Faulty water heater blamed for receptionist's death in Chiang Mai bathroom

[rooster59]

Faulty water heater blamed for receptionist's death in Chiang Mai bathroom

 

Image: Manager

 

Police were called to rooms in Wesalee Road, downtown Chiang Mai yesterday after a 25 year old receptionist was found dead in a bathroom.

 

Taweechai Noikham from Sukhothai was found still clutching the shower attachment in his right hand.

 

The water was still running when staff found him. He had scorch marks on his body indicating electrocution.

 

Police found out that the water heater was very old and ordered the owner to check all rooms in the building.

 

Taweechai was a receptionist in Mae Rim and was the breadwinner in his family caring for his mother, reported Manager.

 

Friends at work became concerned when he did not show up or answer calls so they went round and finding the room locked called the staff who climbed in via a window.

 

Manager said that the victim could speak three languages - English, Thai and German.

 

They mentioned that he was 25 in their headline - Thais call this "benjaphaet" and believe that something dramatic happens to people when they reach this age.

 

Source: Manager

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-05-05

[Just1Voice]

Very sad.

[Crossy]

5 minutes ago, Just1Voice said:

Very sad.

And way too common.

 

Cost of life, 500 Baht for an RCBO for the shower circuit.

[cmsally]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

And way too common.

 

Cost of life, 500 Baht for an RCBO for the shower circuit.

I know friends that have rented houses that have the old wiring (2 pin plugs, so no earth). Does anyone have pics of the relevant RCBO breakers that can be fixed to one shower unit. Someone told me that the ordinary kind of breakers that have the red button in addition to switch work in case of leakage but always good to be sure. Anyone have a pic., its always useful in case anyone asks!

[Crossy]

45 minutes ago, cmsally said:

Anyone have a pic., its always useful in case anyone asks!

 

The colour of the button varies, but it's invariably marked "Test". 

 

No Test button, not an RCBO.

 

[lopburi3]

Normally the heater will have an ELCB built into it that should be tested every month (will be a test button on front) and you normally reset by pushing up a rod that falls from bottom.   On old units of a well known brand the actual rod could become crude covered and prevent the breaker from tripping so testing is actually useful to prevent such.  But you should always have another ELCB circuit from actual heater (outside bathroom) for added protection for line to heater and in case onboard does not function.  Also heaters are required to be grounded (often not done I fear) either with ground stake or electric ground wire.  

[RuamRudy]

2 hours ago, Crossy said:

And way too common.

 

Cost of life, 500 Baht for an RCBO for the shower circuit.

Are the modern shower units with integrated RCDs in the control box sufficiently protected or is an RCBO also considered necessary?

[RuamRudy]

2 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Normally the heater will have an ELCB built into it that should be tested every month (will be a test button on front) and you normally reset by pushing up a rod that falls from bottom.   On old units of a well known brand the actual rod could become crude covered and prevent the breaker from tripping so testing is actually useful to prevent such.  But you should always have another ELCB circuit from actual heater (outside bathroom) for added protection for line to heater and in case onboard does not function.  Also heaters are required to be grounded (often not done I fear) either with ground stake or electric ground wire.  

I think you answered my question just as I was asking it - thanks.

[Thaiwrath]

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Police found out that the water heater was very old and ordered the owner to check all rooms in the building.

 

In a civilised country, the place would be closed immediately, and only reopened when stringent security checks on the electrics were made.

[Sakeopete]

Same happened to me 16 years ago at my rented condo in Bangkok. Luckily for me my foot was near the drain and the current went through my body out the drain. The shock caused my body to throw me against the wall. My only injury was a burnt toe.

[canthai55]

2 hours ago, RuamRudy said:

Are the modern shower units with integrated RCDs in the control box sufficiently protected or is an RCBO also considered necessary?

Always need on on the supply side in any place where dampness is prevalent.

For those of us from N. America they are called GFCI - ground fault circuit interrupters.

They can be retro-fitted to a standard 2 wire circuit by attaching a ground wire from the RCBO / GFCI to a ground rod outside the building. Canada -

 

Effective immediately, the installation of 1.8 m (6 ft) rod electrodes will not be acceptable.
A manufactured rod electrode installation shall consist of not less than two (2), 3m (10 ft) rods, spaced no less than 3m (10 ft) apart, and driven to a depth of no less than 3m (10 ft) as per Rule 10-700.
Where rock bottom is encountered before the entire rod has been driven into the ground, the following rod installation practice shall be followed:
o
If the 3 m (10 ft) rod encounters rock at a depth of 1.2 m (4 ft) or more, then the rod shall be driven to rock bottom and the remaining rod section shall be bent and buried at least 600 mm (2 ft) below finished grade level in a horizontal trench.
o
If the 3 m (10 ft) rod encounters rock at a depth of less than 1.2 m (4 ft), then the rod shall be buried at least 600 mm (2 ft) below finished grade level in a horizontal trench.

[masuk]

1 hour ago, Thaiwrath said:

In a civilised country, the place would be closed immediately, and only reopened when stringent security checks on the electrics were made.

Is Thailand becoming 'civilised"?    I ask this to seek assurance that all electrical wiring in recent years is 3-wire, and earthed/grounded.

So many domestic appliances seem to be fitted with 2-pin plugs.

[lopburi3]

1 hour ago, canthai55 said:

Always need on on the supply side in any place where dampness is prevalent.

For those of us from N. America they are called GFCI - ground fault circuit interrupters.

They can be retro-fitted to a standard 2 wire circuit by attaching a ground wire from the RCBO / GFCI to a ground rod outside the building. Canada -

GFCI or whatever they are called actually do not require a ground wire to operate as they measure the difference between load/neutral - which is why they were popular here in Thailand decades ago - I first installed in 1977 when almost no housing had grounds.  

[yimlitnoy]

How do you test an ELB checker?  You push the button while running hot water?  Any precautions to take?  I have a National water heater with a push button in front of it to test and it says push up to reset.  I do not see any ground wire, simply 2 wires electrical supply.

[Crossy]

Push the button (no need to have water running but power must be on), if it trips it works, push the lever that drops down back up to reset.

 

99.999% of units are RCD / RCBO which don't need a ground to function properly. However, your water heater should be grounded anyway, in the event of a fault the RCD trips to earth via the ground wire rather than via you (you will feel a shock, it probably won't kill you).

 

[worgeordie]

Thats one reason why I have Solar water heating,no electricity involved

at all,we have to change the electric water heaters in our rental properties

often they don't seem to last long,also they are all earthed ,don't want to kill  

the tenants,was called out to one,he said it kept tripping,so he had been keeping

his finger on it while showering,when i opened it up one of the pipes inside was

leaking water onto the wiring !!!,so I would say he was lucky and stupid at the same time.

regards Worgeordie

[drgoon]

yeah...  it wasn't the dodgy installation with earth through the negative or no earth at all installed by any Joe who fancies himself as a 'Professional' or ,'Tradesman' 

 

Just another death trap... millions more like it here

[chingmai331]

Of  course the obvious and totally free solution to all these problems is 'cold water showers only'. Works well for me, most of the time!