BMA mops up water cheats

       The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is threatening tough legal action against owners of unlicensed water vending machines.
       Many of the machines, which dispense filtered drinking water at cheap prices,have been found to be unlicensed. A licence only costs 20 baht per machine.
       BMA spokesman Tharadol Piampongsan said there were 2,814 water machines in communities around Bangkok, and only 62 have been registered.
       City Hall will clamp down on the illegal machines. Machine owners who do not have a licence will face a 10,000 baht fine and a jail term of up to six months,Mr Tharadol said.
       The licence fee will be raised from 20 baht to 1,000 baht.
       Many machines lacked proper maintenance and were dirty, he said.
       Wanthanee Wattana, deputy director of BMA's Health Department, said the stiff penalties would force the machine owners to comply with maintenance and hygiene requirements.