electau

The installation has been in use for many years and has been well maintained. The distribution system uses an unearthed neutral.

1. Install an RCBO. This would give earth fault protection and would trip in less than 0.4 secs.

2. Then at later date consider upgrading the electrical installation to the current standard but only if it was warranted.

And I think you will find that this is what most Thai electrical contractors would do.

Here is a prime example of a Thai electrical installation.

1 x 2 pole MCB as a main isolator.

3 x 2 pole MCBs to protect final subcircuits.

2 pin TIS socket outlets as standard.

No main earth or earth electrode.

What would you do to provide additional electrical protection?

And this is what the original post was all about, basic protection only.

The earth as described will divert any standing leakage current. It is the RCD that is the protective device. ( if installed ).

Touch voltage area is 1 metre in the horizontal plane and 2.5 metres in the vertical plane from the point where a person is standing at floor level.

The RCBOs available ( Safe-T-Cut ) have adjustable sensitivity 5/10/20/30ma and an operating time of less that 0.4secs.

And this is what will be found in most residential Thai electrical installations.

　And with regard to the test instrument use the 250 volt range on an insulation tester this will give you the approx value of the conductive material, do the test on a section of wall or floor with the probes about 1 metre apart.

She will have received a letter from DIAC at the Australian Embassy which will give the reasons for the refusal of the 676 visitors visa. It will be in English not Thai.

Have you actually seen this letter and read it? It would appear you have not. You should ask her for the letter and read it yourself. Post the reason(s) for refusal if possible.

Anyone who has studied the electrical distribution system and electrical installation practices in Thailand would realise that :

1. Two (2) pin socket outlets are in widespread use in all electrical installations.

2. There is no policy of earthing.

3. Three (3) pin socket outlets where installed may not have the earth terminal earthed.

4. Earthing where carried out is to minimise the effects of minor touch voltages that may be received by indirect contact. This is in effect a form of equipotential bonding.

5. Adaptor plugs are available to convert a 2 pin socket to 3 pin.

The problem arises with the 2 pin socket outlet. ( One may add here that two countries never had the problem with 2 pin socket outlets as 3 pin were made mandatory from the outset, they were Australia and New Zealand. The UK, European Countries, US, and Japan for examples had 2 pin socket outlets, 3 pin socket outlets where a later development. So even these countries had problems with earthing).

Thai practice of earthing is very often to just connect an earth conductor as stated, in other words to the floor or if available a section of metalwork. They regard that this is satisfactory as far as they are concerned.

However this is not designed to carry fault current of any magnitude but it will carry excessive leakage current which will trip an RCD. However in many cases an RCD is not installed.

Touch voltages. Where the touch voltage exceeds 50VAC in normal areas and 25VAC in wet or damp areas disconnection MUST occur in less than 0.04secs. Using an RCD achieves this result. (IEC 61200-413)

The RCD is the protective device for earth fault protection.

Fault currents may well be minimised in practice due to the distribution neutral conductor not being earthed and the main neutral not being earthed at the consumers electrical installation. (IT).

I would like it to be made very clear that this method of earthing should only be used as a last resort in Thailand and where it is not practicable to install a compliant earthing system or access to a earth electrode is not possible.

If one was to carry out a resistance test from the general mass of earth to a concrete wall or floor within a building one will find that it will be less than 10K ohms (10000 ohms) which is within the operating parameters of an RCD.

The earth in this case minimises the effects of minor electrical shocks caused by leakage currents due to equipotential bonding effect.

In the event of an earth fault the protective device in this case an RCD will disconnect the supply in less than 0.04secs which would comply with AS3000 and IEC requirements.

It would not of course trip an MCB that is why a RCD is used.

To carry out the resistance test use of a insulation tester on the 250V range. Do not use a VOM.

Remember if the protective earth fails on an item of electrical equipment the RCD will operate.

The current path will be via the human body and though the conductive building materials to the general mass of earth.

The method of earthing as mentioned is widely used in domestic installations in Thailand and one could say that it is policy not legislation. In many cases it is not practicable to install a compliant earthing system. The method of earthing to a stud or dynabolt may be acceptable under the circumstances. It will limit touch voltages to an accepable level but it of course will not be designed to carry a fault current to trip a MCB.

An RCD should always be installed.

In 2008 I purchased a new refrigerator/freezer for my wife it was a Sanyo and was fitted with a two core flex and 2 pin (flat blade) plug top. The instructions (in Thai) with a diagram showed the connection to be made if earthing was required. This consisted of a short length of 1.00mm flexible green earthing conductor attached to a screw on the rear of the unit and the attached to a stud or bolt near to the floor level. This would appear to meet Thai requirements and was supplied by the manufacturer.

With reference to the fact that building materials are conductive. Concrete will conduct electrical current and is generally in contact with the general mass of earth. It would conduct enough current to operate a RCB in most situations and would minimise the value of touch voltage due to the effect of equipotential bonding. If you can bond to a section of rebar or metallic piping in contact with the general mass of earth all for the good.

Of course if one can install a complaint earthing electrode do so by all means but realise that there are alternative arrangements. You may be living in a condo, townhouse or shophouse situation and not own the property.

Remember one is in Thailand not in Australia/NZ or a Western European country and some leeway must be applied to suit the circumstances.

For travellers from Thailand going to Australia here are regulations concerning liquids and gels as carry on baggage.

http://travelsecure.infrastructure.gov.au/international/index.aspx

In Australia when one checks in for an international flight liquids or gels are limited to 100ml each and must be placed in a clear plastic envelope. Security is directly after immigration control.

After one has checked in you can purchase duty free liquids and they will be placed in a plastic carry bag with the store logo on them.

However if you are in transit and have to connect to another flight eg at Hong Kong or Singapore you will have to surrender them as they are over 100ml each.

So that only applies for direct point to point flights.

Bangkok is different you check in and then one can buy duty free liquids THEN one has to clear security, and at this point the problem occurs.

Duty free liquid purchases should be made last of all.

However it is the passengers responsibility to be aware that liquids and gels over 100ml will be confiscated if the passenger is in transit at an international airport.

Buy DFif you have to at your final destination or do not buy at all.

If you pay in Australia at a DIAC office you will be paying in AUD. If you pay the fee in Bangkok you pay in THB. The rate that DIAC use is the buy AUD rate and at a rate that is higher than the normal Thai bank FX rate. On the figures given in the post it would be 31.55 THB to 1 AUD.

So you will save if you pay the fee in Australia, the other advantage is payment is by EFTPOS or CC.

If the buy rate was 28 to the AUD one would pay 48580 THB.

Earthing of electrical equipment. Earthing an item of electrical equipment using a short length of flexible copper conductor, ( green or green /yellow) and bolting it to a 6mm x 25mm dynabolt to the wall about 150mm to one side of the socket outlet complies with Thai wiring practice and it actually forms equipotentially bonding.

It is not designed to carry fault current but will minimise the risk of touch voltages appearing which cause minor electrical shocks from leakage currents.

All building materials such as concrete and block work etc are electrically conductive.

An RCD should also be installed. In the event of an earth fault the RCD will trip.

Note this method of earthing would not comply with AS/NZ 3000 or current IEC requirements. However being non compliant does not make it electrically unsafe.

3 pin plug top adaptors are available to convert to a 2 pin standard Thai socket, and they have an earth lug fitted for this purpose.

A number of Thai electrical appliances are fitted with 2 pin plug tops and comply with Thai Industrial Standards (TIS).

What is the average charge levied by a registered migration agent to complete an Australian visitors visa 676 application on form 48R (Thai/English)

This is on top of the visa fee of just over AUD100. and any courier fees to the Australian Embassy.

Just interested as a visitors visa is very easy to fill in and all the details are on an information sheet.

The DIAC decision maker looks at substance over form. Whilst it may be very easy to fill out a Form 48R as you say, of those applications that are refused, many just simply failed to satisfy the decision maker that their true intention was to visit Australia as a genuine visitor only, or that they did not satisfy the adequate funds criteria.

The 48R is just one part of the application process.

For all of the primary criteria that must be satisfied look at Cl.676 of Schedule 2 of the Migration Regulations 1994.

Regards

Bridge

You did not quite address the question, which was how much does the licenced migration agent charge. In Australia this is normaly about $100 per hour and the client is invoiced plus GST and for complex applications a retainer may be asked for first.

The visitors visa 676 is the simplest visa to obtain as long as the criteria are met.

On top of this charge is of course the fee to DIAC, just over $100.

What is the average charge levied by a registered migration agent to complete an Australian visitors visa 676 application on form 48R (Thai/English)

This is on top of the visa fee of just over AUD100. and any courier fees to the Australian Embassy.

Just interested as a visitors visa is very easy to fill in and all the details are on an information sheet.

Currently you are an employee of an Australian company and receive a salary, which would have income tax deducted and complusory employer funded superannuation.

If you relocated to Thailand and you would become a self employed contractor you would invoice your employer for work carried out.

Your employer would then forward a cheque to your address, or credit your bank account in Australia.

It would be suggested that you contact the Australian Taxation Office and obtain clarification.

The ATO has a definition of an employee as far as income tax is concerned.

You may still be regarded as a permanent resident for taxation purposes.

And any income (as defined) you receive and deposited in a Thai bank would be taxable in Thailand.