Thailand to tax residents’ foreign income irrespective of remittance

[mrjohn]

Has anybody any experience of this?

We live in a rented house and have lived in the same house for 3 years.

The electricity company came today to change the meter. I was out at the time so the wife had to deal with it.

They concluded that they could not change it to because somebody had tampered with it.

As far as I can understand it, somebody (at some time in the past) had fitted a device to slow down the meter.

The wife called the house owner (who has always seemed like a perfectly decent woman) and we have always got on very well with her.

The electricity people (apparently) accepted the fact that we had not tampered it ourselves, nor did the house owner know anything about it, but suggested that the house owner would need to pay 5,000 Bht and they would also be giving us a bill sometime in the future.

Our monthly bill averages about 1,200 Bht, which seems pretty normal for a house with 2 fridges one freezer, electric oven, two computers and no air conditioning.

In any normal country there would be some arbitration procedure, you would go to court and argue your case.

But this is Thailand and people just roll over and do as they’re told.

To my simple mind, the electricity company is at fault, after all, somebody reads the meter every month, but apparently they don’t bother to check to see if anybody has tampered with it!

What should I do????

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Soutpeel]

In any normal country there would be some arbitration procedure, you would go to court and argue your case.

ah well there is you first mistake, your not in Kansas anymore Toto..

What should I do????

Well if you want a continued supply of much needed electricity to power your "2 fridges one freezer, electric oven, two computers and no air conditioning"...one suspects between you and owner, you better be sorting the bill out then, cos if you don't it will be rather dark in your household, and then when you finally come to your senses, they will charge you to reconnect the meter as well..

[mrjohn]

Well here we go again..............you ask for advice on this forum and all you get is stupid childish remarks from somebody who thinks they are being clever.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Do nothing.

Meter belongs to landlord, same as roof, walls and land.

Let landlord and Electric company fight it out.

Not the tenants responsibility.

Edited May 30, 2014 by AnotherOneAmerican

[marko kok prong]

Well here we go again..............you ask for advice on this forum and all you get is stupid childish remarks from somebody who thinks they are being clever.

Hey what's your problem,you asked for advice,Soutpeel has given you advice,so stop being a blowhard and take it,you don't fight the system in los,you bend with the wind,unless your stupid.

[topt]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Well here we go again..............you ask for advice on this forum and all you get is stupid childish remarks from somebody who thinks they are being clever.

Well goes to show how everybody thinks differently - I actually thought it was pretty sensible advice......

Do nothing.
Meter belongs to landlord, same as roof, walls and land.

Let landlord and Electric company fight it out.
Not the tenants responsibility.

Doesn't help the tenant if they disconnect/switch off the power in the meantime?

[mrjohn]

Do nothing.

Meter belongs to landlord, same as roof, walls and land.

Let landlord and Electric company fight it out.

Not the tenants responsibility.

Thanks

That sounds logical (perhaps a bit too logical) and more or less how I saw the situation.

Can anybody endorse this?

[HooHaa]

In any normal country there would be some arbitration procedure, you would go to court and argue your case.

ah well there is you first mistake, your not in Kansas anymore Toto..

What should I do????

Well if you want a continued supply of much needed electricity to power your "2 fridges one freezer, electric oven, two computers and no air conditioning"...one suspects between you and owner, you better be sorting the bill out then, cos if you don't it will be rather dark in your household, and then when you finally come to your senses, they will charge you to reconnect the meter as well..

rather commonsensical, its hardly a battle the op can win, and it is so much harder to stand on your principles in the dark.

Edited May 30, 2014 by HooHaa

[NanLaew]

The electricity people (apparently) accepted the fact that we had not tampered it ourselves, nor did the house owner know anything about it, but suggested that the house owner would need to pay 5,000 Bht and they would also be giving us a bill sometime in the future.

The meter was probably tampered with by a previous tenant. The significance of the light company (I love that term) absolving the landlord and the OP of any involvement should not be lost in any pissing contest over who pays what.

The landlord as property owner should accept and pay the 5000 baht charge. It's nothing short of a fine.

The OP has benefited from lower light bills due to this device so should pay the prorated 'top-up' bill when presented.

[Chivas]

Well here we go again..............you ask for advice on this forum and all you get is stupid childish remarks from somebody who thinks they are being clever.

Totally agree and that stupid smiley with the smirk makes it 10 times worse.....

[Satcommlee]

Southpeel is pretty much right to be honest... but you are also right to query what you can do..

I'd insist on dealing with at the electric office and not put cash into anyone's hand in the street so to speak.

They could be playing you for a mug...

[Jip99]

Do nothing.

Meter belongs to landlord, same as roof, walls and land.

Let landlord and Electric company fight it out.

Not the tenants responsibility.

A good theory until the PEA cut off the supply..

Suggest to the landlady that you pay half each - that equates to less than 70 baht a month for the 3 years you have been there.

In fact, be prepared to roll over and pay the lot. Only one person has benefited from lower prices in the last 3 years.

[Carmine6]

Not sure what the question is here. Theoretically the meter has been running slow for the 3 years of living in the house, meaning some benefit even though it wasn't your doing. If they charged 5,000 baht, that'd be the equivalent of 139 baht/month for the 3 years. Is it running 10% - 15% slow or something more than that? Once the tampering is fixed, there will theoretically be some increase in the monthly bill. That might be the bigger issue.

[Soutpeel]

Well here we go again..............you ask for advice on this forum and all you get is stupid childish remarks from somebody who thinks they are being clever.

You got the advice dear boy but go on stand your ground, abide by your principle's, don't pay the lying cheating scum bags who are trying to scam the farang's.

burn you bra if you wish, stamp your little feet, but one suspects if there is money owed and its not paid... you will be doing it in the dark...

up tooooo you..

Edited May 31, 2014 by Soutpeel

[susan d]

Do nothing.

[NanLaew]

Southpeel is pretty much right to be honest... but you are also right to query what you can do..

I'd insist on dealing with at the electric office and not put cash into anyone's hand in the street so to speak.

They could be playing you for a mug...

Nobody is being played for a mug here. The guys were going to change the meter but saw it was rigged so it's now a matter for the light company office. The meter guys didn't ask for 5000 baht, they suggested that's what the landlord would be liable for.

By the same token, the OP needs to pay for the electricity he has used but not paid for.

[theoldgit]

A number of off topic "grammar police" remarks removed.

Forum Netiquette

3. If possible please proofread your post first, poor grammar and spelling can make the post difficult to understand. However be aware that not every member is a native English speaker and excessive posts regarding others spelling and grammar not only hijacks the topic but is poor netiquette.

[robblok]

Southpeel is pretty much right to be honest... but you are also right to query what you can do..

I'd insist on dealing with at the electric office and not put cash into anyone's hand in the street so to speak.

They could be playing you for a mug...

Nobody is being played for a mug here. The guys were going to change the meter but saw it was rigged so it's now a matter for the light company office. The meter guys didn't ask for 5000 baht, they suggested that's what the landlord would be liable for.

By the same token, the OP needs to pay for the electricity he has used but not paid for.

Seems quite reasonable to me that the OP has to pay for the electricity and the house owner for the new meter. But hey that is not what the OP wants to hear he wants to hear he does not have to pay a thing others are wrong and he is right.