Drinking water in Thailand – is it safe?

By Virginia Ewart-James -
Filling a glass with tap water. Thailand-Property.com

Filling a glass with tap water. Thailand-Property.comDrinking water in Thailand is a topic that is actually quite controversial. If you are from the Western world, you may have your friends, family, and even your doctors scaring you about possible water poisoning before you arrive in Thailand. It’s true that water poisoning is a terrible, sickening and painful experience that should be avoided at all costs. But how much does it need to be avoided in Thailand?

It’s Not as Bad as You Think

If you ask a doctor in a Western country if it’s ok for you to drink water in Thailand, they will err of the side of extreme cautiousness. While the water in Thailand is actually said to be safe by the he Bangkok Metropolitan Waterworks Authority, your doctor will not want to be responsible if there is one case of sickness and it happens to be you.

It is perfectly fine to brush your teeth with the water straight from the tap, touch your face or eyes after you’ve washed your hands, clean your pots and pans with the water, etc. It’s totally fine to do these things. It’s also safe to have ice in your drinks. Don’t be concerned if your water or even your beer has ice in it. You’ll feel even better knowing that if the ice has a shape and isn’t just chipped off a block, it is manufactured in a factory.

Drinking Water in Thailand

While the BMWA says that it is safe, the locals tend to not drink the tap water so you might as well play it safe and stick to bottled water. Bottled water in Thailand is so cheap to buy on the go wherever you are, but if you are concerned about wasting too much plastic (Thailand is not adept with recycling), nearly never condominium has a water filtration system where you can put in one baht and fill up a bottle with fresh, clean drinking water.

 

  • J. Garbo

    Although Bangkok tap water is safe to drink, its chlorine treatment leaves an unpleasant after taste. As for commercial “bottled” water, it is not always safe – and it is expensive. At my condo I use an “absolute sub-micron” activated carbon block filter, plus a sub micron ceramic filter, for drinking and cooking. Cheap and it retains the useful minerals. (I used to manufacture water filters).
    The street machines that dispense Bt1/liter water are safe but because they use reverse osmosis and UV radiation for purification the water tends to be tasteless. It is pure H2O.
    FYI HTH
    JG

  • J. Garbo

    Although Bangkok tap water is safe to drink, its chlorine treatment leaves an unpleasant after taste. As for commercial “bottled” water, it is not always safe – and it is expensive. At my condo I use an “absolute sub-micron” activated carbon block filter, plus a sub micron ceramic filter, for drinking and cooking. Cheap and it retains the useful minerals. (I used to manufacture water filters).
    The street machines that dispense Bt1/liter water are safe but because they use reverse osmosis and UV radiation for purification the water tends to be tasteless. It is pure H2O.
    FYI HTH
    JG

  • J. Garbo

    Although Bangkok tap water is safe to drink, its chlorine treatment leaves an unpleasant after taste. As for commercial “bottled” water, it is not always safe – and it is expensive. At my condo I use an “absolute sub-micron” activated carbon block filter, plus a sub micron ceramic filter, for drinking and cooking. Cheap and it retains the useful minerals. (I used to manufacture water filters).
    The street machines that dispense Bt1/liter water are safe but because they use reverse osmosis and UV radiation for purification the water tends to be tasteless. It is pure H2O.
    FYI HTH
    JG

  • Robert McPhee

    I live in Thailand ie Chiang Mai. I do not drink the tap water but shower,
    clean teeth etc and have never had any trouble. All over the world is the same
    safe policy drink bottled water from a reputable brand name.
    Cheers
    Rob

  • Robert McPhee

    I live in Thailand ie Chiang Mai. I do not drink the tap water but shower,
    clean teeth etc and have never had any trouble. All over the world is the same
    safe policy drink bottled water from a reputable brand name.
    Cheers
    Rob

  • Robert McPhee

    I live in Thailand ie Chiang Mai. I do not drink the tap water but shower,
    clean teeth etc and have never had any trouble. All over the world is the same
    safe policy drink bottled water from a reputable brand name.
    Cheers
    Rob