Over half of water vending machines in Bangkok unsafe to drink

[webfact]

Over half of water vending machines in Bangkok unsafe to drink



BANGKOK: -- Drinking water from more than half of coin operated vending machines in Bangkok is unsafe for health, according to latest survey by the subcommittee of the private sector Independent Organisation for Consumers Protection.

The independent researchers from the subcommittee took water samples from a total of 855 coin operated drinking water vending machines in Bangkok for test.

It found that there were several factors that made drinking water from these vending machines in Bangkok unsafe for drinking.

These factors included unclean body part of vending machines and locations where they were installed.

The subcommittee found that 76.3% of vending machines it examined were installed at inappropriate places such as at places covered by dust from traffic and smokes from exhausted pipes of motor vehicles. The rest was installed near garbage bins and waste water ditches.

It said 55.2% of water vending machines have unclean bodies, 42.9% have unclean valves, 29.4% are rusted, 21.1% are corroded, and 11.2,% are leaked.

It said 93.8% vending machines use tap water to produce drinking water, and only 43.3% of vending machines were given once a month cleaning.

Only 6% of vending machines displayed water quality test, and only 7% had water filter replacement.

The subcommittee then concluded that business operators of drinking water vending machines and concerned government agencies care very little on impact unclean water would have on consumers.

Therefore it suggested consumers to check these factors including the physical condition of vending machines before buying drinking water from these machines.

The survey of the subcommittee has been forwarded to the Ministry of Public Health, Industrial Standards Office and the Consumers Protection Office to work out measures to control water quality in these vending machines.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/over-half-of-water-vending-machines-in-bangkok-unsafe-to-drink


-- Thai PBS 2015-11-03

[anotheruser]

Not surprised.

[EnglishJohn]

Well, that report tells me everything except the quality of the water. Did they even test it ? - or did they just look at the outside ?.

I'm interested in what is in my bottle when I stand it under the nozzle and fill it up. Is it safe ?. It doesn't touch the outside so I don't care too much if it is dirty.

[ezzra]

Those machine, true to Thai form of My pen Rai, loaded with salmonella and other water bourn bacteria

frolicking in the water tanks and the surrounding fixtures, not until some one will die of it, the government

or the health department will do something about it, you see, some one has to die here before anything

will be done and the relevant agencies will scurry around like rats on a sinking ship to remedy the problem...

[FritsSikkink]

Well, that report tells me everything except the quality of the water. Did they even test it ? - or did they just look at the outside ?.

I'm interested in what is in my bottle when I stand it under the nozzle and fill it up. Is it safe ?. It doesn't touch the outside so I don't care too much if it is dirty.

it says over half of the machines have water that is unsave to drink

[EnglishJohn]

Well, that report tells me everything except the quality of the water. Did they even test it ? - or did they just look at the outside ?.

I'm interested in what is in my bottle when I stand it under the nozzle and fill it up. Is it safe ?. It doesn't touch the outside so I don't care too much if it is dirty.

it says over half of the machines have water that is unsave to drink

Yes, that is the headline they want you to read.

But if you read it more closely you will see that the only reasons they give are cleanliness of the machine and it's surroundings.

Not once does it make any reference to the quality of the water they got out of it. If they did, it would have references to bacteria and other contaminants. All we get as the justification of the entire report is "These factors included unclean body part of vending machines and locations where they were installed.". That doesn't mean it is unsafe to drink.

I got my water from one of those machines for a long time at my last condo and never had any problem - even storing it in a plastic water bottle for several days.

[NickJ]

They did a study on street food as well.....yikes. Medevel castles were cleaner during the Black Death........

[FritsSikkink]

Well, that report tells me everything except the quality of the water. Did they even test it ? - or did they just look at the outside ?.

I'm interested in what is in my bottle when I stand it under the nozzle and fill it up. Is it safe ?. It doesn't touch the outside so I don't care too much if it is dirty.

it says over half of the machines have water that is unsave to drink

Yes, that is the headline they want you to read.

But if you read it more closely you will see that the only reasons they give are cleanliness of the machine and it's surroundings.

Not once does it make any reference to the quality of the water they got out of it. If they did, it would have references to bacteria and other contaminants. All we get as the justification of the entire report is "These factors included unclean body part of vending machines and locations where they were installed.". That doesn't mean it is unsafe to drink.

I got my water from one of those machines for a long time at my last condo and never had any problem - even storing it in a plastic water bottle for several days.

Did you miss the part about rust / corroded and lack of filters?

[Thai at Heart]

By this type of measure, every utensil on a street vendors table is unclean.

The fact that they are next to the road, doesn't make them unsafe. I would rather they proved whether the water was safe coming out of them, I will worry about the fumes from the road.

[djayz]

It doesn't surprise me. Nobody here cares about hygiene, etc. It's always about the money.

The machines should be tested regularly and vendors who fail to maintain a predetermined health standard would have their water machines confiscated.

Edited November 3, 2015 by djayz

[zakk9]

Local bottlers of water often aren't much safer than these machines. As for the big ones... who knows? It's all about money.

[Katipo]

Well, that report tells me everything except the quality of the water. Did they even test it ? - or did they just look at the outside ?.

I'm interested in what is in my bottle when I stand it under the nozzle and fill it up. Is it safe ?. It doesn't touch the outside so I don't care too much if it is dirty.

it says over half of the machines have water that is unsave to drink

Yes, that is the headline they want you to read.

But if you read it more closely you will see that the only reasons they give are cleanliness of the machine and it's surroundings.

Not once does it make any reference to the quality of the water they got out of it. If they did, it would have references to bacteria and other contaminants. All we get as the justification of the entire report is "These factors included unclean body part of vending machines and locations where they were installed.". That doesn't mean it is unsafe to drink.

I got my water from one of those machines for a long time at my last condo and never had any problem - even storing it in a plastic water bottle for several days.

I wonder which water bottling company sponsored this 'independent' research?

[SoiBiker]

The other half were out of order.

[klauskunkel]

so the committee's recommendation was for the consumers to check the condition of the machines, because the operators and government agencies do not care about anything at all. Sounds to be perfectly in line with anything else.

[Joe Reality]

The obvious solution would be for the government to set up a proper system of tap water supply which is clean and therefore drinkable. That is highly unlikely to even happen though.

[SoiBiker]

The obvious solution would be for the government to set up a proper system of tap water supply which is clean and therefore drinkable. That is highly unlikely to even happen though.

The tap water in Bangkok is drinkable. So they say.

[easybullet3]

No surprise at all !!

can anyone say they have EVER seen anyone replacing the filters on these machines ?

to be honest, with the amount of usage of the Water machines, the Filter would need replacing every 6 months or less to be able to do its filtering job effectively!! Let alone the Bacteria that builds up in the filters and its casing in a Hot and Humid Climate (such as Thailand) !!

Reverse Osmosis Filters also need to be checked (for holes in the membrane) which would allow the street water to go directly through the filter without being filtered). and also they need to clean the 'gunky' bacteria and filth off the filter too.

this is NOT just an issue with Water vending Machines!!

Every time you drink that glass of water given to you for free at Swensons or any other place that you go to eat... THINK AGAIN!!!!

these places usually FAIL to bother to replace their water filters.

I have personally seen a Swensens filter opened up.. and OH MY GOD!!! it was FILTHY and SLIMY and full of Muck !!!

I used to have a similar filter in Bangkok and it gets FUNKY after just 2 or 3 months (of regualr home usage).

buy your OWN proper filter if you can. (and clean and replace filters regularly)..
the recommended 1 or 3 years of filter life is B/S!! its marketing hype to make you want to buy their filter.

in this humid and hot climate, bacteria accumilates so much faster.

the 1 or 3 years suggested usage of a filter is based on PERFECT conditions in a cooler climate.

[craigt3365]

The obvious solution would be for the government to set up a proper system of tap water supply which is clean and therefore drinkable. That is highly unlikely to even happen though.

The tap water in Bangkok is drinkable. So they say.

Drinkable as it's been chlorinated at the source. Your location depends on the delivery pipes and tanks (which are totally dodgy). Plus, chemicals and heavy metals are not removed. You won't get sick immediately, but will after some number of years. Potentially.

[craigt3365]

Well, that report tells me everything except the quality of the water. Did they even test it ? - or did they just look at the outside ?.

I'm interested in what is in my bottle when I stand it under the nozzle and fill it up. Is it safe ?. It doesn't touch the outside so I don't care too much if it is dirty.

it says over half of the machines have water that is unsave to drink

Yes, that is the headline they want you to read.

But if you read it more closely you will see that the only reasons they give are cleanliness of the machine and it's surroundings.

Not once does it make any reference to the quality of the water they got out of it. If they did, it would have references to bacteria and other contaminants. All we get as the justification of the entire report is "These factors included unclean body part of vending machines and locations where they were installed.". That doesn't mean it is unsafe to drink.

I got my water from one of those machines for a long time at my last condo and never had any problem - even storing it in a plastic water bottle for several days.

I wonder which water bottling company sponsored this 'independent' research?

This same type of info has been reported many times over the years. From a variety of organizations.

[elgordo38]

Those machine, true to Thai form of My pen Rai, loaded with salmonella and other water bourn bacteria

frolicking in the water tanks and the surrounding fixtures, not until some one will die of it, the government

or the health department will do something about it, you see, some one has to die here before anything

will be done and the relevant agencies will scurry around like rats on a sinking ship to remedy the problem...

Quote Therefore it suggested consumers to check these factors including the physical condition of vending machines before buying drinking water from these machines. unquote Dah government do something!!! Get a machine inspector with some teeth. If they do not pass the smell test yank em out and recycle them fine the owner get off of your derriere and do something do not put the onus on the consumer. Once machines start disappearing the owners and operators will smell the roses.

[elgordo38]

It doesn't surprise me. Nobody here cares about hygiene, etc. It's always about the money.

The machines should be tested regularly and vendors who fail to maintain a predetermined health standard would have their water machines confiscated.

There you go actually proposing somebody get off of their derriere and do something. Watching paint dry is a national past time here.

[elgordo38]

The obvious solution would be for the government to set up a proper system of tap water supply which is clean and therefore drinkable. That is highly unlikely to even happen though.

They might spend the money in Bangkok for this but forget the rest of the country.

[realenglish1]

29.4% are rusted, 21.1% are corroded. Isn't that the same thing ?

[anotheruser]

Well, that report tells me everything except the quality of the water. Did they even test it ? - or did they just look at the outside ?.

I'm interested in what is in my bottle when I stand it under the nozzle and fill it up. Is it safe ?. It doesn't touch the outside so I don't care too much if it is dirty.

it says over half of the machines have water that is unsave to drink

Yes, that is the headline they want you to read.

But if you read it more closely you will see that the only reasons they give are cleanliness of the machine and it's surroundings.

Not once does it make any reference to the quality of the water they got out of it. If they did, it would have references to bacteria and other contaminants. All we get as the justification of the entire report is "These factors included unclean body part of vending machines and locations where they were installed.". That doesn't mean it is unsafe to drink.

I got my water from one of those machines for a long time at my last condo and never had any problem - even storing it in a plastic water bottle for several days.

We don't need any inspections of the machines. We have ourselves a real live canary in the coal mine here. If Englishjohn isn't heard from for more than a day rethink if you drink the water. Children drinking from lead pipes did so for years with no ill effects.

Edited November 3, 2015 by anotheruser

[chainarong]

It doesn't surprise me. Nobody here cares about hygiene, etc. It's always about the money.

The machines should be tested regularly and vendors who fail to maintain a predetermined health standard would have their water machines confiscated.

The Question is , how many BKK Health inspectors are there , for that matter how many in Thailand , for the amount of people ratio

[Emster23]

"Only 6% of vending machines displayed water quality test, and only 7% had water filter replacement."

"concerned government agencies care very little on impact unclean water would have on consumers." CONCERNED?

"The definition of concern is something that is of interest, important or worrisome." Try a different term, but not concerned.

[lee b]

I would never use these kind of machines, we had one in BKK in the condo, and it looked like something from the first world war !

[doublephil]

I have asked my wife and various other Thais about testing of drinking water quality. The usual response is something like - its drinking water so you can drink it !!! Typical Thai response. If I ask if anyone - e.g. government inspector - ever tests the water quality - I have never met anyone who ever even considered the possibility or who knew anything about it.

Does anyone ever test the water? Is it possible to get water independently tested? - any drinking water. Does anyone know how or where to do it?

[GAZZPA]

Those machine, true to Thai form of My pen Rai, loaded with salmonella and other water bourn bacteria

frolicking in the water tanks and the surrounding fixtures, not until some one will die of it, the government

or the health department will do something about it, you see, some one has to die here before anything

will be done and the relevant agencies will scurry around like rats on a sinking ship to remedy the problem...

What makes you think when someone dies something will be done? Life is cheap here my friend. Look at the roads, one of the worst road death statistics in the world, if not the worst and what gets done? Absolutely nothing....

[ChrisY1]

These are coin operated mini RO plants......if the pressure filters are blocked, nothing will come out.....the fine membranes enclosures that the town water "should" pass through......would fail.....I believe nothing would come out.....unless of course, they are bypassed.