Plumber Needed

The waste water from the kitchen and bathroom/shower is backed up and won't run - but it does leak away slowly. The local 'plumber' wants to dig up the floor (tiles over cement), but hasn't tried to put any chemical down the pipe, nor does he have one of those flexi things to poke down it. I'm out of Thailand at the moment (back in two weeks), but the Missus is there and getting worried. Can anyone recommend a good plumber? or even the name of the stuff you pour down the sink to try and unblock it? I would like to try that before they ruin the floor. Any suggestions welcome ( well, perhaps I shouldn't have said that! )

Caustic Soda will do the trick but must be handled with a great deal of care. Gloves and proper eye protection as caustic will eat into the skin and should be rinsed off for 20 minutes in "COLD" water and not warm as it will make the Caustic more aggressive !!

You can buy Liquid Drano and/or Liquid Plumber at any of the large super markets (Tesco, Big C, Carrefour).

You can buy a snake at Tool Pro (those flexi things). Might have wife get one or send "The local 'plumber'". I think the longest is 15 meters.

Didn't know there were Plumbers here.

Most things like draino will not work, plus your drains are full of water. You most likely have grease (kitchen) and hair (shower), build up maybe on an elbow.

RLTrader wrote:Most things like draino will not work, plus your drains are full of water. You most likely have grease (kitchen) and hair (shower), build up maybe on an elbow.

treehugger stated the water drained away slowly so there will be no standing water just let it drain away then use drain cleaner. It is probably hair or grease. Before using drain cleaner you could have your handy-man try a plunger by first plugging the shower drain with a rag and plunge at the sink. There should be no reason to break up the floor if plastic piping was used.

or you could use Caustic Soda and then replace the piping.

I've had a backup from the kitchen sink many times, the wife will insist on cleaning/deskinning vegetables over the sink and pours the used oil/fat down there. Anyway, a plunger usually dies the trick along with the flexi metal jobbie, which I must admit I bought in from the UK.

As above there should be no need to dig up the floor

The question should be where does the water drain too?. Unless it is in the road outside it probably drains into your local or even your soakaway.
I suffer the same probelm and put in 20 meteres of 4 inch pipe to make sure the water drains well away and then about every two to three weeks ppour a bottle of bleach down the drain, seems to do the job.
All other drains drain away into my cesspits and they are emptied every 6-9 months at a small cost of 100-125 baht per cesspit.
Doubt if raising the floor will do anything but create a damm mess that will cause more trouble than it is worth.

if the soakaway is clogged just get it re-dug and off we go again.

A mute point Thai plumbers are at best all vying for the Heath Robinsons badge of excellence, people you know but never use, most farangs have a better working knowledge of drainage systems than most Thais.

"the wife will insist on cleaning/deskinning vegetables over the sink and pours the used oil/fat down there"

Most sinks/baths in downtown homes drain into an open drain that goes out to the road. The open drain is probably covered up with cement blocks, or will at least have an access point. If you're lucky, the drain will point in a downward direction, but don't be surprised if it goes up a bit before it goes down. And, of course, at that particular point is where all that rice, oil/fat, hair etc will gather and grow rank.

When we lived downtown, I might take advantage of the comfort of the shower to pee while soaping up. After I discovered the drainage system and the smells that eminated from them, I stopped. No more trash/oil down the sink, no more peeing in the shower, a shot of EM (microbacteria) down the drain once a month and no more smell.

Many thanks to you all for your comments and advice - passed on to the Missus. I now await developments

RLTrader wrote:or you could use Caustic Soda and then replace the piping.

Oh I think not. You will find PVC (polyvinyl chloride) plastic quite resistant to caustic soda. Here is a bit about storage.
LIQUID CAUSTIC SODA - STORAGE

Plastic tanks might be used if the supplier specifications are strictly followed.
The maximum allowed pressure and vent line must be checked if compressed air is used during unloading.
GFRP with a PP lining or a PVC lining are suitable to a maximum temperature of 60 °C. GFRP makes the construction more rigid, whereas the lining provides resistance to corrosion. The condition of the liner should be checked according to supplier specification.
Spiral wound extruded HDPE to a maximum temperature of 45 °C or PP to a maximum temperature of 60 °C are adequate for small storage tanks.

I find it good not to make statements without all the facts.

I stand by my statement. But you can do whatever you want.

Been using it in my place for the last sixteen years with no problems. Caustic Soda is a Bi-product of PVC manufacturing By the way, what do you think the active ingredient is in draino or all those other drain cleaners ?? How about your Oven cleaner ?? Caustic Soda

Chemical cleaners work via their reactive chemical nature; enzymatic cleaners work via slower biological/digestive type reactions. Because of their chemical reactivity, coupled with the often unknown contents and configurations of plumbing systems, improper application of chemical drain cleaners can result in unexpected chemical reactions, splashes, and other effects which may result in personal injury and/or property damage.


The heat liberated by chemical drain cleaners may soften plastic (PVC) pipes. Combined heat and chemical reaction may damage old, corroded pipes. Acid drain cleaners can corrode or etch stainless steel, damage aluminum fixtures, and (by heat of solution) may crack porcelain. If a chemical drain cleaner does not remove the obstruction in the piping system, the chemical may remain unreacted in the piping system. Users occasionally attempt to clear a blockage by using more than one product. The introduction of acid drain cleaners into pipes containing caustic drain cleaners may result in vigorous acid-base neutralization reactions. These reactions generally result in the formation of a salt and water, but may generate extreme heat and, consequently, the liquids may spatter or erupt from the drain. Dilution of concentrated caustics and acids may also generate heat. This "heat of solution" may be considerable and variable, depending on the initial and final solution concentrations. If the chemical remains unreacted in the piping system, persons subsequently attempting to clear the blockage by mechanical means may unknowingly have potential of exposure to the chemical.

The addition of water to a concentrated caustic or acid may also result in boiling and spattering of the resulting solution; if the caustic or acid is slowly and carefully added to water, this effect is minimized. Standards often recommend using the term "concentrated" for aqueous solutions as a warning for potential health effects or injuries to tissue. However, chemical texts often use the same term for nearly pure solutions.


Chemical and enzymatic drain cleaners are potentially dangerous to use. They are reactive with human tissue in a similar manner as to the organic materials in drain blockages. Hazardous and toxic gases may be generated, as well as spattering and/or eruptions. Standards exist addressing these potential hazards with recommendations for proper and safe use, packaging and labeling

If a drain requires cleaning, consumer advocates recommend the use of mechanical devices, followed by removal and cleaning of traps and cleanout plugs. Chemical cleaners are recommended only as a last resort; if the chemical drain cleaner fails to work, a professional should be contacted and the situation should be explained.