Residents of a condominium in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district are facing a serious health crisis as over 200 people have contracted eye infections due to contaminated water.
The outbreak, which began in June, has been linked to parasites found in the building’s water supply, including Acanthamoeba and Microsporidia.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has given the condominium management a three-day ultimatum to resolve the water quality issues or face legal action.
Ekwarunyu Amrapal, spokesperson for the BMA, revealed that initial investigations on June 14 found no chlorine residue in the building’s water tanks, failing to meet standard requirements for tap water.
Subsequent tests on June 25 confirmed the presence of eye infection-causing pathogens in water samples from the underground storage tank and several residential units. Despite some efforts by the building management to clean the tanks and add chlorine, follow-up inspections on July 3 revealed that three additional water tanks had not been properly sanitized.
The severity of the situation has prompted involvement from multiple agencies, including the Department of Disease Control, the Urban Institute for Disease Prevention and Control, and the Department of Health. Residents have also filed complaints through various channels, urging authorities to address the outbreak and scrutinize the condominium juristic person’s management practices.
If the condominium management fails to comply with the improvement orders by July 11, they will face legal consequences under the Public Health Act of 1992. (TNA)
