Stay Away From Thai Power Poles

[george]

WARNING TO CELL-PHONE USERS: 'Stay away from power poles'

BANGKOK: -- A senior academic yesterday warned people against using their cell phones close to high-voltage power poles - a move that exposes them to the risk of electric shock and their phone exploding.

"You're already in danger if you are about six or seven metres from a power pole," said Dr Tawil Peungma, the dean of the institute's Faculty of Engineering at King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Lad Krabang.

Turning off the cell phone did not mean the user could safely get closer to the pole, he said.

Discharges of electromagnetic waves from cell phones could cause a spark and attract a flow of electricity from the poles to the phone, thus subjecting its user to the risk of fatality.

On March 12, welder Prasit Sri-luang's cell phone exploded and he suffered a severe electric shock immediately after his communications gadget rang near a high-voltage pole in Angthong.

As part of the treatment, doctors amputated Prasit's right leg and some of the toes on his left foot. The patient remains in Angthong Hospital.

On Wednesday his wife Pranee sought help from MP Premsak Piayura, the chairman of the House Committee on Labour, after the hospital informed her that the medical bill for her husband had already exceeded the compensation fund's coverage for workers injured on the job.

The coverage was Bt85,000. Prasit's medical bill already totalled Bt100,000.

Premsak said he had instructed the Social Security Office to pay for Prasit's medical expenses and would ask Angthong Hospital to continue treating Prasit.

Tawil said cell phone users should regularly check their gadgets' condition because wear-and-tear could leave the phones' insulators less efficient and leave too much heat inside the gadget.

"Then the phones could explode," he said, adding that cell phone users should always buy genuine batteries.

--The Nation 2004-04-09

[Kringle]

George, Is this because of the type of wiring that is done in Thailand. I've never heard of this in the US, OZ or any other country that I've been to. I remember a couple of years ago this guy was on top of a building and got killed when the same thing happened but this was off the building's wiring from the pole, also in Thailand.

[britmaveric]

Shocking!!!

Sorry it had to be said!

[Miker]

Based on the reported injuries, it begs the question "What was his cell phone doing at his feet ?". Is there a new fad for ankle holders for phones?

I would also question the potential explosive force that could be exerted as a result of the battery exploding, enough to blow off one foot and damage another.

Sorry, Khun Prasit, but was your injury really the result of an exploding phone, or an idea for compensation?

[silverhawk_usa]

I am assuming it would be the same as a lightning strike. The cell phone attracts the voltage jump from the power pole which would enter the body and the cell phone, thus exploding the battery.

The high voltage would then travel through the body seeking a "ground" and exit the leg and foot. The same injuries occur in many high voltage accidents. The most serious injuries are to the part of the body touching the grounded area or source of power.

[billd766]

I have been working in the Cellular phone business since 1987 and i have worked all over the world and I have never heard of this happening anywhere. Perhaps it is true or not but I don't think that it is possible even if it is raining hard or a thunderstorm. i would also be interested in what qualifications the Dean of the university has in the cellular industry or if he was just headline grabbing.

[SeaVisionBurma]

Based on the reported injuries, it begs the question "What was his cell phone doing at his feet ?". Is there a new fad for ankle holders for phones?

I would also question the potential explosive force that could be exerted as a result of the battery exploding, enough to blow off one foot and damage another.

Sorry, Khun Prasit, but was your injury really the result of an exploding phone, or an idea for compensation?

I agree with silverhawk - the way I read the article, the phone didnt need to be near his feet, and I found the injury list plausible.

I gather somehow the nearby high-voltage poles discharged electricity through this poor fellow, because his ringing pohone triggered. I hope they pay his medical bills, can't have been too much fun to lose his leg.

[Phil Conners]

I've also worked in the GSM phone industry for years and never heard about anything like this. The amount of hoaxes and misinformation in circulation about cell phone use is amazing. I'd be interesting to hear the real story.

"adding that cell phone users should always buy genuine batteries." One can't help wondering if the chap has shares in the manufacturer who make the "genuine" batteries (that of course aren't any more "genuine" than any other battery, other than having paid the manufacturer to say so).

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I've also worked in the GSM phone industry for years and never heard about anything like this. The amount of hoaxes and misinformation in circulation about cell phone use is amazing. I'd be interesting to hear the real story.

"adding that cell phone users should always buy genuine batteries." One can't help wondering if the chap has shares in the manufacturer who make the "genuine" batteries (that of course aren't any more "genuine" than any other battery, other than having paid the manufacturer to say so).

And a little something extra for a super brand name.

[ThaiLover1]

I have been an electronics engineer for more than 30 years, and I find this story unbelievable. This story is most likely caused by someone's lack of basic Physics understanding.

A battery-explosion does not cause an electric shock. It may cause physical injury but not electrical injury. I do not know what causes battery explosions, but I can guess ordinary heat (such as found in the hot weather in Thailand – 40C or higher) has something to do with it – along with faulty manufacturing.

One needs something to conduct the electricity to injure a physical body. For example, touching the hand to an electrical wire, super-high voltage potential (much, much higher than an electrical pole) such as found in lightning via air-ions etc.

Lesson: Do not believe everything you read; learn to think and question for yourself.

[Rhys]

If you recall another story like this one... an academic in Khon Kaen also claimed he had discovered an Asteroid that would destroy the earth... this during the time when those movies came out...

Consider the source: Must have TRT Media Manager

[Wash]

While not an electrical engineer I have spent many years in the computer industry and see no way this story is plausable.

I can imagine lightning causing injuries similar to those described here and suspect that had the cell phone been left in the car that the same result would have occurred and that whatever else he was doing at the time of the incident be looked at as the cause.

Even if he had the cell phone in his hand there is sufficient insulation that electricity would not flow. I would suspect direct contact with a power line as possible cause, but not a cell phone. It takes aproximately 20,000 volts for electricity to jump 1 inch and even the high voltage lines do not carry a load that would provide electricity to jump 3 - 6 meters.

[BlackJack]

i am afraid you are all wrong.

I am a certified Ghostbuster and have the credentials to prove it

this particular thai person came into the posession of this phone (how we are not sure) that was used by the MAtrix to transfer back and forward into the mainframe.

and yes this phone does generate a lot of energy and does explode as the user is not certified to travel into the Matrix - it is a failsafe procedure build in.

You are all right - it shouldnt happen with a normal phone

however as you know Thailand is notorious for tweaking things to make them work

moral is dont tweak

so professor, engineer, user - dont under any circumstances dial 666 on any mobile phone

this is the masters number and it will bring on his roth

exploding phone - you aint seen nothing yet

[NedKelly]

Na ...... i reckon if the story has truth it would be that the guy was injured........but the reason he was electrocuted would more likely be that he was stealing electricity at the time and used the cellphone story so he would not be caught out. You just need to look at the wiring around Thailand to understand that something like this could happen. Its a worry......check out the wiring next time you walk over a footbridge.......i certainlyhope none of it is power lines....tangle upon tangle of wires all waiting to fry someone.

[astral]

The only sensible bit in this story is the last line, about buying genuine batteries.

I too wondered what yoga position he was in, for his foot to be next to his head?

Hand and head injuries, quite possible, but foot as well?

Pull the other one.

As for academics to be talking in this way, well......................

I knew the education system is screwed up but that takes the biscuit.

As an engineer I can confirm that there is no way that the voltage used on power lines could jump 2-3 metres. That takes millions of volts.

I wonder what the real story is, and whether we will ever hear it?

[SeaVisionBurma]

SVB = Silly Voltage Boffin ???

Love the matrix reference LOL

[Artisi]

This is just a late April fools joke -

But, joke or not, I give all power poles in Thailand as wide a berth as I can and never - repeat - never touch any for obvious reasons - one look at the wiring on some of these power poles should be enough to convince anyone with the smallest amount of electrical knowledge to stay clear.

[davethailand]

i thought it was because there might be 2 thai men on an un licensed honda wave carefully hidden behind the power pole waiting to pounce on the next dumb farang relieving them of their mobile and cash etc!

seriously i don't believe that could happen.

my heart goes out to the guy and his family.

[chuckygobyebye]

The guy was a welder. There was a story in the paper about him yesterday saying that he wouldn't get compensation because, although he suffered an injury while working, a phone is not part of a welder's apparatus.

I would suspect that he was probably using an electrical welder, quite possibly on the power pole, while there was a live, high-voltage, wire attached.

The story goes that the phone rang and he was electrocuted, maybe the phone induced a current in the structure that was already charged and that was enough to trigger an arc, maybe it was just a coincidence.

I'd suggest that the phone exploded as a result of his electocution.

[pipchatel]

Maybe the High Tension Electric poles will kill off a few of these tossers throwing water over speeding cars Pissed off with it already, last time I will be in Thailand in April

Pissed off Pip

[britmaveric]

Power Poles are a hazard... seen quite a few that are hanging so low that if you literally have to duck to get by. (mind you I'd walk in the middle of the street because you are just asking to be electrocuted)

Much agreed you don't need to know much about electricity to know danger when you see the sad state of the power poles or the wiring. (nightmarish)

[somboon]

I wouldn't discount it out of hand but the report is pretty vague.

What is being described as "high voltage" 230v and 500v is not so classified in most countries.

If there is any substance to the problem (which perhaps there is) more information should be provided. In any event does anyone think that Thais have the personal discipline to head such warnings.

After all they only wear a crash helmet because it will protect them against financial loss (being fined by the nations finest) and not for their personal safety.

Thais are generally nice people BUT !...........

[thatguy]

exploding cell phones has become quite the urban legend

yet another example?

[britmaveric]

Well if we want to get technical normally the amperage is what fries you not the voltage.

[davethailand]

thats a fact,

i'm earthing my new house, so bloody dangerous here.

[Kringle]

Only one amp will KILL you, it's not the volts but the volts will send you across the room!

[Basher]

Actually 20mA will kill you

Sparkies have a sayin, 'it's the volts that jolt and the mills that kill'

By the way I have been Albert Einstien for the last 30 years and have a degree in sexology

PS I drink Ale not pissy lager

Bash

[sam77]

I think the true is the guy probably was making pi. at the electrical pole, but since he was holding for long period of time he make the pole got so wet and its conduct electricity from the high voltage.

Since he and or the doctor can not file the claims if tell the true so they blame it on somethings else.

[gman421]

ha

[BlackJack]

Well if we want to get technical normally the amperage is what fries you not the voltage.

other way around amps kill voltage fries

P= I x E

thats why someone can get hit with millions of volts via lightning or stun guns and not die

low amps

thats what the som tum lady told me