Come for the toilets, stay for the food and fun at Bangkok’s airport-themed mall “Terminal 21”

Asia is full of wonderful travel destinations. With a mix of rich history and rapid development, it’s far from a boring place to visit. However, the burning question on any traveler’s mind has got to be “Where can I see the greatest toilets of Asia?”

Well, that’s a subjective title but we’d like to submit a shopping center in Thailand’s capital Bangkok as a contender. The huge complex is called Terminal 21 and boasts over six floors of shops and eateries. There’s a lot of fun to be had here but the main attraction has got to be the internationally themed restrooms.

■ Terminal 21

First, let’s start with an overview of this shopping center. The entire building is designed after an international airport. The interior is decorated with several items found in airports like arrival and departure boards and information counters manned by people dressed as flight attendants.

In addition, each floor is also designed after a famous city from around the world. When you ride the escalators there are “gates” that notify you of which cities you are departing from and arriving in.

Lower Ground Floor: Caribbean
Ground Floor: Rome
Mezzanine: Paris
First Floor: Tokyo
Second Floor: London
Third Floor: Istanbul
Fourth Floor: San Francisco (City)
Fifth Floor: San Francisco (Pier)
Sixth Floor: Hollywood

In addition to each floor being decorated in the style of each city (or at least how Thailand views these cities), the bathrooms are also luxuriously designed in their cultural themes.

■ Around the world in seven restrooms

The London floor’s toilets are installed in a mock tube platform complete with maps and a gap that you must mind. In addition to these restrooms each being designed after cities, the cleaning staff are also meant to be dressed according to the country.

The Turkish bathrooms of the Istanbul floor are designed in a simple yet elegant style. You’re likely to find more people taking pictures rather than using facilities.

When entering the Roman restroom you are greeted by La Bocca della Verità which is believed to bite the hands off of liars. Under the delicate circumstances you may want to move to another floor is you’re not feeling especially pure of heart.

Speaking of awkward entrances to restrooms, the San Francisco pier one presents visitors with a mural of a bunch of guys covered in crabs.

The Parisian urinals are très gentil alongside elegant crystal bowl sinks. Also why have one big mirror when you can have several ones with classy frames.

The Caribbean toilets are all aboard a simulated pirate ship without any of the filth or chance of contracting scurvy.

By the way, all of the washrooms are equipped with washlet toilets wired with luxury features such as warmers and rinsers for maximum comfort.

■ Tokyo Floor

There are actually two types of restroom on the Tokyo floor. One represents the more traditional aspects of Japanese culture with paper doors, poetry and pine trees. There’s even a little rooftop sheltering the urinals.

A large stone pillar announces the restroom, and when you leave there’s another message carved in that politely reads “please use again.”

And then we have a modern Japan themed bathroom with a wall full of cosplayers and mirrored-glasses-mirrors which look more out of a Ric Ocasek video than urban Japan.

There’s actually a lot of interesting takes on Japanese culture on this floor. Symbols like sumo wrestlers and maneki neko can be seen but slightly different from what you’d find in Japan. Paper lanterns hang overhead with complicated and seemingly random Japanese words akin to “phantasmagorical” and “impeccability” printed on them. There are also signs with pleasant broken Japanese which read “Please see again.” and “important customers who receive trading ports.”

■ There’s shopping too!

Terminal 21 is far more than a collection of lavatories, however. It has a wide range of shops from international brand stores to local chains and independent shops. There’s also a popular food court with an assortment of affordable and delicious Thai dishes.

So in case you need a break from photographing toilets, there’s plenty more to do at Terminal 51, located on Sukhumvit Road up the way from Burger King Nana. Just look for the sign that reads: “Important customers who receive trading ports.”

Source: Terminal 21 (English/Thai), Naver Matome (Japanese)
Images: Pouch

Terminal 21

The airport style parts of Terminal 21 also have sterile airport style washrooms. That sign that looks a little abstract on closer inspection is a luggage tag.