Official: 'Black water' should not be consumed

People flock to the two pools on the mountain near Ai Kasae village in Si Sakhon district of Narathiwat province to take some 'black water' believed to be a cure-all on Saturday. (Photo by Wadaeo Harai)

NARATHIWAT - The black water from two small pools on the mountain near Ai Kasae village in Si Sakhon district should not be drunk without being boiled first, said provincial public health chief Sommai Boonkliang on Sunday.

Dr Sommai gave the advice as people from various localities were flocking to the village to fetch the black water in the two small pools, believing it was a cure-all.

He said samples of the water had been brought for a scientific test. The result reveals that the iron content in the water is higher than the standard limit. It also has excessive content of coliform bacteria or E-coli. Sulphur is also found in the water, sending out the smell of the substance.

The water is also a little acidic, Dr Sommai said.

Therefore, people are advised not to drink the water at all. But if they still believe it can cure diseases, they should boil it first.

Dr Sommai said the provincial public health office was making a brochure containing an instruction on how to safely consume the water, both in Thai and the local Malay language, to be distributed to the people.

He said the black silt found in the water would be re-examined to determine what it really was.

At Ai Kasae village and the site of the pools, toilets should be built for the growing number of visitors and proper arrangements should be made to ensure the water is not contaminated, he added.

Officials from hospitals and heath offices will be sent to the area to meet local leaders, who will be tasked with advising the people how to safely use the water.