Electricity Price Increase?

[chickencurry]

Just moved into a new house and been told that our electricity is going to rise from 3.56 bahts per unit to 5 bahts per unit next month. This seems like a rather steep increase - 40 per cent or thereabouts. Anyone know about this increase or is it something to do with the fact that I'm a farang and previous owner was local???

[LivinginKata]

No, I have not heard of such a big increase of official Phuket Electric Co price. Sure the rate fluctuates by a few Satangs from month to month, but not by a Baht or more. I suspect you are paying private meter rate and you will be at the mercy of your landlord, and subject to your home rental contract condition. Very little you can do about it, other than walk away.

By my maths it's more like a 25% increase. And 5 baht/kilowatt is typical for private meter rate.

Edited February 23, 2008 by LivinginKata

[candoman89]

The cost for electricity use (KWH) is set by the senate and to change the cost of electricity can only be changed by the Senate (don't they have more important things to do? ). So in the infinite way Thais have of getting around rules is they came up with another charge for electricity called the Ft charge (not sure what Ft means exactly but I call it the Fuel Tarrif charge) and it is "adjusted" every 4 months and is tied to the cost of oil (not sure why because most of the electricity is from gas or coal). They definitely won't change the Ft charge by as much as you say (usually it is changed by less than .05 baht every 4 months and it sometimes even goes down )

You must be paying private meter rates.

I have too much time on my hands

[stevenl]

Just checked my latest invoice, and I'm paying (including VAT and Fl or Ft) around 3.43 Baht per KWH. That is an official invoice from the electricity company.

[naka]

Just moved into a new house and been told that our electricity is going to rise from 3.56 bahts per unit to 5 bahts per unit next month. This seems like a rather steep increase - 40 per cent or thereabouts. Anyone know about this increase or is it something to do with the fact that I'm a farang and previous owner was local???

Who told you this CC, Power Company or Landlord ?

Naka.

[LivinginKata]

For sure, for sure..... it's the landlord dishing out this new price.

Just to add to electric pricing confusion, it all depends on how much electric you use, and what type of transformer. The more electric you use = the more expensive the rate. Any rental homes = a business = the highest electric Kw rate. If you have a private transformer = a slightly cheaper Kw rate, BUT any owner with a private transformer will have each home unit of a private meter = a typically private rate of 5 Baht or MORE.

[naka]

For sure, for sure..... it's the landlord dishing out this new price.

Just to add to electric pricing confusion, it all depends on how much electric you use, and what type of transformer. The more electric you use = the more expensive the rate. Any rental homes = a business = the highest electric Kw rate. If you have a private transformer = a slightly cheaper Kw rate, BUT any owner with a private transformer will have each home unit of a private meter = a typically private rate of 5 Baht or MORE.

Yea, that was my take too.

Naka.

[Naam]

the fuel prices exploded during the last 2 years and i consider it a miracle that my electricity bill has not doubled.

[LivinginKata]

the fuel prices exploded during the last 2 years and i consider it a miracle that my electricity bill has not doubled.

Now that's a pragmatic thought !!! 12 years ago I paid something like 8 baht/litre for my fuel. Now it's about 30 baht/litre. Yet electric is much the same as 12 years ago..... ???

[Naam]

the fuel prices exploded during the last 2 years and i consider it a miracle that my electricity bill has not doubled.

Now that's a pragmatic thought !!! 12 years ago I paid something like 8 baht/litre for my fuel. Now it's about 30 baht/litre. Yet electric is much the same as 12 years ago..... ???

with crude prices close to 100 dollars and it doesn't look like they will go down i think we have to prepare for a big hike sooner or later (most probably sooner)

[Naam]

Yet electric is much the same as 12 years ago..... ???

my best guess is that politics was and is still involved causing this kind of subsidised cheap electricity. but it can't go on indefinitely.

[DrDave]

Note that even for a private residence, the electric company has 2 different rates - depending upon whether the meter is "permanent" or "temporary".

Usually, a temporary meter (which carries a significantly higher rate) is used during construction and is then later replaced with a permanent meter. We have 2 meters at our house - one permanent, and one temporary, and the rate for the permanent meter is much less than the rate for the other meter. (Actually, our "temporary" meter is really permanent from our point of view, but the electricity company doesn't see it that way, which is why we have both).

[candoman89]

"Now that's a pragmatic thought !!! 12 years ago I paid something like 8 baht/litre for my fuel. Now it's about 30 baht/litre. Yet electric is much the same as 12 years ago..... ???"

"the fuel prices exploded during the last 2 years and i consider it a miracle that my electricity bill has not doubled."

"with crude prices close to 100 dollars and it doesn't look like they will go down i think we have to prepare for a big hike sooner or later (most probably sooner) dry.gif"

THAILAND'S ELECTRICITY IS FROM NATURAL GAS, COAL, HYDRO AND A [SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL/DIESEL.

This is why electricity has not increased in price much. It isn't subsidized much (if at all) and is also the reason for the Ft charge .

here is a link (remove if not allowed; I never read rules) for the latest annual report

http://pr.egat.co.th/all_work/ANNUAL_ENG2006.pdf

[naka]

"Now that's a pragmatic thought !!! 12 years ago I paid something like 8 baht/litre for my fuel. Now it's about 30 baht/litre. Yet electric is much the same as 12 years ago..... ???"

"the fuel prices exploded during the last 2 years and i consider it a miracle that my electricity bill has not doubled."

"with crude prices close to 100 dollars and it doesn't look like they will go down i think we have to prepare for a big hike sooner or later (most probably sooner) dry.gif"

THAILAND'S ELECTRICITY IS FROM NATURAL GAS, COAL, HYDRO AND A [SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL/DIESEL.

This is why electricity has not increased in price much. It isn't subsidized much (if at all) and is also the reason for the Ft charge .

here is a link (remove if not allowed; I never read rules) for the latest annual report

http://pr.egat.co.th/all_work/ANNUAL_ENG2006.pdf

But Gas and Coal have also increased in price in line with Oil !

Hydro, well not so much of that in Thailand.

Naka.

[chickencurry]

For sure, for sure..... it's the landlord dishing out this new price.

Just to add to electric pricing confusion, it all depends on how much electric you use, and what type of transformer. The more electric you use = the more expensive the rate. Any rental homes = a business = the highest electric Kw rate. If you have a private transformer = a slightly cheaper Kw rate, BUT any owner with a private transformer will have each home unit of a private meter = a typically private rate of 5 Baht or MORE.

well it all sounds very complex. It is a private meter and just been transferred to our names from the developers. They say it was previously 3.5 something and will now increase to 5 baht - what a bummer. Developer has shown us the letter from the electric company but all in Thai of course so no wiser.

[LivinginKata]

well it all sounds very complex. It is a private meter and just been transferred to our names from the developers. They say it was previously 3.5 something and will now increase to 5 baht - what a bummer. Developer has shown us the letter from the electric company but all in Thai of course so no wiser.

I think (?) that you are going to be paying the temporary meter rate which is something like 5 baht. I suggest you take a Thai speaker into one of the Phuket Electric Co offices (one in Phuket Town, other in Patong) and ask why you are going to paying so much. There must be an explanation (that the developers are not wanting to tell you).

[LivinginKata]

Note that even for a private residence, the electric company has 2 different rates - depending upon whether the meter is "permanent" or "temporary".

Usually, a temporary meter (which carries a significantly higher rate) is used during construction and is then later replaced with a permanent meter. We have 2 meters at our house - one permanent, and one temporary, and the rate for the permanent meter is much less than the rate for the other meter. (Actually, our "temporary" meter is really permanent from our point of view, but the electricity company doesn't see it that way, which is why we have both).

DrDave, you should only need to instruct Phuket Electric Co (Patong office opposite Christin Massage) that you want the temporary meter removed, AND your temporary meter deposit back. Simple enough, we have gone through this cycle with the last 3 building projects. I find the electric dept easy to deal with.

[Naam]

This is why electricity has not increased in price much. It isn't subsidized much (if at all) and is also the reason for the Ft charge .here is a link (remove if not allowed; I never read rules) for the latest annual report

http://pr.egat.co.th/all_work/ANNUAL_ENG2006.pdf

after reading the EGAT statement i have to agree with your statement. that's good news and i will remove the additional 100,000 Baht energy cost from my budget 2009.

[DrDave]

Note that even for a private residence, the electric company has 2 different rates - depending upon whether the meter is "permanent" or "temporary".

Usually, a temporary meter (which carries a significantly higher rate) is used during construction and is then later replaced with a permanent meter. We have 2 meters at our house - one permanent, and one temporary, and the rate for the permanent meter is much less than the rate for the other meter. (Actually, our "temporary" meter is really permanent from our point of view, but the electricity company doesn't see it that way, which is why we have both).

DrDave, you should only need to instruct Phuket Electric Co (Patong office opposite Christin Massage) that you want the temporary meter removed, AND your temporary meter deposit back. Simple enough, we have gone through this cycle with the last 3 building projects. I find the electric dept easy to deal with.

Hi LiK. The problem is that the "temporary" meter is really for a separate power source - to run a water pump about 300 metres down the road. (This meter is actually located just outside of your building, not at our house). Given the price of copper these days, it was cheaper to put another meter down there and run light-gauge cable for the low-current control switch up to the house, as opposed to running heavy-gauge power cable from the house down to the pump. In the end, the electric bill is only about 50-60 baht/month, so we really don't care that the rate is higher for the temp meter!

[huggybear]

Just moved into a new house and been told that our electricity is going to rise from 3.56 bahts per unit to 5 bahts per unit next month. This seems like a rather steep increase - 40 per cent or thereabouts. Anyone know about this increase or is it something to do with the fact that I'm a farang and previous owner was local???

Any chance we can get everybody to pipe in what they pay per month and what type of residence they have? how much electric they use. I'd like comparisons if possible.

I have a two story Thai style house, when I go to work (9hrs per day) I shut off all electricity except (old) refrigerator, and do not use aircon. I pay 1,000 thb per month. Seems a lot for how much electricity I use.....

How about you?

[HDRIDER]

HI

About 6-7000 a month

[LivinginKata]

This is a question often asked to me when folks consider renting one of our homes. The big expense is the aircon. Typical aircon uses about 4 or 5 baht/hour. We have a 2 floor/2 bedroom modern apartment, 2 TVs, 2 fridges, desktop PCs, lounge & kitchen ceiling fans. Only use one aircon while sleeping 22.00 - 07.00 at 26 deg, and our electric bill about 1,500 baht/month. I always say that background home about 5 - 600 baht/month, and one aircon 1,000 baht/month if lightly used. The (one) aircon easily esculates to 3,000 baht/month at 18 deg all day.

Note that older fridges & aircons (without number 5 logo) use much much more electric (could be double) than modern low energy units.

[melbat]

the fuel prices exploded during the last 2 years and i consider it a miracle that my electricity bill has not doubled.

I found a bill from 2004 and it was 1288 baht for a month. My latest bill and I have lived in the same house all this time is 3208 baht.

[LivinginKata]

I've just looked at my EXCEL spread sheet for electric bills since 1998. Over the years electric has actually gone down to it's lowest in Sept 1999, and up too it's highest in Sept 2006. Right now 2008 it's dropped back down and is only 68 Satang more than 10 years ago.

Speaking with my landlord hat on we charged our rentors 4 Baht/unit in 1998, increased to 5 Baht/unit in October 2000. And we have not increased our rate these past 8 years.

So by my figures electric has increased something like 25% over 10 years .... that's not so bad ....

[Naam]

the fuel prices exploded during the last 2 years and i consider it a miracle that my electricity bill has not doubled.

I found a bill from 2004 and it was 1288 baht for a month. My latest bill and I have lived in the same house all this time is 3208 baht.

with all due respect but "living in the same house" does not mean anything and is like comparing apples with strawberries . check your bill baht/per kWh in 2004 and compare it with 2008. only then you know whether a price difference exists. in my case (comparing 2006/2008) the unit price nowadays is lower. why? i have no idea... but i like it

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

We live in a 4br 4bath condo in Cha Am 255m2 no A/C our last bill was for 1201.27Baht. The month before was 1100 Baht. Would tell you how many KW and the cost per KW but the bill is in Thai so I would only be guessing.

[LivinginKata]

We live in a 4br 4bath condo in Cha Am 255m2 no A/C our last bill was for 1201.27Baht. The month before was 1100 Baht. Would tell you how many KW and the cost per KW but the bill is in Thai so I would only be guessing.

The key point is no a/c, so that charge of 1,200 baht sounds about right to me.

[Naam]

We live in a 4br 4bath condo in Cha Am 255m2 no A/C our last bill was for 1201.27Baht. The month before was 1100 Baht. Would tell you how many KW and the cost per KW but the bill is in Thai so I would only be guessing.

the bill is in thai but one can read the figures.

example: there's the old (24739) and new (27455) meter reading and as a result the kilowatts used (2,716) in that month. then there is a subtotal of 7,903.18 Baht. divide Baht by kW and get as result the unit price of 3.4366 Baht per kW. next is a (variable) surcharge of 0.6842 multiplied by 2,716 = 1,858.29. basic and surcharge amounts to 9,761.47. add 7% tax 683.30 Baht = grand total 10,444.77 Baht. divide grand total by consumption 2,716 and the result is your (actually mine) unit price of 3.8455 Baht per kW in july 2007. as simple as that.

[huggybear]

We live in a 4br 4bath condo in Cha Am 255m2 no A/C our last bill was for 1201.27Baht. The month before was 1100 Baht. Would tell you how many KW and the cost per KW but the bill is in Thai so I would only be guessing.

That sounds really cheap for a 4 bedroom pad...............

[chickencurry]

tried to get some clarification from developers and they now say that we will be paying 3.5 baht BUT they have been advised by the electricity company that there will be a rise soon (for everyone) they think to 5 baht. It seems like an outrageous figure to me. Just moved a little while back from Singapore (deemed to be expensive country) and worked out I was paying equiv of 4 baht in Singapore - somethin strange here.

Yet to get a bill yet but based on the meter reading I think we'll have the highest bill in Phuket Have aircon on in living area and one bedroom but not extreme 26 degrees, sometimes down to 24 degrees but big big rooms with vaulted ceilings.