peteralex

good point wym, a quick'n'easy at the local amphur may NOT be recognised at your home country, particularly UK/other common law countries that require an observed decree absolute where it may be necessary to involve lawyers (even for an agreed settlement) and a certified translation thereafter.

Apart from other compulsory requirements of "The International Private Law", a so-called Private Divorce will NOT be recegognized in European States, only divorces by court sentence are acknoledgeable, provided that the law is of a constitutional state, or, established according to the law of religious communities, for ex. muslim law.

It's a very complicated matter, I went through the attempt of acknoledgment, however, unsuccessfully.

Peter, what did you use as your ground reference to check the potential on the green/yellow and other wires?

What equipment did you make these measurements with?

Hi Crossy, I appreciate your response.

As common practise I originally connected the white and black coloured conductors coming out from the wall to the water heater's terminals N and L, the yellow/green one to the dedicated Earth terminal. To my surprise the heater did NOT function. Since I have another water heater installed at a second shower room I checked the connection there and it revealed that the yellow/green conductor was connected to either the N or L terminal, I don't remember accurately, however, not to the dedicated earth terminal of the device. I couldn't believe that and I returned to the water heater to be connected, using a multimeter and taking measures between the yellow/green and the white resp. black conductors, both cases indicated a 220V potential, while taking measures between the WHITE and BLACK conductor indicated a Zero potential. Thus the ground reference was as well the white as the black conductor.

Upon this experience I contacted an external Thai electrician to brighten me up about the strange situation who confirmed the yellow/green conductor as the "live" conductor and he continued rendering the water heater operational by connecting the yellow/green conductor to the L terminal and the white resp. black wire to Earth resp. N terminal. (I described his comment about this previously).

The multimeter used is a commercial type with an int. resistance of 9kOhm/V in the AC range.

1. Is there a ground connected to the breaker panel? There should be a line, rather large coming out of that and leading outside to rod that it is clamped to.

2. If there is a ground connected, you need to inspect the connections inside the breaker panel to see if in fact the line is connected to the correct ground connection in the panel.

3. If the ground is connected in the panel, yet you have 220 on it in the bathroom, somewhere between the panel and the bathroom, an electrician has cross connected the Line and Ground wire, poosibly in a juntion box or from an outlet box. You need to find this cross connection

4. If you do not have a ground connected to the service breaker panel in the house, DO NOT add on until you find the cross connect between the Line and Ground

Hallo to all OPs,

many thanks for your valuable advice and contributions.

I checked the CB box and a Ground bar is found which is supposedly connected to the said grounding rod by a heavy green conductor of outer dia. approx. 8mm; onto this ground bar are 5 black conductors (10mm2) hooked up. It can be assumed that using the standardized yellow/green instead black conductors represent the grounding network in further distributions within the home.

Within the CB box 6 white conductors (16mm2) are connected to the N bar, yellow conductors (16mm2) after CBs of the L bus. These main conductors are leading into the attic for further distribution.

It is stated that NO yellow/green conductor is found in the CB box, it can hence be suspected that in a grossly negligent manner yellow/green conductors for the 2 water heaters are joint in the attic with yellow conductors coming from the CB box and, thus becoming to 220V conductors.

I'll verify my suspicion asap and, in any case have the erroneous yellow/green conductors replaced. I am absolutely aware that one should not expect too much about technical perfection in LOS but I hope that the rest of installation complies at least to some degree with the state of art.

I'll keep you updated.

That's clear (and scary) now Peter.

Is it your own place or a rental? (do you fix it properly or leave alone as it's working)

Do you have any form of earth leakage protection (Safe-T-Cut)?

It's my/our own place, we took it over in April 2013 from a village developer. I'm not going to fix it myself nor leave it alone as it is but committing the developer to scrutinize the entire electric installation and to remidiate problems, requiring an installation according to state-of-art. I'm determined to file a lawsuit if necessary, therefore it's necessary to know and to refer to relevant statutory basis.When this country is producing and exporting electric devices and appliances then they must certainly follow international safety standards and have their products produced accordingly.

No Crossy, there is no Safety-Cut installed.

Edit: Sorry, I had to revise the Date "April 07" to now "April 2013"

Peter, what did you use as your ground reference to check the potential on the green/yellow and other wires?

What equipment did you make these measurements with?

Hi Crossy, I appreciate your response.

As common practise I originally connected the white and black coloured conductors coming out from the wall to the water heater's terminals N and L, the yellow/green one to the dedicated Earth terminal. To my surprise the heater did NOT function. Since I have another water heater installed at a second shower room I checked the connection there and it revealed that the yellow/green conductor was connected to either the N or L terminal, I don't remember accurately, however, not to the dedicated earth terminal of the device. I couldn't believe that and I returned to the water heater to be connected, using a multimeter and taking measures between the yellow/green and the white resp. black conductors, both cases indicated a 220V potential, while taking measures between the WHITE and BLACK conductor indicated a Zero potential. Thus the ground reference was as well the white as the black conductor.

Upon this experience I contacted an external Thai electrician to brighten me up about the strange situation who confirmed the yellow/green conductor as the "live" conductor and he continued rendering the water heater operational by connecting the yellow/green conductor to the L terminal and the white resp. black wire to Earth resp. N terminal. (I described his comment about this previously).

The multimeter used is a commercial type with an int. resistance of 9kOhm/V in the AC range.

According to general knowledge electrical appliances in shower rooms must be properly grounded, furthermore that the grounding conductor of green/yellow colour code must be connected to a earthing(grounding) rod inserted in the ground. It is presumable that this provision has validity also in Thailand to protect against fatal accidents . Grounding terminals of all (as well imported) nationally approved electric devices in this mode of use (and others) are therefore designated by a green/yellow colour code and, according to the wiring plan are to be connected with the external grounding rod.
When replacing my hot water heater in the shower in question, it was found that the green/yellow conductor deviant applied a 220 volt potential, another two incoming conductors ( white and black color) were, however, on a "neutral " potential.
The electrical installation is an installation of a new building. According to earlier testimony from the installation company, a central grounding rod was inserted into the ground , all sockets entirely grounded.
This can be disputed by the current fact when on the green / yellow grounding conductor dedicated as " protective conductor " a 220V potential is applied , thus can be impossibly connected to said grounding rod.
A summoned Thai electrician from outside who finally made ​​the water heater functional despite applicable regulations connection, also aware of the (standardized) green/yellow convention as a grounding conductor, shrugged his shoulders and said that this would be done arbitrary in Thailand. Since such a faulty installation poses a fatal danger, it is inconceivable that there shouldn't be existing national requirements for a professional and proper electrical installation.
If any, what are the national relevant regulations and, stating the respective number(s) of, for professional electrical installations in compliance with the law, to which I can refer to and require to eliminate this life-threatening condition?

"Extortionate prices"? It's a free market, isn't it?

You better switch on your brain first, what a stupid and unqualified comment!

I wished that you were concerned when in a necessity of transport after loosing everything from the floods.

once again to any tourists coming to Thailand and doing alot of travelling , just remember travelling on the roads in Thailand is amongst the most dangerous in the world, Go somewhere else if you can

What are you talikg about??

'Go somewhere else if you can"

When you don't comprehend the words as written, just read them over and over again until you got it.

we all know Thais dont drink alcohol ......... they are never drunk ...behave perfectly in the society and never cause troubles ..... oh are we talking about farang here ? Oooops ...... that is the most stupid things I have seen today so far ....

I really thought farang was not part of those elections ....

We are! As some of us decided to live here - and so we have to follow the Thai laws! And that's good.

If Thais are following the laws or not - we don't have to care about it because it's not our business!

I am living and working here in Thailand since a year now.

What I really can't stand aren't any Thai laws or police checkpoints. No. I am really getting bored of foreign guests (that what we are here) complaining about nearly everything!

Nobody forced you to come to Thailand, it was your own, free decision! If you don't like Thailand anymore - go back home! It would make life here much better.

I don't know where you're coming from, but I think they must be very lucky of getting rid of persons like "senior teachers".

Unless the return to your country wouldn't be refused for that reason, I recommend you to return as quick as possible. You wouldn't "really getting bored of foreign guests (that what we are here) complaining about nearly everything! " in future, and, " It would make life here much better" for us without having smartasses surrounding us.

Believe the competent court will be the court for the area where the child is officially registered.

You are certainly right that the competent court will be the court of the area where the child is registered, but not necessarily meaning where the child was born.

Number 2 doesn't cost and with your DNA evidence it should not be an issue at the amphur, they can hardly deny with they have approved before. But the child has to be about 7 years old. I would give it a try first.

If the child isn't old enough you will have to go to court. That is costly, but not difficult. Especailly not with your DNA-records. Depending on your local court it takes about 2 to 3 months, with I believe two sessions. (1 is with social services to look into your application).

Shop around for a lawyer to determine the price, no need for a hot shot lawyer. It is very straight foreword.

Hi,

when living in the Chonburi province and the legitimization by family court is sought, it is NOT costly, around 350 Baht for stamps, this would probably apply to other provincial family courts as well, if you find a willing and serious, honest and competent officer.

Our daughter is now 3 years, I am the registered father in the birth certificate, but I'm not married to the mother, but living together. We went to Chonburi's family court 2 months ago in order to learn the procedure how to achieve the legitimization. We got to talk to a woman named "KRUNG", she was obviously the supervisor of the registration area (at the counter on ground floor RH side wing), and she looked at the documents, as there was the birth certificate, copy of my passport and her Thai-ID-card and, I think that she already copied these documents. Since she was busy that day she asked to return the next day but not later than 8.30 am in order to complete the application. She mentioned that a fee of approx. 350 Baht for stamp would be collected. Wondering why can be done without a lawyer as known, she answered that there is no such reqiurement, anyone can apply for it, and, that she condemns the dubious business of many agents and lawyers and will not support it.

We arrived the next morning in time, meanwhile she has already prepared the application and we only needed to sign the document and paid the stamp fee. She continued that we could pick up the legitimization document here one month later, as there is a requirement to wait since we're living in Banglamung district, some other districts don't require the waiting.

Exactly one month later we could pick up the legitimization document.

I'm living in TH many years now, but I have neither met nor heard about a honest, helpful and competent official person as Khun KRUNG. Thank you again Khun KRUNG

That's Awesome. So easy, so fast, so inexpensive. Maybe I will try that route.

Must the child be born in Banglamung or be an official resident of Banglamung?

YES our daughter was born in and is an official resident of Banglamung, however, IMO this cannot be a criteria since a national law and its implementing regulation, i.e. the non-necessity of a lawyer for the application, applies to ALL (family) courts within the jurisdictional territory. IMO it all depends firstly on the competent officer's knowledge of this implementing regulation and secondly of course on his good will doing it without a tea money by either side, the lawyer's or your's. Give it a try and refer to my case at the Chonburi's family court.

What all about this excitement! As sad as this story is, this very tragic story will probably end up in court similar like this:

Whether or not the girl was holding a driver license, this horrible accident was UNAVOIDABLE. It was the sole fault of the van's driver because he was using that highway road at the WRONG time and WRONG location. As well the police might have been held partly responsible of not having blocked that road because this 15 year-old girl was practizing the arts of driving a car on THAT road, since other roads are too crowded to practize. However, finally in a trial the police will reveal innocent, due to lack of personal beeing unable to do so, instead of had the duty of blocking a specific route somewhere for hi-speed passing VIPs.

After that and finally the girl will probably require a compensation for damaging the reputation due to unjustified blaming.

I hope my contribution is understood ironically, the survivors and the victims's families have my full sympathies.

Why the need for helmet wearing zones when it has been law for years that you have to wear a helmet when riding a motorbike?

Really is it already a law in Thailand? You would never know it I even see the police getting around without a helmet.

Maybe it's legitime because they and many other helmet-less individuals don't have brains or theirs aren't worth to be protected?