Water sports in Thailand ...

[Smiles]

Not having been in many Thai private homes or condos I was wondering whether these types of home water cooler/dispenser services are common in Thailand (as they are here in Canada). I'm not refering to this particular manufactuer or provider ("Haier") ... the photo is meant to be generic.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v18/sawatdeephotos/Images/waterdispenser.jpg


Here at home I have no compunction whatsoever about drinking water from the tap, but this is not normal in many countries in the world, and definitely in Thailand the bottled water business is huge ... both for tourists as well as Thai people.

Upcoming retirement makes me think about getting such a service ~ I assume it is common, but am not quite certain about that.
Any long-timers have knowledge of this? Ballpark figure for costs (assuming it is the most cost efficient method)? Ease of refilling etc etc etc?

Cheers ...

... get a water filter put on your kitchen tap. Mine works a treat

homintern: Is your filter above the counter or below? I have one sitting on the counter now, and would like to reclaim that bit of counter space, but wonder: How do you replace filter cartridges UNDER the counter without water getting all over the place? Anybody know? It's pretty useless trying to ask the sales people at HomePro, HomeMart etc...

[Smiles]

In Thailand (as in Mexico, Equador, Nepal, or Burma etc etc etc) do you trust slapping a little water filter on a regular household tap then drinking the water?
I was under the impression filters such as that got rid of impurities, not bacteria or viruses.

I wasn't asking about a filter (thanks anyway), but about the commonality of the types of large potable water dispensers in the photo. Was I not clear enough?

Cheers ...

No Smiles, I have never seen the device you illustrated in Thailand (but I lead a sheltered life - the servants do the shopping). The carbon filters do filter out all impurities (to the pure all things are pure anyway) and I haven't had a day's stomach problems since it was installed two or three years ago. It's below the counter - you need to get what passes for a plumber in Thiland to fit it. I had some little man come around and install it (and he conformed to the usual queue of tradesmen I've had though my apartment - damn ugly)

If you wish to indulge in watersports it's best you discuss it with the boy and mamasan first as they are not accustomed to this sort of thing except with homintern - the colostomy bag and adult Pampers are dead giveaways.

homintern - the colostomy bag
Mine, like the dear late Queen Mother's, is Sheridan wall-paper striped

homintern - the colostomy bag
Mine, like the dear late Queen Mother's, is Sheridan wall-paper striped

And do you occasionally drink from it by mistake the way the Queen Mum did? (Boy is NorthStar going to get his Cantonese knickers in a twist over this. No more FILTH from you, homintern!)

And do you occasionally drink from it by mistake the way the Queen Mum did?
I thought Brenda's Mum had alcohol delivered via an intravenous drip

[2lz2p]

Smiles,

To get back to your original question - yes, water coolers (not necessarily the same as in photo) are available - I bought mine at Carrefour - around 6000 baht as I recall. There are less expensive models, but I chose one that has both cold and hot water spouts. In the village where I live, there is regular delivery of bottled water - 40 baht for each refilled bottle (there is a deposit on the bottle, but I don't recall deposit amount - wasn't much). I had a similar cooler in USA and found them convenient - cold glass of water when wanted (saves keeping container in fridge for that purpose) - hot water good for a cup of tea, etc (used to use microwave to heat a cup of water, but much more convenient just to use the tap).

Bear in mind (if you're a greenie) that bottled water is the least ecologically- and environmentally-friendly way of getting drinkable water because of the energy consumption required in delivering it. And then there's the plastic containers ...

Homintern: How easy is it to change the filter cartridges under the counter without flooding the area?

The water in my condo building is so bad (trucked in from god knows where) that I use the filtered water to wash dishes and brush my teeth (yes, it means brushing my teeth at the kitchen sink). For water to make my coffee or tea, I still boil the filtered water, just to be safe. Filtering is just the first step: to take the brown color out. The washing machine is another story: sometimes the water in the tub is so murky I can barely see the clothes. <sigh....>

Homintern: How easy is it to change the filter cartridges under the counter without flooding the area?
Quite easy I believe, but as I say I get someone else to do all the manual work. However your problems seem to be more widespread and relate to the general plumbing in the building or even the area. Seriously - have you thought about moving?

Seriously - have you thought about moving?
Yes, would you consider buying? ;-)

Yes, would you consider buying? ;-)
How did I know that would be your answer. Every time we get the question (at least once a month) "Rent or buy in Thailand?" over and over and over again I tell people not to buy - and this is a classic example of the sort of problems people buying property in Thailand will encounter, which are fairly readily fixed "at home" in the West, but are so intractible in Thailand

I would definitely have a talk with your apartment owner, gwn, and at least make sure there is an adequate water tank to let the building's mud settle, but that doesn't solve the problem that sediments, along with who knows what, are infiltratig.