Neighbour stealing electricity

[thaipod]

We have a plot of land and a small house we use for a getaway once a week for a few hours on the river and just found that our neighbour has been connected to our main line for years as my wife has been complaining each month that our electricity bill has been around 700 baht a month which is high for a small security light a few hours a night and a fan a few hours a week.

 

Workers showed me the cables coming off the main line in the trees and cut the lines but my wife said leave it don't make trouble as they might come back at us being who they are and we do not live there.

 

This is a common problem where people are stealing power for there business and street vendors are doing it all the time. I just notices some lady and her boyfriend in the soi made a covered store selling drinks etc and lines connected to the pole, no meter. Same goes for people stealing water.

[colinneil]

Be very careful of this situation, as many Thais do it and they think it is ok.

You upset them and you could find yourself getting problems from them.

All over the country workers steal electric, and think nothing of it.

2 years ago when we were having work done, workers connected to the mains supply, just climbed the pole attached the wires and started welding. When i said you cannot do that, you are stealing. Answer  was what we do wrong.

 

[thaipod]

It's what is yours is mine. They help themselves to my fruit trees as well.

[Kwasaki]

OP if the Mrs don't want bother turn the electric off in the house and set up a battery type connection to the security light, thieving neighbour cut off problem solved.

 

About 4 years back had friends in rented bungalow mention electric bill seems high,  on a visit at lunch time had a look for them and found 2 wires running across to the neighbouring house and followed them around the back to where a room was rented to people doing ironing, there was 3 irons & ironing boards.

My friend took his electric bill and presented to the people and ask them to pay there share of course they knew nothing, so wires cut no more problem.

 

[daveAustin]

Balls to the be careful brigade, just cut it. By that reckoning you might as well leave the front door unlocked so they can help themselves to your stuff; god forbid you should lock it and upset them! I would sooner a potential risk of damage to property than bend over and let someone walk over me. What you don't do is get in their face and make a song and dance of it, but simply disconnecting shouldn't be an issue. Batteries for security light is a good idea - 1 watt LEDs don't draw much.

[welsh1]

Quote  You dont want to step on any ones toes,,,,<deleted>  Why should the OP have to pay for some one else using his electric,,, lucky its not my electric they are using,, My Misses would have come down on them like a ton of bricks.

[weegee]

Can you disconnect you power and create a massive short through the wires they are using?....Then wait for the fire which you didnt start...lol

[evadgib]

Before internet streaming a friend found SEVENTEEN leech connections to the TV cable on a house he purchased as an overnight base on a neibouring island!

[metisdead]

A nonsense post has been removed as well as the replies. 

[Mosha]

OP if the Mrs don't want bother turn the electric off in the house and set up a battery type connection to the security light, thieving neighbour cut off problem solved.

 

If they've connected to the meter at the outgoing side, your solution won't work.

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[williamgeorgeallen]

would have to wonder what a small solar powered system with a couple batteries and an inverter would cost.  you could even get 12V lights and a 12V fan and do without the inverter.

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, Mosha said:

If they've connected to the meter at the outgoing side, your solution won't work.

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How would that happen, surely if no current going into meter from house how would any clock reading be recorded going out ?

[dotpoom]

4 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Balls to the be careful brigade, just cut it. By that reckoning you might as well leave the front door unlocked so they can help themselves to your stuff; god forbid you should lock it and upset them! I would sooner a potential risk of damage to property than bend over and let someone walk over me. What you don't do is get in their face and make a song and dance of it, but simply disconnecting shouldn't be an issue. Batteries for security light is a good idea - 1 watt LEDs don't draw much.

Excellent summation...and really just common sense.

[thaipod]

Just upgraded the place and put air and a bigger fridge to spend more time there. The wife actually has started looking at solar for the security lights and the fridge but not sure if it will handle the pump and air etc.

 

We just had the electricity dept guys there to move the meter away the the guys house.

[mduras01]

Send your neighbors a monthly bill, window envelope and all, from Khun Farang Electric Co.


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[elgordo38]

5 hours ago, colinneil said:

Be very careful of this situation, as many Thais do it and they think it is ok.

You upset them and you could find yourself getting problems from them.

All over the country workers steal electric, and think nothing of it.

2 years ago when we were having work done, workers connected to the mains supply, just climbed the pole attached the wires and started welding. When i said you cannot do that, you are stealing. Answer  was what we do wrong.

 

Be careful what you tamper with. You only occupy your small house occasionally and you might come there for a brief visit and find the place burned to the ground. Electric short no doubt. 

[GOLDBUGGY]

I don't get how he is tied downstream of your electric meter unless he is plugged somewhere into your house wiring?

 

Anyway, and if that was me, I would just call the Electric Company and let them deal with it. Make the excuse you want your meter checked for the same reasons you gave us.

 

When they come out to check you can tell them. If they decide to cut the wires that is their business. I would just tell your neighbour they came out on there own to do a regular check of your meter as you want to install AC and discovered your extra lines. No need to get involved here. 

[roo860]

I don't get how he is tied downstream of your electric meter unless he is plugged somewhere into your house wiring?
 
Anyway, and if that was me, I would just call the Electric Company and let them deal with it. Make the excuse you want your meter checked for the same reasons you gave us.
 
When they come out to check you can tell them. If they decide to cut the wires that is their business. I would just tell your neighbour they came out on there own to do a regular check of your meter as you want to install AC and discovered your extra lines. No need to get involved here. 

#15

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[elgordo38]

9 minutes ago, GOLDBUGGY said:

I don't get how he is tied downstream of your electric meter unless he is plugged somewhere into your house wiring?

 

Anyway, and if that was me, I would just call the Electric Company and let them deal with it. Make the excuse you want your meter checked for the same reasons you gave us.

 

When they come out to check you can tell them. If they decide to cut the wires that is their business. I would just tell your neighbour they came out on there own to do a regular check of your meter as you want to install AC and discovered your extra lines. No need to get involved here. 

Sounds like a real roll of the dice to me. 

[Bangkok Barry]

5 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Balls to the be careful brigade, just cut it. By that reckoning you might as well leave the front door unlocked so they can help themselves to your stuff; god forbid you should lock it and upset them! I would sooner a potential risk of damage to property than bend over and let someone walk over me. What you don't do is get in their face and make a song and dance of it, but simply disconnecting shouldn't be an issue. Batteries for security light is a good idea - 1 watt LEDs don't draw much.

 

How long have you been in Thailand? Cross a Thai and the OP might come next time and find the place burned to the ground. No.1 rule in Thailand - never make them lose face. No.2 - don't get the better of them (often the same thing). Thais aren't very good on being disciplined. You might have noticed it with the general two-finger salute to the law, any law.

[GOLDBUGGY]

21 minutes ago, roo860 said:

 

 

#15

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Thanks. I was typing when this got posted and talking on the phone, so I missed that. 

[Sydebolle]

Follow the wire to where it ends and face them with the fact, that this wire runs off your line.

They will claim not knowing anything about it which will allow you to disconnect the wire and they will have to look elsewhere. They will not complain to you because they told you they would know nothing about it in the first place. 

Thainess at its finest! 

[masuk]

9 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

Follow the wire to where it ends and face them with the fact, that this wire runs off your line.

They will claim not knowing anything about it which will allow you to disconnect the wire and they will have to look elsewhere. They will not complain to you because they told you they would know nothing about it in the first place. 

Thainess at its finest! 

Had a similar thing happen to me;  I was sub-renting a house from a friend and was only there weekends.  the power bill was huge!

 

I suspected a bit of theft, so Saturday night I switched off the main at the power board.  Two houses in total darkness.   So I left the switch off after locking the box and went out for the night.  Only had to do it twice!!

[monkey4u]

Have your power cut off and buy a small generator for when you stay there

[transam]

I would phone the electric folk and say there is smoke coming out of the meter...

 

All will be sorted if you stand and watch and point out "That ain't mine"..

[NoshowJones]

6 hours ago, welsh1 said:

Quote  You dont want to step on any ones toes,,,,<deleted>  Why should the OP have to pay for some one else using his electric,,, lucky its not my electric they are using,, My Misses would have come down on them like a ton of bricks.

Is she Thai? Will she have friends with her?

[thaipod]

These are not the type of people you want to get on the wrong side of. The father works maintaining the water ways in BKK and the son was not long released from jail, you get in their face or make them loose face all my trees and the house will be destroyed, then never be able to visit the place again

 

Already had a issue with them cutting through my land, their excuse they have been there longer than us got a lawyer friend to talk to them and then the father was doing voodoo near the fence line, strange objects and incense. 

[snowgard]

All this comments from scary and ball less farangs. Unbelievable!!! This is the reason why THAIS do it.

 

Don't cut it. Call the police and let they handle it. Trust me they will tell this guys who stole your electricity what happen and who will be in response if something happen to you or your house later.

 

I never understand why farangs here so scare!!!

Edited November 14, 2016 by snowgard

[Don Mega]

is there any way to spike their feed and fry everything in their house ?

[scoutman360]

Since you are never there, buy a gas generator and get off the grid. Problems solved. Once the neighbors get their own electricity, you know what to do.