Electricity crisis on Koh Samui and Koh Phangan

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Electricity authorities in the south of Thailand are responding to what Thai media are calling a crisis on the holiday paradises of Koh Samui and Koh Phangan.

 

There have been so many power cuts recently that things are desperate, said Thai Rath.

 

They spoke to the head of Region 2 (Nakorn Sri Thammarat) who said that the problem lay in the undersea cables from Khanom on the mainland.

 

But just what the problem is still remains a mystery.

 

Panumas Limsuwan was at one of the sub-stations in Mae Nam yesterday trying to get to the root of the problem.

 

Source: Thai Rath

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-08-09

Back to 20 years ago

 

35 minutes ago, webfact said:

But just what the problem is still remains a mystery.

The whole Thai power grid remains a mystery, at least to me.?

I am underwhelmed by all the information provided; could we get a story with fewer details?

 

"... just what the problem is still remains a mystery.."

 

That is some hard as steel, comprehensive as concrete, and incisive as incisors news!

 

(sarcasm alert)

 

Anyone know where we can get info on PLANNED cuts?

 

"... just what the problem is still remains a mystery.." , try SYSTEM OVERLOADED !!! To many people connected on the power grid !!!!

5 hours ago, webfact said:

trying to get to the root of the problem

In all my tens of years working with Thais I never met a single one trying to get to the real root of a problem.

11 hours ago, Ralf61 said:

The whole Thai power grid remains a mystery, at least to me.?

I think saying grid is an over statement!

Power outages are a fact of life all over Thailand. 

17 hours ago, webfact said:

Electricity authorities in the south of Thailand are responding to what Thai media are calling a crisis on the holiday paradises of Koh Samui and Koh Phangan.

I was living in Samui from Aug. 1995 till Feb. 2017, I don't know a time during this period with no electricity problem in "PARADISE".

Sometimes we got there really long blackouts (days).

What I know is that this problem is not only Samui but every tourist destination in Thailand.

Here in Nakhon Sawan (I'm here 1 1/2 year) was the longest blackout around 40 minutes (once), several times one second or even less.

This is only going to get worse all over the country. Thailand has made it self too heavily dependent on Laos for it's power. Thailand had signed up to take 90% of the power which would have come from that dam which has now collapsed.

People don't want coal fired power stations and now they don't want dams built on the Mekong so the country will be relying heavily on the sun and the wind.

Industry and commerce and nationwide air conditioners will put that to the test.

17 hours ago, webfact said:

Panumas Limsuwan was at one of the sub-stations in Mae Nam yesterday trying to get to the root of the problem.

??

15 hours ago, delgarcon said:

Anyone know where we can get info on PLANNED cuts?

 

My wife gets SMS from the PEA, unfortunately only in Thai. 

18 hours ago, webfact said:

But just what the problem is still remains a mystery.

Main - ten- ance.............

17 hours ago, delgarcon said:

Anyone know where we can get info on PLANNED cuts?

 

PLANNED cuts?                       ?????

Well, as foresight and planning isn't one of the strengths of the administration in Thailand there you have the result...

That's what I got a couple of days ago. It has nothing to do with reality in my area though, just expect a powercut any time of the day.

"Provincial Electrucity Authority at Samui branch announced that during refixing the underwater cable line during 8-10 Aug 2018 the power service will be temporary cut off as shown: 11.00-13.00 - Chaweng beach area 13.00-15.00-Meanam seaside, Bangrak, Plailam, Cherngmon, Dow market, Lamdin market, Chawengnoi, 15.00-17.00 - Makro, Ring road in Chaweng area, Bangkok hospital, Phangan area-Ban Tongnaipan, Maduewan-Wangtakian 17.00-19.00 - Plailam&Tongsai, Maenam, Bankaoprom, Lotus Chaweng 19.00-21.00 - Meanam seaside, Bangrak, Plailam, Cherngmon, Dow market, Lamdin market, Chawengnoi, 21.00-23.00 - Chaweng beach area 23.00-01.00 - Cherngmon"

God forbid they ever get there hands on a Nuke Power Plant. Talk about a catastrophe waiting to happen.

3 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

Main - ten- ance.............

Infra structure support, life cycle support.  Words and concepts the Thais in general as engineers or mentality or culture just do not seem to do well.  Spend money, then walk away.  Future planning is non existent except when they talk about the after life and karma!  As an engineer this always seemed like a bit of a dichotomy.  They allegedly plan all life long for the after life, at least in thought and spiritually, but don't do well maintaining the real physical world

5 hours ago, Cadbury said:

Thailand has made it self too heavily dependent on Laos for it's power.

The loss of any power generating capacity will impact Thailand's total electrical generation capacity.

But with respect to potential loss of power from Laos hydroelectric, such loss will relatively be minimal.

From Thailand's 2015 Power Development Plan (PDP), Appendix 5, "Projection of Generating Capacity by Power Types", Loas (sic) supplied hydro power was -

• 4.8% out of 100% in 2015,
• projected to a high of 7.7% in 2027,
• then decreasing to 6.1% by 2036.

 

 

 

 

23 hours ago, webfact said:

the problem lay in the undersea cables from Khanom on the mainland. 

But just what the problem is still remains a mystery.

I'm not sure what this picture is showing but if its the land terminal for the presumably waterproof sea cable, why are its connections being held above water in the trench? Shouldn't those connections also be waterproof?

Guess maintenance is an issue, as you see how the cables are hanging in towns, spaghetti is even more structured.

Real good education for the electricians and make them clear you cant mess with electricity. Ofcourse they will say, hey but its working many years like that

Overload very possible, you put a cable in for what would be normally enough, however then every thing expands, so you need more cables for more power. If not you have problems.

Inferior quality of the cables used. I see they connect cables in an easyway, not in  boxes on clamps. That way, molded sockets, you use for temporary repairs.

 

19 hours ago, off road pat said:

"... just what the problem is still remains a mystery.." , try SYSTEM OVERLOADED !!! To many people connected on the power grid !!!!

Exactly - compounded by zero advance planning.

21 hours ago, rebo said:

In all my tens of years working with Thais I never met a single one trying to get to the real root of a problem.

 

You are wrong ! ?

Joking, this is just what foreigners who know nothing will try to explain you after you posted this.

But I confirm, they know nothing, and just like Thai, they will never improve.

 

 

On 8/10/2018 at 7:45 AM, Boon Mee said:

Power outages are a fact of life all over Thailand. 

No it is not.  Its a fact of life in the Samui archipelago. And totally unnecessarily.  

Never mind the Islands,inland up here in Chiang Mai,the Electric

is going off all the time from a second or two,(router has to reset )

sure its not doing my electrical equipment any good,to hours,

 

Just the other day a big explosion up at the main road,a tranformer

goes bang ,happens quite often up at the market.no electric for couple

of hours,what chance do undersea cables have if even the above ground

ones are so unreliable,but instead of improving the infrastructure,getting

it right.Submarines,tanks,and other military equipment are more important,

and until the powers that be see that,Thailand is going to remain a 3rd World country.

 

regards worgeordie

On 8/10/2018 at 2:47 PM, xtrnuno41 said:

Guess maintenance is an issue, as you see how the cables are hanging in towns, spaghetti is even more structured.

Real good education for the electricians and make them clear you cant mess with electricity. Ofcourse they will say, hey but its working many years like that

Overload very possible, you put a cable in for what would be normally enough, however then every thing expands, so you need more cables for more power. If not you have problems.

Inferior quality of the cables used. I see they connect cables in an easyway, not in  boxes on clamps. That way, molded sockets, you use for temporary repairs.

 

Mostly insulating tape.

On 8/12/2018 at 11:23 AM, worgeordie said:

Never mind the Islands,inland up here in Chiang Mai,the Electric

is going off all the time from a second or two,(router has to reset )

sure its not doing my electrical equipment any good,to hours,

 

Just the other day a big explosion up at the main road,a tranformer

goes bang ,happens quite often up at the market.no electric for couple

of hours,what chance do undersea cables have if even the above ground

ones are so unreliable,but instead of improving the infrastructure,getting

it right.Submarines,tanks,and other military equipment are more important,

and until the powers that be see that,Thailand is going to remain a 3rd World country.

 

regards worgeordie

I would buy an UPS for stuff like that. Here the power goes off for a short time few seconds sometimes a bit longer too. To protect my computer and modem i bought an UPS. 

Those cables are past their sell by date ... those ampere things are leaking into the sea ...  lack of maintenance as previously pointed out ...need more black tape ...

?