Are you scared of being electrocuted in Thailand?
My laptop started to bite recently. Every now and then, while I was typing away or surfing the net, I got an electric shock. It wasn’t anything life threatening, but it became increasingly annoying the more I found myself being zapped by my computer.
I searched the Internet for what the problem might have been and discovered that it was likely that my laptop wasn’t sufficiently grounded (many electrical products in Thailand suffer similar circumstances). I was confused because the three-prong plug was plugged into a three-prong socket in a power strip, but as I found out, not all three-prong sockets are actually for grounding – some are just so you can fit the plug in. Sure enough, I changed the socket and was no longer being shocked by my laptop.
Power strips in Thailand are notoriously low quality, which means they can be dangerous. Two-prong sockets also have me concerned. The enormous spark that jumps from the socket when you plug anything in is frightening. As I sit at my desk at work I occasionally pick up small electric shocks from somewhere, and as my feet pass the wall sockets I wonder if one day I might get electrocuted.
I’m reminded of the time an English boy was electrocuted while on holiday in Thailand when he went to unplug his Nintendo Gameboy from a wall socket. Connor O’Keeffe, 7, had been staying with his family at Sunset Beach Hotel in Patong.
Thai officials put the cause of death down to Connor having wet hands after going swimming, although his mother insisted that Connor’s hands were dry when he went to get his Gameboy. We will probably never know the truth.
Connor’s mother, Kathleen Curry, said, “There should be some kind of warning about electrical currents abroad because this wouldn’t have happened in England.” People don’t get electrocuted in England?
It quickly became a case of “he said, she said”, with Thai authorities evidently panicked about the effect Connor’s death could have on tourism in the area. (Daily Mail)
Although most modern buildings in Thailand are now fitted with three-prong sockets, the two-prong variety are still at large with their lack of grounding. Every day at work we experience a number of power surges, which can likely be attributed to bad grounding. All the computers here have UPSes to deal with the surges.
Have you ever been shocked by a plug in Thailand?
Techno’ tags: Thailand, Bangkok, Electrocution
July 27th, 2007 at 5:33 am
Electrocuted means “killed by electric shock”, so I doubt you’ll be getting many comments from anyone who’s suffered that fate.
But yes, the electrical system here is woeful. I think there’s a law that states that any outside wiring isn’t complete until it’s trailed through a puddle…
July 27th, 2007 at 5:54 am
Yes you’re right. I don’t think anyone will be logging on from the grave. Better reword that one.
July 27th, 2007 at 7:19 am
i have had several shocking experences in Thailand.
Currently, my webcam gives me a tingle when I touch it.
I plug in a blender a while back and when I turned it on sparks were flying everywhere. My house had a gap between the ceiling and roof, when we had hard windy rain water would leak down to a wall socket and cut off the power to the house. My friend turned off the main breaker to his house and was installing somethin electrical and got a small shock. I have light switches that don’t work all the time, as though they have a mind of their own.
So I think it is normal here and I am surprised there aren’t more electrical fires than there seem to be.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
I got lots of electro-shocks by my wok. (The cheapest one you can get in thailand)
July 27th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
at my flat, we have both 3-pin and 2-pin sockets. but the point to note is that I once saw them fix some cabling, the electric wires going from socket to socket(thru the ceiling ) were 2-wire ones… so in my case replacing the socket wont do anything…
July 27th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
I twice suffered electrocution in Thailand. Firstly at a beach on Koh Chang I tried to turn the huts light on with sea water surrounding the stilts. It burnt my fingers a bit.
Secondly and perhaps more relevant to your post, at a town in Trat I attempted to charge my ipod and it died because of over stimulation (i suppose) due to the bad grounding. This brought about an end to Autechre on those sepulchral highways. :(
July 27th, 2007 at 1:56 pm
you should not use any electrical appliance, computer, etc. in Thailand unless you have at least flip-flops on. To do otherwise is to make yourself the ground and electricity is always seeking a ground, don’t become it. Of course, if your floor is wood or carpeted, you can go barefoot. Especially be careful using hairdryers with a wet bathroom floor in Thailand as the floor is usually marble or similar.
July 29th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
I know of an Italian guy his 7 year old son got elecrocuted in Pattaya. Didn’t want to ask much just felt sorry for the guy.