Tap water in Thailand safe to drink: PWA

[stoli]

Being from the states, and drinking tap water all of my life, is one thing. My question now is what is "The World Standard for Drinking Water". I would like to know comparisons of parts per million for every bacteria that is allowed for a world standard, versus what I grew up with.

Edited August 14, 2014 by stoli

[Johnnie99]

It's safe when it leaves it's place of origin but not always when it come out of the tap. If it was safe Thais would not spend money on bottled water and expensive filters.

I just adore your sentence "If it was safe Thais would not spend money on bottled water and expensive filters."

[timmyp]

A couple of years ago I read an article saying the same, that the water in Bangkok was clean enough to drink.

I know we all scoff at that claim, but we don't really have reason to other than our own prejudices (well, I'm excluding you people who say that your tap water is coming out brown).

I got a cheap filter at my house, and I have been using that for 3 years with no problem... I just got the filter because everyone, foreigners and Thais alike, say that the tap water is unhealthy, despite the government claims.

Although the tap water might be as clean as the gov claims, I imagine there are lots of problems with the pipes and water seeping in during heavy rains. That is to say that the water may be clean at the processing plant, but lots can happen to it before it reaches my sink.

I find it a bit surprising that poorer Thai people will still opt to buy water rather than drink from the tap, considering the relative cost of water. Perhaps it's because they know the water is bad, or perhaps it's because they hold the same prejudices against their own country that foreigners also hold? Perhaps they think that only the poorest of the poor drink from the tap, and they don't want to be associated with the folks at the bottom of the economic ladder?

OK, I'VE DECIDED TO BE THE GUINEA PIG! I'M GOING TO DRINK THE TAP WATER RIGHT NOW, AND CONTINUE DRINKING IT FOR 3 DAYS. I'll just bypass my home filter. I live in a cheap apartment near Victory Monument on the 5th floor. I'll post my results...

No joking here... I might stat a new thread about this.

[Lupatria]

Let these clowns drink 10 liters of it and sign their stupid statement again,- even with cramps sitting on the squatter for one hour.

[MrBanks]

We live in a village 18 km out from Pattaya, we have have government water and a bore hole. The supply of government water was often dirty (brown) or cloudy.

I finally installed quite a large water filter system and now just use the water from the bore hole for the household chores and showering.

I bought a machine that takes the humidity from the air and produces drinking water, cost approx. 30,000 baht, we use this water for drinking and cooking. The humidity in Thailand is so high that in 24 months we have never had a shortage of drinking water from this method.

We have a couple of fish ponds that we filled and top up with the bore hole water, never had a problem.

My wife and I never drink the tap water and we would only switch the government water back on if we had some sort of breakage with the borehole.

[Basil B]

A couple of years ago I read an article saying the same, that the water in Bangkok was clean enough to drink.

I know we all scoff at that claim, but we don't really have reason to other than our own prejudices (well, I'm excluding you people who say that your tap water is coming out brown).

I got a cheap filter at my house, and I have been using that for 3 years with no problem... I just got the filter because everyone, foreigners and Thais alike, say that the tap water is unhealthy, despite the government claims.

Although the tap water might be as clean as the gov claims, I imagine there are lots of problems with the pipes and water seeping in during heavy rains. That is to say that the water may be clean at the processing plant, but lots can happen to it before it reaches my sink.

I find it a bit surprising that poorer Thai people will still opt to buy water rather than drink from the tap, considering the relative cost of water. Perhaps it's because they know the water is bad, or perhaps it's because they hold the same prejudices against their own country that foreigners also hold? Perhaps they think that only the poorest of the poor drink from the tap, and they don't want to be associated with the folks at the bottom of the economic ladder?

OK, I'VE DECIDED TO BE THE GUINEA PIG! I'M GOING TO DRINK THE TAP WATER RIGHT NOW, AND CONTINUE DRINKING IT FOR 3 DAYS. I'll just bypass my home filter. I live in a cheap apartment near Victory Monument on the 5th floor. I'll post my results...

No joking here... I might stat a new thread about this.

Well if we do not hear from you... RIP

[Assurancetourix]

in hua hin can buy 20 litre bottles for 20 baht each

i caught them filling them up with tap water

Expensive...

In Sakon Nakhon province we pay 5 baht for a 18,9 liter tank .

[Pimay1]

The Provincial Waterworks Authority has reiterated that tap water in Thailand is safe to drink and its production is in line with the World Health Organisation (WHO) standard.

No one can say Thais don't have a sense of humor. Due to the wind factor I keep the front door proped open with a five gallon bucket full of tap water. After one week the water is totally green and you can't see the bottom of the bucket. After two weeks the water is totally black.

[lostinisaan]

Thailand-----------------------------

The Hub of Lies and Whys.Not Wais.

[Pimay1]

A couple of years ago I read an article saying the same, that the water in Bangkok was clean enough to drink.

I know we all scoff at that claim, but we don't really have reason to other than our own prejudices (well, I'm excluding you people who say that your tap water is coming out brown).

I got a cheap filter at my house, and I have been using that for 3 years with no problem... I just got the filter because everyone, foreigners and Thais alike, say that the tap water is unhealthy, despite the government claims.

Although the tap water might be as clean as the gov claims, I imagine there are lots of problems with the pipes and water seeping in during heavy rains. That is to say that the water may be clean at the processing plant, but lots can happen to it before it reaches my sink.

I find it a bit surprising that poorer Thai people will still opt to buy water rather than drink from the tap, considering the relative cost of water. Perhaps it's because they know the water is bad, or perhaps it's because they hold the same prejudices against their own country that foreigners also hold? Perhaps they think that only the poorest of the poor drink from the tap, and they don't want to be associated with the folks at the bottom of the economic ladder?

OK, I'VE DECIDED TO BE THE GUINEA PIG! I'M GOING TO DRINK THE TAP WATER RIGHT NOW, AND CONTINUE DRINKING IT FOR 3 DAYS. I'll just bypass my home filter. I live in a cheap apartment near Victory Monument on the 5th floor. I'll post my results...

No joking here... I might stat a new thread about this.

I hope you have a will.

[Prof3934]

Why do the authorities make these rubbish statements, when everyone in Thailand, both the locals and farangs can quite easily see all the debris and filth in the tap water?

I have only just switched on one of my water taps, and called my Thai wife to watch the thick brown water coming out of it for abou 4-5 minutes.

And then, I open up this evening's news to read that ridiculous statement. Who is supposed to agree with it and congratulate the water authority morons telling us this?

[Old Man River]

How many brush their teeth with tap water?

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[mike324]

Where I live tap water often have strong smell of chemicals such as chlorine.

[DrTuner]

OK, I'VE DECIDED TO BE THE GUINEA PIG! I'M GOING TO DRINK THE TAP WATER RIGHT NOW, AND CONTINUE DRINKING IT FOR 3 DAYS. I'll just bypass my home filter. I live in a cheap apartment near Victory Monument on the 5th floor. I'll post my results...

If you don't post your results, RIP.

[sirocco]

cold Singha,

in HUA HIN, with 4 baht, you can have five and a half liters of water from the vending machine.

[wilcopops]

Mmmmm. Looks like a lot of the deniers don't have any evidence or knowledge to back themselves up.

I must say, although I've heard this many times before, I remain skeptical....... Partly because as this applies to mains waterwater, many people aree not actually on the mains....even in places like Pattaya.

Furthermore it occurs to me that getting the water from the mains and actually using it in a private house involves a lot of its and buts (and butts!)

Couple this with large outside storage tanks and I start to lose confidence.

One is left wondering why they keep saying this........very few native Thai people ever believe this.

On the other hand ALL tapped water has bacteria wherever you are, it isn't a matter of getting rid completely but just keeping them down to levelsbwhere they don't cause problems

PS - don't even clean my teeth with tap water.

Edited August 14, 2014 by wilcopops

[Don Aleman]

JUST HOW DOES ONE GO ABOUT " INSPECTING THEIR PIPES " ?

[manhood]

The Provincial Waterworks Authority come up with the most crazy news i heard for long now!

But yes they all want to show how effictive they are doing their work!

Yes kill Thailands people by spreak out this news: not any analyses are shown and proofed !!!!!!!!

why not go public with the analyses!

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

After PWA changed the leaking water pipes (Blue PVC pipes) we had brown water for a week, now after one month we get clearer water but with big black flakes mixed with it, clogged the washing machine filter after some days. Non of the locals are drinking this water and to go out and say that its safe is just crazy! Do they want to reduce the population of the country or what is this about?

[Krataiboy]

When I first retired to Bangkok in 2010 I lived with my then Thai GF and her family.

I drank tap water, often boiled in coffee or tea, for 6 months.

No problems.

Then I realized my Thai family usually drank bottled water. They had a hot water container which boiled the water the bought in bottles in the market.

They only used that water for drinking water. Tap water was not for drinking, only for washing.

So, frankly, I did what the Thais were doing ..... using bottled water for drinking and boiling that water before I drank it.

maybe that was overkill, but I just followed the Thais I saw doing that.

I mean what to do I know, I'm just a dumb Farang anyhow.

You mean they didn't warn you against drinking the tap water? Nice.

[rob2013]

I switched from bottled water (Crystal) to using the communal water filter in my condo which I know has regular maintenance. Maybe its just placebo, but I'm sure that my gut is healthier since I switched.

Does anyone know of a home kit you can use to test the water? Just for curiosities sake.

[chainarong]

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It might be "safe" when it leaves the plants, but by the time it goes through all those crappy, rusty, gungy pipes that are in place before finally emerging from the taps, I'd dispute how "safe" it is to drink . . .

I just can not believe this sh!!t, I use UV machine.

[BusyB]

When I first retired to Bangkok in 2010 I lived with my then Thai GF and her family.

I drank tap water, often boiled in coffee or tea, for 6 months.

No problems.

Then I realized my Thai family usually drank bottled water. They had a hot water container which boiled the water the bought in bottles in the market.

They only used that water for drinking water. Tap water was not for drinking, only for washing.

So, frankly, I did what the Thais were doing ..... using bottled water for drinking and boiling that water before I drank it.

maybe that was overkill, but I just followed the Thais I saw doing that.

I mean what to do I know, I'm just a dumb Farang anyhow.

Yeah, same here. I think I'll let others try this first and wait for the posts.

[balo]

I have been drinking tap water in Bangkok two times , by accident . Both times I feared the worst but I had no problems at all. I think its good news that PWA tells us its safe to drink tap water . But I would install a filter just to be on the safe side.

[ratcatcher]

Best lie of the year. We German have the best water. Thai always talk and pretend....

Wasser you talking about?

http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/magazine/jun11/purest_drinking_water.asp

[lovetotravel]

Sure, let's run that river water through a carbon filter, add a bit of chlorine, and all is well?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/571167-just-one-fifth-of-wastewater-in-thailand-is-being-treated/

Just one-fifth of wastewater is being treated

BANGKOK: -- Nearly half of the country's existing wastewater-treatment facilities have run into problems, and at present capacity, just one fifth of Thailand's wastewater is being treated.

"Every day, communities, factories and farms release 14.8 million cubic metres of wastewater," Pollution Control Department director general Wichien Jungrungruang said. "Of that amount, only 3.2 million goes into the proper treatment systems."

Wichien said that Bt83 billion has been spent on the construction of 101 wastewatertreatment plants. Construction on 91 of those has already been completed, but 20 are not working properly.

"Some parts of the systems are malfunctioning," Wichien said.

[Pii Kate]

This message is brought to you by your local emergency room. So I say to Mr. Water authority, you go first.

[SupermarineS6B]

Well, just when you thought you'd heard all the stupidity possible in La La Land, they come up with this little beauty. After becoming extremely ill in Thailand from drinking water (Boiled i might add) i've spent the last two and a half years taking all kinds of medication to repair the damage to my gut, with the consequential damage to my immune system. I had a very intelligent conversation with a Thai Dr who was an enviromentalist, he warned me not to even bother with the (Nam Papa) water authority as they don't know what they are doing, infact he said they were bloody lucky that Thames water from Britain set up the plants as it would be even worse than it is now. Of course this man asked me not to quote him as he knew the consequences of telling the truth. If anybody believes the BS that this lot are peddling, you'll be in serious danger. I'm a Seaman and i've drank, swimmed in, been covered in all kinds of chemicals, but nothing has damaged me as much as Thai water........ (Serious)

[borrfors]

Safe to drink tap water in Thailand!

I would certanly NOT recommend it. But if you want to spend most of your time on the toilet (or in worse scenarios, at the infection clinic in your local hopsital...) just go ahead and drink it.

Here in Hua Hin the water we get delivered to our houses is of the worst quality. So we have invested in expensive water cleaning systems, which have to be carefully monitored all the time.

There is so many nasty things you casn get from drinking bad water, so please do not even try to drink water you are not 100% shure of it´s cleanliness.

[Pib]

For those folks living in the Bangkok Metropolitan Area you can get water quality info from the Metropolitan Water Works web site at this Link. There is Excel spreadsheet data there as to how the water is tested, results compared against World Health Organization standards, etc. But of course if the pipes in your local area/building/home are crap, then clean water going into them means crappy water coming out. But as I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, the water coming to my western Bangkok moobaan is clean and I only use a couple of charcoal filters which I change once year for my drinking water tap and my frig ice maker/water dispenser...being doing this for 6 years...me or none of my family have got sick or died yet from the water. Once every week or two we take a couple of 20 liter containers of our water to the wife's mother in a nearby province for drinking water...she thinks it tastes great...and she has also been drinking it for 6 years.