Can You Drink The Water In Thailand? (2024)
Wondering whether you can drink tap water in Thailand?
Then you’ve come to the right place as I’ve visited Thailand and I know whether or not you can drink the water.
When you’re visiting a country, it’s important to know whether you can drink tap water there, especially if you’re on a budget or want to be eco-friendly.
In Europe and the US, it’s a pretty safe assumption that you can drink tap water, but in Asia, it’s a different story.
So let’s get into whether or not you can drink tap water in Thailand.
Can You Drink The Water In Thailand?
The short answer is no, you can’t drink the water in Thailand.
Tap water in Thailand is not safe to drink, and you will make yourself sick if you drink it. The locals in Thailand don’t even drink tap water – so that shows you how unsafe it is to drink.
Granted, drinking tap water won’t give you a serious illness or kill you, but it will upset your stomach and lead to a lot of trips to the bathroom, from both ends…
The water quality does vary throughout Thailand so some places are worse than others for water cleanliness, but as a general rule of thumb, just avoid drinking it.
There have been lots of tests done on the water in Thailand and the general consensus is that it contains a lot of harmful bacteria.
Throughout Thailand, the water quality averages a 42.7 EPI score, which ranks Thailand as the 98th country in the world for best tap water.
For reference, the UK is 100 and the US is 89.3, so Thailand is considerably below-par when it comes to drinking water.
Be careful with what you read online as some websites (usually forums like Quora or Reddit) will tell you that tap water is reasonably safe to drink, but this isn’t the case.
It’s unfortunate news as there is a big problem in Southeast Asia with single-use plastics, and plastic bottles are of course contributing to that problem.
The good news is that Thailand is pretty cheap to visit, so spending on bottled water, it’s not going to cost you a fortune. It’s just one of the expenses that comes with a trip to Thailand.
There are other alternatives such as drinking water from drinking fountains in Thailand, which are becoming more and more common, particularly in airports and tourist attractions.
Some street food vendors will also have a large (safe to drink) dispenser of water where you can take a cup and get a glass of water with your meal. I found the Gate Market in Chiang Mai had the most number of vendors to do this, which is a nice gesture.
Another option is to get a water bottle with a filtering straw such as LifeStraw which will filter out all of the harmful bacteria and mean you can drink the tap water in Thailand.
So to summarise, the water in Thailand is unfortunately not safe to drink.
Do You Have To Pay For Water In Thailand?
Yes, you have to pay for water in Thailand, including in restaurants.
The reason that this is the case is because you can’t drink tap water in Thailand, so if you ask for water in a restaurant, it has to come from a bottle unlike in Europe and the US where you can simply get tap water for free.
Bottled water isn’t expensive and you can find it easily – it’s not as much of a pain having to always buy bottled water as you would expect.
Although there are some instances where you can it for free such as on day tours, long buses, or even some street vendors are kind enough to offer water for free.
How Much Is Bottled Water In Thailand?
Bottled water in Thailand is very cheap and easy to buy too.
You can get 500ml bottles from 7-Eleven for as low as 6 THB ($0.17 USD) and 1.5L bottles for 13 THB ($0.36) so it’s really affordable.
There are 7-Elevens all throughout Thailand so you’ll never be too far away from one, so it’s not an inconvenience having to “hunt” for water, you’ll always find it easy to find.
You can also buy bottled water at most attractions, such as the Grand Palace in Bangkok but it will naturally be for an inflated price. Usually 20 THB for a 500ml bottle, which is more than 3 times the going price, but if you’re desperate, the option is there.
The Thai people are also very courteous and many things include water for free, such as when you visit Wat Arun, or if you are backpacking in Thailand, many of the buses provide a bottle of water for free.
Can You Drink Tap Water In Thailand: FAQ
Below are some questions related to tap water in Thailand along with my answers to each question.
Yes, you can brush your teeth with tap water in Thailand, just make sure you don’t swallow any. The water isn’t safe to drink, but it’s not so unsafe that simply having it in your mouth will make you ill. As long as you spit all of the water out, brushing your teeth is no problem.
No, you cannot drink tap water in Phuket or anywhere in Thailand. Tap water is not safe to drink in Thailand as it contains lots of harmful bacteria which will make you ill. Bottled water is easily available in 7-Elevens for less than 20 cents.
Yes, you can have ice in Thailand. The ice in Thailand is made from pure water, rather than tap water meaning it is safe to consume.
Yes, you can wash your face with tap water in Thailand. Tap water in Thailand is not safe to drink, but it is safe to wash in, including your face. Having a shower in Thailand is also no problem, just make sure not to consume any of the water.
Conclusion: Thailand Tap Water
And there you have it, a complete guide to whether or not you can drink the water in Thailand.
Remember, the answer is no, as the water is unsafe.
Though it is safe to brush your teeth with and wash in.
Thankfully, bottled water is really easy to find, and cheap too so it isn’t too much of an inconvenience.
Now that you know you need to buy bottled water, do you know how you’re going to pay for it? I recommend Revolut in Thailand.
