drinking water machines is it a big scam

[opalred]

my wife was getting drinking water out of machines near house till i watched machines over time people would come regular to empty machines of money

i have never seen on both machines anyone over past 12mts change filter or clean maybe clean middle night// or have best filters in world // or no filters

or maybe have super secret filters western world dont know about yet also how was it everyone drank town water and never hurt anyone years ago

but through scare tatics the largest companys in the world now own the bottle water industry coke cola pepsi chang singa cheers allan

[DP25]

I don't know how often they are changed, I suppose it depends on the individual owner. The water from the machines I have used tastes a lot better than straight tap water, so it must be doing something. It's only one baht per litre, not much of a scam to me

[opalred]

i grew up on oz water and beer still going strong after 70yrs with all working parts working stronglleee cheers allan

[HeijoshinCool]

From a post I made a few days ago:

Just yesterday I'm sitting at a mom & pop, who have a water dispensing machine out front. The "technician" came to change the filter. The one he was to put in was snow white. The one he removed was black, with green splotches growing here and there.

I asked him how many liters between changes?

He said, every six months.

[namdocmai]

The filters for the purifyers are expensive. The ingredients for those filters are sold in bulk at Homepro the problem is you can't open the filtercartridge and change the content easy.

I m waiting for imitation filters that will fit in the purifyers but i can't find them. How do the Thai do that? They buy those expensive filters every 6 months?

My filter on the fridge has to be changed every 6 months and then an alarmlight on the display burn. I just reset the alarmlight without changing the filter.

Do you guys change all the filters in the waterpurifyer every 6 months or so?

[Pomthai]

We've got an under sink one. As soon as the flow rate drops or it tastes funny, I'll change the filters. Been about a year since we've had it. I'm still alive. Spare filter that came with it is still in the cupboard.

[Beetlejuice]

We have always had our water delivered from a local drinking water company in 20 litre bottles that cost 1 baht per litre. The price has not increased since the last 12 years, maybe longer.

I often ask my wife where does that water come from? But she doesn`t have a clue.

So far none of us have suffered any ill affects from that water and I have concluded, it`s best not to delve too far into this or ask too many questions otherwise I maybe shocked as to what I discover.

This is Thailand, you pay your money and hope for the best and for those who have concerns probably your safest bet is to buy the bottled water from a store.

Edited June 26, 2014 by Beetlejuice

[thaicookingchef]

If your condo management is not a bunch of monkeys they will make sure that the filter is changed often enough.

Of course if you refil in the street you are the monkey,

Anyway bottled mineral water is better for health and still cheap.

[cooked]

I believe that you can at least clean the filter on some models. I can't see the point of buying filter water that isn't filtered properly, but in the cities people don't have much choice. We have rain water, if it runs out the authorities come around with a truck. There have been scandals about bottled water in Europe so why should Thailand be any better?.

[sustento]

Time to don that tinfoil hat...

[blaaack mama]

we could tell you the facts but then the health professional would set about to screw us to. happy hospitals to you.

[h90]

The filters for the purifyers are expensive. The ingredients for those filters are sold in bulk at Homepro the problem is you can't open the filtercartridge and change the content easy.

I m waiting for imitation filters that will fit in the purifyers but i can't find them. How do the Thai do that? They buy those expensive filters every 6 months?

My filter on the fridge has to be changed every 6 months and then an alarmlight on the display burn. I just reset the alarmlight without changing the filter.

Do you guys change all the filters in the waterpurifyer every 6 months or so?

I don't know for these filters, but usually for all kind of filters which are expensive there are bootleg options: copied filters. Filter housings that can be opened, etc, etc.

[craigt3365]

2 years after national regulation, 20% of Pattaya drinking-water machines still contaminated with bacteria

PATTAYA:--More than two years after national public-health officials began regulating drinking-water vending machines, Pattaya still has not cleaned up its dispensers, with more than 200 providing below-standard water.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/654782-2-years-after-national-regulation-20-of-pattaya-drinking-water-machines-still-contaminated-with-ba/

Vending water not up to standards: Health Dept

Published on March 23, 2011

Only 70 per cent of bottled water and drinking water from vending machines has passed quality standards set by the Department of Health, director-general Dr Somyos Deerasamee said Wednesday.

"The problem lies with contamination. Contaminants include heavy metals and bacteria," he said.

Contaminated water causes various diseases including diarrhoea and typhoid, he said.

Only 40 per cent of water from waterutility services, artesian wells, rain and shallow wells passed the department's quality requirements, he said.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/Vending-water-not-up-to-standards-Health-Dept-30151645.html

Bubpa Songsakulchai, a Pattaya Sanitation Office researcher, told legislators Aug. 26 that random tests on water-vending machines in South Pattaya had turned up five dispensers on Soi Day Night with Enterobacteriaceae bacteria, which includes Salmonella and E.Coli. These coliform bacteria are almost exclusively of fecal origin.

http://www.pattayamail.com/localnews/regulations-governing-water-dispensing-machines-drips-toward-enactment-9114

[opalred]

bloody hell??? those findings shocking imagine the private machines located in the back streets must be really feral now have good excuse to drink more beer

cheers allan

[blaaack mama]

it is fortunate there was a chinese laundry near by

and

contamination-fear

Edited June 27, 2014 by blaaack mama

[h90]

bloody hell??? those findings shocking imagine the private machines located in the back streets must be really feral now have good excuse to drink more beer

cheers allan

the beer in Thailand also tastes dirty....black label or vodka would be clean....but all the time against the thirst?

[opalred]

my beer advertise made from pure clean water they pump it from moat canal cm cheers allan

[morrobay]

See Reverse Osmosis that some of these machines say they use. Its not technically a filtration.

[Mentors]

All Thais i know just use it for cooking and not drinking. Says all...

[apetley]

We have always had our water delivered from a local drinking water company in 20 litre bottles that cost 1 baht per litre. The price has not increased since the last 12 years, maybe longer.

I often ask my wife where does that water come from? But she doesn`t have a clue.

So far none of us have suffered any ill affects from that water and I have concluded, it`s best not to delve too far into this or ask too many questions otherwise I maybe shocked as to what I discover.

This is Thailand, you pay your money and hope for the best and for those who have concerns probably your safest bet is to buy the bottled water from a store.

The water in those big 20 litre bottles is from the municipal supply that goes through an additional filtering process. The good news is that it is in the suppliers interest to change the filters regularly to keep his customers because if they are anything like my wife they'll lose her custom in a flash if the taste goes off.

Ours are 12bht delivered or 7bht collected btw.

[canarysun]

Hello Viewers!

Well i thought i would " re-boot " this topic !!

After living in Thailand for more than 3 years i have been drinking the water from these machines for about a year. One machine gave me " Sickness & Gandi's revenge " for 7 days continuously! I asked the lady who rents the machine how often she changed the filter ( she said she didn't know...) Many of these machines they do NOT change the filters as it will " eat away at there profits " ( you know how obsessed some of the Thai's can be about " money " ...) Most Pharmacies that i have been into recently do NOT recommend to drink the water from these machines as they are " riddled with bacteria ". I personally will now not even boil it to make a " cup of coffee " ( Birdy 3 in 1 ) ......

Be careful Viewers!

Farang Jaidee

[opalred]

i think a lot of tvf members take there water from the machines as you see all sh.t on forums

[HeijoshinCool]

.

Back in June I'm sitting at a mom & pop restaurant in Pongsaket. They have a water dispensing machine out front. The "technician" came to change the filter. The one he was to put in was snow white. The one he removed was black, with squishy green splotches growing here and there.

I asked him how many liters between changes?

He said, every six months.

[canarysun]

I was told that the filters cost about 800 baht to change.But I don't know if it is true!? My stomach must have " more algae than a tropical fish tank ".... F.J

[Digitalnomade]

If you get diarrhoea, change machine And see if it s better. I drink water from these machines and some send me to toilet everyday. You need to test them by yourself. Bacteria is not so bad, it trains your immune system to fight. After a few years, you body will be strong like a tiny Thai lady.

Look at color and taste.

Edited September 7, 2014 by Digitalnomade

[tubby johnson]

Buy a good water filter and install it at home. Simple. Mine cost 28,000 Baht, but it tastes great.

[canarysun]

The best water I ever tasted was the spring water high up in the mountains of Aviemore (Scotland) straight from the stream.The water in Thailand from the 1 baht a little water machines is more like drinking from " The River Nile "....

[sipi]

You'll be fine. If they start taking body-bags away I'd worry. How many people get sick drinking water from machines? Very few.

[bartender100]

I only use it for cooking, yesterday I boiled some potatoes in it and they tasted fusty, when I checked the water i had just got from the machine in the condo lobby it was the same. That's the last time I will use water from machines

I saw open open once, there is a large water container in the base of the machine maybe 40 liters, if this is storing un-chilled water it would have to be cleaned very regularly or slime would build up IMHO

[canarysun]

Hello Viewers!

Well after using these water machines and being " hideously ill " ( a slow process may i add..... ) with my stomach " riddled with bacteria " I now purchase my water in 20 L ( approx ) containers for 15 baht each container.

I attach a recent photo of myself holding these water containers for " The world to see " and available all over Thailand....

Have a nice day Viewers!

Farang Jaidee