Chiang Mai moat water 'safe' for Songkran

[webfact]

Chiang Mai moat water 'safe' for Songkran
By Digital Content



CHIANG MAI, April 9 – Water in the moat that surrounds ancient areas of this northern provincial capital is safe for local residents and tourists who wish to take part in water splashing activities in the upcoming Songkran holiday.

Chiang Mai Mayor Tassanai Buranupakorn on Wednesday led a team of officials to inspect water quality in Chiang Mai’s ancient city area, which is the most popular spot for water splashing here.

Water chlorination has been completed as the final step in the water treatment process. The moat was earlier drained, then a lime substance (calcium oxide) was added to kill germs before the water was released back into the moat.

Relevant agencies have helped improve water quality since February this year. Water samples wee collected regularly for laboratory tests to ensure that it is safe for tourists planning to take part in the festivities.

The Provincial Waterworks Authority prepared to install 13 water-vending machines at five locations in the municipality's downtown make it easy for those wanting to join in the water splashing festivities.

Mr Tassanai reaffirmed that while the moat water is now safe for use in water splashing both Thai and international tourists should avoid drinking moat water or soaking in the moat for a long time and should stay away from deep spots to prevent drowning. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-04-09

[JoePai]

Should say "avoid ingesting the lumpy brown bits"

[StevieH]

"Water samples wee collected regularly".

some typo that.

[Costas2008]

Where did the Chinese tourists go?

[MESmith]

Where did the Chinese tourists go?

Home?

[dave2]

re

Where did the Chinese tourists go?

you stupid boy

the two chinese little lovelies got out of dodge in

a tuk tuk just after the monks had their parade at thaphae

gate this morning !

just joshin .. dave2

[scotinsiam]

Stay away from deep spots to prevent drowning..........thats geat advice. Out of curiosity where are the deep spots

[Rob8891]

Who on earth could possibly believe that that thick green mess is safe for anything? "The moat was drained" ....What - all of it? Yeah, right!

Been there, seen it, done it and still have stains in the t-shirt from last year. The late lamented theblether ingested some of that crap and he was seriously ill for five days. The poor beggar was like a demented catherine wheel ....Nothing will persuade me that the rat-infested, chinese toilet is suddenly safe.

This year, I'm getting out of Dodge until the idiots pack up their water guns and go home.

Bah humbug

[naboo]

The mayor has said its safe, so its safe.

Edited April 9, 2014 by naboo

[slapout]

The draining mentioned may have left a little residual liquid in the bottom of the moat, but trust him, he has no dog in this fight.

[HughJass]

does anybody know why all the carp have been dying in the park lake opposite the mental hospital....I asked the guy who was fishing out the dead bodies last week and he said they died because of "bad water".......on leaving I noticed this bad water was being emptied via a sluice gate into the moat across the way

[khwaibah]

Still being used for bathing by locals as of Monday after noon.

[Rimbuman]

What a jokers, this water is just as dirty as they'll find in an average BKK klong. Every Chiang mai resident knows about this report coming out because it was in the news and it's done every year. I know and many more including Thai know that they are idiots, that's not new, but the funny part is more that they maintain to take them selves serious

[stephenterry]

Whatever, I do not propose to go anywhere near the moat. Come to think of it - what good does it do anyway? A breeding place for mozzies?

[ggt]

The moat water is safe...just try not to drink any! You are not serious...just kidding...right...? Do Not believe this...use moat water at your own risk...could not be more than hundreds of potential diseases possible...

[WinnieTheKhwai]

does anybody know why all the carp have been dying in the park lake opposite the mental hospital....I asked the guy who was fishing out the dead bodies last week and he said they died because of "bad water".......on leaving I noticed this bad water was being emptied via a sluice gate into the moat across the way

I can't believe some of these posts. People have been celebrating Songkran with the available water happily for decades, even before measurements and water treatment was being done.

Secondly, the moat is of course not as bad as a Bangkok khlong. An example of something as bad as a Bangkok khlong would be the Mae Kha canal that flows North to South in between the old town and the river (along Kamphaeng Din). THAT is as bad as a Bangkok khlong and it is -of course- not used for Songkran festivities. The reason it's as bad as a Bangkok khlong is because there are actually houses and businesses next to it that dump waste water into it. As opposed to the moat, which doesn't have houses and businesses next to it. Also, a moat is not a khlong, by definition.

Everyone is either talking out of their HughJass, or you're all just not very fond of Songkran and just enjoy a good rant while shaking your walking stick.

Edited April 10, 2014 by WinnieTheKhwai

[seedy]

I ride beside the moat daily. When the wind is right, and the sprinklers are going, spray hits me in the face.

The smell of this tells me that this water is not safe for human consumption, external or internal.

[slapout]

My only comment s are, 16,000 Chiang Mai residents were reported to have been admited to hospitals during the recent pollution, of the part of the atmosphere that we in and exhale, has been going for years, but it does/can adversely affect health, do you drink the Chiang Mai tap water which is deemed safe? The area along the moat is acknowledged as a rat habitat, the moat itself a outdoor restroom/bath for humans and there is a record of skin rashes, eye infection and worse for some of those exposed to its water. Like the lady said ''up to you''

[Ulysses G.]

Everyone is either talking out of their HughJass, or you're all just not very fond of Songkran and just enjoy a good rant while shaking your walking stick.

Listen sonny!

[Sparkles]

does anybody know why all the carp have been dying in the park lake opposite the mental hospital....I asked the guy who was fishing out the dead bodies last week and he said they died because of "bad water".......on leaving I noticed this bad water was being emptied via a sluice gate into the moat across the way

I can't believe some of these posts. People have been celebrating Songkran with the available water happily for decades, even before measurements and water treatment was being done.

Secondly, the moat is of course not as bad as a Bangkok khlong. An example of something as bad as a Bangkok khlong would be the Mae Kha canal that flows North to South in between the old town and the river (along Kamphaeng Din). THAT is as bad as a Bangkok khlong and it is -of course- not used for Songkran festivities. The reason it's as bad as a Bangkok khlong is because there are actually houses and businesses next to it that dump waste water into it. As opposed to the moat, which doesn't have houses and businesses next to it. Also, a moat is not a khlong, by definition.

Everyone is either talking out of their HughJass, or you're all just not very fond of Songkran and just enjoy a good rant while shaking your walking stick.

So the moat water is not as bad as a Bangkok klong or the Mae Kha canal well that's a relief Do you really think if it was above an acceptable safe standard the information would be made public ?Not only loss of face this is CM's biggest event of the year and will keep the tills ticking over before the low season kicks in.

[cooked]

So, according to the original report, no problem if we spray this water over the mayor and his family to initiate the festivities?

[MESmith]

So, according to the original report, no problem if we spray this water over the mayor and his family to initiate the festivities?

Spray the mayor? No way, chuck him in, followed by dear Winnie. It's swimming pool quality, didn't you know

[Cow San Load]

"Water chlorination has been completed as the final step in the water treatment process"

chlorine and fish results in dead fish. so all the fish that get fed at Tha Pae gate are no more? pity, feeding the fish was one of the very few enjoyable activity that still was allowed to exit in chiang mai

Edited April 30, 2014 by Cow San Load

[dave2]

re

chlorine and fish results in dead fish. so all the fish that get fed at Tha Pae gate are no more?

nahhh ... i saw people still feeding the fish there last week

dave2

ps .. pic taken three years ago !

[Cow San Load]

re

chlorine and fish results in dead fish. so all the fish that get fed at Tha Pae gate are no more?

nahhh ... i saw people still feeding the fish there last week

dave2

ps .. pic taken three years ago !

ok thanks, will just write it off as more of the same never ending BS from the (thai ) media.