Thai Electric Cables Mostly Fail Global Safety Standards

[webfact]

Picture courtesy: Freepik

 

The Industry Minister of Thailand, Akanat Promphan, has issued a concerning report stating that the majority of electric cable brands sold within the country fail to meet international safety standards.

 

Numerous complaints have drawn attention to the potential hazards posed by thin copper wires employed in many of these brands, which can result in overheating and pose serious risks of fires or short circuits.

 

The investigation covered 78 different brands available on the Thai market, both domestic and imported. Alarmingly, it was found that only 20 of these brands satisfied the safety criteria established by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO). This revelation has prompted the minister to demand immediate remedial measures to protect public safety.

In response to these troubling findings, Minister Akanat has instructed the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) to initiate legal proceedings against those importers and manufacturers whose products do not meet the required ISO standards.

 

He emphasised the critical need for these entities to ensure that their products are safe for consumers, given the potential dangers substandard cables pose to both life and property.

 

Moreover, TISI has been tasked with coordinating efforts with related agencies to lodge police complaints and revoke the licences of non-compliant companies. This directive is intended to curb the sale and distribution of inferior electric cables in Thailand, thereby safeguarding consumers from yet another source of risk in daily life.

 

Minister Akanat's call for heightened regulatory enforcement and quality assurance highlights an urgent need to align local products with global safety measures. This move marks a pivotal step for Thailand as steps are taken to enhance the safety of electrical products nationwide, reported The Nation.

 

-- 2024-11-13

 

 

[Artisi]

Anything to save a few Baht, you do realise that copper is very expense, 😉. 

[bendejo]

Just more Thai bashing, as usual.

 

😅
 

 

 

[suspectdevice]

 has issued a concerning report stating that the majority of electric cable brands sold within the country fail to meet international safety standards.

 

Wow, that is a shock!  😂😂

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The Industry Minister of Thailand, Akanat Promphan, has issued a concerning report stating that the majority of electric cable brands sold within the country fail to meet international safety standards.

And they wonder why they have so many electrical fires...

[Joe Boy Walton]

Well, that's a surprise.

[Klong Song]

Publish the names of the brands that meet international safety standards. 

[NemoH]

🤣🤣 not surprised at all… imagine all the new condos n houses equipped with such wiring ..if anyone is still thinking to buy overpriced condo and houses ? Then you might as well play Russian roulette with your life n savings ..🤣🤣

[flyswat]

Thailand does not use International standards for cable colors, and the whole elctrical standards in the country require review and major changes, plus retraining and certification of electricians trained in international safety standards.

.

[BruceWayne]

Just the electric cables?

 

What about EVERYTHING else?

[BruceWayne]

2 hours ago, Artisi said:

copper is very expense, 😉. 

 

 

Funny how the rest of the world (who value safety over a few baht) manages to afford it 🤔

[Muhendis]

7 minutes ago, flyswat said:

Thailand does not use International standards for cable colors, and the whole elctrical standards in the country require review and major changes, plus retraining and certification of electricians trained in international safety standards.

.

Agreed 

Plus

Make it ilegal for a non-qualified person to undertake any electrical work.

[AhFarangJa]

A large number of the Electricians here also do not meet any standards.

[kuzmabruk]

1 hour ago, suspectdevice said:

 has issued a concerning report stating that the majority of electric cable brands sold within the country fail to meet international safety standards.

 

Wow, that is a shock!  😂😂

Damn international standards are written in English.  Bet the Thai electric cables meet the unwritten Thai standards. 

[OneMoreFarang]

Additionally, the concept of having an earth wire seems to be considered luxury by many in Thailand.

When I started my renovation, I looked in HomePro for cables. They had lots of cables, sizes, colors. But all only with two wires inside.

Sad.

I ordered cable online from a reputable brand.

 

[Andycoops]

40 minutes ago, AhFarangJa said:

A large number of the Electricians here also do not meet any standards.

Most of them aren't electricians they are buffalo herders and rice farmers masquerading as electricians, working under the Bodge it and Scraper brand.

[ChrisY1]

Thai "electricians" most always, from what I've seen, use the thinnest (1mm) wire for just about everything..

Used in standard lighting, not large floodlighting etc, it is usually ok.....but they use it for all the power service as well...it's cheaper!

[itsari]

Overloading the cable capacity i believe is the main problem in Thailand rather than the quality.

 

[lch]

54 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Additionally, the concept of having an earth wire seems to be considered luxury by many in Thailand.

When I started my renovation, I looked in HomePro for cables. They had lots of cables, sizes, colors. But all only with two wires inside.

Sad.

I ordered cable online from a reputable brand.

 

What reputable brand?

[Artisi]

1 hour ago, BruceWayne said:

 

 

Funny how the rest of the world (who value safety over a few baht) manages to afford it 🤔

the rest of the world "afford it" in accordance with established and required standards as safety outranks cost.

 

[Artisi]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Additionally, the concept of having an earth wire seems to be considered luxury by many in Thailand.

When I started my renovation, I looked in HomePro for cables. They had lots of cables, sizes, colors. But all only with two wires inside.

Sad.

I ordered cable online from a reputable brand.

 

you don't need earth wire as Thai electricity is different to western electricity.

[klauskunkel]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Minister Akanat has instructed the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) to initiate legal proceedings against those importers and manufacturers whose products do not meet the required ISO standards.

TISI has been tasked with coordinating efforts with related agencies to lodge police complaints and revoke the licences of non-compliant companies

Looks like working for the TISI has become lucrative...

[lom]

less copper more rubber = same size as ISO.

[watchcat]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Numerous complaints have drawn attention to the potential hazards posed by thin copper wires employed in many of these brands, which can result in overheating and pose serious risks of fires or short circuits.

 

Have they reported this to the PM?

[BerndD]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Additionally, the concept of having an earth wire seems to be considered luxury by many in Thailand.

When I started my renovation, I looked in HomePro for cables. They had lots of cables, sizes, colors. But all only with two wires inside.

Sad.

I ordered cable online from a reputable brand.

 

It was also possible in Germany, the country with one of the highest standards for electricity, to carry out the house installation with 2 cables, because the neutral conductor was grounded at the feed point and was then also used as an earth connection.  However, this has been forbidden for new installations since 1973. In old installations it is still allowed. This is still how it is done in Thailand, the problem is that if the earth connection is lost or the neutral conductor is interrupted, voltage can appear on the housing of the electrical device.

 

[lordgrinz]

The joys of living in a third world cesspool, if there are qualified electricians here, then they must be uber-expensive and hard to find, because I have never seen one.

[StevieAus]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Additionally, the concept of having an earth wire seems to be considered luxury by many in Thailand.

When I started my renovation, I looked in HomePro for cables. They had lots of cables, sizes, colors. But all only with two wires inside.

Sad.

I ordered cable online from a reputable brand.

 

There is no shortage of places who supply electrical cables with the earth wire HomePro is more for the DIY person their plumbing supplies are the same.

[stix40]

Safety standards Thailand 

Few examples 

 

Family of 4 on a moped 

No helmets 

 

5 ton on the back of a 1 ton pickup 

 

Lamp posts laced with bare wires 

 

Pavements with mandatory angle iron protruding upwards at ankle height 

 

Please add examples ! 

 

 

 

[Aussie999]

Reminds me of a job I had done, by a Thai "electrician," I had an outlet installed for the washing machine, this machine had a separated earth wire, connect to its chassis, I ask for it to be earthed... his idea of an "earth" screw it to the concrete pad, with a self tapping screw.

[sammieuk1]

This is true as I found out 3 years ago after house purchase, paid the deposit and in full for both meters when I moved in 6 weeks later no electric no meter either turns out PEA would not connect the cable to the metre as it was sub standard.

 

I was connected to the gatehouse and got free electric for 4 months and only when I refused any contribution towards the bill did they turn up with a 13,0000bt cable and spend a day pulling it in.

 

My satisfaction was short lived when on the meter end of the cable they had striped off the outer insulation and left only the blue/brown wires for over a metre PEA came back connected it up and said it was fine .

 

Just hoping there is enough slack in trunking to pull a metre through when the inner insulation burns off 🤔