12 hours ago, Harry Tuchas said:

 

I just checked the Makro site. Right now you can get a pack of eight 1.5L bottles for 39 Baht, which is pretty good value. Thanks. I’ll probably go for that when I need to restock next month. 

 

I avoid those filter machines though. Feels like playing water roulette. I do wonder if filtration standards vary from factory to factory though or maybe they don't. Almost 30 years ago, there was a scandal in the local papers about one of the biggest factories at the time being caught having filthy filtration systems. I think it might have been Polaris or maybe Singha, but I can’t remember exactly.

 

Back then, I was also told that most water production factories were along a pretty dirty part of the river in Pittsanalok and were using that river water as their source for bottling. That’s some “mineral water” for you and isn't quite the natural spring water you see flowing on the label. 

 

I assume standards are much higher now in Thailand, so worrying about filtration reliability and what’s in bottled water is probably water under the klong bridge these days. But who knows?

 

 

My Thai son regularly takes sports teams to competitions away from our city. He buys packs of quite small plastic bottles of water from Makro or Big C take on each trip. Usually 12 bottles per pack.

 

At home he tests one bottle from each pack using a test kit approved by the Thai Health ministry.  Once in about 5 or 6 years the water has failed the test. He then tested more bottles from the same pack, all failed the test, against a ministry quality formula. 

 

He took the pack had been bought back to Big C. After initially being ignored a supervisor asked what the problem was. Son showed a copy of a health ministry document re water quality and showed the test he was using. The Big C supervisor called a more senior person who took it all very seriously 

 

Son pointed out the stack the pack of water bottles had come from. Instantly all packs removed and some documents signed. 

 

After that, who knows? 

13 minutes ago, Alpha84 said:

 

Anything that holds 20 liters is too big to be called a jug. Call it a container.

 

Those 1.5-liter bottles? Never reuse them. They are made for one-time use, especially those really low quality bottles from TOPS. Reusing them just turns your water into a microplastic cocktail. At this point, you probably have enough plastic inside you to refill your own containers and still have some left over. In fact, your jugs are probably so massive at this point that even Meatloaf in Fight Club would feel underdressed.

 

First:  The TOPS bottles are produced using PET, which is a higher-density ethylene polymer.

 

 

So, I am OK with refilling, and there is NOTHING wrong with doing this.

Please don't fall for the MYTH that suggests that this is not the case.

 

Second:  Concerning Fight Club....  I don't like fights, and Fight Club is the worst, most depressing movie, I have ever watched the first few minutes of.

 

Third:  The Only Meatloaf that means anything to me is this Meatloaf....

 

Meatloaf is big enough for two.

 

I'd do anything for love, except listen to this bad music.

 

Do NOT fear plastic, is my best advice to you....unless......

YOU can show the evidence-based science which support your convictions.....

And....

The Science does NOT support you claim that drinking out of used plastic bottles might cause deleterious health consequences.

 

 

 

 

 

15 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Problem with the 1 baht water machines you don't know if the filter is working and clean, i switched to Makro Aro 1.5L

 

Absolutely TRUE.

 

You never know how often these cheap-dose machines are serviced.

I DO NOT use them.

 

I care about my health.

 

Chlorinated water is fine for me.

 

Hi Bill, glad you're back.

6 minutes ago, bubblegum said:

Hi Bill, glad you're back.

 

He's back.

 

You know it when you read it.

 

6 hours ago, Katatonica said:

There is a bit of a point: water made in desalinations plants, ie the very cheapest ones, lack necessary minerals found in the natural spring water brands, which aren't necessarily much dearer. A good way round that is sachets of electrolyte powder every day or two. Or beer..

Both of those methods are better than paying god knows how much for a bottle of Perrier or whatever is currently trending

1 hour ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Always buy BIG JUGS....

 

 

 

This is proof - water makes you fat - I'm sticking with beer... 

I drink 7-10 liters of water a day and the wife also uses another 5-10 liters for cooking and other things.  Be a pain in the butt constantly stocking up bottles.

 

  Been using sink top Phillip filters I buy on Lazada for years and changing the filter every month or two.  Each filter costs 600 baht and takes 30 seconds to insert.  Actually have an extra I take on trips so I'm not constantly lugging those huge 5 liter bottles from 7-Eleven to my hotel rooms.

47 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

So, I am OK with refilling, and there is NOTHING wrong with doing this.

Please don't fall for the MYTH that suggests that this is not the case.

And your tombstone will reflect that you died from plastic over-contamination.  

1 minute ago, Alpha84 said:

And your tombstone will reflect that you died from plastic over-contamination.  

 

Yes, because plastic over-contamination is well known cause of death.... 

My fuel card has me filling up at PTT petrol stations, they give a 600ml bottle free for every Bt.500 spend, I get 12 bottles a week.

 

I drink that, goes ok.

5 hours ago, impulse said:

 

Not every time, but I occasionally choose the water I buy by the stoutness of the bottle.  Those super flimsy ones make way too much noise when they're half full. 

 

I've also got a couple of brands I buy when I want to take them on a flight where I'll be refilling them in the airport.  They retain their shape better, which is handy when I put them on my tray table and they don't fall over.

Tray table?

8 hours ago, Katatonica said:

There is a bit of a point: water made in desalinations plants, ie the very cheapest ones, lack necessary minerals found in the natural spring water brands, which aren't necessarily much dearer. A good way round that is sachets of electrolyte powder every day or two. Or beer..

A desalination plant is the most exyway to produce potable water. The electrical power used is enormous.

10 hours ago, Schoggibueb said:

Tap water for cooking.

Mineral water for coffee and drinking. (Mont fleur or Aura)

Drinking (or purified) water for the icecubes (Aro).

Available in Makro.

 

The only thing I try to boycott is Nestle water and their products in general.

Not much difference between cooking and drinking. If the tap water has high dissolved solids contens your kidneys are going to pay for it. 

Use the same water for cooking as you do for drinking.

8 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

What do you mean "natural spring"? That's hilarious. 

You need to get out more if you don't know what a natural spring is.

2 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

Absolutely TRUE.

 

You never know how often these cheap-dose machines are serviced.

I DO NOT use them.

 

I care about my health.

 

Chlorinated water is fine for me.

 

Chlorinated but not filtered?

1 hour ago, Ralf001 said:

My fuel card has me filling up at PTT petrol stations, they give a 600ml bottle free for every Bt.500 spend, I get 12 bottles a week.

 

I drink that, goes ok.

6000 baht a week is a serious fuel cost!

3 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

You should just buy a rubber hose.

 

Then, use gravity to siphon water from the jug to the water bottle.

 

 

That would mean lifting the bottle, but yes Thailand's gravity they do think water runs up hill.

13 minutes ago, brian69 said:

That would mean lifting the bottle, but yes Thailand's gravity they do think water runs up hill.

Perhaps lifting the jug may be more successful. You do know how a syphon works?

24 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

Chlorinated but not filtered?

 

My understanding is that there is more danger of having chemicals, heavy metals, and other toxins than there is bacteria that might give you the runs.  Chlorine won't prevent any of that.

7 minutes ago, shdmn said:

 

My understanding is that there is more danger of having chemicals, heavy metals, and other toxins than there is bacteria that might give you the runs.  Chlorine won't prevent any of that.

Exactly. Need a reverse osmosis filtration system to ensure that. 

2 hours ago, atpeace said:

I drink 7-10 liters of water a day

Is drinking that much water even healthy, ?

5 minutes ago, Bday Prang said:

Is drinking that much water even healthy, ?

Sure, in a hot climate 

No risk of drowning.

4 hours ago, Alpha84 said:

And your tombstone will reflect that you died from plastic over-contamination.  

 

I will not have a tombstone.

 

Rather, I will be cremated.

 

If, as you say, I have so many petrochemicals in my system, then my funeral pyre will look like this....

 

 

So be it.....

 

 

3 hours ago, emptypockets said:

Chlorinated but not filtered?

 

Unfiltered and also unadulterated.

 

Just like some of my comments here on TV.

 

Let's keep it natural.

 

6 hours ago, emptypockets said:

6000 baht a week is a serious fuel cost!

Fuel card paid by my employer makes it all good.

9 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Yes, because plastic over-contamination is well known cause of death.... 

 

Congratulations. Finally an intelligent statement. Probably just a one off though. So I will curb my enthusiasm. 

8 hours ago, emptypockets said:

Tray table?

Aircraft tray table. 

9 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

Is drinking that much water even healthy, ?

Yes but you have to stay on top of electrolytes. I can lose 3 liters during a 1 hour run and I run on average 1.5 hours a day.  I sweat more than anyone I ever met while exercising hard.  Wish I didn't!

Off Topic image removed 

 

@GammaGlobulin