Over half of water vending machines in Bangkok unsafe to drink

[DrTuner]

Not so long ago there was an article stating the tap water in BKK is safe to drink. So these machines are adding contaminants? Luckily I don't drink water, unless it's in beer.

[HerbalEd]

They don't mention anything about actually testing the water itself. Anyway, there's no way I'd drink water from these machines.

[attrayant]

So the official recommendation is "buyer beware"? Thanks, that's ever so helpful. Apparently the job of a consumer protection organization is to yell "look out!" but not actually DO anything about the problems.

[Thian]

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.

Yes i did that for years untill the big flooding. Now i still drink it but after it's been through my filter and fridge. Can't remember that i was sick.

[craigt3365]

Do some research on what's been going on in Hong Kong. Water was fine until hitting the pipes near the apartments. Everybody thought it was ok to drink. But it wasn't and they are paying the price now.

[Skeptic7]

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.

Agreed. Have used at least 4 of these machines many times over the past few years and have never had any ill effects.

[tonray]

7-11 6 Liter jug of water: 38 baht.....cheap enough and clean

[SoiBiker]

7-11 6 Liter jug of water: 38 baht.....cheap enough and clean

Sprinkle - 18.9 litre bottle: 62 baht. Cheaper, and you don't have to carry it home.

[Thai at Heart]

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.

Yes i did that for years untill the big flooding. Now i still drink it but after it's been through my filter and fridge. Can't remember that i was sick.

If you are worried about it, it would be better to boil it than filter it.

[MaxYakov]

Not so long ago there was an article stating the tap water in BKK is safe to drink. So these machines are adding contaminants? Luckily I don't drink water, unless it's in beer.

Yep that's what the Anglo-Saxons did because they didn't have the machines (or even tap water, for that matter).

[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.

Yes i did that for years untill the big flooding. Now i still drink it but after it's been through my filter and fridge. Can't remember that i was sick.

If you are worried about it, it would be better to boil it than filter it.

Boiling doesn't deal with the chemicals nor stuff like lead. Nasty stuff.

[Thai at Heart]

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.

Yes i did that for years untill the big flooding. Now i still drink it but after it's been through my filter and fridge. Can't remember that i was sick.

If you are worried about it, it would be better to boil it than filter it.

Boiling doesn't deal with the chemicals nor stuff like lead. Nasty stuff.

Neither does most filtration. The stuff that goes into the pipes is clean and potable. It can get contaminated during transport.

I am more worried about bacterial contamination from not enough chlorination. Most filters won't take out heavy metals or chemicals.

[MaxYakov]

7-11 6 Liter jug of water: 38 baht.....cheap enough and clean

Sprinkle - 18.9 litre bottle: 62 baht. Cheaper, and you don't have to carry it home.

I've been getting the large (probably 18.9 litre) bottles through my neighbor's account, it may be Sprinkle, not sure. In any event, I'm beginning to wonder where they're getting their water and how they're filtering it, that is if they actually are filtering it.

Edited November 3, 2015 by MaxYakov

[SoiBiker]

7-11 6 Liter jug of water: 38 baht.....cheap enough and clean

Sprinkle - 18.9 litre bottle: 62 baht. Cheaper, and you don't have to carry it home.

I've been getting the large (probably 18.9 litre) bottles through my neighbor's account, it may be Sprinkle, not sure. In any event, I'm beginning to wonder where they're getting their water and how they're filtering it, that is if they actually are filtering it.

Seriously?

Sometimes you just have to take things on trust, rather than assume everyone in the country is trying to kill you.

[attrayant]

Negligent homicide means they're not necessarily trying to kill you.

[circusman]

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.

You just wasted your time DJAYZ. This is a third world country. They don't do things like that. Why bother mentioning it?

[anotheruser]

7-11 6 Liter jug of water: 38 baht.....cheap enough and clean

Sprinkle - 18.9 litre bottle: 62 baht. Cheaper, and you don't have to carry it home.

I've been getting the large (probably 18.9 litre) bottles through my neighbor's account, it may be Sprinkle, not sure. In any event, I'm beginning to wonder where they're getting their water and how they're filtering it, that is if they actually are filtering it.

Seriously?

Sometimes you just have to take things on trust, rather than assume everyone in the country is trying to kill you.

Yes. Indeed.

[Ulic]

Sending a report, disappointing, but to be expected I guess here in the LOS

[SkyRider]

The part of this article that concerns me the most is "It said 93.8% vending machines use tap water to produce drinking water".

[Phaeton]

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.

Exactly. Same should happen in all countries. Every time a politician starts to open his mouth, and proposes some scheme about curing society of some ill, we, the press, someone, should interrupt him, and ask, "Can you prove our water's safe? No? Then stop talking and report back when it is."

C'mon, after air, water is pretty important. But they waste their time on BS. And the really terrible thing is 1. this is really a sort of tax on people, as they have to buy water that should be provided for free, and 2. maybe poor people have health problems because of poor water quality because they can not afford to buy.

I use a brita filter on tap water and hope for the best.

[Alration]

The part of this article that concerns me the most is "It said 93.8% vending machines use tap water to produce drinking water".

Where else could water come from? Do you think vending machine owners catch rainwater?

[balo]

I dont understand why people are still using these machines ? Water is cheap here, I pay 59 baht for 9 litres in the supermarket. Do you really want to gamble with your health to save 40 baht ?

[konying]

And what was done about bad machines? What about the rest of the country ?

How about having inspectors or something to protect unsuspecting public?

[DogNo1]

There was a scandal about unclean bottled water in Phuket some years ago. I wonder who monitors the quality of the bottled water on the shelves now?

[smudger1951]

I have often wondered how good these machines are without being serviced. Typical Thai apathy !The water could well be worse than before if its passing through gunky/slimy filters or the bacteria killing light is broken.

[uniquefarang]

"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.

They apparently meant "relevant" government agencies; "concerned" was a poor word choice in this context.

[uniquefarang]

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?

Most Thai people do not consider the possibility because doing so would give a person wrinkles, headaches, and all the other woes brought on by thinking too much.

[tonray]

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?

Most Thai people do not consider the possibility because doing so would give a person wrinkles, headaches, and all the other woes brought on by thinking too much.

But there is little concern for wrinkles, headaches, and all the other woes brought on by drinking too much Chang.

[MaxYakov]

7-11 6 Liter jug of water: 38 baht.....cheap enough and clean

Sprinkle - 18.9 litre bottle: 62 baht. Cheaper, and you don't have to carry it home.

I've been getting the large (probably 18.9 litre) bottles through my neighbor's account, it may be Sprinkle, not sure. In any event, I'm beginning to wonder where they're getting their water and how they're filtering it, that is if they actually are filtering it.

Seriously?

Sometimes you just have to take things on trust, rather than assume everyone in the country is trying to kill you.

Yeah, right!

But when it comes to my drinking water and food (plus items on a much larger list) it's never one of those times with me.

[ChrisY1]

I dont understand why people are still using these machines ? Water is cheap here, I pay 59 baht for 9 litres in the supermarket. Do you really want to gamble with your health to save 40 baht ?

And where does the bottled water you buy at the supermarket come from?.........

It too comes from an RO plant....run and managed by Thais......looks clean and tastes fine.....but have there ever been any water quality tests carried out?