Thai Household Management

[bangkokrick]

Is it just my wife or is this a common thing with Thais. Whenever an electrical appliance is used it has to run at the maximum. The aircon or the large fan is always on the maximum setting so much so that i wake up that cold that i am shaking like a dog shiting. If the kettle is on the water is always to the brim even if only one cup is required.

It would appear that the object of the excercise is to make sure that the current elecricity bill is always larger that the previous one. I have mentioned this to her many times but things are still the same.

[qwertz]

Install a coin op meter. She'll soon learn how much she's burning if she's forever having to find coins to feed it.

[bangkokrick]

Install a coin op meter. She'll soon learn how much she's burning if she's forever having to find coins to feed it.

Sounds like a good plan. Cheers Quertz

[sukanyacondo]

Nope dont see this at all?? She often wont use the air and only sets it above 27 if she does, fan is only on a low setting also.

[qualtrough]

Opposite problem. Wife stingy to the point that it sometimes irritates me. She is always lets out a moan when the water bill goes over 300 Baht...

[DrFisher]

My wife was kicking herself in the butt because the electric bill this month was 1200 B she blames herself for running the air to much because she's pregnant. My wife controls all the household bills and money (I did when we lived in my country) and she is quick to check everything even at Lotus or Rim Ping. She is not cheap but she won't pay a stang more than she has to.

[bangkokrick]

My wife was kicking herself in the butt because the electric bill this month was 1200 B she blames herself for running the air to much because she's pregnant. My wife controls all the household bills and money (I did when we lived in my country) and she is quick to check everything even at Lotus or Rim Ping. She is not cheap but she won't pay a stang more than she has to.

Please send her round to give my wife some lessons. Our electricity bill was just under 4K baht this last month and we live in a single room condo around 60 SM.

[kmart]

My wife was kicking herself in the butt because the electric bill this month was 1200 B she blames herself for running the air to much because she's pregnant. My wife controls all the household bills and money (I did when we lived in my country) and she is quick to check everything even at Lotus or Rim Ping. She is not cheap but she won't pay a stang more than she has to.

Please send her round to give my wife some lessons. Our electricity bill was just under 4K baht this last month and we live in a single room condo around 60 SM.

Wow! That is steep. Is your missus an eskimo to be needing that much aircon?

I usually have to follow the wife around turning off lights, as she is a little scared of the dark but she usually is ok with everything else.

[DrFisher]

Please send her round to give my wife some lessons. Our electricity bill was just under 4K baht this last month and we live in a single room condo around 60 SM.

WOW, I'm very sorry to hear that we have a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, western kitchen with hot water house!!!

"That is steep. Is your missus an eskimo to be needing that much aircon?"

My wife prefers the climate in the USA heat does nothing for her but I hate the cold (I don't use the air con unless it's above 95)

[bangkokrick]

My wife was kicking herself in the butt because the electric bill this month was 1200 B she blames herself for running the air to much because she's pregnant. My wife controls all the household bills and money (I did when we lived in my country) and she is quick to check everything even at Lotus or Rim Ping. She is not cheap but she won't pay a stang more than she has to.

Please send her round to give my wife some lessons. Our electricity bill was just under 4K baht this last month and we live in a single room condo around 60 SM.

Wow! That is steep. Is your missus an eskimo to be needing that much aircon?

I usually have to follow the wife around turning off lights, as she is a little scared of the dark but she usually is ok with everything else.

I think that she must have Icelandic relatives, but she is from Isaan. I am from the Uk and i am happy with the fan and no aircon. Please dont mention the lights as thats another sore point and it appears that they only have an ON switch.

[chanchao]

Our electricity bill was just under 4K baht this last month and we live in a single room condo around 60 SM.

Chances are you're not paying the standard rate, but an elevated rate charged by the building owners?

I hate that.

[bangkokrick]

Our electricity bill was just under 4K baht this last month and we live in a single room condo around 60 SM.

Chances are you're not paying the standard rate, but an elevated rate charged by the building owners?

I hate that.

Thanks Chanchao i will look into that.

Cheers Rick

[pgs]

In LoS electricity & water for 1 month is about 400B (according to TW). In Oz it's another story. Happily we don't have to pay for the water, but sparks are about 4000 - 5000B/month. Someone doesn't like the cold at all - I'm not fond of it, but don't really need a 2kw heater on all day during winter. Lights she's not bad with as she was brought up in a farming area.

[Naam]

In LoS electricity & water for 1 month is about 400B (according to TW)....

...pigs can fly and Goldilocks was my grandmother

[bangkokrick]

In LoS electricity & water for 1 month is about 400B (according to TW)....

...pigs can fly and Goldilocks was my grandmother

hel_l fire! After seeing that i will never complain about my bill again.

[chownah]

Want me to show you a bill for 400 baht?

Well, I don't care,,,,,don't want to waste my time.

[Furbie]

Our electricity bill was just under 4K baht this last month and we live in a single room condo around 60 SM.

Chances are you're not paying the standard rate, but an elevated rate charged by the building owners?

I hate that.

Last month was a record month for temperature and electricity usage. It does not surprise me at all that two people living in a 60sqm place in Central BKK would have a 4k electric bill – provided they were running the AC when they were home. This would be fairly typical for a direct bill price given the issues from last month. If your situation differs from the above, then check your rate.

Does your bill come from the electric company or the building? If it does come from the building, you need to find out if the whole building pays the electric company as if it was one entity (meaning the management pays one bill for the whole building) as this will receive a commercial electric rate which is much higher. The building is then metering off each apartment and charging them their portion – you then need to find out how much of a surcharge they are sticking you with. Being billed direct from the electric company is always better, and is the situation in almost every condo where you own yourself or rent from the condo owner.

To newbies, always remember to find out how the electric is billed – direct or from management. If it is from management, find out what the rate is. You can spend thousands of extra baht running the AC every month – which could have gone into a larger condo with a cheaper electric bill. Always avoid serviced apartments (unless your company is paying for you) as they are the biggest waste of money.

[Thaddeus]

In LoS electricity & water for 1 month is about 400B (according to TW)....

...pigs can fly and Goldilocks was my grandmother

Don't tell me.

Captain Pickard makes you pick up the tab for the Enterprise? :D

[bangkokrick]

Our electricity bill was just under 4K baht this last month and we live in a single room condo around 60 SM.

Chances are you're not paying the standard rate, but an elevated rate charged by the building owners?

I hate that.

Last month was a record month for temperature and electricity usage. It does not surprise me at all that two people living in a 60sqm place in Central BKK would have a 4k electric bill – provided they were running the AC when they were home. This would be fairly typical for a direct bill price given the issues from last month. If your situation differs from the above, then check your rate.

Does your bill come from the electric company or the building? If it does come from the building, you need to find out if the whole building pays the electric company as if it was one entity (meaning the management pays one bill for the whole building) as this will receive a commercial electric rate which is much higher. The building is then metering off each apartment and charging them their portion – you then need to find out how much of a surcharge they are sticking you with. Being billed direct from the electric company is always better, and is the situation in almost every condo where you own yourself or rent from the condo owner.

To newbies, always remember to find out how the electric is billed – direct or from management. If it is from management, find out what the rate is. You can spend thousands of extra baht running the AC every month – which could have gone into a larger condo with a cheaper electric bill. Always avoid serviced apartments (unless your company is paying for you) as they are the biggest waste of money.

Thanks for the info i will check up on the figures, but i still have to train the missus to take a bit more care. I thought maybe it was a Thai trait but it would appear to be down to the individual.

[Crossy]

In LoS electricity & water for 1 month is about 400B (according to TW)....

...pigs can fly and Goldilocks was my grandmother

hel_l fire! After seeing that i will never complain about my bill again.

Do remember that the Good Doctor has quite a large house mansion castle palace on which he's just spent 130,000 Baht on curtains :D

We're averaging about a grand a month (120m² appartment) on leccy (includes running two small servers 24/7).

Edited May 23, 2007 by Crossy

[bangkokrick]

In LoS electricity & water for 1 month is about 400B (according to TW)....

...pigs can fly and Goldilocks was my grandmother

hel_l fire! After seeing that i will never complain about my bill again.

Do remember that the Good Doctor has quite a large house mansion castle palace on which he's just spent 130,000 Baht on curtains :D

We're averaging about a grand a month (120m² appartment) on leccy (includes running two small servers 24/7).

Then the good Doctor and i are not comparing apples with apples. I suppose if you can spend that amount on curtains you can afford for the Missus not to be too careful with the electricity.

[November Rain]

I'm in a small, 2 bedroomed bungalow. I run aircon at night in 2 rooms (my son's & mine. Hey, you try sleeping with 8 or 9 dogs on the bed & no aircon!! ) A fan is on in the living room all day, but not at night. Water heater for shower only. We use the washing machine a lot to wash dog's bedding. Leccy averages between 2,500 & 3,100 a month. Water is about 250bt.

Edited May 23, 2007 by November Rain

[bangkokrick]

I'm in a small, 2 bedroomed bungalow. I run aircon at night in 2 rooms (my son's & mine. Hey, you try sleeping with 8 or 9 dogs on the bed & no aircon!! ) A fan is on in the living room all day, but not at night. Water heater for shower only. We use the washing machine a lot to wash dog's bedding. Leccy averages between 2,500 & 3,100 a month. Water is about 250bt.

Nice one November Rain, but how the heck do you sleep with so many canines on the bed.

I think that i am paying too much and i will look into it with the owner, but the main point of the thread was really a question as to why every electrical appliance has to be run at full speed or at least overloaded.

We in the UK are taught to be thrifty in the home.ie spend as much as you want on beer, but watch the household bills.

I think that maybe Thai ladies compare utility bills to see which one comes out on top.

[bina]

i think its general lack of knowlege of proper use of equipment; see per thread about washing machines and softeners... why does hubby put microwave on five minutes when 30 seconds works fine to defrost a pita bread? why does he boil leftovers instead of reheating on low gas? why does the tv stay running when he is listening to 'loong ping' on the computer in another part of the room?

and he is not a shopper; he wears second hand everyhting and refuses to buy new clothes if we can find for free or second hand, will redo machines, will eat eggs three time a day so not to waste money on food???

its the machanical awareness factor: farm boys (and girls) who never had mechanical things, DO NOT know how to deal with them on a daily basis, though they do know how to re rig and fix things up really well...

bina