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BLACKOUT
Residents feared what lay behind the darkness
Charoon Thongnual
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- The hours-long blackout on Tuesday in the strife-torn regions in three southern provinces have had a huge impact on residents who, facing daily insurgent violence, were gripped in the fear of possible terror attacks in the darkness.

With only social media and online outlets available as news sources for a minority of residents with access to the Internet, people in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat were left in the dark literally - lacking any knowledge |of what was happening when the blackouts descended at 18.45pm after the sun set.

Acting on rumours about new attack threats by insurgents, people sped home to protect their loved ones, while their families scrounged for candles and flashlights.

Two-way radio messages from volunteer rescue workers also called on residents to stay inside and brace for what might happen.

In Narathiwat, security officials were stationed at urban areas and key locations shortly after the blackouts to guard against possible insurgent violence and to help residents with directions and to service flashlights.

REMINDED OF 2005 INCIDENTS

They were reminded of two |incidents when insurgents blew up |a power pole in Yala in 2005 which resulted in widespread blackouts; |and during a Red Cross fair in Narathiwat in 2008 when revelers panicked and dashed around looking for a safe spot.

Last night, residents with access to Facebook, Twitter or chat application Line monitored reports and relayed stories via their mobile phones as well as through word of mouth.

Officials were tense and on guard at all security checkpoints which eventually were hooked up to generators.

After three hours the lights at the road island poles were the first to turn back on, and finally the darkness was over and a dawn arrived free of insurgent attacks.


-- The Nation 2013-05-23

[tragickingdom]

Oops just spend a few weeks in the North and North East. One hourlong blackout after another after a thunderstorm. Everybody feared what lays behind the power cuts...... the answer bad maintenance and bad infrastructure. But the Nation is always friendly enough to come up with a conspiracy theory.

[drdoom6996]

Oops just spend a few weeks in the North and North East. One hourlong blackout after another after a thunderstorm. Everybody feared what lays behind the power cuts...... the answer bad maintenance and bad infrastructure. But the Nation is always friendly enough to come up with a conspiracy theory.

+1

[billd766]

Where I live the power outages range from a few seconds or minutes to the "normal" 2 hours and as long as 8 hours.

Sometimes there is a local thunderstorm, sometimes it is elsewhere but often it happens on a bright sunny day.

PEA Pi** Awful Electricity Authority.

[lee b]

i thought these pilons were made to survive a lightning strike etc???

[Jimi007]

Our power went out every time there was any wind or rain four to eight years ago. Since they upgraded the power lines and transformers and we hardly ever have a problem. Maybe a minute or two then back on. We did have days the power was out for at least six hours a day while they did the upgrade in the southern part of Phuket though.

Since I know the power anywhere can be knocked out at any time for a variety of reasons, I always have candles, flashlights, water and other emergency supplies on hand. I've been through an earthquake that cut my electric, gas and roads for two weeks. A three hour power outage seems like a romantic inconvenience in comparison!

Edited May 23, 2013 by Jimi007

[slapout]

Why the Nation even printed this article is beyond me. Most of the southern natives do not read the English language newspaper, long term expats accept power outages/brownouts as they are regular, the tourists were treated to a little of the unusual, for them, thus they can describe their adventure upon arrival back home.

Conspiracy theories, ghosts, aliens, magic is great for story telling, but accept the fact this countries infrastructure is run like the rest of the country. The problems are to a large degree, self inflicted, man up, admit it, and go on about your rat killing.

[animatic]

This article seems less aimed at just the causes,

but at the locals fears of what might happen in the dark when things

are not protected at normal levels. Is this part of a terrorist attack?, we don't know.

But we must still sit in the dark with no media info and wonder why.

I think the deep south locals have quite legitimate reasons to have increased fear in this scenario.

[Tywais]

This article seems less aimed at just the causes,

but at the locals fears of what might happen in the dark when things

are not protected at normal levels. Is this part of a terrorist attack?, we don't know.

But we must still sit in the dark with no media info and wonder why.

I think the deep south locals have quite legitimate reasons to have increased fear in this scenario.

Someone that actually gets the article.

[bigbamboo]

This article seems less aimed at just the causes,

but at the locals fears of what might happen in the dark when things

are not protected at normal levels. Is this part of a terrorist attack?, we don't know.

But we must still sit in the dark with no media info and wonder why.

I think the deep south locals have quite legitimate reasons to have increased fear in this scenario.

Someone that actually gets the article.

When their world is plunged into darkness it could spark fears of ghosts.

Or possibly a whistle stop tour of the deep south by Chalerm?

[animatic]

This article seems less aimed at just the causes,

but at the locals fears of what might happen in the dark when things

are not protected at normal levels. Is this part of a terrorist attack?, we don't know.

But we must still sit in the dark with no media info and wonder why.

I think the deep south locals have quite legitimate reasons to have increased fear in this scenario.

Someone that actually gets the article.

When their world is plunged into darkness it could spark fears of ghosts.

Or possibly a whistle stop tour of the deep south by Chalerm?

Ghosts and real individuals who are as malevolent or worse than the ghosts reputations.

[harrry]

In ChiangRai when there is a thinderstorm the power may cut. It has happened so far 4 times this season.l It is generally back in less than an hour. When a car colided with a pole up the road and took all the wires and a transformer out at 10pm the power was back by 1am.

When it rains in Perth Australia it usually takes over 24 hours to reconnect all power.

I know where I would rather be.

[OzMick]

i thought these pilons were made to survive a lightning strike etc???

Pylons are not usually damaged by a lightning strike, or even struck for that matter. they are after all, steel structures fitted with hefty earth straps. Besides the transmission cables, they carry above them one or two smaller cables connected to earth which deflect most strikes, but some hit the transmission cables.

Those strikes on the power cables cause a voltage surge most often dispersed in a switch-yard by an air-gap dissipater (can't remember the correct term, not my field). This is a set of contacts, one connected to the line, the other to earth, with an air gap appropriate for line voltage. When an excess voltage occurs, a spark jumps between the contacts for a split second, reducing the excess. I have seen birds land on one contact, reducing the air gap with much more conducting flesh - zap!

Switch-yards also have voltage measuring transformers which open the line circuit breakers when a severe over- or under-voltage is detected. Some of these are auto-reclosers which will reconnect after a few seconds, but a persistent fault will need a manual reset after a few tries. As these are used mostly in remote locations, when your power goes off for the 3rd time, expect a wait for it to resume.

Many breakers are manual reset only (cheaper) so you have to wait for the operator. Big strikes may damage the CB, but a spare can be inserted into the enclosure in around 5 minutes (after the operator gets there).

[OzMick]

When their world is plunged into darkness it could spark fears of ghosts.

Or possibly a whistle stop tour of the deep south by Chalerm?

Whistling in the dark is a big no-no here as it attracts ghosts. I tend to forget after a few Changs, and the g/f freaks out big time.

[tomyummer]

I guess it's time for those nuclear power plants..............Not!