The electricity in Thailand is supplied at 220v, 50 cycles. Power sockets in older properties will usually only take a two pin plug (round or flat), however more modern properties are now being fitted with a three pin socket to accommodate appliance that come with moulded 3 pin plugs, the pins on such appliances are usually round.
Unfortunately, just because a system is three pinned does NOT mean it is earthed. Correctly earthed systems in Thailand are very rare and therefore all systems should be treated as being potentially dangerous. The technical skills of many so called "electricians" are way below similarly qualified people outside Thailand.
Voltage fluctuations are quite common, especially in more rural areas, where distance from a transformer is greater. This is a minor inconvenience in one sense, with dimming lights being the main thing you will notice. However that said, these same voltage fluctuations can and do affect the longevity of appliances such as fridges and air conditioning units.
To protect against earthing problems and voltage fluctuations I have personally had a voltage regulator and modern European cutout switches fitted between the incoming supply and the domestic outlets.
To get your supply(outside Bangkok) from the Provincial Electricity Authority(PEA) you simple visit their local office and submit a request. This will be dealt with quite quickly providing there is already a nearby supply available. Connection to this supply is charged as is the requirement to purchase your own meter. Costs vary, I paid 13,000Baht, for the meter in today's photograph and connection to the street supply lines. If you look on the front of the meter you will see it is rated at 30(100)Amps, which in my case is sufficient for our needs which include running three aircon units, an electric shower and other normal domestic appliances. Other meters used by most Thais are rated much lower and cost a lot less.
If you have no street supply expect to pay a lot of money (depending on distance) to get a supply to your new home.
Electricity cost per unit for my supply is 3.57 Baht (7-8 pence in UK) per unit which includes a fuel supplement(variable). VAT at 7% is then charged on the total bill. Over a 12 month period my bill averages 2,500Baht a month (higher in hot season lower in cool season). People renting or living in condos will find that these charges are considerably higher if the bill is paid to the landlord of a rental property or the condominium service organisation.
Finally a word about the reliability of the electricity supply in Thailand and paying your bill.
Overall I rate the service provided by the PEA as good, there are very few brown outs, which usually only occur during heavy rain and storms and are mostly caused by falling trees bringing down lines, since 99% of the supply is carried on overhead power lines.
Your electricity bill arrives in a rather unique way here. PEA staff visit the meter which is outside your property, read it and process the bill electronically on the spot. They also take a photograph of the meter reading. Finally the bill is placed in a small plastic receptacle which in my case is attached to the gate post.
Payment of the bill can be made at the bank, Tesco's or any 7/11 for a small charge of 20Baht.
HEALTH WARNING: I am not an electrician or electrical expert, the above account is based on my personal experiences. Please treat electricity with the respect it requires, most Thais will tell you that they have been electrocuted at least once in their lives! Don't let it happen to you.
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3 comments:
Mike, to say the least electricity in Thailand is dangerous. Every few months you read about a 7/11 employee getting killed while unplugging the rice cooker when she was barefoot.
Most of the newer places I have seen or stayed in had normal electrical panels with up to date circuit breakers but for all of those I've seen hundreds of old outdated service especially at major attractions.
When I was at SriRatcha Tiger Zoo I saw three electrical panels outside without doors and wires hanging out that anyone could come into contact with.
You definitely get a good price per unit I know several condo owners that are paying between 7 and 13 baht per unit.
Mike, this is very knowledgeable, despite your disclaimer. What I worry about most (but I don't worry much) is something chewing through some wires, as happened to our telephone one year while we were away.
Our price per unit is a little less at 3.27 Baht. But with no use of air con we generally pay about 500 Baht.
@Talen, yes I too see the same things. The house circuits were completed before I purchased our home so I made a few changes.
Top of the list was rewiring the shower so the circuit breaker was OUTSIDE the bathroom plus correctly rated cable.
@Lawrence, you made me smile about the chewing, a worry of mine too. I refuse to enter the loft space to check since I am sure there are a few interesting guests up there!
When we had a rabbit he did a good job on the TV cable!!
How do you survive without aircon, I know you have been here a long time, is it just that you are out of country in the hottest times?
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