Why do plugs flash and crackle in Thailand?

[Sir Swagman]

Superior quality materials, design and workmanship may be the reason. Not all countries are fortunate enough to have such innate electrical activity device notification. Electricians here are easily spotted by their metal ladders of course.....

[whaleboneman]

18 hours ago, tonray said:

Every room I have ever rented has its own breaker box.

So you rent one room places - now I see. However, if you count up all the rooms in Thailand you'll find that the majority don't have breaker boxes. 

[Crossy]

3 hours ago, Sir Swagman said:

Electricians here are easily spotted by their metal ladders of course.....

The only time I've seen a Thai, sparks or otherwise, using a metal ladder is when they've borrowed it off me.

 

Bamboo is the material of choice.

[sandyf]

On 2/23/2018 at 4:08 PM, biplanebluey said:

How long you been here,ever noticed there's only two wires------ no earth !!!!!!!!!!!!

Bit of a meaningless statement. Two wire appliances are sold all around the globe, its known as double insulation. In the UK you will see a plastic earth pin on the plug.

As for residential property, it would be unusual to see a recent build without an earth wire, and that is known as progress.

 

Sparks are caused by either making the connection "on load" or a bad connection, and as has already been pointed out, sparking with "on load" connections happen everywhere.

The quality of Thai electrical items leaves a lot to be desired but that is the way it is and it is up to each to deal with it. You cannot get western quality at Thai prices and the Thais are not yet ready for western prices, no doubt it will come in due course.

[samsensam]

On 23/02/2018 at 7:24 AM, Bantex said:

I have a mixture of both Thai & UK sockets installed and all have separate switches for each outlet. The house is fully earthed on all wiring. Sockets are switched on after the plug is inserted and turned off before removing the plugs. I have never had sparks or cracks anywhere in the house. A Thai workman was carrying out work in my house and told me my electric was not working as he had seen no spark when he plugged in power tools even though I was using the other outlet on the same double socket. I watched him try different sockets and other electric tools for 10 minutes before I told him he needed to switch on at the socket he was trying to use. When he went to another room to work the same thing happened, he told me again my electric was off, because he hadn’t switched on at the socket.

 

sounds like a bright spark.

[johnray]

I saw a monk plug in a light and he pulled his hand away quickly trying to outpace the spark (or whatever else the socket was doing on that day).

 

Maybe the connection in the UK is deeper inside the socket so you never see it but the Thai ones are right on the edge so you see the spark.  But just guessing.