Songkran - use clean water or pay the consequences


Image: VoiceTV

BANGKOK:-- A leading public health official has issued dire warnings about the consequences of using dirty water at the Songkran festival.

A host of eye and stomach diseases await those who play water fights with ditch water, klong water or add chemicals or dyes to the mix, reports Voice TV.

Dr Amnuay Kajina said: "People must be careful at Songkran to avoid use of dirty water or muddy water. Two particular problems are skin disease and conjunctivitis."

But that is not all - in extreme cases blindness can be caused or severe handicap if bacteria, viruses and tapeworms in dirty water enter lungs or the brain, he said.

People should use treated mains water. Children should wear protective eyewear such as sunglasses. If people get problems with their eyes they should be washed with clean water or in the case of chemicals getting in with a steady stream of water until symptoms subside. Any persistent eye problems should be treated by a doctor or in a hospital, he said.

He appealed to revellers not to throw water directly in the eyes.

In the first three months of the year there were more than 31,000 reported cases of conjunctivitis nationwide with the most being in Ubon Ratchathani, Amnat Charoen and Mae Hong Sorn.

Source: VoiceTV


-- 2016-04-12

Would that be Cambodian or Thai clean water?

..and who exactly is monitoring this?

Meanwhile in Chiang Mai http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/909504-green-moat-water-safe-for-songkran-say-chiang-mai-authorities/

Would that be Cambodian or Thai clean water?

They do not celebrate in Cambodia like Thailand does.

Would that be Cambodian or Thai clean water?

They do not celebrate in Cambodia like Thailand does.

I'm still laughing over that whole story.

This is the primary reason I do not go out during Songkran. Many years ago I got hit with some dirty water and ended up deathly ill for about 2 weeks. That was the last time I ventured out during Songkran. Never again, it is just not worth the risk.

I always jokingly tell my wife if I ever fall in a Thai khlong, just shoot me there as I don't want to die a slow death over the coming months/years...I figure no amount of washing or medications could save me from khlong water poisoning based on anything and everything that flows into those khlongs (i.e., sewage, chemicals, dead animals (occasionally dead people also), etc....and I consider the city khlongs much, much dirtier than country khlongs. Nope, don't want to die a slow death from khlong poisoning.

My first permanent Songkran here cured me of going out. The bar at the ground floor of my hotel dumped trash out of the bins and filled them with water - no cleaning/washing. 5 years and staying in. Might visit a 7-11 at 6:00 AM for what I need, but that's it.

Re klong water

Had a great friend who fell in klong got a cut on his head after a day he was admitted to hospital for nearly 2 weeks as they were spooning infection out of head

Meanwhile in Chiang Mai http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/909504-green-moat-water-safe-for-songkran-say-chiang-mai-authorities/

Ah but CM's dirty water is actually clean ! Oh it's all too much to take.

"A leading public health official has issued dire warnings about the consequences of using dirty water at the Songkran festival."

It will be quite difficult to reverse the traditional standard of water use: "As long as the water is cleaner than my liver, it is OK to use".

There goes all the bottle water!

Would that be Cambodian or Thai clean water?

They do not celebrate in Cambodia like Thailand does.

Thankfully not.

Not one of the major deciding factors why I left Thailand for Cambodia, but what a joy to bike around a quiet Phnom Penh and be met by occasional smiles and greetings as opposed to the throwing of water and the nasty in the eyes daubing of baking powder.

Would that be Cambodian or Thai clean water?

They do not celebrate in Cambodia like Thailand does.

Thankfully not.

Not one of the major deciding factors why I left Thailand for Cambodia, but what a joy to bike around a quiet Phnom Penh and be met by occasional smiles and greetings as opposed to the throwing of water and the nasty in the eyes daubing of baking powder.

Water throwing has been banned around 7-8 years ago by the Cambodian PM's

Some angry wife's used to replace the water with acid and to target the face of their husband "mia noi". (True story)

Edited April 12, 201610 yr by CantSpell

This is the primary reason I do not go out during Songkran. Many years ago I got hit with some dirty water and ended up deathly ill for about 2 weeks. That was the last time I ventured out during Songkran. Never again, it is just not worth the risk.

I had to go today, so I put a knuckleduster on each hand, and a can of pepper spray in my pocket all ready for the first piece of Farang scum to throw water on me.

Now I'm sitting here in a bad mood because I never got the chance to use them.

Meanwhile in Chiang Mai http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/909504-green-moat-water-safe-for-songkran-say-chiang-mai-authorities/

That is gold!

Meanwhile in Chiang Mai http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/909504-green-moat-water-safe-for-songkran-say-chiang-mai-authorities/

If nothing else can be said to be so we can rest assured their is no limit to the amount of BS and stupidity officialdom would have us believe in this world.

I have lived in Thailand 5 years, in a quiet but very beautiful Thai Town, I love Songkrann, 99% Thais, no stupid westerners, my advice to all these people on this thread for Songkrann and every festival in Thailand, go to the small towns and see the real Thailand.

Wow ,,,Health and Safety in Thailand,,,

and so it begins....

my wife is not happy...staying home tonight.

Last year we walked around the whole moat..with no weapons. It was good at first..even got to drink beer and watch the action from the bar. However, the walk back was horrible. It took us an hour to get back to the car..on the other side of the moat. we were totally defeated...

can't do it again

Edited April 12, 201610 yr by slipperylobster

My first Songkran in BKK i was in the bed of a pickup, a drum of water and ice and off we went to Thonburi palaceroad with all those nice dragonstatues on poles..

It was great and a huge huge waterfight, they all gather to that road for waterfighting.

Some had firehoses with pumps in the klong and they just sprayed anybody with that like a firetruck can, it even came in my beer all the time but was still drinkable. I never got sick from it.

Ice in the water is a nice surprise.

..and who exactly is monitoring this?

Water Monitors? I hear.

Edited April 12, 201610 yr by ratcatcher

So let's recap, Songkran can

- Get you arrested for dancing sexily

- Get you arrested from boozing

- Get you killed in one of the many road accidents

- Get you killed by dirty waters suirting.

Oh what fun !

This is the primary reason I do not go out during Songkran. Many years ago I got hit with some dirty water and ended up deathly ill for about 2 weeks. That was the last time I ventured out during Songkran. Never again, it is just not worth the risk.

I had to go today, so I put a knuckleduster on each hand, and a can of pepper spray in my pocket all ready for the first piece of Farang scum to throw water on me.

Now I'm sitting here in a bad mood because I never got the chance to use them.

There's always tomorrow.

The topic sounds like the attacker needs to pay the consequences it I get worms in the brain. I don't see how they have to worry at all...

I think the article was written by somebody that has worms in the brain from last year.

Edited April 12, 201610 yr by slipperylobster

This is the primary reason I do not go out during Songkran. Many years ago I got hit with some dirty water and ended up deathly ill for about 2 weeks. That was the last time I ventured out during Songkran. Never again, it is just not worth the risk.

I had to go today, so I put a knuckleduster on each hand, and a can of pepper spray in my pocket all ready for the first piece of Farang scum to throw water on me.

Now I'm sitting here in a bad mood because I never got the chance to use them.

There's always tomorrow.

No there's not, I got home before anyone got me, and that's me grounded till this garbage is over. If what they done to you had been done to me, I would be looking for some sort of revenge.

As if any of the idiots will take any notice that in a free for all water madness

Edited April 12, 201610 yr by kingalfred

This is the primary reason I do not go out during Songkran. Many years ago I got hit with some dirty water and ended up deathly ill for about 2 weeks. That was the last time I ventured out during Songkran. Never again, it is just not worth the risk.

I had to go today, so I put a knuckleduster on each hand, and a can of pepper spray in my pocket all ready for the first piece of Farang scum to throw water on me.

Now I'm sitting here in a bad mood because I never got the chance to use them.

There's always tomorrow.

No there's not, I got home before anyone got me, and that's me grounded till this garbage is over. If what they done to you had been done to me, I would be looking for some sort of revenge.

That's exactly what I mean bro, knuckledusters and pepperspray tomorrow, you could name you left knuckerduster 'sweet' and the right one 'revenge'.

This is the primary reason I do not go out during Songkran. Many years ago I got hit with some dirty water and ended up deathly ill for about 2 weeks. That was the last time I ventured out during Songkran. Never again, it is just not worth the risk.

I had to go today, so I put a knuckleduster on each hand, and a can of pepper spray in my pocket all ready for the first piece of Farang scum to throw water on me.

Now I'm sitting here in a bad mood because I never got the chance to use them.

There's always tomorrow.

No there's not, I got home before anyone got me, and that's me grounded till this garbage is over. If what they done to you had been done to me, I would be looking for some sort of revenge.

Some serious anger issues evident here