “For the cost of Sirindhorn’s toilet — to be used just for a single night — whole Cambodian villages could have been provided with proper sanitation.”
 

SOURCE

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
TorJay

Spoiled brat.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Parrothead

Must be nice. 

 

King Paul: I'll be visiting beaches next month.

Servant: I will see to it they build a suitable Royal Toilet for you, sire. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
John_Galt

Spoiled yes. Waste of money absolutely.

 

But I take way more offence at the guy who suggested Bangkok could have spent “$1,000 or $2,000 on a good bathroom and then give the rest to the communities and villages”.

Its not his money why the hell does he think he can tell them how to spend it.

 

I would like to ask him: Do you eat more than basic meals all the time?

          Have you ever had a Coca Cola?

          Do you have a smartphone?

          Do you have a car or SUV?

If yes to any of those questions I say its a waste of money and could have been given to the communities and villages

 

In the USA if tax dollars would be used for a project like this I would be outraged. (as I so often am at how they spend THE PEOPLES money)

If private money I dont care I just think would be nice to waste money like that.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
phuketrichard

this is the  GOOD princess and it was not built by locals but by Thai's

 

yes a waste of money but....

 

Tor Jay, she is anything BUT a spoiled brat, does more good work than anyone has before and far outshines her dad in that respect.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
TorJay

 

 


Tor Jay, she is anything BUT a spoiled brat, does more good work than anyone has before and far outshines her dad in that respect.


Maybe so.  But, anyone that needs a $40,000 crapper is still a spoiled brat.  JMHO.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Parrothead

Tor Jay, she is anything BUT a spoiled brat, does more good work than anyone has before and far outshines her dad in that respect.

 

Maybe so.  But, anyone that needs a $40,000 crapper is still a spoiled brat.  JMHO.

 

Something tells me Jason isn't too worried about being blacklisted from Thailand? :D 

 

I actually enjoy the water festival in April.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
TorJay

Something tells me Jason isn't too worried about being blacklisted from Thailand? :D

 

I actually enjoy the water festival in April.

 

They shouldn't be able to know who I am unless YOU tell them. :D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Parrothead

They shouldn't be able to know who I am unless YOU tell them. :D

 

Send all extortion payments donations, to... :D

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
JohnOBohn

The person in the photo does not look like a "princes".  More like a "prince" or perhaps a female who looks more like a male.     Whatever she/he/it is, anyone expecting that kind of obeisance is certainly "a spoiled brat" win my opinion also.    Al the royals except the current king seem to be monsters with huge egos and more like criminals/thugs than the next generation of thailands rulers.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • If you would like to join to begin posting and become an active member, feel free to click on THIS LINK, to register. If you have any questions, feel free to post them in the Forum Operations / Issues forum. If you register, but then are unable to log in, please feel free to post concerns in the Having Problems Logging In? forum. We will address any and all questions, comments, or concerns, as quickly as possible. Welcome to the Living In Cambodia Forums! 

    Welcome to the forum!

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use & Guidelines. Here is our Privacy Policy.