Bill Gates on Thailand's hanging internet and hanging wires

[webfact]

People are upset that Bill Gates mistook Thailand's exposed phone cables for 'power stealing'
BY VICTORIA HO

Over the weekend, Bill Gates posted a picture of tangled cables hanging from a power pole in Thailand — a common sight in many cities across the country — singling it out as an example of people illegally stealing power from the grid there.

Together with the photo, he wrote:

LIVE WIRES

Due to faulty infrastructure, many urban areas suffer from frequent blackouts and power cuts, and the electrical grid often doesn’t serve the people who need it most.

I’ve visited many cities filled with tangled wires such as those in this photo from Thailand, where people have illegally tapped into the grid on their own to get the power they need—at great personal risk.

Unfortunately, the billionaire philanthropist's post on Facebook rubbed many people the wrong way, with both Thais and foreigners pointing out in the comments that his caption was wrong.

The main beef most people had was that the tangled cables aren't electrical wires.

Full story: http://mashable.com/2016/06/27/bill-gates-thailand-cables/#eUIJ00YvmkqO

-- Mashable 2016-06-27

[English 1]

Yes the wires are unsightly and dangerous.

Then of course when it rains my Truevision TV signal vanishes,

[mesterm]

Thailand's cables are a mess yes. But as far as power outages go, Indonesia takes the cake.

[Artist]

The usual anti Thailand comments, that's why I dont bother to read or comment on this site most of the time. The power at our place in Nong Khai is more reliable than it is In Western Australia and rarely goes out. Getting a fibre Internet connection in WA will take years as they get around to connecting us to the National Broadband Network. In Nong Khai it took 3 days. The cables look a horrible mess but strangely the system seems to work. I don't know of anybody bypassing meters but I guess its possible.

Anyway, for all its chaos, in my experience of living here on and off for 12 years is that the main roads are well engineered, the power is reliable and so is the Internet. All this with a greater degree of individual freedom than the sheep mentality of Australia

[SOTIRIOS]

.....right on Bill....

....so are you going to save the world....???

...you have enough money to.....

...or maybe save the foreigners here in Thailand...who also...like the power grid....have been 'illegally tapped into....'

[arithai12]

Our power goes out at least twice a week. Plus sometimes half the house has power and the other half doesn't. I will not touch the power in this house to fix. Let someone come and do it.

I live in a new, higher end condo in Chiang Mai and we lose power almost daily. Not for long, but it goes out. It's ridiculous.

Thanks for reminding me (I presume you bought the condo) why I never buy here and only rent a lower end condo which hardly ever loses power. It will only get worse look around you. I understand that there are presently 250 new condo buildings going up a disaster is in the making. Nothing goes underground costs to much money and they would constantly be digging the lines up to repair them. Digging is more expensive than climbing a bamboo ladder. Everything for today let tomorrow look after itself. Sounds like my life plan at my advanced age.

More often than not a blackout is not due to the condo itself, high or low end, but to the city distribution grid in that area. And given the means, I'd rather spend my "today" in a nice place.

[Emster23]

I think people are missing the point, Gates included. Forward thinking Thais in authority position want all those overhead wires. It serves function just like rice warehouses: if a surge in price of copper, they can just "mine" those wires. And need I mention most, or at least many, of those wires and cables have rubber insulation? Help for the farmers down south have a market, I reckon.

[arithai12]

I suppose Bill Gates didn't see when they put up the bamboo ladders in the middle of the road and climb to work on the cables without helmets or lanyards, with one guy trying to stop the trucks from hitting the ladder and a few loose cables hanging down to decapitate those on scooters?

That would have been a much nicer shot for his FB page.

And yes, they are phone lines not power lines afaik.

[arithai12]

Being very boring, I keep track of how often the power goes off in our village.

Just checked my extensive records! In the past two years we've had twenty-two power outages, ranging from ten minutes to nine hours.

Ten minutes the shortest, really?

We often get the 0.5s power cut, appliances and light bulbs really love that.

[razer]

Bangkok does need improvements ... let's go pick on street vendors. It's easier and it makes headlines.

[Rykbanlor]

Power outtages, aye, This year in Aonang, Krabi, we have had 2 scheduled maintenance powercuts 9:00-16:00 both times, except the second continued until 18:30, and there are still power cuts ranging from 1 minute to 2 hours happening throughout the year - the very short ones frequently, the longer ones a few times a year.

[Usernames]

Can my village get a grant from Bill Gates to rewire our electrical system?

[N2it]

Typical Globalist Bill Gates...his problem is he lives about as far from reality as one can while still breathing. I think the Thai system works just fine. Appearances be dammed.

[Bung]

As an electrician it is scary to see Asian wiring. I've seen 3 transformers on fire and heard 2 explode. One right near me! The reason? If you look at them you will see a container on the side that is filled with silica gel. The same stuff ypu get in the little sachets when you buy electronic stuff. When it's dry it is purple. When it's got moisture it's pink. Have a look next time, they are always pink! It just needs to be changed for dry stuff once in a while. When left it can't get the moisture out of the transformer oil and it shorts out. You can dry it in an oven and it will go purple again. They are too useless to do this simple maintenance item and prevent outages!

Like emergency generators. They need to be maintained, serviced and tested. They never do and they often don't work. Central festival was in blackout about 30min the other day while I was there and I read that even swampy's emergency generator failed when needed..... Check out the workshops, they are full of guys lounging around all day. It's a government job that means a holiday camp!

[Jimbo2014]

"Sure I hate those wires. But there are not many power cuts. And people in Thailand don't steal electricity as he says. Don't look down at the Thai people."

This really highlights a huge problem with thailand. If anyone is critical of a glaring problem suddenly thailand and thai people are looked down upon. This thinking really holds this country back and is unfortunately constantly reinforced by the corrupt politicians and bureaucrates responsible for messes like this.

[sahibji]

problems cannot be solved by by personal.

stay objective and let positivity guide us to move forward.

until anyone has been proven to be "stealing" electricity it is

not fair to point a finger at any one.

the picture posted by bill gates does show the mess of power lines.

that is a problem to be address, not only for aesthetics but for efficient

delivery of power supply.

[brucec64]

But Surasi Maawai said: "Sure I hate those wires. But there are not many power cuts. And people in Thailand don't steal electricity as he says. Don't look down at the Thai people."

Others just poked fun at the American billionaire saying that the Thai electrical systems worked as well as their pirated version of Windows 10 operating system.

There, fixed it...

[goonnerone]

ohh dear more retorical bull shit

"Others just poked fun at the American billionaire saying that the Thai electrical systems worked as well as his Windows 10 operating system."

ROTFLMAO

If Thai electrical systems are working as well as ANY version of Windows, Thailand would be in huge problems.

Fact is that it is not difficult to make anything work better as Windows.
Even for a Thai.

[manfredtillmann]

Above ground cables are air cooled so no need for larger current carrying capacity cables to use for underground

go back to playing with your electro - man kit

[Rayk]

What a tangled web Thais weave.

[wvavin]

This Surasi has really no clue or he is probably a visually challenging patient that enabling him to see Thailand's wiring masterpiece.

[manfredtillmann]

my neighbor, who happens to be a distant cousin of my wife, has been and is stealing electricity quiet openly for years.

he has a wire running from a meter in front of an adjacent vacant block.

everyone using our/his driveway as a shortcut to get to the river has to duck this wire going through our/his gate.

there are pea bills on that pole in that little plastic box thing so old, you can't even separate them any more.

[HerbalEd]

"Surasi Maawai said: "Sure I hate those wires. But there are not many power cuts. And people in Thailand don't steal electricity as he says. Don't look down at the Thai people." - Others just poked fun at the American billionaire saying that the Thai electrical systems worked as well as his Windows 10 operating system."

Khun Surasai's response says it all. "Don't look down on Thai people" that obsession that someone, somewhere is saying bad things about Thai people, or disrespecting Thailand. Oh My!. Bill Gates said nothing of the sort.

Stealing power, I have had free cable for 7 years because my landlord spliced a feed cable, heh. As for the Thai electrical system and Windows 10. Not fond of it but as far as I know Windows 10 has not killed anyone, whereas I know of two westerners who have been electrocuted by faulty wiring

Smart move. You've just confessed in writing that you've been stealing cable for seven years.

[NickJ]

Had to bribe the elec company just to do there job. Then when all was settled a guy offered to jig my meter so I could get cheap power.......

[ThaiTony2]

Way to sensitive are those in Thailand when they think Bill Gates is criticizing. The fact is, it is embarrassing. It is a direct reflection of the fact is the Telecom leaders and the government do not have an industry standard that they comply with. The installations are sloppy and it shows how a lack of skills can bring Thailand to the forefront. In 2016, when the world is competing on high speed communications. Thailand has a failing grade. If they can't even get the wires routed in a uniform standard, then how can they ever set an example to show they have what it takes technically speaking. Whenever I point out the disgraceful display of low hanging wires all I ever get is big smile as if to say, yes we know it, look at it. No shame. No sense of pride. The communication infrastructure of Thailand needs to get better otherwise, in another 20 years Thailand will slip further into the Stone Age. Starting today, all overhead communication wires should have their installers think and work smarter and adhere to an industry standards. Accountability has to begin at the top. It is clearly a management issue. I have had Internet and cable TV installed a few times and each time if there is already an existing cable/wire, the installation personnel don't bother to strip and remove the obsolete/ inoperative old cable wires. Instead, they just install a new one thinking that it's easy and less work. Always taking the easy way and not thinking of the accumulated effects over time.

[davidstipek]

Bill

As far as Internet...

Why not educate Thailand on the use of WiMAX....

They could then hang WiMAX Transmitters / Receivers with Cell Towers! Have extremely large Transmission Areas. Save on cost of installing WiFi Routers every 2 Power Poles. Better (HIGHER) Signal Transmission, you would actually receive what you are paying for. (Example: If you are paying for 10Gb, you would actually receive a constant 8-10 Gb download and faster Uploads!!!

In Seattle this worked for us, both at home and work. Things got done I would say in 1/20th the time it takes here!

This would eliminate Cable Companies from having to stock / sell cable / Wifi boxes. Routers could be used to set up with personal servers and create secure Envirements. People would have WiFi everywhere (Internet) even on superhiways while on Buses.

Edited June 27, 2016 by davidstipek

[HerbalEd]

The chaos of wires above the streets of Thailand are a perfect example of the quality of work in Thailand. I assume most of those wires are no-longing-working wires that the workers were two lazy to take down ... or even worse, the idea of taking them down never entered their mind.

[HerbalEd]

Bill Gates or no Bill Gates, the bottom line is that electrical wiring in Thailand is a disgusting and shameful mess. Anyone can put up wiring on power poles, the authorities just don't care.

Maybe "anyone can put up wiring on power poles," but evidently they aren't able to take them down.

[Bung]

I think most of the 'messy' wires you see are actually phone cables for land lines in homes. How many people still need a land line? Most could be removed. That's why the don't care how they are run.

The actual power cables are quite orderly.

[davidstipek]

But Surasi Maawai said: "Sure I hate those wires. But there are not many power cuts. And people in Thailand don't steal electricity as he says. Don't look down at the Thai people."

Others just poked fun at the American billionaire saying that the Thai electrical systems worked as well as their pirated version of Windows 10 operating system.

There, fixed it...

Pirated Version of Windows 10?????

You have said it all....

Only Thailand, right? When Windows 10 was FREE!!!!! (Or does it spell a Thai thing... "To Pirate"!)