Thai Water Meter

[TongueThaied]

I searched and did not find a topic on this. And before I ask, I already know it is a stupid question, but giving the native people that live here the benefit of the doubt, here goes. I have noticed everywhere I go that Thais tend to let metered water trickle into tanks, buckets, bath reservoirs and the like. There have been many times with different people in different places where I came along to use the facility and cranked the water on full to get the recepticle topped up. I am then chastised with the explanation that trickling water is free because the meter cannot detect such a low flow and full-flow water runs up the bill (for the same amount delivered). You might suggest that trickling the water is a way to keep the recepticle filling in a regulated manner. That may be true, but that is NOT the question. I am repeatedly told that a trickle is free.

There is no question that the meters of the west record every drop regardles of the flow, and western meters have had that efficiency for at least more than 50 years. I have no reason to doubt that Thai water meters are of any less quality (when it comes to flow measurement). With as many times as people have told me this, a bunch of you must have heard it too. So what's the deal, is this just another wide spread urban myth? Has anybody done an empirical study with a bucket to debunk this myth or will I have to be the first?

And, sure, I have time on my hands. Why else would I post or even have interest in such a silly question?

[flightcrew1]

Water for houses in Bangkok have been free for almost a year now. I used to get a bill once a month for about 70baht and now I get the same bill and it's got 0 on it. I enquired of Thai friends and was told that the BMA is now giving free water to houses but not condos.

Not sure if this is the answer your looking for.

[Daffy D]

Yes I've observed that practice of trickling the water so as not to register on the meter.

[highchol]

Old wives tale. Water meters are pretty good even in Thailand and they do measure a trickle.

Yep the water is still free, doubt if this universal benefit promotes efficient use though.

[sunholidaysun1]

I pay only 4 bht per cubic metre for my water from the village supply but the mountain water that runs from a stream into 2 huge tanks is free

for whatever amount you want and for all to use. When the mountain tanks are full and overflow or pipes opened , no one cares as its free anyway .

[pattaya_girl]

Yes, water is Free here in Pattaya as well, has been for a couple of Years now. (on condition that your bill is under a certain amount)

I think the Thai's have the trickle so the trough is constantly full..

[Sadako_Sasaki]

Is it free, flight crew, or free if you don't go over 500 baht in usage (which is what our landlady and neighbours told us)?

We pay about 670 baht every month, and this never varies. It is well over what the neighbours pay, even though there are 6 of them, and only 3 of us, and even in months when we are away for 3 weeks or so, and we cannot figure out why it never varies depending on usage.

No matter how much we try to limit our use, the bill is the same, and the handyman that works for the landlady just says "it was the same for the previous tenants". Oh well that's okay then....

[highchol]

Is it free, flight crew, or free if you don't go over 500 baht in usage (which is what our landlady and neighbours told us)?

We pay about 670 baht every month, and this never varies. It is well over what the neighbours pay, even though there are 6 of them, and only 3 of us, and even in months when we are away for 3 weeks or so, and we cannot figure out why it never varies depending on usage.

No matter how much we try to limit our use, the bill is the same, and the handyman that works for the landlady just says "it was the same for the previous tenants". Oh well that's okay then....

erm ok!

you may be paying for your landlady also or you are losing it somewhere else.

Have you seen the bill yourself?

[Heng]

Only the first XX units are free. Don't know what the cut off point is exactly as we are probably way over it, but my properties that only run water for watering the plants/grass out front every day or just basic bath and cooking for caretakers are all O Baht bills.

[flightcrew1]

Is it free, flight crew, or free if you don't go over 500 baht in usage (which is what our landlady and neighbours told us)?

We pay about 670 baht every month, and this never varies. It is well over what the neighbours pay, even though there are 6 of them, and only 3 of us, and even in months when we are away for 3 weeks or so, and we cannot figure out why it never varies depending on usage.

No matter how much we try to limit our use, the bill is the same, and the handyman that works for the landlady just says "it was the same for the previous tenants". Oh well that's okay then....

erm ok!

you may be paying for your landlady also or you are losing it somewhere else.

Have you seen the bill yourself?

Yes, its free if it's not over 500 a month which is a lot of water usage. Does your house have it's own meter? If so it will have it's own bill which is quite small like the receipt from a cash register. I would ask to see it if you don't think it's going to cause someone to lose face since it's really not a lot of money.

[Sadako_Sasaki]

I get the bill and pay it myself every month. I sincerely doubt the landlady has anything to do with it (when I say landlady, I mean the lady that deals with the property for the landlady, who we've never met), although I have to admit we did wonder if someone was siphoning it off somewhere!

We did have big problems with a faulty pump which was repaired last week and I'm waiting to see the next bill, but not really holding my breath. It's not loads of money, it's true, I just find it strange that it never varies (unlike, say, the electricity, which is fairly low but spikes if we use the highly inefficient aircon).

It's not loads of money, but it used to really get at the maid, who commented every month without fail how expensive it is, and there must be a leak, there's a problem, and so on.

Next time the handyman comes round to fix something (shouldn't be long, something goes wrong every few weeks , I'll ask where the meter is. But he seems very very unconcerned about the whole thing, repeating his mantra "every family it's the same". Only foreigners rent this house, so maybe we have a "special" meter

[TongueThaied]

I get the bill and pay it myself every month. I sincerely doubt the landlady has anything to do with it (when I say landlady, I mean the lady that deals with the property for the landlady, who we've never met), although I have to admit we did wonder if someone was siphoning it off somewhere!

We did have big problems with a faulty pump which was repaired last week and I'm waiting to see the next bill, but not really holding my breath. It's not loads of money, it's true, I just find it strange that it never varies (unlike, say, the electricity, which is fairly low but spikes if we use the highly inefficient aircon).

It's not loads of money, but it used to really get at the maid, who commented every month without fail how expensive it is, and there must be a leak, there's a problem, and so on.

Next time the handyman comes round to fix something (shouldn't be long, something goes wrong every few weeks , I'll ask where the meter is. But he seems very very unconcerned about the whole thing, repeating his mantra "every family it's the same". Only foreigners rent this house, so maybe we have a "special" meter

One thing I have learned here is that, unlike in the States, YOU are responsible for the meter, not the municipality. Thus, if the meter goes bad, you have to change it. So, if you are getting billed the same amount every month, something is suspicious, unless you are paying a "minimum." Try reading the meter yourself every month. If it shows exactly the same consumption every month, something is strange, since that is virtually impossible. Maybe you have one of those omipresent ghosts.

I live out in a village in Phitsanulok Province. We have a meter and the water is not free. The bill runs 10-20 baht a month. So even if trickling the water makes it free, it is a non-issue (we save, what, 3 baht/mo?), but people still get excited about it. I guess they just like free stuff.

[pattaya_girl]

It was Songkran a couple of years ago, I never got my Water Bill one month, a guy turned up in the Soi from the Waterboard, attempting to take away my Water Meter, I told him I never got the last bill, he said 'oh' continued to unscrew the Meter.

The only way I managed to stop him from taking it, was to give him 200 bt tip, and he went away with a smile on his face. I had to then go to pay the 160 bt bill immediately.

I think the Bill had blown off my gate.

So be carefull, if you dont get your bill, expect the Meter to be taken away within about 5 days. Then you have to pay to get it back and connected up again.

They don't mess about here.

[johng]

I think the Thai's have the trickle so the trough is constantly full.

Often in Pattaya a trickle is all thats available

[pattaya_girl]

I think the Thai's have the trickle so the trough is constantly full.

Often in Pattaya a trickle is all thats available

Yes that is true. It was worse about 3 years ago, had no water for almost 12 Months.

Does'nt seem as bad nowadays - Touch Wood.

[anothertorres]

i read this thread this morning (and giggled at the notion) and didn't think anything else of it. about 20 minutes ago, a thai friend was doing his usual routine about 'beginning of the month, money already gone' and he told me he heard from the lady behind his room about catching the trickle into buckets because it's free. says the meter can't read the slow tick. says he's gonna take that

200baht bill down to 100baht.

anyway, was this on the local news or something? sounds like the secret is sweeping the nation...

Edited September 1, 2009 by anothertorres

[way2muchcoffee]

I previously lived up the street in a shophouse. Water was free there as our bill typically runs between 400 and 500 bt. Last year we moved up the street to a townhouse in a moo baan. Strangely enough our bill is not free and we now are paying the 450 bt/month. I guess the moo baan isn't residetial enough?

[amphur]

Water is free until 30 units or 30 m3.

[loong]

Whether your water is free or not depends on who your supplier is. If you get your water direct from the government company, then it is probably free.

The poster who is paying over 600 baht every month - you must have a leak. Locate your meter, turn off all water outlets and see if the small disc is spinning. If it is, you've got a leak.

I don't believe that trickling water will not register on the meter, as far as I know the smallest amount will cause the disc to spin.

However, trickling the water in will save money in the long run. It amazes me how many people I see here open a tap to fill a jar and then go away and forget it. My sister in law's bill is always between 2 and 5 times ours. Simply because of the amount of water that she wastes by leaving the water running and forgetting it.

[GungaDin]

Loong is correct.

Trickling water will register on your meter.

We had large water bills, one was 1300bt.

Owner called in a Thai "expert", he decided that the leak was under the house and conned the owner into

having the pipes run overground for 6000bt.

Well, he finished the job and now I have unwanted, hot water, 24 hrs a day and bright blue pvc pipes throughout the house and in the garden. It's as fugly as a soi dog.....

The leak did not stop. The meter turned very slowly........ & no free water out here!

I checked the pump as I could hear it working when nothing was turned on.

The leak was from the pump!

He then charged her 1500bt for replacing a 100bt part which took 5 minutes to replace.

Thais screwing Thais.

[sanook2me]

Thais screwing Thais.

This just happened to me and my misses, the aircon inside developed a leak...so when the misses was out i took the cover off and found the inlet pipe was leaking but couldn't get to properly so i just pushed it in further and sealed the leak for 24hrs but did explain to misses that some strong glue like epoxy would do the trick..

It leaked again so she called in the "experts" as she doesn't trust me with anything DiY (don't think average Thais are up on DiY) so i waited around for the experts 3 of em! they started stripping the outside unit! and i was like no, no its inside and had to show them exactly where the problem was and they just pulled the pipe out and the plastic had split... remedy a 30 baht pack of superglue and pipe pushed back in! 5 minute job!

500 baht! how i laughed when i told the misses 30 baht superglue job done total cost 500baht priceless for me! she got ripped off..she was fuming with me then for not fixing it!