Thai Toilets... and Beyond

When I arrived in Kanchanaburi, I immediately had to use the bathroom. After I was finished, I saw that there was no way to flush the toilet. I'm searching high and low, pushing random spots on the toilet to see if maybe there is some weird way to flush it. All the while, there is a huge bucket of water with a bowl in it right next to me, and I have no idea what it is there for. I'm confused, baffled, and just weirded out. So, I ask someone what the hell is going on, and they tell me that a Thai toilet is one where you fill up the dish with water (hence the bucket), and pour it in the toilet. You do this a few times and everything flushes down. Voila!