Faulty transformer rattles Thai woman with massive electricity bill

[webfact]

 

A Thai woman was blown away by an astronomical increase in her electricity bill, with charges skyrocketing from an average of 60 baht per month to an outrageous 11,357.47 baht. This occurred due to what inspection personnel from the local electricity authority would later uncover as a faulty transformer in her fruit garden.

 

Umaphon Tedduang revealed her dilemma via a complaint post on the ‘We are Consumers’ Facebook page, sharing that she usually receives an electricity bill of approximately 60 baht each month; the highest previously recorded was 700 baht. But last month, she was astounded to receive a bill of 11,357.47 baht for her fruit garden’s electricity supply.

 

Taken aback by the sudden surge due to the faulty transformer, she and her father complained with the electricity department, but there was no immediate action. They guessed it may be due to the prolonged national holiday and waited patiently, but there was no resolution or inspection.

 

by Nattapong Westwood

 A faulty transformer caused an electricity leak that skyrocketed a woman's power bill. (via iStock) Electricity Transformer, Istock

 

Full story: https://thethaiger.com/news/national/thai-woman-rattled-by-high-electricity-bill-due-to-faulty-transformer

 

-- © Copyright Thaiger 2023-08-08

 

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[JBChiangRai]

Shocking!

[lordblackader]

How do you only have a regular power bill of 60 baht  month? Does she have a fridge maybe and nothing else? 

[brianthainess]

Even a water pump running 24/7 shouldn't be that much.

[Liverpool Lou]

26 minutes ago, lordblackader said:

How do you only have a regular power bill of 60 baht  month? Does she have a fridge maybe and nothing else? 

"...the highest previously recorded was 700 baht".

[Tropicalevo]

1 hour ago, lordblackader said:

How do you only have a regular power bill of 60 baht  month? Does she have a fridge maybe and nothing else? 

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

she was astounded to receive a bill of 11,357.47 baht for her fruit garden’s electricity supply.

 

[JeffersLos]

1 hour ago, lordblackader said:

How do you only have a regular power bill of 60 baht  month?

The land used for growing is separate from her home.

[Joseph98765]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

11,357.47 baht for her fruit garden’s electricity supply.

Fruits? maybe she installed many weed growing lamps? 555

[anterian]

was the transformer installed and owned by the electricity company, or was it  private installation. Why did it need a mini substation for a load of just a few hundred watts max, Nothing making sense here. 

[jaywalker]

Maybe it was a transgender transformer?

 

Stranger things have happened!

[John Drake]

There but for the grace of god . . .

[JeffersLos]

41 minutes ago, anterian said:

Nothing making sense here. 

Welcome to Thailand khaa.

[rwill]

The meter was placed before the transformer?

[Dan O]

Not sure how a meter that is normally installed after the transformer is picking up usage from leaking ??? Or did they install the meter before the transformer? Either way that's a massive amount of usage.  Something is not adding up here

[The Fugitive]

Surely there is too much weight on the power pole?

[Tubulat]

2 hours ago, rwill said:

The meter was placed before the transformer?

Indeed, otherwise it looks like impossible.

[transam]

Was 60 bht a month...........????

[richard_smith237]

9 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

10 hours ago, lordblackader said:

How do you only have a regular power bill of 60 baht  month? Does she have a fridge maybe and nothing else? 

"...the highest previously recorded was 700 baht".

Brilliant example of 'Liverpool-lou-ery'....  yes, worthy of your own noun... as usual your first instinct is to argue !!!!

 

 

[Toolong]

I wonder how many folk are, like me, now joining the dots as to why recent bills have been so cruelly, excessively high. Me is now a-wonderin'......????

[metisdead]

A post with a reply using Thai language has been removed as this is the English language part of the the forum. 

[Moonlover]

On 8/8/2023 at 11:55 AM, anterian said:

was the transformer installed and owned by the electricity company, or was it  private installation. Why did it need a mini substation for a load of just a few hundred watts max, Nothing making sense here. 

It makes sense if you ignore the totally inappropriate stock photograph, which is clearly not the kind of installation that you'll find on a fruit farm!

 

The most likely transformer you'll find in this instance is a step up transformer used to power an electric fence, used to keep animals off the crop. They operate typically between 2,000 to 10,000 volts.

 

Such a installation would be downstream of the meter and not the responsibility of the power company, which is why she's unlikely to get any sympathy from them.

Edited August 10, 2023 by Moonlover