Depends what motor you have and where the thermostat is located.
Nissan VQ30 has 3 thermostats, 1 on the cool side before the waterpump and a double one that opens at different temperatures on the hot side. The opening temp will be a guide as to which side of the waterpump the thermostat sits. Most thermostats are on the hot side so the waterpump pushes through it.
It's a law of nature thing, hot air rises, so does hot water. The (hot) water always comes out of the engine higher than where it (cold) goes in, manufacturers these days design systems with the t/stats in unusual places but the phisics don't change, just as the hot water always goes into the top of the radiator.
