Petition To Challenge Thai Govt's Electricity Price Policy

[webfact]

Petition to challenge electricity price policy

THE NATION

Consumer rights activist Srisuwan Janya will petition the Administrative Court to issue |an injunction over the government's electricity price policy which he sees as unfair to consumers.

Srisuwan, who is president of the Anti-Global Warming Association, claimed the Cabinet on December 27 decided to lower the threshold of those entitled to free electricity support from 90 units per month to 50 units, passing on the burden of higher electricity prices to a wider field of electricity consumers.

The Yingluck Shinawatra Cabinet, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) and three other related bodies will be named in the petition, Srisuwan added.

Srisuwan said the decision by the Cabinet was tantamount to an irresponsible populist policy that added burden on others and constituted dishonest and discriminatory treatment of people who use more electricity.

Groups who have to shoulder this added cost include general consumers as well as businesses and industries. Srisuwan claimed yesterday that electricity prices had risen in many areas since July. He said deep-freezing businesses in Songkhla province saw a 30-per-cent per unit rise in electricity costs, while in Ranong province the increase was 58 per cent; and in Chantaburi province 28 per cent.

Srisuwan said many residents in flood-affected areas said their electricity bills had gone up despite the fact that many had abandoned their homes and had not consumed electricity. Srisuwan said these price hikes violated Article 30 of the 2007 Constitution that barred the government from engaging in discriminatory policy.

Besides calling for an emergency court injunction before any ruling is made on the electricity pricing policy, it also requested the court, if it found the government and related organisations guilty, to return all the amounts charged unfairly to consumers. The group is also seeking the court end discriminatory |treatment of all electricity consumers.

-- The Nation 2012-01-06

[bushwacker]

How does decreasing the number of free elect users result in a Freezer Business paying 30% more? Another story with no logic but many words!

[Pib]

I think this business group is just complaining about having to subsidize any free electricity, be it 90 units/mo, 50 units/mo, etc., since the cost is funded by higher electricity costs to business accounts. Residential accounts didn't get hit with higher per unit costs; only business accounts to the best of my knowledge.

[harryfrompattaya]

How does decreasing the number of free elect users result in a Freezer Business paying 30% more? Another story with no logic but many words!

How does decreasing the number of free elect users result in a Freezer Business paying 30% more? Another story with no logic but many words!

Here we go again millionaires complaining about electric rates

[hanuman2543]

If Thailand is serious about "going green" electricity and other forms of energy must become more expensive. Wearing t-shirts with nice slogans is not enough. This is the only way of stopping Thai people to waste energy massively like they do now. And giving electricity for free contradicts all serious approaches, same for subsidies for diesel or NGV or LPG.

Edited January 6, 2012 by hanuman2543

[sexy man]

it helps the thais that only get 9000baht a mnoth wages AS IT SHOULD DO we can afford more

[Pib]

50 units of electricity is such a small amount....probably about enough to run a few light bulbs for a few hours every night and small refrigerator per month. But use more than 50 units, say 51 units, and the person has to pay the entire 51 units electric bill. I just wonder how many people can really take advantage of such a small, free electricity allotment without going over 50 units and then having to pay the entire bill.

[TomTao]

How does decreasing the number of free elect users result in a Freezer Business paying 30% more? Another story with no logic but many words!

This government has a lot of popularist policies to fund, reducing the number of free cusomers while increaing the amount that currently paying customers pay is one way of raking in extra revenue.

[lungmi]

In my village a lady came to collect the electricity bill, with a smile, good jokes.

She now lost her job. Everyone now has to go to the Office 20 and more km away to pay, many cannot read the bill.

Agreement: She collects the posted bills (waste of money) and the money. The community Office goes to the Elecricity Office

and pays the bills. The lady is paied for her job by the local Office.

[OzMick]

If Thailand is serious about "going green" electricity and other forms of energy must become more expensive. Wearing t-shirts with nice slogans is not enough. This is the only way of stopping Thai people to waste energy massively like they do now. And giving electricity for free contradicts all serious approaches, same for subsidies for diesel or NGV or LPG.

I had a nice T with the slogan:

BAN ALL MINING - LET THE BASTARDS FREEZE IN THE DARK

50, even 90, kw-hours is not a "massive" waste of energy, it is the bare minimum for a modern life, or what passes for it in rural Thailand. In comparison, my 82yo pensioner mother in a single bedroom flat, no a/c and no heating, uses 330kw-hour/month.

Electricity is only free if you use LESS THAN 50kwh/month (thanks to the party of the people reducing the usage). If you fall into this category of user, perhaps you have the right to call others profligates. I strongly suspect that you don't, which makes your accusation rank hypocrisy perhaps mitigated by abysmal ignorance.

[OzMick]

50 units of electricity is such a small amount....probably about enough to run a few light bulbs for a few hours every night and small refrigerator per month. But use more than 50 units, say 51 units, and the person has to pay the entire 51 units electric bill. I just wonder how many people can really take advantage of such a small, free electricity allotment without going over 50 units and then having to pay the entire bill.

I often wonder if, when an a/c reads slightly over, if the meter man might not suggest a small donation could resolve the problem, and the accumulated over-use paid once every 3 or 4 months. A win-win situation for all concerned except GAT who don't get a vote.

[KKK]

Having won the last election with votes from the poor areas of Issan the government is now hitting them with electricity charges ... BASTARDS...

[Heimdallr]

I often wonder if, when an a/c reads slightly over, if the meter man might not suggest a small donation could resolve the problem, and the accumulated over-use paid once every 3 or 4 months. A win-win situation for all concerned except GAT who don't get a vote.

In that case, the first 50 is free either way and you only pay for the usage per unit that went over that amount.

[OzMick]

I often wonder if, when an a/c reads slightly over, if the meter man might not suggest a small donation could resolve the problem, and the accumulated over-use paid once every 3 or 4 months. A win-win situation for all concerned except GAT who don't get a vote.

In that case, the first 50 is free either way and you only pay for the usage per unit that went over that amount.

Ummm, not quite.

Let's say your usage is 53 units, and so you have to pay for all of it. Slip the meter man B10 or 20, he reads it as say 48, and you pay nothing.

Next month you use 52 plus the 5 not recorded last month giving 57. MM records 49, with a residual of 8, and you pay nothing.

3rd month you use 55 plus the 8 residual and you pay the lot to balance up the records.

Nett result is you have paid for 63 kw-h plus B40 bribe, rather than 110 kw-h a saving of around B150, and the MM has made an undetectable tax-free B40 on your a/c alone.

B150 might not seem much unless you are B3-4000/month. If the MM can scam B100 - 200/day he doubles his salary.

[KKK]

I often wonder if, when an a/c reads slightly over, if the meter man might not suggest a small donation could resolve the problem, and the accumulated over-use paid once every 3 or 4 months. A win-win situation for all concerned except GAT who don't get a vote.

In that case, the first 50 is free either way and you only pay for the usage per unit that went over that amount.

Ummm, not quite.

Let's say your usage is 53 units, and so you have to pay for all of it. Slip the meter man B10 or 20, he reads it as say 48, and you pay nothing.

Next month you use 52 plus the 5 not recorded last month giving 57. MM records 49, with a residual of 8, and you pay nothing.

3rd month you use 55 plus the 8 residual and you pay the lot to balance up the records.

Nett result is you have paid for 63 kw-h plus B40 bribe, rather than 110 kw-h a saving of around B150, and the MM has made an undetectable tax-free B40 on your a/c alone.

B150 might not seem much unless you are B3-4000/month. If the MM can scam B100 - 200/day he doubles his salary.

All of this is based upon whether or not the meter reader can change the figure. Not quite sure how it works in Thailand but don't they use a device that reads/zaps the meter that then prints the bill. How do you fiddle that?

[OzMick]

I often wonder if, when an a/c reads slightly over, if the meter man might not suggest a small donation could resolve the problem, and the accumulated over-use paid once every 3 or 4 months. A win-win situation for all concerned except GAT who don't get a vote.

In that case, the first 50 is free either way and you only pay for the usage per unit that went over that amount.

Ummm, not quite.

Let's say your usage is 53 units, and so you have to pay for all of it. Slip the meter man B10 or 20, he reads it as say 48, and you pay nothing.

Next month you use 52 plus the 5 not recorded last month giving 57. MM records 49, with a residual of 8, and you pay nothing.

3rd month you use 55 plus the 8 residual and you pay the lot to balance up the records.

Nett result is you have paid for 63 kw-h plus B40 bribe, rather than 110 kw-h a saving of around B150, and the MM has made an undetectable tax-free B40 on your a/c alone.

B150 might not seem much unless you are B3-4000/month. If the MM can scam B100 - 200/day he doubles his salary.

All of this is based upon whether or not the meter reader can change the figure. Not quite sure how it works in Thailand but don't they use a device that reads/zaps the meter that then prints the bill. How do you fiddle that?

No idea! Is Thailand that modern, labour intensive doesn't seem to be a problem here? It was just an obvious scam opportunity that came to mind.

[Pib]

I often wonder if, when an a/c reads slightly over, if the meter man might not suggest a small donation could resolve the problem, and the accumulated over-use paid once every 3 or 4 months. A win-win situation for all concerned except GAT who don't get a vote.

In that case, the first 50 is free either way and you only pay for the usage per unit that went over that amount.

Incorrect...you then pay for the whole amount if going over. Works the same way as when they had the freebie water allotment of up to 200 baht per month (I forget how thousand liters of water this represented). When the water guy came around to read the water meter if the water usuage priced out to be 200 baht or less of water used, he handed you the bill printout but it had no bill due...but if you went over 200 baht worth, which I did about half the time (usuage around 225 baht worth), the bill printed out differently with a balance due (usually around 225 baht) and bar code on the receipt to be used at a 7/11 or somewhere to scan/pay the bill.

[remobb]

Thanks guys, now I know why my school has taken without authorisation 5,000baht from my salary to pay my electric bill for one month use in a one room apartment. It does have air con that I use between 8pm and 6am.

Thieves.

Edited January 7, 2012 by remobb

[hanuman2543]

If Thailand is serious about "going green" electricity and other forms of energy must become more expensive. Wearing t-shirts with nice slogans is not enough. This is the only way of stopping Thai people to waste energy massively like they do now. And giving electricity for free contradicts all serious approaches, same for subsidies for diesel or NGV or LPG.

I had a nice T with the slogan:

BAN ALL MINING - LET THE BASTARDS FREEZE IN THE DARK

50, even 90, kw-hours is not a "massive" waste of energy, it is the bare minimum for a modern life, or what passes for it in rural Thailand. In comparison, my 82yo pensioner mother in a single bedroom flat, no a/c and no heating, uses 330kw-hour/month.

Electricity is only free if you use LESS THAN 50kwh/month (thanks to the party of the people reducing the usage). If you fall into this category of user, perhaps you have the right to call others profligates. I strongly suspect that you don't, which makes your accusation rank hypocrisy perhaps mitigated by abysmal ignorance.

You are from Australia, aren't you? No clue about saving energy. "Australian" cars are so fuelefficient and clean that they are nearly nowwhere else allowed. It is not about my use of energy. I use more, but I do care about how I use it and try not to waste it (effidient A/C, insulation etc). The price of energy has to reflect the real cost of producing it (including polluting the environment) and giving energy for free as part of a populist policy or pleasing special buisinesses like transportation is for sure not the right way.

Edited January 7, 2012 by hanuman2543

[whybother]

It seems that the government are doing their best to get on the wrong side of their voter base with not only the reduction of the electricity subsidy, but also the increase in the price of NGV:

NGV Protesters to Block Vipavadee Outbound After Gov't Insists on Price Hike

http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__4966297

Truck drivers block Vibhavadi Road

Protesters blocked the frontage road of the outbound Vibhavadi-Rangsit Monday afternoon after their demand for the government to cancel the plan to increase NGV price is not met.

http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__4966331

Taxi drivers disperse

Taxi drivers protesting against the planned hike of NGV price dispersed from the roads around the Government House and the Royal Plaza Monday afternoon.

http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__4966365

Edited January 9, 2012 by whybother

[whybother]

And ...

Kittirat: Govt to increase NGV price despite protest

BANGKOK, 9 January 2012 (NNT) - Commerce Minister Kittirat Na Ranong says the government is going ahead with the plan to increase the NGV price.

After a meeting with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the PTT, and the Finance Minister, Mr Kittirat revealed that the government would forge ahead with the planned hike. He asked the protesters to abide by the law given mob rule was not acceptable.

[Pib]

Thanks guys, now I know why my school has taken without authorisation 5,000baht from my salary to pay my electric bill for one month use in a one room apartment. It does have air con that I use between 8pm and 6am.

Thieves.

We own a house here in Bangkok where one medium-to-large size split air con runs pretty much all day and night, and then we run another medium sized split air in the master bedroom at night, 3 refrigerators, TVs, hot water heaters, TV set-top boxes, lights, fans, computers, etc...etc...etc...and our total monthly electric bill runs in the 5000 to 6000 baht range/month during this time of year...add a few thousand during the hottest months. We receive the bill directly from the electric company. I expect your actual electric usage per month runs around 1500 baht....your school is making out big time unless that 5,000 baht also covers your rent....as you said, they appear to be thieves in this case.

[MunterHunter]

I run three fridges, one aircon at night in the bedroom, aircon in the (bog) living room, two computers, a TV and a couple of smaller network devices, my bill is approx 3,000b a month... if your paying 5k for anything smaller than a 3 bedroom house then you are getting ripped off!

[jpinx]

Thanks guys, now I know why my school has taken without authorisation 5,000baht from my salary to pay my electric bill for one month use in a one room apartment. It does have air con that I use between 8pm and 6am.

Thieves.

Surely you have a meter for your room? Or at least you can take the wattage of the AC unit and multiply it up. It'll not come anywhere near their claim. My room has a meter so no cheating here and I only pay about 200Baht per month (no AirCon).

[OzMick]

If Thailand is serious about "going green" electricity and other forms of energy must become more expensive. Wearing t-shirts with nice slogans is not enough. This is the only way of stopping Thai people to waste energy massively like they do now. And giving electricity for free contradicts all serious approaches, same for subsidies for diesel or NGV or LPG.

I had a nice T with the slogan:

BAN ALL MINING - LET THE BASTARDS FREEZE IN THE DARK

50, even 90, kw-hours is not a "massive" waste of energy, it is the bare minimum for a modern life, or what passes for it in rural Thailand. In comparison, my 82yo pensioner mother in a single bedroom flat, no a/c and no heating, uses 330kw-hour/month.

Electricity is only free if you use LESS THAN 50kwh/month (thanks to the party of the people reducing the usage). If you fall into this category of user, perhaps you have the right to call others profligates. I strongly suspect that you don't, which makes your accusation rank hypocrisy perhaps mitigated by abysmal ignorance.

You are from Australia, aren't you? No clue about saving energy. "Australian" cars are so fuelefficient and clean that they are nearly nowwhere else allowed. It is not about my use of energy. I use more, but I do care about how I use it and try not to waste it (effidient A/C, insulation etc). The price of energy has to reflect the real cost of producing it (including polluting the environment) and giving energy for free as part of a populist policy or pleasing special buisinesses like transportation is for sure not the right way.

You miss the point. 50kwh is a tiny amount of electricity given only to the poorest who could not otherwise afford it, and any usage above 50 you pay for the lot. Why would you deny someone who works nearly all of the daylight hours the use of energy efficient lighting and a TV? Any further usage would almost certainly put you over the free limit.

BTW your concern over Australian vehicles is almost certainly misplaced. The number of vehicles produced in Australia is quite small, and the number of 4wd and larger capacity vehicles (falling) reflects the market place, a continent where quite a few farms are larger than states/counties in the US and TPLC in Europe.

[haveaniceday]

"Songkhla province saw a 30-per-cent per unit rise in electricity costs, while in Ranong province the increase was 58 per cent; and in Chantaburi province 28 per cent."

From the OP news story, can someone show a list of how much per unit it is in different provinces?

Why should people living in Rayong bill rise by 58% next bill?

[jb5music]

Hey this is neat. Of the entire page of links on a google search on thailand electric - And within the sublinks of this one search result - This is the only thread dated this year. All other pages and pages of Thai electric pricing jargon are dated like 2005, 2008, 2009 etc. I wonder? - Gee do you think that makes a difference?