Faulty transformer rattles Thai woman with massive electricity bill

Electricity Transformer, Istock

A Thai woman was blown away by an astronomical increase in her electricity bill, with charges skyrocketing from an average of 60 baht per month to an outrageous 11,357.47 baht. This occurred due to what inspection personnel from the local electricity authority would later uncover as a faulty transformer in her fruit garden.

Umaphon Tedduang revealed her dilemma via a complaint post on the ‘We are Consumers’ Facebook page, sharing that she usually receives an electricity bill of approximately 60 baht each month; the highest previously recorded was 700 baht. But last month, she was astounded to receive a bill of 11,357.47 baht for her fruit garden’s electricity supply.

Taken aback by the sudden surge due to the faulty transformer, she and her father complained with the electricity department, but there was no immediate action. They guessed it may be due to the prolonged national holiday and waited patiently, but there was no resolution or inspection.

As her concern grew, she decided to share her predicament on the ‘We are Consumers’ Facebook page, hoping to find others who may have faced similar issues.

After a lively debate on the post, the local electricity authority sent technicians for a check and discovered a faulty transformer was releasing more electricity than usual. This was the likely culprit in the abnormal surge in her electricity bill. The technicians replaced the faulty transformer but left without clarifying how the inflated bill would be handled reports KhaoSod.

Umaphon was understandably upset due to the inconvenience caused by the faulty transformer. She was not offered an apology or a solution, and she was told to pay the bill of 11,357.47 baht, which she staunchly refuses to do.

She sees no reason why she should be held accountable for the utility company’s negligence, particularly as she believes an inspector visits the transformer each month. She cast doubts over whether the inspections were thorough or simply superficial and whether any damage was detected but ignored.

Umaphon anticipates a resolution soon. She is standing her ground, adamant that she will not pay the inflated bill due to the faulty transformer.

Thailand News

Nattapong Westwood

Nattapong Westwood is a Bangkok-born writer who is half Thai and half Aussie. He studied in an international school in Bangkok and then pursued journalism studies in Melbourne. Nattapong began his career as a freelance writer before joining Thaiger. His passion for news writing fuels his dedication to the craft, as he consistently strives to deliver engaging content to his audience.

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