Outragous Fee to change name at PEA.

[Peterw42]

I went yesterday to change the account name on my Electricity Bill, have owned the condo (and paid the bill) for 2-3 years but until now never got around to changing it. 

The fee, just to change the account name, is 2,000 baht !!!. This isn't to get the electricity connected (or reconnected), a new meter etc,  its the fee just to change the account name.

One weeks Thai minimum wage !!!! Is this normal, have others paid this fee ? It wouldn't even be that back in expensive home country.

Suffice to say, the account remains in Somchias name. Understand, its not the money as can afford it, its the principle.

OK, rant over

Edited September 22, 2018 by Peterw42

[Kwasaki]

It wouldn't surprise me, our recent dealings with PEA has been expensive and also what they wanted for installation.

3 apartments and just to connect wire at supply poles for 3 meters 18,000 baht. ? 

[Peterw42]

1 minute ago, Kwasaki said:

It wouldn't surprise me, our recent dealings with PEA has been expensive and also what they wanted for installation.

3 apartments and just to connect wire at supply poles for 3 meters 18,000 baht. ? 

Even that, while expensive, can be somehow justified, as its a truck and a couple of guys, some equipment etc. Its 2,000 baht for tab tab delete type and enter, I have a problem with..

[KMartinHandyman]

Even that, while expensive, can be somehow justified, as its a truck and a couple of guys, some equipment etc. Its 2,000 baht for tab tab delete type and enter, I have a problem with..

Leave it alone and if you move on someday leave the last bill unpaid so the jokes on PEA and Somchai, he can step up to pay about ฿2000 I figure.

[Crossy]

I'd just leave it as it is.

 

My best guess is that the system doesn't actually allow name changes directly, so the process goes something like:-

• "Disconnect" the supply to the existing name.
• Refund  2k Baht meter deposit to existing name.
• Charge new name meter deposit of 2k Baht.
• "Connect" the supply to the new name.

Of course, knowing PEA (or any Thai organisation) when something unusual is asked it all goes belly-up. It would not surprise me at all if the supply was really disconnected then reconnected the requisite 2 working days later.

 

[CharlieH]

Outrageous is right ! I suggest purely out of interest, ask a 'Thai" to go ask the same question, just for comparative purposes of course. ?

 

That way you'll have a clearer picture and a route forward.

[Peterw42]

2 minutes ago, Crossy said:

I'd just it as it is.

 

My best guess is that the system doesn't actually allow name changes directly, so the process goes something like:-

• "Disconnect" the supply to the existing name.
• Refund  2k Baht meter deposit to existing name.
• Charge new name meter deposit of 2k Baht.
• "Connect" the supply to the new name.

Of course, knowing PEA (or any Thai organisation) when something unusual is asked it all goes belly-up. It would not surprise me at all if the supply was really disconnected then reconnected the requisite 2 working days late.

 

Yes, you are probably right. In fact just enquiring about probably means that my electricity will go off tomorrow. 

[Peterw42]

10 minutes ago, KMartinHandyman said:

Leave it alone and if you move on someday leave the last bill unpaid so the jokes on PEA and Somchai, he can step up to pay about ฿2000 I figure.

Thats brilliant, I can sleep now, I will have the last word, lol

 

[Peterw42]

7 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Outrageous is right ! I suggest purely out of interest, ask a 'Thai" to go ask the same question, just for comparative purposes of course. ?

 

That way you'll have a clearer picture and a route forward.

Yes, tried that, wife went back and asked cost to change to her name. The same.

[CharlieH]

5 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Yes, tried that, wife went back and asked cost to change to her name. The same.

At the same time you asked ? Or seperate visit different day ? If it was the first one "save face" if it was the second one leave it as it is dont bother.

[Kwasaki]

10 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Yes, tried that, wife went back and asked cost to change to her name. The same.

Oh dear your be cut off twice now. ?

[CharlieH]

Off topic "grammar police" removed.

[KMartinHandyman]

Oh dear your be cut off twice now. [emoji16]

Now that’s funny!

[KKr]

that 2.000 Baht is a deposit as I understood the PEA office.
keep the receipt, and when you transfer the apartment / electricity in another' name, you can get the money back.

[Peterw42]

4 minutes ago, KKr said:

that 2.000 Baht is a deposit as I understood the PEA office.
keep the receipt, and when you transfer the apartment / electricity in another' name, you can get the money back.

Yes, I get that after Crossy's explanation. The girl at PEA called it a "fee to change name" which confused the issue, should have mentioned its a deposit.

[KKr]

9 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Yes, I get that after Crossy's explanation. The girl at PEA called it a "fee to change name" which confused the issue, should have mentioned its a deposit.

while you are at the PEA office, I suggest to arrange a direct debit (account name must match PEA subscriber),
saves a monthly trip to the 7-11 and no worries when on holidays.

[CharlieH]

2 minutes ago, KKr said:

while you are at the PEA office, I suggest to arrange a direct debit (account name must match PEA subscriber),
saves a monthly trip to the 7-11 and no worries when on holidays.

There is also an "app" available.

[ezzra]

From experience, better not to muck around with those electricity guys, try to be late just 2 weeks on your bill and you'll come home to find out out your meter has gone, no warning... Gone....

[allane]

I have rented, and eventually vacated, two condominiums where the electricity account was in he name of some previous owner, or tenant, I never knew which. Now I know why.

[Crossy]

22 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

There is also an "app" available.

Indeed, discussed here:-

 

 

[jollyhangmon]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

Of course, knowing PEA (or any Thai organisation) when something unusual is asked it all goes belly-up. It would not surprise me at all if the supply was really disconnected then reconnected the requisite 2 working days later.

 

... whilst you jest that's exactly what happened to me 9 years ago: moved from one place to another in the same town, told them to disconnect, remove & 'cancel' the old meter - all peachy ...
Went on with my errands, stopped for a few brews, back at the (new) place maybe 2 1/2 hours later - meter gone ... extremely quick work though, never happened before or afterwards ...  

 

Of course a Friday afternoon, so first thing 2 do was to reconnect my crib directly (and power up whatever used any juice), took me 3 minutes - always had/have some of these real phat block-terminals at the ready & good it was as they reappeared with my meter next day just before noon, no questions asked ...

 

 

[wgdanson]

27 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

There is also an "app" available.

Which, when I tried to install it came up with"NOT AVAILABLE IN YOUR COUNTRY"'. I asked the lady in PEA and she suggested it was my THAI phone. TIT

[poohy]

Yes its correct its a stupid amount 

 

Our house 7 years after we moved in is still   in original farmer Somchais name as the Mrs is too mean to pay cost to amend name

[Peterw42]

4 minutes ago, poohy said:

Yes its correct its a stupid amount 

 

Our house 7 years after we moved in is still   in original farmer Somchais name as the Mrs is too mean to pay cost to amend name

Glad to hear its not just me, lol

[Peterw42]

14 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

Which, when I tried to install it came up with"NOT AVAILABLE IN YOUR COUNTRY"'. I asked the lady in PEA and she suggested it was my THAI phone. TIT

I think that is referring to the country your google playstore account is in (or thinks you are in), not your geographical location. I have experienced the same as email to log into playstore was originally setup in Australia.

Edited September 22, 2018 by Peterw42

[Crossy]

17 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

Which, when I tried to install it came up with"NOT AVAILABLE IN YOUR COUNTRY"'. I asked the lady in PEA and she suggested it was my THAI phone. TIT

GooglePlay said it wasn't compatible with any of my devices, works on everything I've tried it on (it was the same with the BBC iPlayer app). 

 

I have the .apk for the Android version, 57 MB, get it from my OneDrive.

 

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AlvQcohbLxYihfNeRoEJc0ZqrXNucQ

 

[JaiMaai]

I downloaded it after reading the previous thread. Now I can't login, it wants me to register, only to tell me the phone number is already registered - frustrating.

Is anyone else having problems?

Sent from my ZX81 using a dial-up modem.

[topt]

26 minutes ago, poohy said:

Yes its correct its a stupid amount 

 

Our house 7 years after we moved in is still   in original farmer Somchais name as the Mrs is too mean to pay cost to amend name

 

21 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Glad to hear its not just me, lol

Sounds cheap only 2k

8 years ago paid 6k in a house - still have the receipt.

The letter for the original owner to collect the refund eventually arrived but we had no idea where to send it......

At the time I thought it was the right thing to do but if it happened again I probably would not bother.

[jollyhangmon]

2 minutes ago, topt said:

 

Sounds cheap only 2k

8 years ago paid 6k in a house - still have the receipt.

The letter for the original owner to collect the refund eventually arrived but we had no idea where to send it......

At the time I thought it was the right thing to do but if it happened again I probably would not bother.

 

... sounds way OTT, you positive it was electric? Cause I definitely recall the water-counter to have been around 5k some 9 years ago, refund for electric-meter was just around 850.-  back then ...

[moontang]

be glad it isn't only 300 THB, as that would mean you only have 15 amp service.  It is a deposit, not a fee.  Monthly fee at my US address is 850 THB....before using one unit..I'll take PEA or MEA any day....the English speaking lady in CM was a pleasure to deal with...(and a good looker, too).