2 minutes ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

 

In England yes, in Thailand no.

 

I don't know any Thais who drink Thai tap water in Thailand. 

I can only assume you don't know many Thais.

15 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

I can only assume you don't know many Thais.

 

I don't know any very poor Thais, that is true.

1 minute ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

 

I don't know any very poor Thais, that is true.

Our gardeners and maids drink tap water. I would not describe them as very poor. 

On 10/3/2025 at 4:05 AM, 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

Just bought yesterday.  6 in a pack with 2 bottles free making it an 8 pack.

1 hour ago, Thingamabob said:

Our gardeners and maids drink tap water. I would not describe them as very poor. 

 

You are too mean to provide bottled water to them? I would have kept that info quiet.

 

I asked my Thai partner if she knew of any Thais who drink from the tap, she said, "No, never,  but maybe people in Issan do as it is the poorest and most uneducated part of Thailand"

 

I think that throws a lot of farangs experience of Thailand as a whole as very many farangs seem to live there for some reason. 

1 hour ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

 

I asked my Thai partner if she knew of any Thais who drink from the tap, she said, "No, never,  but maybe people in Issan do as it is the poorest and most uneducated part of Thailand"

I saw a restaurant worker drink from the tap a few weeks ago, also I've seen massage ladies drinking from the bin full of water via mandy in the shower room, gets soap and all sorts in, they must be immune to the bacteria

1 hour ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

 

You are too mean to provide bottled water to them? I would have kept that info quiet.

 

I asked my Thai partner if she knew of any Thais who drink from the tap, she said, "No, never,  but maybe people in Issan do as it is the poorest and most uneducated part of Thailand"

 

I think that throws a lot of farangs experience of Thailand as a whole as very many farangs seem to live there for some reason. 

We pay them way above the norm, plus free accomodation and food,  and free travel back to their home base, from both our houses in Bangkok  and Rayong, whenever they need it. They have all been with us for many years. They would be welcome to free bottled water if they ever asked for it. We always have some in stock for guests.

5 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

We pay them way above the norm, plus free accomodation and food,  and free travel back to their home base, from both our houses in Bangkok  and Rayong, whenever they need it. They have all been with us for many years. They would be welcome to free bottled water if they ever asked for it. We always have some in stock for guests.

What payment is the norm?

42 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

What payment is the norm?

For maids and gardeners between 15k-25k baht, plus benefits, plus or minus depending on location and length of service. In our case our people are all related to others who work or worked for my wife's family so we are very much aware of their individual needs and expectations. 

https://vu.nl/en/news/2024/micro-and-nanoplastics-in-human-blood-detected-again

 

So no matter, how clean the water is, best is distilled or RO water, but you put it into plastic bottles.

Nano and micro parts are there, which you drink and end up in your blood system.

So if those particles then end up in narrow veins, it starts blockade. AND your brain has a lot of little veins.

SHort time long time, you could end up with brain attacks.

SO glass containers are better.distilled or RO water.

 

Also with plastic, they use plastic softners, which can and will dissolve in the water, bringing up extra chemicals in your body.

So again glass containers are best.

But if you put "dirty "water in it, you have again problems. So quality of water is important. 

If you use resin filter a lot goes out, but still can contain some chemicals.

RO and distilled water still the best, Every thing is out, Both cost a lot of energy to make real clean water.

So about water in bottles, then you have the question, what kind of water is used for soda, beer, alcohol or any kind of processed food used.

They have already found micro, nano plastic in beer and probably other food and/or drinks !

 

Then you eat meat or maybe fish? Guess what it is also in there and you eat it !

Vegetables? Thailand uses chemicals which are long time forbidden in the western world.

Years (maybe 10 years) ago Thailand wanted to halt those chemicals as well, BUT many protests and I never red anything, 

as follow up, that Thailand stopped with those chemicals.

Enjoy your water melon, as the more red it is, the more glycol could be in it.

 

Palm trees are killed with poison, and chemicals for plants, where does that poison go to? Soil, groundwater.

And that well water is used again for ... drinking water. They get it out in Thailand?

Only with RO or distilling.

All your plastic wrapped food is contaminated with nano, micro plastic.   

You know Thailand, how much plastic you see everyday in your area?

If AI is not destroying us , then plastic will.

9000000 TONS of plastic, EVERY year in the oceans and increasing ! Lets eat fish, it is so healthy.

 

Not long ago they found some drums in the sea with an aureool of light around it.

Chemicals leaking out of drums and reacting with salt water.

Was on yahoo news, they even investigated on what kind of chemicals were in it. Sorry dont know what was in it.

How many of those drums would be in the water? Thats what we did in the past and present.

 

But happy worrying about water in bottles.

 

 

 

 

On 10/2/2025 at 10:25 PM, Harry Tuchas said:

I see people, both locals and foreigners in Thailand, get so worked up over which brand of bottled water everyone should be drinking because it’s “the best of the bunch,” and it’s exhausting. Honestly, I can’t tell the difference between Singha, Crystal, Nestle, Minere, Pura, Namthip, Mont Fleur, Chang, Aura, et al., nor could I give a toss. As long as it’s cold, that’s all that matters.

 

When I first came here, it was mainly Polaris delivery in glass bottles and various brands of 5 Baht water in those big, squishy, frosted, plastic bottles. Now Thailand has moved on from that, and suddenly everyone thinks brand matters.

 

The big packs of Singha used to have an onboard carry strap, which was useful, but that’s gone, so they’ve fallen out of favor. If anything, I just go for Tops house brand. Easier on the wallet and the big bottles are a little thicker and don’t collapse in your hand like some of the others. That’s my only “preference.”

 

Sometimes I wonder if the whole thing is just a bunch of petty snobbery over something as common as H2O.

you goi in ' 1 ' !!

On 10/2/2025 at 5:39 PM, blaze master said:

There is a difference between water that comes in plastic bottles vs the ones in glass. Especially in a hot country like thailand where the water is often left outside in the heat and direct sunlight. 

 

Other than that ya its all the same. 

 

For what it’s worth.  I know someone who worked in the plastics industry. It’s been reported that bottled water contains microplastics that occur in all bottled water in plastic containers.  Water left outside in extreme heat compounds this issue.  That’s why many prefer water in glass bottles.  But I’m no scientist so take this info for what it’s worth.

On 10/3/2025 at 8:07 PM, 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.

you mean the plastic bottles that sit out stacked in the sun all day long ..?      hmmmmmmmm?

Just now, Luuk Chaai said:

you mean the plastic bottles that sit out stacked in the sun all day long ..?      hmmmmmmmm?

 

They are on pallets next to the cashier booth.... no sun there.

Due to the large amount of empty 0.5l plastic bottles that came together week by week, we finally changed to the 0.5l returnable Glas bottles from Singha. The taste is not too bad. Tried to get some information about on how it manufactured but that seems to be top secret, not only at Singha. Only fancy commercial information available, no word about quality and mineral values. Learned that Singha even took water into their sortiment, to be able to run commercials, which are not allowed for alcoholic drinks. We have tried to get some mineral water in glas bottles but it seems not to be available or only very little as not that common in Thailand. Will not stop to search for it because I believe that certain minerals in certain amounts might have better taste and a kind of healthy. Honestly, I hate the heavily filtered fancy water types without any taste, wherefore the companies suggest it comes from any fancy spring in the mountains. I also boycott the manufacturing companies that are involved in scandals keeping the water away from the poor. Water should be available for everybody, secured by human rights but that’s another story.
 

For cooking/ coffee we take the big blue bottles attached to a water dispenser. I worry a little about the water quality coming from the big blue ones, as the big blue bottles we get from time to time are pretty odd and the lids aren’t really closing. Wished the refilling station would consider more about what goes back into the cycle. We indeed care about what we consume, but are certainly limited to that what is available on the market in our rural area. We filter the water coming into our house from the local water providers but we don’t drink it in general. Would be interested to further information to this subject. Thanks to the guy that brought up the subject!

21 hours ago, Luuk Chaai said:

you mean the plastic bottles that sit out stacked in the sun all day long ..?      hmmmmmmmm?

And all the eggs are lovely

On 10/8/2025 at 5:23 PM, Yellowtail said:

What payment is the norm?

This does not appear to have much to do with bottled water however, as I have already said, and will repeat, 15-25k Baht depending on experience, location,  the nature of the work involved, and length of service. In that context some domestics are paid as little as 10-12k Baht in rural areas. 

48 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

This does not appear to have much to do with bottled water however, as I have already said, and will repeat, 15-25k Baht depending on experience, location,  the nature of the work involved, and length of service. In that context some domestics are paid as little as 10-12k Baht in rural areas. 

yeah, I heard you the first time. 

46 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

yeah, I heard you the first time. 

For reasons best known to yourself you asked the same question a second time  Anyway, enough. Have a nice day.

4 hours ago, Thingamabob said:

For reasons best known to yourself you asked the same question a second time  Anyway, enough. Have a nice day.

No, I did not ask a second time.

 

You have an incredibly wonderful say. 

On 10/8/2025 at 8:16 PM, xtrnuno41 said:

https://vu.nl/en/news/2024/micro-and-nanoplastics-in-human-blood-detected-again

 

So no matter, how clean the water is, best is distilled or RO water, but you put it into plastic bottles.

Nano and micro parts are there, which you drink and end up in your blood system.

So if those particles then end up in narrow veins, it starts blockade. AND your brain has a lot of little veins.

SHort time long time, you could end up with brain attacks.

SO glass containers are better.distilled or RO water.

 

Also with plastic, they use plastic softners, which can and will dissolve in the water, bringing up extra chemicals in your body.

So again glass containers are best.

But if you put "dirty "water in it, you have again problems. So quality of water is important. 

If you use resin filter a lot goes out, but still can contain some chemicals.

RO and distilled water still the best, Every thing is out, Both cost a lot of energy to make real clean water.

So about water in bottles, then you have the question, what kind of water is used for soda, beer, alcohol or any kind of processed food used.

They have already found micro, nano plastic in beer and probably other food and/or drinks !

 

Then you eat meat or maybe fish? Guess what it is also in there and you eat it !

Vegetables? Thailand uses chemicals which are long time forbidden in the western world.

Years (maybe 10 years) ago Thailand wanted to halt those chemicals as well, BUT many protests and I never red anything, 

as follow up, that Thailand stopped with those chemicals.

Enjoy your water melon, as the more red it is, the more glycol could be in it.

 

Palm trees are killed with poison, and chemicals for plants, where does that poison go to? Soil, groundwater.

And that well water is used again for ... drinking water. They get it out in Thailand?

Only with RO or distilling.

All your plastic wrapped food is contaminated with nano, micro plastic.   

You know Thailand, how much plastic you see everyday in your area?

If AI is not destroying us , then plastic will.

9000000 TONS of plastic, EVERY year in the oceans and increasing ! Lets eat fish, it is so healthy.

 

Not long ago they found some drums in the sea with an aureool of light around it.

Chemicals leaking out of drums and reacting with salt water.

Was on yahoo news, they even investigated on what kind of chemicals were in it. Sorry dont know what was in it.

How many of those drums would be in the water? Thats what we did in the past and present.

 

But happy worrying about water in bottles.

 

 

 

 

Might be 'clean', but RO water does little for the body hydration wise, since it is devoid of minerals. We did not evolve that way. Routinely gulp it after sweating a lot here and you'll cause issues. Regards plastics in the bloodstream, I think we all have bigger problems from the likes of sugar, food additives, pollution, smoking, alcohol etc etc, but each to their own.

I think op mentioned there is no difference between the brands and it is snobbish to choose one over the other. Whatever. Personally think there is huge difference and while I couldn't give a monkeys what label is on the bottle, there are clear distinctions. Example; I find Aura nourishing, while Nestle is gopping, tastes of chlorine and makes me more thirsty. Of the big sized ones, Minere (touted as mineral) is decent and has a neutral taste. Again, each to their own.

Apologies for hitting an old thread.

9 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Might be 'clean', but RO water does little for the body hydration wise, since it is devoid of minerals. We did not evolve that way. Routinely gulp it after sweating a lot here and you'll cause issues. Regards plastics in the bloodstream, I think we all have bigger problems from the likes of sugar, food additives, pollution, smoking, alcohol etc etc, but each to their own.

I think op mentioned there is no difference between the brands and it is snobbish to choose one over the other. Whatever. Personally think there is huge difference and while I couldn't give a monkeys what label is on the bottle, there are clear distinctions. Example; I find Aura nourishing, while Nestle is gopping, tastes of chlorine and makes me more thirsty. Of the big sized ones, Minere (touted as mineral) is decent and has a neutral taste. Again, each to their own.

Apologies for hitting an old thread.

With the water, you, so, should check on what is in it. If you have good water then minerals are put back in.

However it is said by food you can balance, but ok then you have to eat and you are not all time eating when thirsty.

If you do right then you have mineral supplements with the water.

With gulping water in , it seems you also have to be aware, as you can drink yourself to death, drinking water !

Was flabbergasted reading that.

With the use of plastic and we use it a lot, plastic is a big worry. You dont put on weight, but is in your bloodstream.

Micro- , nano parts, very tiny particles ! Once there it will not get out and only piles up.

And the plastic is in everything, also your food. So built up can go very fast (?), you will notice when you drop down at one point or start to get other functional problems. Maybe obesitas? Tell me, what is happening with plastic in brains?

Maybe Trump and others have enough to act like they are doing now?

The worst plastic is the PFAS group, which almost dont break down.

Or do you use microscope to get it out your food?

Maybe the plastics change your brains, your body functions and its working wrong way.

Food? I cant eat peanut butter, eggs (yellow), red meat, processed food (additives) as I develop cancer then.

Reheat vegetables, especially form leaves like spinach and you will have nitrates, in body changed to nitrites, which cause cancer !

Even I cant walk in the sunlight, same problem, but need to for vitamin D. And the browner you get , the more time you need for vitamine D.

Once ordered garlic granulate, love garlic, but was substance in it and they had lowered the limit (official) of the substance in it.

I had to send it back. Checked on substance and it turned out, it was used in everything, in products and already had it all my live !

Pesticides, fungicides and more of that, it is on your food. I mentioned Thailand and its use of it.

Whats up dock, have a carrot !

Yha , right. In mean time I was working my life in a factory, breathing in allylchloride, epichloorhydrine and other substances.

Im , knock on wood , still alive. OK smoking now for 53 years and I love my whisky in the evening.

Now they say you must lower the use of headsets, music. As substance is bisphenol A and causes problems, cancer.

Ah, thats what we also made. Your car parts (fi dashboard) are made with it as wel.

Lithium, it is a poison, however also a medicine and now they say Li could be good for brain, fighting Parkinson and dementia (Alzheimer). Medicine for people with brain issues as AD/HD and border line and so on. And doses are quite high for those patients.

So when it is a medicine and when it is a poison?

It is with all medicine, like that. So called site effects. Working one way and could be breaking down other way. I mention statines, helping for lowering cholesterol, but could have a real destroying effect on other things, like not being able to walk anymore ! I got terrible headaches on left side brain and that after a year of taking it.

Doc said "migraine", but by own experiment (stopped with it) that was the problem. They tried others on me, but only got worse.

So decided and told doc, to stuf it in a place where the sun doesnt shine . I red many things about negativity of statines.

Never the less they give it, as medicine. More doc's are anti statines, but it is a billion $ business.

To make it a little weirder, there was a pee "guru" on tv, everyday he drunk his own pee and also put it on his skin!

He said it was healthy for him ! You can train your brains to that?

The human brain, body is complicated instrument and it is unique.

We are all somehow changing due to chemicals? Or for that matter radio waves? Evolution?

My wife is a water connoisseur in that she only drinks Evian. She must go through at least 12 bottles a week. That’s fine; it’s her thing . For me, I only care about the taste. Can I taste the difference? Yes, but really only between bottled/filtered water and mineral waters.. within the mineral water spectrum, i honestly can’t say i can immediately identify the various labels. My only thing with the water is that I have to take it cool to cold - not room temperature/warm. If it’s warm to like warm the minerals become “bitter” to take on a more unpleasant metallic-like after taste.

7 minutes ago, new2here said:

My wife is a water connoisseur in that she only drinks Evian. She must go through at least 12 bottles a week. That’s fine; it’s her thing . For me, I only care about the taste. Can I taste the difference? Yes, but really only between bottled/filtered water and mineral waters.. within the mineral water spectrum, i honestly can’t say i can immediately identify the various labels. My only thing with the water is that I have to take it cool to cold - not room temperature/warm. If it’s warm to like warm the minerals become “bitter” to take on a more unpleasant metallic-like after taste.

That Evian tastes nasty to me, Voss has a much cleaner taste.

2 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

That Evian tastes nasty to me, Voss has a much cleaner taste.

I think for her, that’s what she’s known and has been what mom/dad bought and drank, therefore what she sticks with.. for me, I’ve had Voss (If available I like the sparking water as it gives me the soda like feeling without the sugars) but since my wife is an Evian fan, I drink it too … for simplicity alone.. and as I

said earlier, I really can’t honestly say that when served cool/cold, that i can truly identify X label over Y label across the mineral water group.

Been perfectly happy with the local water delivery service; they come every couple of weeks and pick up and replace the empties, currently Bht15 for 20 litres.

8 hours ago, new2here said:

My wife is a water connoisseur in that she only drinks Evian. She must go through at least 12 bottles a week. That’s fine; it’s her thing . For me, I only care about the taste. Can I taste the difference? Yes, but really only between bottled/filtered water and mineral waters.. within the mineral water spectrum, i honestly can’t say i can immediately identify the various labels. My only thing with the water is that I have to take it cool to cold - not room temperature/warm. If it’s warm to like warm the minerals become “bitter” to take on a more unpleasant metallic-like after taste.

Now put other water in a Evian bottle, see if your wife recognize.

Seen a test on tv with wine and wine "experts". Guess what, the cheapest wine was the best.

On 10/2/2025 at 10:25 PM, Harry Tuchas said:

I just go for Tops house brand. Easier on the wallet and the big bottles are a little thicker and don’t collapse in your hand like some of the others. That’s my only “preference.

Yes.

I, too, appreciate the slightly increased wall-thickness of the water packaging material from Tops.

A decent price, as well.

In addition, I refill them from Glacier bottled water which is delivered to me in 20-liter jugs.

The Tops bottle caps do not leak.

It does matter the brand of local water company choice, however.

I have seen some company's refilling out of the tap, and using unhygenic methods to "clean" the recycled jugs before sending to a different customer.