Causes of High Electricity Bills in Thai Apartments

[thailand49]

On 11/8/2024 at 11:41 AM, Sydebolle said:

The most often reason is the sheer greed of landlords massively inflating electricity bills to their benefit. While a unit is 4 Baht, the top I've heard of in an apartment on Sukhumvit Soi 71 was a staggering 25 Baht. Go figure - you're welcome! 

Clarify that question before signing a lease; get the electricity bill straight from the provider, in Bangkok it is MEA, the rest of the land it is PEA! 

In a Condo or apartment where?  Not happening here In Thailand, I have a apartment building PEA comes out put the meter outside on pole each of my units meters were purchase and installed by my contractor. Each month the reading is taken and tenants are charged. When interested party want to rent they are told the price take it or leave it end of story.

PEA isn't going to put an government meter in each unit for me or dozens, hundreds for a large Condo he would be there all day.

My brother lives in a gated community of 50 homes, they get one bill the management companies personnel breaks it all down by each home owner meter install by builder no utility is going to come in install that many meters!

Interesting the topic is about renting as noted owner isn't going to replace a old unit working fine to the owner. It comes down if it bothers you and really like the place plan to stay long then ask owner you want to install new. Same with frig, TV.

I speak as an owner and property management experience. I once had an apartment unit for rent an old lady came love the unit but on 3rd floor told me I need to install an person lift for her it was the law. I told her politely that law applies to new construction not this old building. Get your old ass out just joking! 

Tenter, buyers beware not after!

 

[georgegeorgia]

3 hours ago, thailand49 said:

 I once had an apartment unit for rent an old lady came love the unit but on 3rd floor told me I need to install an person lift for her it was the law. I told her politely that law applies to new construction not this old building. Get your old ass out just joking! 

Sounds like you indirectly discriminate against people with a disability? And even ageism ,"old lady " 

Of course your not old 

 

 

[Sydebolle]

3 hours ago, thailand49 said:

In a Condo or apartment where?  Not happening here In Thailand, I have a apartment building PEA comes out put the meter outside on pole each of my units meters were purchase and installed by my contractor. Each month the reading is taken and tenants are charged. When interested party want to rent they are told the price take it or leave it end of story.

PEA isn't going to put an government meter in each unit for me or dozens, hundreds for a large Condo he would be there all day.

My brother lives in a gated community of 50 homes, they get one bill the management companies personnel breaks it all down by each home owner meter install by builder no utility is going to come in install that many meters!

Interesting the topic is about renting as noted owner isn't going to replace a old unit working fine to the owner. It comes down if it bothers you and really like the place plan to stay long then ask owner you want to install new. Same with frig, TV.

I speak as an owner and property management experience. I once had an apartment unit for rent an old lady came love the unit but on 3rd floor told me I need to install an person lift for her it was the law. I told her politely that law applies to new construction not this old building. Get your old ass out just joking! 

Tenter, buyers beware not after!

 

Well, after 40 years in the realm I know of own experience, that what you say is possible but not the norm. Landlords make money whenever and wherever they can. Every condominium gets a house register and a land title deed which qualifies for an electricity meter (MEA or PEA) and a water meter. 
Some lessors though have an individual meter installed in front of each condominium but get one master bill for the whole building; due to the progressive charging not always a good idea. But what comes in handy is the 380V/3P hook-up with a TOU, a digital meter noting consumption by time as well. From 6am to 10pm the charges are 4 Baht/unit, 10pm-6am as well as holidays and weekends are low-tariffed at 1 Baht/unit. As most air conditioners run at night, the house estate/condominium building owners make a killing on that. In a 10 houses gated compound the savings were a hefty 60,000 Baht/month, the costs for street lighting and swimming pool already deducted. 
 

[thailand49]

1 hour ago, georgegeorgia said:

Sounds like you indirectly discriminate against people with a disability? And even ageism ,"old lady " 

Of course your not old 

 

 

I didn't, I've obtained a number of recognitions from City agency for my word managing a number of building for my family and others. 

When I started cause I'm a believer in being treated equally and I was a renter I went down to those agencies to learn what the renters rights were and also the rights of owners I represented.

 

Whenever I had a vacancy licensed it was all about Disclosures to perspective tenants those selected were given a booklet from the rent board outlining everyone's rights and the fee owners must paid to the City agency each year can be passed on to the tenants. Tenants were notified each year the max owners can raise rents and outline the interest paid to the deposit.

 

In 1989, after a major 7.1 earthquake the City building department issue notices to have all rental building inspected the 4 that I managed luckily had no major damages and on inspection review found my yearly up keep were all up to date and passed with 95 scores.

 

As for this old lady or disable far from your personal attack and assumption I discriminated. If she had applied and qualified but her misinformed request I clarified and presented her at the time the actual ordinance outlined along with the name,address phone of the agency to check. 

 

Her request was basically requesting owners of a 1910 Victorian to put in an elevator for her. 

 

In a unofficial interview a few years back there was an warehouse fire in Oakland CA, which many were burned alive. This was an owner renting to an individual who rented the whole warehouse then sub let it out to individual artist that turn it into a fire trap. My opinion was both should go to jail.

 

Nice try!  Don't make things personal. 🤣

[CallumWK]

On 11/5/2024 at 6:09 AM, Nemises said:

 

28??!!  No thanks. Most doctors recommend keeping the thermostat set to around 20 degrees Celsius for the most comfortable sleep. 

 

Not sure if you have ever been to Thailand, otherwise you would know that 20° in the west feels completely different to 20° in Thailand.

When it's 20°C outside in Thailand, you will wear a thick pullover and probably a coat, while the same temperature in the west will feel comfortable

[thailand49]

12 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

Well, after 40 years in the realm I know of own experience, that what you say is possible but not the norm. Landlords make money whenever and wherever they can. Every condominium gets a house register and a land title deed which qualifies for an electricity meter (MEA or PEA) and a water meter. 
Some lessors though have an individual meter installed in front of each condominium but get one master bill for the whole building; due to the progressive charging not always a good idea. But what comes in handy is the 380V/3P hook-up with a TOU, a digital meter noting consumption by time as well. From 6am to 10pm the charges are 4 Baht/unit, 10pm-6am as well as holidays and weekends are low-tariffed at 1 Baht/unit. As most air conditioners run at night, the house estate/condominium building owners make a killing on that. In a 10 houses gated compound the savings were a hefty 60,000 Baht/month, the costs for street lighting and swimming pool already deducted. 
 

You basically saying what I said but disagree!

That owners and manager here are going to make money that is how it works here so when renting if you know it is five owners want ten agree or walk it is that easy.

You can't rent get a bill later and whine about it. Here once a tenant complaint that his bill was too high I told point blank it might be the old frig you running. If I bring in an electrian he changes the meter next two months you bill still high you need to reimburse the replacement like most poor Thai he packed up middle of night and took off LOL

[KannikaP]

On 11/5/2024 at 6:09 AM, Nemises said:

 

28??!!  No thanks. Most doctors recommend keeping the thermostat set to around 20 degrees Celsius for the most comfortable sleep. 

Yes, but underneath a 13  TOG duvet.

[novacova]

With the blower/fan set on high and the temp high running @ ~ 27-28 degrees is the most efficient way to run these things, the more and faster the air is blowing across the coils the cooler. Setting at a low temperature and low fan speed is inefficient.

[NativeBob]

One ugly woman charged 8THB/unit. Just checked the meter herself and issued handwritten bill. 

What could we do back then?

That was/is her perception of business

[Nemises]

11 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Yes, but underneath a 13  TOG duvet.

Not sure what a TOG is, but yeah whatever you reckon 👍 

[Nemises]

12 hours ago, CallumWK said:

 

Not sure if you have ever been to Thailand, otherwise you would know that 20° in the west feels completely different to 20° in Thailand.

When it's 20°C outside in Thailand, you will wear a thick pullover and probably a coat, while the same temperature in the west will feel comfortable

Not sure if you know how to use a search engine but if you did you would learn;

 

“most doctors recommend keeping the thermostat set between 65 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit (15.6 to 20 degrees Celsius)for the most comfortable sleep.”

 

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/bedroom-environment/best-temperature-for-sleep

 

 

[arick]

Get rid of this stupid article why is it showing up on your main screen all the time it's like 2 months old or more

[KannikaP]

3 hours ago, Nemises said:

Not sure what a TOG is, but yeah whatever you reckon 👍 

It is a unit of measuring thermal resistance, 0.1C being the standard unit of temperature difference that the fabric can maintain. 13 is standard in UK where it is relatively cold.

Thank you Leo. (Brave's AI bot)

[CallumWK]

3 hours ago, Nemises said:

Not sure if you know how to use a search engine but if you did you would learn;

 

“most doctors recommend keeping the thermostat set between 65 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit (15.6 to 20 degrees Celsius)for the most comfortable sleep.”

 

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/bedroom-environment/best-temperature-for-sleep

 

 

 

So have you ever been to Thailand or not? I think not, otherwise you would know that the high humidity in Thailand makes a temperature feel much colder than in a low humidity climate.

 

You can start reading here

 

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-does-the-same-temperature-feel-hotter-or-colder-in-different-places/#:~:text=Humidity and wind chill are,at the University of Georgia.

 

And here.

 

 

[Nemises]

28 minutes ago, CallumWK said:

 

So have you ever been to Thailand or not? I think not, otherwise you would know that the high humidity in Thailand makes a temperature feel much colder than in a low humidity climate.

 

You can start reading here

 

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-does-the-same-temperature-feel-hotter-or-colder-in-different-places/#:~:text=Humidity and wind chill are,at the University of Georgia.

 

And here.

 

 

 

So the Sleep Foundation have got it all wrong. Got it!

 

[CallumWK]

2 minutes ago, Nemises said:

 

So the Sleep Foundation have got it all wrong. Got it!

 

 

Do you just pretend to be stubborn?

[Nemises]

3 minutes ago, CallumWK said:

 

Do you just pretend to be stubborn?

 

Just passing on what the Sleep Foundation say. If you disagree with them, tell them not me.

 

Here it is again what they say: “most doctors recommend keeping the thermostat set between 65 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit (15.6 to 20 degrees Celsius)for the most comfortable sleep.”

 

 

[CallumWK]

Just now, Nemises said:

 

Just passing on what the Sleep Foundation say. If you disagree with them, tell them not me.

 

Is the sleep foundation taking humidity in different countries in account?

 

Did you read the links I provided?

 

Bye

[Nemises]

Just now, CallumWK said:

 

Is the sleep foundation taking humidity in different countries in account?

 

 

 

 

 

Suggest ask them.

 

 

See ya. 

[Marsupienemi]

On 10/4/2024 at 12:18 PM, black tabby12345 said:

The air conditioner (inverter type) is LG(S/Korean maker) over 20 years old.

I have been using this for the past 18 years.

But still work very well and never wastes power.

When I run it for 4 hours at 28℃, the meter moves 3 notches.

But no more than that.

 

My energy saving tip:

1-Always use A/C it at 28℃.

 

2-Us the fan and A/C  at the same time:

3 fans in my room. 1 in the ceiling. Another 2  on the floor. I often run 2 together to make me feel cooler.

One placed on the right(or left) side. Another under the desk(to cool my thigh and waist; where often sweats most while sitting in a chair).

 

3-Avoid using cooking utensils like microwave/electric kettles/rice cooker  with A/C.

A/C is the biggest power eater. If you use it with microwave, the unit meter will move a lot faster than without it.

 

This way, my power consumption is always well under control.

My power usage is usually between:

40(cool dry season Nov-Feb)

80(hot/humid  season Mar-Oct)

Unit price in my place is currently:THB8/unit(used to be 6, 18 years ago).

Agree, I add:

Many people do, with air conditioning 0 -> 25° especially Thai women's who don't pay the bill. 

It's like using a rice cooker or iron. Actually it's worth and bad for the device. 

The best thing to do is to set it 5° below the outside temperature to avoid too much thermal shock. 

You should not go below 27. It is best to get your body used to the heat. Also, with the thermostat, no need to shut it down when you go outside for 1 to 4 hours. Personally, I only use a fan and I only use it when it's very hot or humid. 

Another important point: beware of "gamer" computers that have powerful power supplies between 800 and 1000 watts and stay on nights and days 

A laptop for comparison is about 350w 

 

[jippytum]

This post appears every single day and has done so for weeks.  Why is that?? 

[KannikaP]

On 12/12/2024 at 4:43 AM, Nemises said:

“most doctors recommend keeping the thermostat set between 65 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit (15.6 to 20 degrees Celsius)for the most comfortable sleep.”

Most Doctors would not have to pay the electricity bill needed to get the temperature on a bedroom down to 20C, let along 15.6!

26 is fine for me. It was 18C this morning here, so I keep the windows open a bit, with mozzie screens of course.

[SiSePuede419]

The host of the Airbnb I'm renting says during the hot season don't turn down the AC to 18 because it will just freeze up and be damaged.

They said turn it up to 24.

And sweat like a pig....?

No way that's going to be enough in the hot season.

 

They're from England or something and are too cheap to get AC for those few sweltering days in England, so they move here buy a condo with underpowered air cooling and rent it out to tourists so they can sweat like pigs, too.

 

Checks out. 😳

 

[spidermike007]

Unadulterated greed on the part of the landlords. I always insist that I pay metered rates, and I will never rent any place where the landlord insists on making a profit on utilities. That should be a felony and landlords should be locked up for something like that.

 

The first thing you want to ask during first phone call that you make is what is the cost of electricity and does the building generate a profit, or do they charge the actual cost? 

[spidermike007]

9 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

The host of the Airbnb I'm renting says during the hot season don't turn down the AC to 18 because it will just freeze up and be damaged.

They said turn it up to 24.

And sweat like a pig....?

No way that's going to be enough in the hot season.

 

They're from England or something and are too cheap to get AC for those few sweltering days in England, so they move here buy a condo with underpowered air cooling and rent it out to tourists so they can sweat like pigs, too.

 

Checks out. 😳

 

In he two decades that I've been in Thailand in multiple locations including homes and hotels, I've never had the AC set lower than 24 and that's always been more than enough to keep the room or the house cool. Anything less than that is just a waste of electricity. 

[SiSePuede419]

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I've never had the AC set lower than 24 and that's always been more than enough to keep the room or the house cool

Depends on the cooling capacity (BTUS) of the AC, size of the room and the dew point.

When it's 40C outside and 32C dew point, you're not going to be comfortable at 24C setting.

[ABSURD ASSERTION]

You must be British or French.

You're allergic to proper cooling and ventilation growing up in your unheated drafty stone castles.

We have an oversized AC in the living room.  Turn that sucker on 20C and it gets cool in 5-10 minutes even in the hot season.

I prefer 22C for sleeping.

My weed prefers 20C when it's drying.

All depends. 🫡

[SiSePuede419]

Your neighbors are cheapskates and don't turn on their AC so your AC is overloaded cooling down their hot apartments up down left and right of your apartment ceiling floor and walls. 😆

 

If none of your neighbors in a high-rise concrete condo use their air conditioners, and it’s hot outside, your air conditioner works harder and your electricity bills may be higher due to the following reasons:

1. Heat Transfer from Neighboring Units:
Concrete conducts heat, so if your neighbors aren't cooling their units, the heat from their spaces can transfer into your condo through shared walls, ceilings, and floors. This added heat increases the cooling load on your air conditioner.

2. Thermal Mass of the Building:
High-rise concrete buildings have a significant thermal mass, meaning they absorb and retain heat. If the building overall is warmer because most units aren’t being cooled, your unit will experience more heat gain from the structure itself, forcing your AC to work harder.

3. Reduced "Collective Cooling Effect":
When multiple units are air-conditioned, there’s a collective cooling effect where shared walls and spaces stay cooler overall. Without this, your AC must compensate for the lack of cooling in adjacent units, increasing energy consumption.

4. Inefficient Heat Dissipation:
The building’s exterior and shared spaces may retain heat if the majority of units are not cooling. This can raise the temperature of the air your AC unit has to pull in, making it less efficient.

 

In summary, your air conditioner has to fight against greater heat gain from surrounding units and the building itself, leading to increased energy use and higher bills.