Thai Food and Drug Administration (Thai FDA) has affirmed that drinking water sold in commonly used polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles is safe for public consumption, dismissing recent rumours that have gone viral on social media.
FDA Deputy Secretary-General Dr Pichet Puedkhuntod told the media this week that PET bottles sold or used in the domestic market are legally required to undergo testing and meet the official quality standards set by the Ministry of Public Health under Ministerial Announcement No. 435, issued in 2022.
He confirmed that PET bottles bearing an FDA-verified marker are not made with bisphenol A (BPA), a substance linked to health risks, contrary to claims that have gone viral on social media.
He said a recent FDA random test of 30 brands of drinking water sold in PET plastic bottles found no traces of BPA or phthalates, another group of chemicals that can pose health risks.
The FDA deputy chief dismissed as unfounded recent claims circulating on social media that drinking water from PET plastic bottles left inside parked cars in hot weather or exposed to sunlight for hours could cause cancer.
He suggested, however, that bottled drinking water should not be left in direct sunlight or inside non-air-conditioned vehicles for long periods in order to preserve its taste and odour.
