Is it okay to drink Bangkok tap water without boiling it?

[topswijaya]

Dear all,

 

Is it okay to drink Bangkok tap water without boiling it?

 

Thanks

[Liverpool Lou]

Yes.

[howerde]

I don't when the water leaves the water plant it is excellent water, buy the time it gets to your place who knows what pipes it goes through, i have my doubts as to the up keep of the pipes, but i do now clean my teeth with it and still alive after a few years. but drink/cooking use bottled or get a filter

Edited May 20, 2022 by howerde
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[Bobtheblob]

It's fine if you want to get disentry. 

[pomchop]

From my experience it seems that majority of locals don't drink tap water.....just maybe they know something that others don't.

 

Brush teeth ok....drink it, no thanks.

[Gottfrid]

Yes, it´s! However, you might get some stomach problem at the beginning. Just ask Thai people, and they will say the drunk it all their life. They are still alive, right? I have tried it myself, and it worked fine. Though, I do prefer bottled water.

[bbko]

Learn some terms and drinkable parameters used in the water business, i.e turbidity, residual chlorine, pH, chloride and check this up to date  BKK government water map.

 

 

https://twqonline.mwa.co.th/EN/map.php?type=

 

 

Edited May 20, 2022 by bbko

[norbra]

Home testing method.

Lift top of toilet tank and check the inside, my tanks are always lined with a film of red clay as is my sediment filter on my RO system

[Guest truthman]

If you're in a condo or apartment, the problem is that the water has to go through a storage tank, which couild well be unsafe.  Most buildings have filter machines, so you can use those, although a better option is to put in our own filtration system.

[Lorry]

2 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Just ask Thai people, and they will say the drunk it all

I don't know any Thai people who drink tap water. 

I used to drink it myself, no problems.

Thais found this very strange. 

I stopped drinking tap water after seeing the inside of the storage tank of our building. 

[Fairynuff]

9 hours ago, Bobtheblob said:

It's fine if you want to get disentry. 

Speaking from experience?

[Fairynuff]

From my first ever trip to Thailand I’ve been having ice in my drinks, cleaning my teeth, drinking small amounts and generally doing what I’d do in my j9me country. Never had any problems at all.

[BonMot]

I add one drop of unscented bleach to one liter of water. But even without it's fine. Some won't even brush their teeth with it so it appears which is absolutely hilarious. These are the same people I suppose that claim all street food is totally unsanitary. Belong back home tbh.

Edited May 20, 2022 by BonMot

[Aussieroaming]

I'd rather drink Bangkok tap water than die of thirst if it came down to an either or situation. I've had a few swigs over the years with no apparent after affects but I don't make it a habit. Too many things potentially in the water that you can't see like pesticide and other chemicals, soluble metal compounds and live bacterias or fecal constituants from animal and human contaimination.

[Onerak]

I used to brush teeth, cook, and make coffee but for drinking I always used filtered water from machines because it tastes better. 

[Skeptic7]

I never drink it, but supposedly it was certified potable in 1999. We did brush teeth and rinse fruits & veggies with it.

 

https://thailand505.com/tap-water-bangkok/

[RichardColeman]

Better question would be is it safe to drink tap water in a city constantly flooded and open drains

[JohnOFphon]

Take the top off your toilet tank and have a look inside.

That's drinkable?

[ifmu]

no

[Purdey]

The water authority does clean the raw water so it is potable. Thinking about the old Roman pipes in London and the dead rats floating in them. Londoners swear it is fine to drink. 

[Bert got kinky]

 

Bangkok tap water - best known laxative to man.

[shdmn]

1 hour ago, BonMot said:

I add one drop of unscented bleach to one liter of water. But even without it's fine. Some won't even brush their teeth with it so it appears which is absolutely hilarious. These are the same people I suppose that claim all street food is totally unsanitary. Belong back home tbh.

Fun fact, you can get dysentery from brushing your teeth with the water or having your mouth open in a shower just as easily as if you drank the water.  All it takes is a drop.  I think that is probably how most people get it because most don't seem to realize this.

 

This is all assuming there are bad bugs in the water to begin with.  If so don't do anything with it including brushing your teeth and keep your mouth closed tight in the shower.

Edited May 21, 2022 by shdmn

[Guest truthman]

2 hours ago, Fairynuff said:

From my first ever trip to Thailand I’ve been having ice in my drinks, cleaning my teeth, drinking small amounts and generally doing what I’d do in my j9me country. Never had any problems at all.

I use it for all those things as well as cooking. But try drinking a glassful. It's horrible.

[actonion]

i wouldnt drink  tap water here,  i used to buy and drink the water in those big white plastic bottles sold for 15 baht  until we found green algae  ++ in the bottom of the bottle   more  than once

[Liverpool Lou]

12 hours ago, Bobtheblob said:

It's fine if you want to get disentry. 

Got anything to back up that garbage?

[LarrySR]

Look at the inside of the water pipes and get back to me. 

[cdemundo]

1 hour ago, shdmn said:

Fun fact, you can get dysentery from brushing your teeth with the water or having your mouth open in a shower just as easily as if you drank the water.  All it takes is a drop.  I think that is probably how most people get it because most don't seem to realize this.

 

This is all assuming there are bad bugs in the water to begin with.  If so don't do anything with it including brushing your teeth and keep your mouth closed tight in the shower.

"you can get dysentery from brushing your teeth with the water or having your mouth open in a shower just as easily as if you drank the water.  All it takes is a drop. "

 

Not completely accurate as the "bacterial load" has to reach a threshold to cause infection.

Point being that it depends on the concentration of the infectious agent in the water.

All it takes is a drop if the concentration is high enough; at a lower concentration where a drop is not enough a glassful might be.

[swm59nj]

From what I see regarding sanitation practices here I would not drink the tap water.  
Also if you are here from another country. Your intestinal tract is not accustomed to the bacteria, etc. So drinking the tap water is not a good idea to begin with.  
And bottled water is not expensive.  So I don’t see why someone would risk drinking tap water.  Unless your monetary situation is so bad you can’t even afford a bottle of water. 

[Jack Batty]

Not living in Bangkok, but just down the road in Hua Hin. I mainly drink bottled, but brush my teeth and cook with tap. Never had an issue. 

[KhunLA]

OP - Enjoy, though wouldn't be my choice, simply for taste.

 

Report back with your results.

Edited May 21, 2022 by KhunLA