Kwai Loh's Multiply Site

Ipoh & Taiping, November 2007

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Traditional toilet
wrote on Nov 18, 2007:
That's now disused and as can be seen is a store of sorts. Also, note that the opening through which the bucket is pushed in and removed has been cemented over. But, really, those toilets were something, especially if you were using it and the bucketmen were at work. The pong was enough for you to forget all modesty and want to rush out. Those of my generation will know what I mean. /stephen

wrote on Nov 18, 2007:
When I was a kid in the 1950s, our parents used to threaten us that if we didn't study hard, we would end up being night-soil carriers. That was no empty threat as I saw the night-soil man ( who wore shoes similar to our present adidas kampung) coming every morning to carry the bucket away. How I would jump out of his way!

wrote on Nov 18, 2007:
This one was not too bad. It had an opening at the back for the night soil carrier to empty the bucket. The shop-houses in Jalan Kota Taiping opposite the old clocktower has no back lanes and my uncle had to awake in the wee hours to open the front door for the night soil carrier to empty the bucket.
It was quite a feeling when I had to do business and the bucket was not positioned properly. Had to use a stick (kept in the toilet at all times) to reposition it first.

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