Another storm. Another power cut.

[kurnell]

I'm dreaming of a day when Thailand will upgrade their 100 year old power system. Like clockwork a storm hits, there is a bang and we are without power for several hours. Are you listening Junta?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[bubba45]

It starts raining, internet goes first. Then often power. Guess internet gets washed away. What's sad is if you call them they'll say it's out because it's raining. They think that's normal.

[gp2002]

The wind starts to blow and Truevisions will go out. Then the rain starts and the lights begin to flicker. If you're lucky, the power might just go out for a few seconds but if you hear the BIG BANG, the power is out for at least one hour.

For a complete explanation.......listen to Alan in The Hangover 2 for why the power always goes out in "Thigh-Land" (as he calls it).

[muratremix]

Bangkok's electric is just fine.

Same goes for our village in Buriram. Electric is cut when a tree fall onto electric line but then they fix it within 3-6 hours while I enjoy gasoline generator and ups to keep my internet flowing from adsl modem.

My only problem is "Browning" in village. Transformator is not enough so when electric demand goes up due to more appliances at everybody elses home, voltage goes down (not stable at 220v).

[bkkjames]

We got hit by that storm,,,lots of wind and rain.

No power outage, no TV outage.

[chuenyongman]

Perhaps they require a firework up their Aperture. Or maybe claim money back from losing t.v supply. A class action wouldn't go amiss. I wish they would get some fierce competition. Is it the expensive T,V. there is??

[norbra]

ANy fix should be about safety,even the "father" of todays electricity system regrets he promoted a 2 wire system of supply to be the national standard

[techboy]

I'm dreaming of a day when guys like you quit whining an realize that you are not in your home countries anymore. The infrastructure here is not accountable to you.

[smotherb]

gee, try living in any other developing country in SEA--e.g., Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Vietnam--Thailand is one of the best--yes Brunei and Singapore are better and so is peninsular Malaysia.

If you want truly modern infrastructure, go somewhere where it costs more to live and their are more restrictions on living there.

[natway09]

OK, I will bite.

Having had the dubious pleasure of living in 8 countries, I will give all the accolades to EGAT here.

They do a fantastic job & use the correct system of 44,000v through breakdown transformers.

Their delivery is as good as any including USA where brown outs are the norm.

Don't even think about living in Indonesia where your stupid little arse will get warm often when

your precious air con won't work.

Where you come from ,Utopia?

[kiniyow]

In 12 Years living here I'm happy as a clam with the Power..Looks like a big Mess but works 99.9% of the time..During the worst of storms may go out but soon back on in a jiffy...Never have I thrown out warm food from the refrigerator...

[Nuddy]

Quite a few years ago the power in my Khon Kaen province town used to go out regularly.

When will they upgrade it?

I reckon they already have as we have very few lights out now and these few are of short duration.

From time to time I think the PEA still struggles to maintain the full voltage though thats similar to other countries.

[Shaunduhpostman]

Everything to do with infrastructure (water, electricity, internet, traffic flow) could be improved.

Sure, Thailand is a developing country, but therein lies the danger that that will always be the excuse, even if Thailand does reach developed nation status.

[cbluck58]

I am always amazed how quickly power is restored when it does occasionally black out - I am also amazed at the conditions in which the guys turn out to get it fixed , pouring rain and howling winds do not seem to deter them.

It might look like an explosion in a spaghetti factory but it works - making it safer and tidier is already happening in many places so what exactly is your problem ?

[pkspeaker]

I have not had a serious issue with power outages living in pattaya and bangkok; there's a few of them but not for very long.. i like the power system in Thailand because it's 220, in the us we're stuck with weak 120 except in the garage (if you have a house) that has this big 220 on steroids plug. i think just having everything on a normal 220 is the better system.

[Frank James]

A few weeks ago I watched a pair of pole-mounted transformers blow up in a shower of sparks and noise on Santhitam Road in Chiang Mai. Naturally, that blacked out the local area grid, including our precious internet. It was during a howling rainstorm, that blew through in about an hour, as they usually do. Within three hours the power was restored, although the net was dark until the next morning. That's pretty good service, and the repair crews deserve huge credit, for doing work like this on a regular basis. Quit complaining.

[spidermike007]

This especially applies to Koh Samui. Even after they laid down the infamous new cable, from the mainland, Samui still suffers from occasional power cuts, even during the low season, when consumption is down. The wiring was done by children, who look and dress up like men. It is spaghetti wiring. No wonder blackouts occur. I see far better wiring on the mainland. Must Samui always get left behind? Must progress always come last to that forsaken island? Does anybody care? Is anyone ever listening? Help!

[newermonkey]

ANy fix should be about safety,even the "father" of todays electricity system regrets he promoted a 2 wire system of supply to be the national standard

What is a 2 wire system?

I thought Thailand is on a standard 3 Phase system that uses a comon return netral (polyphase system)

The problems Thailand experiences is due to the usage of lower cost (to insatal) overhead system, whereas in cities and towns in the non 3rd world contries is underground,

Almost all countries must keep the HT 765,000 volt power station lines on large overhead power line pilons because of heat on those lines must be alowed to escape.

[pendingo]

I'm dreaming of a day when guys like you quit whining an realize that you are not in your home countries anymore. The infrastructure here is not accountable to you.

As long as there is an issue with regard to electrical safety in Thailand I have no problem with any ex-pat "whining" about it.

It means they are aware of the hazards and will take care regardless as to whether the authorities are accountable to them or not.

I don't know how long you have lived in Thailand techboy but your complacency may catch you out one day.

Maybe you've lead a charmed life so far.

[kurnell]

Quit whining I hear? I believe I have made a constructive comment. The whining here is done by members who have actively decided to read this thread and then 'whine' themselves like little girls. If you don't like the topic....move on.

[marko kok prong]

I'm dreaming of a day when guys like you quit whining an realize that you are not in your home countries anymore. The infrastructure here is not accountable to you.

Here we go,pack yer bag's,etc,etc,blah,blah,

[krasung liver]

in krasung our power regularly goes off during a storm anywhere between a few seconds and 30 mins. as this kept switching my computer off and I was worried windows would get corrupted I purchased a ups and since I installed this no problems. these can be purchased from Tesco or robinson for between 1500 and 5000 baht

[kurnell]

I'm dreaming of a day when guys like you quit whining an realize that you are not in your home countries anymore. The infrastructure here is not accountable to you.

Here we go,pack yer bag's,etc,etc,blah,blah,

Indeed techboy you are correct. Packing bags is only an option for the unemployed, single, bar loiterers. Unloading 2 cars, a house, an apartment, shutting down a successful business and funneling back millions of baht is not an option. Better that something is done to upgrade a third world country. It has to happen sometime.

[belg]

maybe they cut it for you, so their precious network does not get broken ... but it is shaaaait ... same same here, sadly ... new moo baan, same same

[DLP]

Carry on dreaming.

[gigman]

I am always amazed how quickly power is restored when it does occasionally black out - I am also amazed at the conditions in which the guys turn out to get it fixed , pouring rain and howling winds do not seem to deter them.

It might look like an explosion in a spaghetti factory but it works - making it safer and tidier is already happening in many places so what exactly is your problem ?

I must say the same.

We have sometime black outs in Rangsit area but as always it is fixed in less the 30 min.....

In Australia ( I used to live between Brisbane and Gold Coast) we can expect hours to be without power and it happen nearly every bigger storm.

Actually I am amazed that they manage to supply power compare to the amount of air con they have use here.

In Australia people unfortunately do not use so much air con because of high price per Kw......(my bill bill was never lower then $1800 doll. /3 moths hence can not complain here paying 2500bht/mth (~$80 doll)

On 10 people I know and how often they use air con only me and one more fellow was using it whole day in Australia.

Edited June 23, 2014 by gigman

[bob strutt]

you whingers have got to be kidding, thailand is a third world country, there electricity set up is amazing for there weather and street conditions, you should be congratulating the workers as to how quick that they remidy the problems that they encounter here , typical ferang know it alls, duuuuu.

[NoshowJones]

I am always amazed how quickly power is restored when it does occasionally black out - I am also amazed at the conditions in which the guys turn out to get it fixed , pouring rain and howling winds do not seem to deter them.

It might look like an explosion in a spaghetti factory but it works - making it safer and tidier is already happening in many places so what exactly is your problem ?

My problem is just before Songcran, the power went off about 9pm, at 11pm it was still off, and it was very hot, I went and booked in at the local hotel, it was about 11am the next day before power was restored.

I would love to get a generator, but I know nothing about them, and no one speaks English up here in the sticks, I can speak a little Thai, but I cannot hold a conversation.

Much as I love the country and the people and admire their honesty and helpfulness, it still has to be said, Thailand is still a backward country in many ways.

[NoshowJones]

Quit whining I hear? I believe I have made a constructive comment. The whining here is done by members who have actively decided to read this thread and then 'whine' themselves like little girls. If you don't like the topic....move on.

This is an excellent topic Mr Kurnell, and you are very right to bring it up, that is what the forum is for. If anyone does not like it, then just move on as TV is always full on many interesting topics.

[Thainess]

"I'm dreaming of a day when Thailand will upgrade their 100 year old power system. Like clockwork a storm hits, there is a bang and we are without power for several hours. Are you listening Junta?"

100-year-old power system, are you joking? Most parts of Bangkok outside the central core didn't even have electrical power until the 1950s! All the wiring even today is substandard by international electrical codes. And I'm sure the Junta holds an emergency meeting every time you post something on Thai Visa.

It's not so much the system that's at fault. You're probably living in a cheap building that has a dodgy transformer? I never got any power outage in my condo, but on the other hand I was paying 70,000 a month for my apartment. You would not expect power outages in that class of accommodation.