Seeing a lot of water quality talk lately. does anyone have good testing to show bangkok's tap water is NOT safe to drink?

yeah the water leaving the treatment plants is fine by most standards, the Metropolitan Water Authority publishes their reports online if you want to check. but the problem is those old galvanized pipes in most buildings pre-90s, especially in areas like Bang Rak or Phra Khanong. i've seen the sediment that comes out when they flush the system, that's enough for me to stick with the 20 baht jugs from the vending machines outside 7-Eleven

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the water authority tests are legit, i've seen the reports too. but my condo had a maintenance day where they drained the rooftop tank and the stuff that came out was gross, like rust and slime. i fill up 6-liter bottles at those vending machines near the bts for 1 baht a liter, feels safer than trusting the pipes in my building from the 80s

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honestly, I think the issue is less about the water leaving the treatment plant and more about the pipes it travels through. My building is old and I've seen the inside of the storage tanks on the roof, that was enough for me to stick with jugs.

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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