Mea Electricity Rate

[joe1912]

I am trying to find out what the maximum electric rate anyone pays direct to MEA company in Bangkok for residential electric supply.

I am looking at moving in to a new condo and the landlord is asking me to pay 6 baht/unit. I of course want to pay the bill direct.

On the MEA site for residential, time of use tariff, I can find this:

12 - 24 kV. on peak :3.6246 baht/KWhour + monthly service charge 228.17

Below 12 kV. on peak :4.3093 baht/KWhour + monthly service charge 57.95

does any one have experience of any higher genuine rate from MEA?

I currently pay my bill directly to MEA and I have never got to a rate above 3.9 Baht/unit (I just take total bill including service charge / total units for this calc).

Just want to check I am being ripped off and by how much as it looks like he is adding almost 33.3% to the bill

[arkom]

I am trying to find out what the maximum electric rate anyone pays direct to MEA company in Bangkok for residential electric supply.

I am looking at moving in to a new condo and the landlord is asking me to pay 6 baht/unit. I of course want to pay the bill direct.

On the MEA site for residential, time of use tariff, I can find this:

12 - 24 kV. on peak :3.6246 baht/KWhour + monthly service charge 228.17

Below 12 kV. on peak :4.3093 baht/KWhour + monthly service charge 57.95

does any one have experience of any higher genuine rate from MEA?

I currently pay my bill directly to MEA and I have never got to a rate above 3.9 Baht/unit (I just take total bill including service charge / total units for this calc).

Just want to check I am being ripped off and by how much as it looks like he is adding almost 33.3% to the bill

Depends on if you are renting an apartment or a condo. If it is an apartment it should be about 6-7 baht a unit and normally you pay to the landlord. But its really a condo where you rent from the owner should be 3-4 baht a unit.

Edited July 3, 2011 by arkom

[Naam]

Depends on if you are renting an apartment or a condo. If it is an apartment it should be about 6-7 baht a unit and normally you pay to the landlord. But its really a condo where you rent from the owner should be 3-4 baht a unit.

[afarang]

Depends on if you are renting an apartment or a condo. If it is an apartment it should be about 6-7 baht a unit and normally you pay to the landlord. But its really a condo where you rent from the owner should be 3-4 baht a unit.

If you rent ,it is quite common for there to be a main meter, in the landlords name, who pays the MEA, then a meter for each "apartment" levied at a higher rate,for each tenant who then pays the landlord.Who, then makes a nice profit

Edited July 3, 2011 by afarang

[colinthailand20005]

You are being ripped off, I would quit now. If the condo/apartment is rented then you will pay the landlord in most cases, and they add on their cut. It will not be negotiable and if you don't like it don't rent there. The cheaper rentals at about up to about 5000 baht a month will normally charge between 5 - 7 baht per unit, and over 5000 baht it can go up to 12 baht. The landlord figures if you can afford to pay high rents they will stick you for more on electric. In the UK this practice is illegal, but in Thailand anything goes.

[ukrules]

6 Baht doesn't seem too bad, obviously if you shop around and find a landlord who will rent to you directly and doesn't produce his own bills you can pay them directly.

Good luck with that, it might be a long search.

[sulasno]

my consumption for this month is 589 units

I can't read Thai but this is what I see from the bill

1,528.08

add......................................40.90

add Ft................................564.32

add 7% VAT.......................149.33

making a total of..............2,282.63

out of the 589 units, the rates are as follows;

1-150.................................270.71

151-400.............................694.53

189....................................562.84

making a total of.............1,528.08

Edited July 3, 2011 by sulasno

[Sateev]

my consumption for this month is 589 units

I can't read Thai but this is what I see from the bill

1,528.08

add......................................40.90

add Ft................................564.32

add 7% VAT.......................149.33

making a total of..............2,282.63

out of the 589 units, the rates are as follows;

1-150.................................270.71

151-400.............................694.53

189....................................562.84

making a total of.............1,528.08

Just as a point of reference:

In Bangkok, our temporary (6 month) apartment, about 30 sq.m, 1 aircon, 1 refrigerator was costing us about THB3000/month in electricity, @ THB7/unit. We now have a modest, two-bedroom house, two-aircons, bigger refrigerator, more appliances, etc, and we pay a little under THB2000/month. And it's hotter here.

The landlords in Bangkok apartments rake it in charging 5-7 baht per unit. A way to disguise the cost of renting, for the unwary.

There are many condo buildings where you rent directly from the owner, and pay the actual bill. Much better choices, IMO, although you might need to inspect things a bit more carefully, since absentee owners are not around to fix problems which inevitably come up. Usually the condo management will do just enough to get by, since they are not directly incentivized to do more.

Go out and look around - avoid the online ads, which are usually inflated on English language sites, or use them to locate a neighborhood, but do the footwork yourself.

Good luck.

[spidermike007]

The true electricity rate in Bangkok is under 3 baht per unit. With some condos it can be as high as 3.5. But rarely higher than that. Anything more, is just profit in the landlord's pocket. I always ask about the cost of electricity, when I am looking at a new home or apartment, or condo. I always insist that I am able to pay directly from the bill that comes from the electrical company. Many reasonable landlords realize that it is a criminal act to mark up basics like electricity and water. Some do not. The ones who do not, have a bad attitude, and often will be difficult to deal with once you are a tenant. So, look at it as a way to get a reading on who will be your landlord, and how reasonable they are. And consider it a service to all farengs here in this nation, when you say no to one of the thieves. If enough of us said no, the customs of making a profit on electric would change. It is one thing to make a little something on electric. But, the landlords that are charging 7 and 8 baht a unit should be locked up in prison for a very, very long time. That is a crime against humanity.

[sulasno]

you guys should find out the cost of water that you are paying as well lol

[sandmike]

Allow me to suggest something.

Most Landlords charge 7 baht per unit for electricity, but it's not all profit - there's lighting of the public areas, several water pumps, admin office lighting. A similar deal applies for water - you do want a clean washed down building, with watered plants etc., don't you ??

Probably the biggest overhead is runaways, people who get 2 months behind with their bills and rent, then vanish into the night.

Then there's maintenance, lamps, new meters, taps, water pumps, Central TV problems, to name a few.

Confession time - My wife (and the bank) own some apartments, and profit (before overheads) from both water & electricity averages about 50 baht per apartment per month.

There's not a lot left at the end of the day.

Just my thoughts .....

Flame guard shields UP !!!!

Edited July 5, 2011 by sandmike

[sulasno]

hmmmmmm....................

in addition to the basic rental that I am paying, I am also paying a monthly maintenance fee (which includes guards and water for the plants)

[soundman]

Just my thoughts .....

Flame guard shields UP !!!!

Why?

Thanx for contributing. Great to have input from a real perspective.

[beano2274]

Always find out the rates before you move in.

I pay the government rate, I have two adjoining condos with 2 seperate meters, one I keep under 100 units (as it is free if under that limit) and the other is the bedroom area which is more as we use the AC unit. (I own both of the condos).

If you move a little bit outside of BKK, to places like Nonthaburi or Thonburi there are plenty of condos which you can rent direct from the owners and pay the MEA or PEA asking rate.

Edited July 6, 2011 by beano2274

[ricklev]

My experience of living in many different places over 15 years here is simple. The higher the electric rate the landlord charges over the true cost the more likely they are to keep your security deposit and generally be a dick about any financial issues. Without exception.

[ricklev]

I would guess that the landlord posting above also includes a mandatory cleaning fee and a schedule of replacement and repair costs for damage that is well in excess of actual costs.

In most countries its illegal to contract in such a manner for reasons of public policy.

However, I support a free market. Nothing wrong with trying maximize profits any way you can is there? I can always refuse the contract!

Of course poorer undeducated people often don't understand their contractual obligations. Hence the government tries to protect them.

[robblok]

Allow me to suggest something.

Most Landlords charge 7 baht per unit for electricity, but it's not all profit - there's lighting of the public areas, several water pumps, admin office lighting. A similar deal applies for water - you do want a clean washed down building, with watered plants etc., don't you ??

Probably the biggest overhead is runaways, people who get 2 months behind with their bills and rent, then vanish into the night.

Then there's maintenance, lamps, new meters, taps, water pumps, Central TV problems, to name a few.

Confession time - My wife (and the bank) own some apartments, and profit (before overheads) from both water & electricity averages about 50 baht per apartment per month.

There's not a lot left at the end of the day.

Just my thoughts .....

Flame guard shields UP !!!!

Usually if your paying interest to the bank on a loan your not making much. That is why you should finance an apartment with your own money to make money.

[Derifo]

Mine has never been more than 3.4 baht per unit for the past five years.

[indothai]

Anyone know the link to MEA's website on their current rates? I think there was a big increase in their rates in May?

The links that I found via google are, possibly out of date:

http://www.mea.or.th/internet/neweng/ElectricRate.pdf

http://www.eppo.go.th/power/pw-Rate-MEA-Schedule.html

Greatly appreciate if anyone can find the most up to date rates.