Various questions about Bangkok with kids (page 2 of 2)

Definitely no hot water!! Read up on Legionella... salmonellosis... words from a plumber/water treatment expert!

And street food stalls—no hygiene at all. How do they keep things cold for hours on a sidewalk, opening their coolers all the time?! ... I’m skeptical about these answers.

Ice packs for fish and shellfish.

Yes, my husband uses other more southern terms, but the idea is the same. We're leaving for China in a few days, and my daughters told me, "Oh no, not the monkeys again!"

And let's not forget: don't mix up drying the laundry with...?

... dry off the monkeys? 😏

Hi there, We're currently in Thailand with our 5- and 7-year-old daughters. Before the trip, I went to a specialized university hospital center for travelers to get recommendations. Here (and elsewhere online), everyone shares their OPINION but forgets about objectivity! The risk might be low, but it exists—especially for young children whose bodies aren’t as resilient as ours. You should avoid tap water unless it’s bottled, as well as ice. Steer clear of fruits and raw veggies unless you prepare them yourself or get them from safe, tourist-friendly hotels where you can see the kitchens. Sure, the risk might be minimal, but it’s not even certain—studies would be needed to confirm. Ultimately, it’s up to each person to decide if they want to take that risk. For my kids? No way! There are plenty of delicious cooked dishes in Thailand. When I was younger, I came back from Tunisia with a gut bug. It was really tough to treat, and I’m not sure a little body would’ve handled it as well as I did. Happy travels! !

Avoid fruits and raw vegetables unless they’re prepared by you or sourced from safe, tourist-friendly hotels with a view of the kitchens.

Hi, I’ve taken my kids all over the world without ever being particularly careful about food or water. Never had any issues with street food in Thailand, the Philippines, India, etc. They’ve never gotten sick—except once, and that was at a high-end hotel during an "all-inclusive" stay in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, where everything seemed spotless... Not just a case of traveler’s diarrhea, but a full-on food poisoning! !

The risk may be low, but it exists, especially for young children whose bodies aren’t as resilient as ours

No body becomes resilient if it’s never faced with challenges.

The more sterile a child’s environment is, the less they’ll develop their defenses and will grow up to be an adult who’s prone to traveler’s diarrhea anywhere outside their home...

Plus, all kids do gross stuff (like eating bugs, putting everything and anything in their mouths, etc.) on the sly, and that’s way worse than drinking freshly squeezed fruit juice in Thailand...

(I’m not suggesting letting them eat just anything, either.)

You're right because tap water isn't drinkable in Thailand or the surrounding countries.

For fruits and vegetables, I'm not convinced it's worth avoiding them, nor whether you can trust tourist hotels or those with a view of the kitchen. Some issues come more from a lack of respect for the cold chain or a slight exceedance of the use-by date, or even using a freezer that's not exactly... fresh, if I may say so.

Food-related problems are really the exception in this country, where you should mainly worry about motorized vehicles and be careful not to step on a snake..

be careful not to step on a snake..

and not to get attacked by a jumping spider while drinking water—very dangerous critter too...

I showed it to my wife and she had a nice startle + goosebumps. She says thanks! 🙂

a nice thrill and goosebumps

Because of the water bottle?

Because of the farang being hairier than the critter? 😛

Oh, this reply reassures me because I was starting to think we’d been really lucky—we’ve always brushed our teeth with tap water. I was wondering if we should switch to bottled water this year...

The only place I do that is when we take the train up to Chiang Mai; I really don’t risk using tap water there.

All these replies still made me doubt though

be careful not to step on a snake..

and not to get attacked by a jumping spider while drinking water, that critter's also very dangerous...



Oh my, am I really going to Thailand? Reassure me, running into this kind of critter is pretty rare, right?

Be careful not to step on a snake..

and not to be attacked by a jumping spider while drinking water—very dangerous critter too...



Oh my, am I really going to Thailand? Reassure me—encounters with these kinds of critters are pretty rare, right?

The most dangerous animal in Thailand is the centipede! It’s the size of a forearm! Many people don’t know, but it’s responsible for several deaths. https://lepetitjournal.com/bangkok/comprendre-thailande/scolopendre-thailande-fascinante-redoutable-370403 https://lepetitjournal.com/bangkok/thailande-conseil-morsure-serpent-62480 Oh, and I almost forgot about jellyfish and stonefish... Both can be deadly sometimes! https://lepetitjournal.com/bangkok/attention-au-poisson-pierre-en-thailande-ne-vous-y-frottez-pas-62535

Don’t worry, that was a joke—the tarantula isn’t a jumper. Plus, the photo was actually taken in Cambodia. And you wouldn’t think it, but contrary to what you might expect, it’s really soft when it walks on you...

You forgot the article about carnivorous elephants.

You forgot the article about carnivorous elephants.

And also the one about aggressive stray dogs that spread rabies!😱

You should also watch out for crocodiles because not all of them are herbivores. Photo taken in a very popular Thai national park:

Don’t worry, it was a joke—the tarantula isn’t a jumper. Plus, the photo was actually taken in Cambodia. And you wouldn’t think it, but contrary to what you might expect, it’s super soft when it walks on you...

Thanks, that makes me feel better. 🙂