News Forum - 400 new drinking fountains to be restored to Bangkok streets

[Thaiger]

Four hundred new pedestal drinking fountains will be reinstalled on Bangkok’s pavements. In December last year, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration assigned the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority to demolish 400 public drinking fountains from the city’s paths, that were first introduced in 1999, because they were old, creaky, and lacked maintenance. Metropolitan pedestrians complained to the authorities that they were unable to use the fountains because they were unhygienic, the water was contaminated, and they caused an obstruction to passersby. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittpunt announced yesterday that discussions were underway with the MWA to reconstruct the new public pedestal drinking fountains. Chadchart says […]

The story 400 new drinking fountains to be restored to Bangkok streets as seen on Thaiger News.

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[Cabra]

The best idea they ever had was to remove the old fountains. Seems like money not well spent on infrastructure that will rarely ever be used. Unless they include some hightech secondary filtration and purification, I wouldn't touch it. 

[KaptainRob]

5 minutes ago, Cabra said:

The best idea they ever had was to remove the old fountains

Agreed. 

Modern technology could see new hygienic filtered water fountains installed although location and maintenance could be a big problem and despite good intentions most ppl will still buy bottled water.

[Shade_Wilder]

"Metropolitan pedestrians complained to the authorities that they were unable to use the fountains because they were unhygienic, the water was contaminated, and they caused an obstruction to passersby."

I think the quoted passage and the posts above are well-intentioned, but mistaken.

If, and it is a big "If", fountains can be re-set, re-furbished and made hygienic, then it is a great thing.

Simply put, in a country where income disparity is already way, way too prevalent, the lack of clean water to the less fortunate is criminal. I think all members see the disparity among Thai people, especially in Bangkok, and making the poor pay for drinking water is morally-bankrupt.

If the fountains are ugly, beautify them

If the fountains are blocking traffic, shift them.

If the fountains aren't providing hygienic water, fix them.

Forcing the poor to pay for drinking water is nothing more than an enrichment policy for the owners of 7-11, and they have enough money already.

PS With respect KR,

" ...despite good intentions most ppl will still buy bottled water..." 

is only valid when they have enough extra cash to do so. If they don't...

Edited June 29, 2022 by Shade_Wilder
Where's my Latte?

[KaptainRob]

9 minutes ago, Shade_Wilder said:

Forcing the poor to pay for drinking water is nothing more than an enrichment policy for the owners of 7-11, and they have enough money already

Therein lies a win-win solution.  MrCP aka Mr7-11 could be encouraged to 'assist the poor AND save the planet' by installing systems outside each of his convenience stores.

[Shade_Wilder]

1 minute ago, KaptainRob said:

Therein lies a win-win solution.  MrCP aka Mr7-11 could be encouraged to 'assist the poor AND save the planet' by installing systems outside each of his convenience stores.

If Mr CP AKA Mr 7-11 would be willing to install public clean water systems at each and every one of his shops across the kingdom, I would work pro-actively to see that, in fact, he wasn't 'first up against the wall' when the revolution comes.

 

[Vigo]

2 hours ago, Shade_Wilder said:

"Metropolitan pedestrians complained to the authorities that they were unable to use the fountains because they were unhygienic, the water was contaminated, and they caused an obstruction to passersby."

I think the quoted passage and the posts above are well-intentioned, but mistaken.

If, and it is a big "If", fountains can be re-set, re-furbished and made hygienic, then it is a great thing.

Simply put, in a country where income disparity is already way, way too prevalent, the lack of clean water to the less fortunate is criminal. I think all members see the disparity among Thai people, especially in Bangkok, and making the poor pay for drinking water is morally-bankrupt.

If the fountains are ugly, beautify them

If the fountains are blocking traffic, shift them.

If the fountains aren't providing hygienic water, fix them.

Forcing the poor to pay for drinking water is nothing more than an enrichment policy for the owners of 7-11, and they have enough money already.

PS With respect KR,

" ...despite good intentions most ppl will still buy bottled water..." 

is only valid when they have enough extra cash to do so. If they don't...

Who do you expect to pay for the water fountain splurge? In a functioning society, everyone must contribute, including the poor. Whenever something is "free", it is abused. Always. Attach a small charge to remind users that there is a cost, and the use of the  item is reduced significantly as a value to the item is then attached. Humans are greedy and selfish, and the poor are no different. I would expect some enterprising Thai to siphon the tap water and it to reappear at Thai food stalls or restaurants.

Water fountains cannot be made "hygienic" as there will always be members of society who will use them as bidets, foot baths, laundry  tubs  etc.  The cost to maintain water filters in the public fountains  would be prohibitive requiring filter changes either daily or weekly.

What is needed  are more communal water outlets,like taps in the poor districts where there isn't food access to water.  Water fountains are a luxury. Access to water supply is not. There is no need for filters or fancy fonts. The city or citizens or public minded companies could sponsor them.The poor could continue to use their pails and bottles to collect the water.

[JJJ]

Rome has had free water fountains since the 19th century. Apparently 1870 Italians were more advanced than 21st century Thais  

A core function of every government around the world is providing free or cheap, safe drinking water to everyone. It’s literally a more basic need than food.

An inability to provide it proves the government is corrupt or ineffective. This may not be the solution but it is certainly a sign of a right direction. 

[Vigo]

10 hours ago, JJJ said:

Rome has had free water fountains since the 19th century. Apparently 1870 Italians were more advanced than 21st century Thais  

A core function of every government around the world is providing free or cheap, safe drinking water to everyone. It’s literally a more basic need than food.

An inability to provide it proves the government is corrupt or ineffective. This may not be the solution but it is certainly a sign of a right direction. 

No, it is not a "core function" of every government to provide free or cheap drinking water. That's your euro centric view. However, in respect to Thailand the provincial governments most certainly do provide access to affordable potable water in most urban and semi urban areas. 

Yes, Rome has its Nasoni.  The claim that 1870 Italians are  more advanced that  21st century Thais because of the  presence of Nasoni is idiotic. The life expectancy if Italians in 1870 was less than 30 years of age. Thailand's 21st century  is 77+ years of age.  Italy was a backward feudal state and that's why it had  it's agrarian crisis at the time. There was a need for clean water because the population lived in a pitiful state ravaged by consumption, typhoid and the annual outbreaks of malaria and cholera.  I'll gladly take 21st century Thailand over 1870 Italy or 1970 Italy or 2000 Italy for that matter. and yes, there is corruption in Thailand, but Italy leads the way when it comes to tax evasion, government dysfunction and  corruption.

[dbrenn]

Who actually drinks tap water in Thailand?

[JJJ]

59 minutes ago, Vigo said:

No, it is not a "core function" of every government to provide free or cheap drinking water. That's your euro centric view. However, in respect to Thailand the provincial governments most certainly do provide access to affordable potable water in most urban and semi urban areas. 

Yes, Rome has its Nasoni.  The claim that 1870 Italians are  more advanced that  21st century Thais because of the  presence of Nasoni is idiotic. The life expectancy if Italians in 1870 was less than 30 years of age. Thailand's 21st century  is 77+ years of age.  Italy was a backward feudal state and that's why it had  it's agrarian crisis at the time. There was a need for clean water because the population lived in a pitiful state ravaged by consumption, typhoid and the annual outbreaks of malaria and cholera.  I'll gladly take 21st century Thailand over 1870 Italy or 1970 Italy or 2000 Italy for that matter. and yes, there is corruption in Thailand, but Italy leads the way when it comes to tax evasion, government dysfunction and  corruption.

It’s absolutely the core function of government to provide water, access to food, and safety and security. That’s why we have government’s in the first place. I am not even from Europe.  I would say other than perhaps some forms of education that should be their limited roll. 

But whether it’s Thailand, Europe, and America all of these governments are failing at all 3 of these and instead patting each other on the back for making a new EV or solar panel. 

Im just saying it’s good for the Bangkok governor to actually acknowledge—hey maybe we can do a better job at one of our core responsibilities rather then figuring out a new way to make another Thai billionaire even richer  

 

[palooka]

1 hour ago, dbrenn said:

Who actually drinks tap water in Thailand?

Thais

[dbrenn]

10 minutes ago, palooka said:

Thais

None of the ones I've met.

[PapayaBokBok]

12 hours ago, dbrenn said:

Who actually drinks tap water in Thailand?

Hiso's...

[Thommo]

21 hours ago, dbrenn said:

Who actually drinks tap water in Thailand?