Something For You To Laugh About...

After all the serious posts,here's something for you to laugh about.I had a good laugh too.

Singapore's Johore Pipe Company

Johore Pipe Company is Malaysia's national brand for toilets.It is very common to find Johore Pipe Company toilets around 10-15 years ago.But due to renovations and upgradings,it's not as common as before.

Malaysia has its own versions of Johore Pipe Company toilets.I will do a post on Malaysia's versions of Johore Pipe Company toilets.In this post,I will only show the Singapore versions.

Currently,to date,there are 5 types of squatting and 2 types of sitting Johore Pipe Company toilets in Singapore.

Out of the 6 types,2 of them are shown here.I am still trying to look for the other 4.But it won't be too difficult to find 3 of them as they are relatively new.The 2 types that you see here are among the oldest batch.

The oldest Johore Pipe Company toilet dates back to 1965.If you are lucky,you might be able to find them at the Old Airport Road housing estates.

The 2 types that you see here are from the late 1970s to mid 1980s.The picture you see below is the 1980s batch.The shape of the water hole is slightly from the late 1970s batch.You can compare them below.

The photo below was taken at a coffee shop at Balestier Road.It's quite difficult to find this type of Johore Pipe Company toilet these days.It was taken 3 years ago.

The photo below shows the late 1970s batch.If I am not wrong,this batch started in 1975 or 1977.This photo was taken at the Serangoon Bus Interchange.The toilet still exists today.But only the first cubicle is Johore Pipe Company.2nd cubicle is Potex and the 3rd cubicle is Sitting Armitage Shanks.

Johore Pipe Company is still one of my favourite brands up to this day.Although I used to like it more for a different reason.It is not the flushing sound,but the good luck it brings me.

Believe me or not.Whenever I encounter this toilet,that day was always lucky.Especially the 1980s batch.This toilet became my lucky charm after that.But that was the past.I used to welcome the sight of this toilet during my younger days.

If you look closely at the photo(1980s batch),it resembles a smiling face.Especially the bottom of the water hole.It looks like a double-chin person smiling.Probably I associated that with good luck during my younger days.

I managed to shoot a video of the late 1970s batch recently.This video was shot at 126 Eating House at Sims Avenue,Geylang.It is one of the few Johore Pipe Company toilets left today.I would try to shoot the other 3 types and post them here in the future.

If you are lucky enough,I might be able to find the 1965 batch.I will try to find it.Meanwhile,enjoy the video.

My Favourite Toilet In Singapore

You are probably wondering why are there 2 posts today...Well,2 reasons.Firstly,I am dying to write this post.Secondly,a friend requested that I write this post a few days ago.

What you see here is my favourite toilet in Singapore.Sad to say,this type of toilet is becoming extinct soon.



This toilet is located at Basement 1,Beauty World Center.It is one of the few squatting SPs that are around in Singapore.

SP is a local brand.It started off in the early 1970s.The brand logo was changed in the late 1970s.After the logo change,there were 4 different batches.The first batch was in the late 1970s.Second batch came in 1980 and lasted till 1981.Third batch lasted from 1982 to 1983.The last batch was between 1983 to 1984.

From 1985 onwards,Potex took over SP.The first batch of Potex looks exactly like the last batch of SP.

Later when viewing the video,you will hear the flushing sounds of each of these 3 toilets.The photo above is the cubicle on the extreme right.This is the 3rd batch of SP.The shape of the water is irregular.


This photo above shows the last(fourth) batch of SP,it is in the 2nd cubicle from the right.It looks exactly like a Potex.The difference is the flushing sound and the brand logo.

If you want to hear how a Potex sounds like,read the post on The Almost Perfect Toilet.

The photo above is the 4th cubicle from the right.You are probably wondering why I skipped the 3rd cubicle...

Reason:It's a CLAYTAN.Not SP.

Why do I condemn CLAYTANs?Well,I feel that original is always the best.I don't like toilets that are replaced.They feel so out of place.Toilets should be congruent with their eras.A late 1990s toilet bowl in a 1980s toilet is so out of place.

Anyway,the flushing sound of CLAYTAN sucks big time.

Back to my main topic.This 4th cubicle is also a 3rd batch SP.As usual,the water shape is irregular as compared to the 2nd cubicle.

One thing about Potex,the water shape is always regular.

Now,about the video...the flushing order is from left to right.The first flushing sound comes from the 4th cubicle,then the 2nd and finally the first cubicle on on the right.

The lighting is quite bad.If you need to see how the toilet look like,please scroll up.

The video was shot recently,but the photos were taken 3 years ago,in 2004.Thank God,the toilet is still the same.

I hope you enjoy the video as much as I did.

Nan Pu Tuo Temple's Sensored Flush

This is quite an interesting toilet.That's why I find it worth featuring here.It's the very first sensor-flush toilet I came across in China.



This toilet is located at Nan Pu Tuo Temple.I guess that's the reason for a temple design.It is not located in the temple itself.You have to walk about 300 metres from the temple to reach it.But there's a big sign to guide you from the car park.

What you see above is the interior of the toilet.For the very first time,I see toilet door made of reflective metal.It's very rare to see a toilet with this kind of design.

The wordings on the door are "Care for public cleanliness".Which I feel is needed,especially in China.But despite the wordings,there's still a stench in the toilet.

This is the toilet itself.It looks very similar to Japan's TOTO.I believe there are also other brands with this design,just that I have yet to come across them.Taiwan and Japan have a lot of toilets which look like this.I have not been to Taiwan or Japan.But once I get a chance to visit those 2 countries,I will do a post on the different brands with this design.

The metal thing you see on the left wall is the sensor.I had a tough time shooting the video for this toilet.For it to flush,you have to stand in front of the sensor for at least 15 seconds,then move away.

After you view the video,you will understand why I had a tough time.The brand of this toilet is HCG.It is considered a new generation toilet.

So far,there are 2 models of HCG in Xiamen.This is the older model.But this looks nicer than the newer model.It sounds better too.

I will do a post on the newer model in future.Enjoy the video.

China's American Standard

American Standard's squatting toilets have been very popular in Hong Kong.They can also be found in Malaysia and Thailand.

However,China has it's own style of American Standard toilets too.They are totally different from those in Hong Kong,Malaysia and Thailand.

The American Standard toilet that you will look at today is from SM Mall,Hu Li District,Xiamen.SM Mall is a relatively new shopping mall in Xiamen.The 2 places that I saw with American Standard toilets are SM Mall and the Carrefour along Xia He Road.



It seems that the malls with large department stores from overseas all use American Standard toilets in China.

This toilet is flushed by pushing down the handle on the pipe.It doesn't sound as powerful as the Hong Kong American Standards.


The shape is a little different from the Hong Kong version.The front part(i.e. the lower part,away from the water) of the toilet protrudes slightly upwards.

The other difference noted is that the brand logo is not located at the top,but facing the front.As shown in the photo above.I will do another post,showing the differences of the toilets.

Meanwhile,enjoy the video clip.

Xiamen's Public Toilet A037,Hou He Lane.

Doesn't this photo look familiar?Yes,it was included in one of the previous posts.If you ask me,I think this toilet doesn't really qualify my standards.But the reason why it is posted here is because of the sound difference.

Let me explain...Now,look at the photo below.Did you see that the design looks like Shidanna and the other new generation toilets?In fact,Fandanna also has a model that looks like this.

But I took a video shot of this toilet because of the flushing sound.The toilet may look like a Shidanna or Fandanna.But it sounds different from those 2.

I stumbled upon this toilet by chance.While I was combing the whole Xia He Road,I saw a WC sign and decided to venture into the small lane.

To my surprise,it's another toilet.I have found Public Toilets A032,A035 and A038.I was very happy to find A037.

This is not a new generation toilet.As you can see,it's dimly lit.But there are worse cases.I personally prefer these to the new generation ones.These older toilets are more uniquely designed.

All the new generation toilets look the same,sound the same.Besides,the new generation toilets have no flushing power.

Before I forget,this toilet's brand is Yuanlin.It's flushed by pushing the button on the pipe.Take a look at the video.Next week,you will be looking at a modern toilet...China's American Standard.Stay tuned.

Xiamen's Public Toilet A025,Off Si Ming Bei Road

Two visits.I made two visits to this toilet.Why?Because I was late on my first visit.That was when I learnt that Xiamen's Public Toilets close at 10:30 p.m.

This toilet is situated in a small narrow alley,off Si Ming Bei Road.It's quite easy to spot because it's visible from the main road.

The toilet attendant is a friendly guy.He was curious why I took photographs of the toilet.I told him that I was from Singapore and I'm a researcher of toilets.I managed to get plenty of toilet information from him.


Let me share some with you...

He told me that this toilet was renovated a few years ago.Before the renovation,there were no toilet bowls.Only the drainage system.

After the renovation,there was an increase in the number of cubicles.The setback is that the toilet is still dimly lit.

Then I came to realise that the toilet attendants of Xiamen have no fixed salary.The government don't pay them anything.They are expected to make money when visitors do "big business" and buy toilet paper from them.

The public toilet system of Xiamen is as follows...If you are peeing only,you don't have to pay.If you do "big business",you can pay 30 cents RMB for a few pieces of toilet roll.If you pay $1 RMB,you get a packet of facial tissue.

The blue board on the photo above shows this.It's not really visible.


These toilet attendants can only rely on selling toilet paper or packets of tissue for the daily income.Which is really tough.Most people go in and pee only.


I complimented this attendant on the cleanliness of his toilet.There was no stench when I visited it.

Now you'll learn about the brand name and the flushing system of this toilet.

The brand is "XINGWU" and it's flushed by the tap system.The design looks interesting to me.So far in Xiamen,I've only came across 2 toilets with "XINWU".One is this one.The other one is Public Toilet A024.

However,Public Toilet A024 is flushed by pushing the button on the pipe.I didn't bother shooting that one because the toilet was dimly lit.


Comparing their flushing sound,this toilet sounds better than Public Toilet A024.

Conclusion:The flushing system plays an important role in the flushing sound.2 identical toilets can sound different due to the flushing system.

Now,it's video time again...Enjoy.