Prayuth says tap water tastes just like bottled water, drinks it for cameras

[joeyg]

I always drink the tap water here in Thailand.

My gut has never had a problem with it.

I live in a two year old nicely maintained condominium tower. When I first turn on the water occasionally rust comes out of the tap. I got a chance to go up and look at the collection Tower and piping. Pretty scary stuff. I drink the filtered water from the filter downstairs they have a maintenance check log posted near it for what that's worth. Seem to be doing OK so far.

[joeyg]

Maybe in Bangkok city its OK.

But here in Chiang Mai, out in the villages, its not

I have 'city water' pumped from the village well to our house. Many months of the year is off as not enough in the well.

When it is running it changes in appearance and smell often. Sometime clear and clean, other times grey or tinted yellow with lots of black particles in it.

As another poster says, pipes are often cracked or not joined together properly, allowing soil dirt and run off water from the roads and ditches to enter it.

Out water meter blocked up. When taken apart to clean lots of smelly slime poured out onto the ground. I would never drink this water, it even stained out white clothes brown.

Telling everyone to drink the tap water as a blanket statement regardless of where they live seems a bit risky.

Sounds like high iron content.

Not dangerous to consume--just unpleasant.

Key words, "sounds like"...

[55Jay]

I don't know of any locals that drink tap water. Unless they are very poor and have to. Do you ever see a drinking fountain here? Never.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/98607-drinking-water-at-over-60-per-cent-of-schools-not-hygiene-enough/

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/761682-sattahip-investigates-water-supply-quality-after-610-fall-ill/

I'll stick to bottled water:

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

And what did the locals do before bottled water?

You are an unwitting victim to a highly successful marketing campaign by commercial bottled water corporations.

So far no one here has spoken of getting sick on local tap water.

I respect the fact you say your professional background is in muni water supply, but what does that have to do with the water supply in Thailand? Have you personally inspected all the regional and local distro systems to the point you are satisfied to support the PM's blanket assertion that Thailand's tap water is safe to drink? Come to my town. I'll pour you a glass of tap water. You drink it. Then tell me if you get sick (or not). You need to be thick skinned though, because you will be laughed out of town by the locals.

Edited July 29, 2016 by 55Jay

[Chapelroad]

Dude's spends way too much time in BKK or in limos. He obviously hasn't drank the 'tap water' in our village. This time of year it's a nice, brown "run-off" color. Sometimes he's as entertaining as a John Daly.

John Daly has talent.

[DM07]

Yep...I'd rather stick to my paranoia!

[JAG]

The two women on the right of the picture... and their warm smiles for their Prime Minister who shows them the way.

They smile because they know what will happen in about 20 minutes!

PS. I urge all Bangkokians to test the "PM's" theory on the morning of the 7th of August...

...through the eye of a needle at 30 paces!

[sahibji]

Excuse me - its not the taste that matters its whats in it !

that is right. it is not the colour or the taste but level o impurities

threin.

[sahibji]

i have stayed in many hotels in bangkok and. without exception, i have been

advised not to drink tap water for health.

unless that is a myth which honourable PM is trying to clarify.

[Shaunduhpostman]

Recently our water in Isaan often smells like burning rubber and plastic. To bathe in it irritates your skin and makes your hair very dry and bristly, its bad enough that we bathe in it, drinking it, especially when the water red-lines and also smells like paint thinner, and I am sure you would end up in hospital. Our dogs and plants get rainwater and we have to drink bottled water. RO filters are also not good for the environment, the filter residue is highly toxic.

A new water tower was built in our village last year, a huge towering structure, easily the tallest thing for miles around, to help with water shortages and water pressure, we endured many days of water cuts during the hottest days of the year while village volunteers tried to connect pipe and make the connection to the storage towerr only to have the whole project run out of money. We were told no money would be forthcoming in the foreseeble future and that we would have to make do on whatever we could improvise. If I am not mistaken, the old water cisterns and set up has been cleared away and now the new one won't be functioning, there's worse than nothing left. We will be installing our rainwater collection and filtration system at I'm sure a great expense, those without money to do that will be suffering for years with unacceptably polluted and erratic water. Drink up!

[mtls2005]

What could go wrong?

[Redline]

Excuse me - its not the taste that matters its whats in it !

Yes, it's the toxins and chemicals! He has many other things to worry about besides getting people to drink tap water that's going to make them sick.

[Thaddeus]

The Prime Minister also revealed that his family drinks tap water. He encouraged citizens to drink tap water as well, instead of buying expensive bottled water because it doesn’t taste any different.

After a life time of eating chili based dishes, I doubt you'll find any of them entering a wine tasting competition.

Having said that, since I have been here, I've only ever filled plastic bottles with town water from the tap and put them in the fridge, no ill effects as yet.

Mind you, I did make a close inspection of the town water filtration system first.

[Cake Monster]

It is a well documented scientific fact, that water carries far more deadly diseases, bacteria and untold illness,s than air.

Prayuth would do well to remember this, or he may be literally running a Governmernt

[ClutchClark]

Maybe in Bangkok city its OK.

But here in Chiang Mai, out in the villages, its not

I have 'city water' pumped from the village well to our house. Many months of the year is off as not enough in the well.

When it is running it changes in appearance and smell often. Sometime clear and clean, other times grey or tinted yellow with lots of black particles in it.

As another poster says, pipes are often cracked or not joined together properly, allowing soil dirt and run off water from the roads and ditches to enter it.

Out water meter blocked up. When taken apart to clean lots of smelly slime poured out onto the ground. I would never drink this water, it even stained out white clothes brown.

Telling everyone to drink the tap water as a blanket statement regardless of where they live seems a bit risky.

Sounds like high iron content.

Not dangerous to consume--just unpleasant.

Key words, "sounds like"...

Yes, obviously I am not able to provide a 100% assurance from a one sentence description and not having physically seen the water described.

Apologies if this is not satisfactory to you. ;-)

[ClutchClark]

It is a well documented scientific fact, that water carries far more deadly diseases, bacteria and untold illness,s than air.

Prayuth would do well to remember this, or he may be literally running a Governmernt

No one is suggesting you drink out of the Khlong ;-)

[jak2002003]

Recently our water in Isaan often smells like burning rubber and plastic. To bathe in it irritates your skin and makes your hair very dry and bristly, its bad enough that we bathe in it, drinking it, especially when the water red-lines and also smells like paint thinner, and I am sure you would end up in hospital. Our dogs and plants get rainwater and we have to drink bottled water. RO filters are also not good for the environment, the filter residue is highly toxic.

A new water tower was built in our village last year, a huge towering structure, easily the tallest thing for miles around, to help with water shortages and water pressure, we endured many days of water cuts during the hottest days of the year while village volunteers tried to connect pipe and make the connection to the storage towerr only to have the whole project run out of money. We were told no money would be forthcoming in the foreseeble future and that we would have to make do on whatever we could improvise. If I am not mistaken, the old water cisterns and set up has been cleared away and now the new one won't be functioning, there's worse than nothing left. We will be installing our rainwater collection and filtration system at I'm sure a great expense, those without money to do that will be suffering for years with unacceptably polluted and erratic water. Drink up!

This sounds very similar to what happened in our village in Chiang Mai.

Our water was very bad, and the supply often went off for days, even in the wet season. When it came back on it would be grey / black, full of black particles and smelled like engine oil.

The village got money to install more blue pipes and sort out the filtration problems. During many weeks we had virtually no water while they were working on it.

After it was finished the water was WORSE than before.. but we had 24 hours supply of the filthy smelly stuff.

It was not safe to drink, or even bath in. We got regular village updates over the loudspeakers telling people the water was not safe, and the TEMPLE was giving out free chemicals and filter stuff to make the water safe to bath in and wash clothes.. but still not to drink.

In the end they dug up the pipes and found that whoever had installed all the new equipment had used substandard, cheap materials, and also botched up the job badly. The inquired where all the money had goes for this project as the materials and work done had obviously cost next to nothing.

Surprise.. the money had vanished and no one was found accountable.

We had to live with the worse than before water.. but they did manage to improve it somewhat.. but and told us it was now safe to drink. I won't chance it.

During the worst time I took a shower and got a really bad skin reaction / infection all over my neck and back and had to go to the hospital to get treatment. I have no proof, but I suspect this came from the dirty water as I have never had a problem like that before or since.

Last week I was pleasantly surprised to see diggers and workmen installing more blue pipes and taps in the village main street.. so hopefully, finally the water will be better.

Edited July 29, 2016 by jak2002003

[craigt3365]

It is a well documented scientific fact, that water carries far more deadly diseases, bacteria and untold illness,s than air.

Prayuth would do well to remember this, or he may be literally running a Governmernt

No one is suggesting you drink out of the Khlong ;-)

Though you can with this! LOL

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2391107/The-Lifestraw-A-portable-water-filter-save-millions-world-lives.html

[nausea]

Yep, you can bet your bottom dollar he has a water filtration system installed.

[craigt3365]

Reading this, I decided to backwash my house water filter. We do it every 4 weeks or so. Anybody up for a drink? We're on city water.

[Artisi]

We found worms in our tap water. Extra protein?

Worms?

How large?

Tap water or well water?

City water is filtered.

It might well be filtered and drinkable as it leaves the water treatment plant, but by the time it gets to your tap you have no idea of what might have gained access to the supply system on its journey to you. The water supply/sewage systems / plumbing is an absolute disaster in Thailand.

[dbrenn]

I'll bet there was a filter installed on the tap that he drank from.

[connda]

I only drink water that has been boiled together with malt and hops.

Wise man. The hops kills parasites.

[poohy]

I have to admit the mans a bigger fool than i gave him credit for

[Artisi]

I have to admit the mans a bigger fool than i gave him credit for

Maybe he had the water tested prior to his macho exhibition.

[geriatrickid]

I always drink the tap water here in Thailand.

My gut has never had a problem with it.

That's nice. Some of us are not keen on exposure to organic compounds, heavy metals and parasites. Chlorination does not address these issues, and it actually makes some substances more dangerous through chlorination of the aromatic compound.

[geriatrickid]

We found worms in our tap water. Extra protein?

Worms?

How large?

Tap water or well water?

City water is filtered.

It might well be filtered and drinkable as it leaves the water treatment plant, but by the time it gets to your tap you have no idea of what might have gained access to the supply system on its journey to you. The water supply/sewage systems / plumbing is an absolute disaster in Thailand.

Some folks don't quite understand that the unauthorized hookups to the water system and the breaks in the lines and poor seals allow infiltration.

[Hawk]

When I was fixing the water pipe a while back the inside of the pipe was coated with a BLACK slime. The water that comes out of the pipe quickly turns the tiles in the bathroom a nasty dark brown colour even though they are coloured tiles, so we have a need for plenty of vixol. It is not iron oxide but some black shit that is in the non drinkable tap water.

[rickudon]

Recently my wife brought home 300 pla duk fingerlings, too many for the one tank.

I filled an empty tank from the mains, the smell of chlorine was very strong.

My rain water collection tanks were empty, so no water only from the mains.

Next morning over 200 fish dead.

The PM says this is safe for us to drink:cheesy:

The chemicals are supposed to kill small biological impurities. Your fish dying is a good sign.

You are spot on.

MissAndry should have allowed the water to sit for 24 hours before adding fish but the problem could also be that the fish suffocated from not enough oxygen since there were so many fish in such a small containment.

Just lack of knowledge. As MissAndry says, the chlorine is their to kill all the bacteria and other life LIVING in the water. It will also kill fish. If you drink it, it will not do you much harm, nothing permanent. If using for fish, advice is to let it stand for 24 hours. Then a lot of the chlorine escapes from the water. Also, if you have to use before that for fish, best to mix with existing water even if dirty. You can buy treatments to take the chlorine out but not usually necessary.

Finally, Plaa Duk are also air-breathers, they do not need oxygen in the water. But they still swim init and have gills, so can pick up toxic chemicals like chlorine. I have kept 100's of Plaa duk in tanks and oxygen is not a problem - but you do need to change the water regularly because if they swim in their own waste for long it stunts growth.

[dcnx]

And Indians brush their teeth with water from the Ganges. Such a thing would nearly kill those of us not raised in that environment, used to the local bacteria.

Kudos to you with guts of steel who can drink the local water.

[ClutchClark]

I always drink the tap water here in Thailand.

My gut has never had a problem with it.

That's nice. Some of us are not keen on exposure to organic compounds, heavy metals and parasites. Chlorination does not address these issues, and it actually makes some substances more dangerous through chlorination of the aromatic compound.

Have there been Crypto outbreaks in the Thai water supplies? That is the "parasite" of concern.

And a mega dose of chlorine ("hyper-chlorination") is the treatment when Crypto eggs are found or an outbreak occurs.

Edited July 29, 2016 by ClutchClark