Bill Gates on Thailand's hanging internet and hanging wires

[Kawapete]

Even a child can see that the cables around here are done messy and from time to time requires a life, the embarrassing fact is that nothing is improving.

It's like the" wear a helmet" campaign that pops up now and then and is not followed up.

[bobmac10]

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.

I live in the North of Thailand near the highway and our power never goes out.

I think about two years ago we lost power when a truck hit the power pole and knocked them down.

I have no complaints at all.

Also we have fibre optic cable run to the house 20 MB/S, absolutely brilliant!

Could not go close to this for performance and price in Australia.

[Psimbo]

I sometimes wonder about the amount of redundant wire here- must be worth a fortune. It seems that about once a month people are stringing new cable along the road here, just adding for the mess. None of the old stuff ever gets taken down

As for the 'we don't steal electricity' where do i start! I can think of three examples within 400m.

Edited June 27, 2016 by Psimbo

[chicowoodduck]

In the US power cuts following wind storms are quite common because the power lines are above ground. Compare with Germany where all the lines are buried and power cuts are apparently unknown. This is what happens when a rich country decides to neglect its common commitment to infrasctructure of which the power lines are only one example among many.

Yup, the Germans are so clever they even lost WW 2.....?

[luckyman]

Well, maybe the odd temple or some, but generally it is not common to fit the el. wires to the main, as it is seen as stealing from the King and there are huge fines waiting for him or her who dares...

Think of 10.000 THB for 1st offence, 20.000 THB for second and then it is over, there is no chance to do it a 3rd time as the PEa will take away all their equipment instantly right after the 2nd offence. This was in Hua Hin.

[cumgranosalum]

I love showing Thai people a picture of a city street in Europe....they look for a while and some often say - "why no electricity?"

In fact there is a theory connected to exposed cables - in a developing country, they re in fact very popular as it shows off the fact that an area has electricity and phones etc.......the as a country progresses they become less and less impressive to the locals until in the end the all go underground - I believe this stage has been rached in parts of Thailand - how effective the enactment will be remains to be seen.

[cmth]

At least the Thai electrical system doesn't nag you to death for it to upgraded.

[Sawan Chan 7]

Surasi Maawai needs to check out the party lights at a temple gathering or wedding etc.. all are illegally tapped into the overhead power wires! The fella just needs to open his eyes..

You and the 36 people who liked your post and seemingly live in Thailand should know what institutions can legally get free electricity.

[Lupatria]

I miss the phrase: "Bill Gates is not our uncle"

[Lupatria]

Surasi Maawai needs to check out the party lights at a temple gathering or wedding etc.. all are illegally tapped into the overhead power wires! The fella just needs to open his eyes..

You and the 36 people who liked your post and seemingly live in Thailand should know what institutions can legally get free electricity.

Was it on purpose that you avoided the words: "legally operating and law obeying institutions?"

[Travel2003]

Remember some years ago when I lived in Bangkok, the neighbors across the street had someone to connect a line of some sort.

It was pissing down.

The lady of the house watching and seemed very worried.

[Canuk23]

I worked for Bell Canada for 36 years, so when I see the wiring in Thailand or India it scares me because there is no rules here

in Canada telephone wires and Electrical wires have to be a minimum of 1 meter apart, if an installer does not install his wire the right way

you can be sure they will return him to place it the proper way,

They are uneducated and unaware of the dangers !!!

Edited June 27, 2016 by Canuk23

[White Christmas13]

In the US power cuts following wind storms are quite common because the power lines are above ground. Compare with Germany where all the lines are buried and power cuts are apparently unknown. This is what happens when a rich country decides to neglect its common commitment to infrasctructure of which the power lines are only one example among many.

Germany is both relatively small and quite wealthy. Both are relevant factors when "A new 138 kV overhead line costs approximately $390,000 per mile as opposed to $2 million per mile for underground (without the terminals)." http://www.elp.com/articles/powergrid_international/print/volume-18/issue-2/features/underground-vs-overhead-power-line-installation-cost-comparison-.html

Add to that another factor, Thailand has frequent localised and general flooding due to its climate.

Germany is quiet small you said Germany has a population of

80.89 million (2014) yes smaller then the USA

but they have floods as well and now you will tell me you mean by land size

Well take Australia for example the country only has 24 million people but the

country is huge and most of it is underground and Australia has floods

and many bush fires

[ChrisY1]

He's part right......even though the tangle is fibre and copper for internet and phone...it's a mess!....

Thailand' infrastructure for these common utilities is so far behind the times, a modernisation program would take years and be likely cost prohibitive........

Unfortunately, the Thais never listened to the international community and have bumbled along with this ridiculous mess!

[elgenon]

In the US power cuts following wind storms are quite common because the power lines are above ground. Compare with Germany where all the lines are buried and power cuts are apparently unknown. This is what happens when a rich country decides to neglect its common commitment to infrasctructure of which the power lines are only one example among many.

Germany spends very little on defense whereas America has the crazy idea it has to defend the free world. If America spend the % of GDP on defense that Germany does it could afford better infrastructure and heathcare. The Donald has one thing right.

[swerver]

In the US power cuts following wind storms are quite common because the power lines are above ground. Compare with Germany where all the lines are buried and power cuts are apparently unknown. This is what happens when a rich country decides to neglect its common commitment to infrasctructure of which the power lines are only one example among many.

100% correct.

During the 21-years I lived in my country I never experience a power cut because all utilities (not only electricity but all of them) are buried in the ground with maintenance pits at regular intervals.

As for the years I live in Thailand there is no need to talk about that, Thais go their own way right, wrong or indifferent.

You would think in a newly being established area they would right from the start string Fiber optic cable. But this is Thailand where it seems to be in their blood stringing single copper wire.

But then again, it may have to be with kickbacks because after stringing single copper wire by one contractor I see at a later date another contractor stringing on the same poles (PEA and CAT/TOT) Fiber optic cable. I guess everybody is happy because each of them is ripping off the state (taxpayers).

[Moonmoon]

everytime it rains hard n there r lightning n thunderstorms, we lived in fear of a power cut frequently experienced last year, even though me n my wife lived in a higher end condo. but i have to praise my current new building manager. he is doing a good job in maintainence compared to the one b4.

[NotThatGuy]

On a side note, how many Thais own a LEGAL version of windows 10?

[Minnehaha]

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.

In a "nice" area of Sukhumvit couple hundred meters from BTS, have unnumerable Thai family homes whose names would be recognizable on the street and many 100 million baht homes etc., though our abode is very modest.

Power cuts out for 5 seconds 28 days a month, usually between 7-830 am. sometimes out longer.

about half as often we have the same 5 second outages.

about once every month or 2 the power goes out for a noticeable bit - 5 min or more. Longest ever was down power pole in the rain, or blown transformer in the rain. Never more than 4 hours max.

Bill Gates is right.

And lots of people look down on Thais. Most of those are Thai.

The world doesnt care that much about Thais, they will be sad to learn.

[gyrosman]

what can't Thai's face about some truths about their country and make progress?

[ataloss]

Surasi Maawai needs to check out the party lights at a temple gathering or wedding etc.. all are illegally tapped into the overhead power wires! The fella just needs to open his eyes..

Indeed. Check this out: (Thanks to whomever initially took the photo using safety pins to tap into the overhead power wire.)

Edited June 27, 2016 by ataloss

[bananafish]

The mass of overhead wires was one of the first things that stood out to me when I first came to Thailand, I'm practically totally blind to them now.

[sanukjim]

Surasi Waawai,Either you are very ignorant or just spouting off because you realise that Gates is right and you are mad at yourself because you have no knowledge of any facts that you could use in debate.On me 6 kilometer walk in the mornings taking three differant routes I can point out at least 20 cases in every 500 meters in the neighborhood and 200 cases of electric theft in the markets sois..The people that are susposet to be watching this to prevent theft are collecting their bribes to let it happen.As for critizing Bill Gates about the bugs in his microsoft programs remember he has contributed to the economics and many convenances to the whole world.While as a Thai you have not one thing thing that you have ever done to enhance anything in this world.Oh yes try to name ONE THING that Thailand has ever created for use in the world outside of Thailand.How about INSIDE of Thailand ?

[wombat]

"And he even posted one of his holiday snaps in the kingdom"...........i would recognise 6/1 anywhere...old mate said he thought he saw the old bill down there.

[sanukjim]

"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.

So ,If you are not using Apple system which Microsoft system are you using.Most any thing that you use from cell phones ,ATMs to home security systems are using some sort of Bill Gates systems.

[farcanell]

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.

Holy bat crap.... Where I'm at in rawai, we would have had 22 power cuts in the last two weeks!

Admittedly, none would have been for more than an hour... But still....

A

[bluesofa]

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.

Holy bat crap.... Where I'm at in rawai, we would have had 22 power cuts in the last two weeks!

Admittedly, none would have been for more than an hour... But still....

A

Is that specificially due to the weather, or is it regular occurance?

[Confuscious]

"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.

So ,If you are not using Apple system which Microsoft system are you using.Most any thing that you use from cell phones ,ATMs to home security systems are using some sort of Bill Gates systems.

Phone (Mobile) - Android (waiting for phone running Ubuntu).

TV-Box - Ubuntu

Home security - Ubuntu

Laptop - Ubuntu

2 Websites running on Linux.

Are these systems using some sort of Bill Gates systems?

Bill Gates Windows phones (Nokia) were a complete failure.

PS,: Until a few years ago, most ATM's were running on OS2.

A dream operating system.

Edited June 27, 2016 by Confuscious

[bluesofa]

I worked for Bell Canada for 36 years, so when I see the wiring in Thailand or India it scares me because there is no rules here

in Canada telephone wires and Electrical wires have to be a minimum of 1 meter apart, if an installer does not install his wire the right way

you can be sure they will return him to place it the proper way,

They are uneducated and unaware of the dangers !!!

When I worked for Britsh Telecom many moons ago, before metrification, on a joint user pole - electricity & telecoms, the distance was four feet and the telecom cable was always the lowest on the pole below the electricty supply cables.

[TPI]

Surasi Maawai needs to check out the party lights at a temple gathering or wedding etc.. all are illegally tapped into the overhead power wires! The fella just needs to open his eyes..

Bill broke rule #1......never criticize anything remotely connected to anything Thai! Head in the sand?