[Serendipity2]

Within the past week or so two tourists have been electrocuted. One was a 23 year old Israeli tourist swimming at night and somehow an electric cable fell into the swimming pool killing him. The second I read about just today where a 17 year old boy was electrocuted in the shower. This latter was thought to have been caused by faulty wiring - specifically, the water heater was not grounded.

ALL electrical outlets should be grounded and, ideally, have a ground force interrupter to eliminate this danger. I think they go by a similar but different name in Europe. If they don't [and I'll bet most do not] at least check to see the wiring is grounded. It's very easy to do - just take off the convenience outlet cover [usually one screw] and look at the convenience outlet. MAKE SURE there is a ground wire and that it's properly grounded. Just having a ground wire - if it's not adequately grounded - isn't going to protect you. I would check even hotels, guest houses, rentals as it only takes a few hundreths [thousandths?] of a second to lose your life. Another safety tip - wear rubber shower shoes in the shower or stand on a rubber mat - they might save your life. If in a tub [ladies more than men] keep ALL electrical appliances away from the tub.

One of the reasons accommodations are cheap in Thailand is that their buildings are not constructed to the same standard as in the west and the inspectors are either not properly trained - or don't care. Do not rely on the bureaucracy to protect you and your family. Protect yourselves. And don't rely on your landlord either. Be careful!

Serendipity2

 

[Guest]

I'm not taking your comments lightly S2, but I'll just add that if you start to check out every hazard you encounter in LOS, you won't get outside your front door. You'll have to cross the road whenever you see someone at work up on the bamboo scaffolding, except you can't because of the way people drive, you won't be able to eat anything because no quango has checked out the health and safety aspects of the stalls, you won't be able to enter a bar or club because of the likelihood of tea money being paid to avoid the need to conform to safety standards, you won't be able to use a motorcycle taxi or tuk-tuk, you won't... etc etc.

It's just impossible to do anything other than take the most basic precautions...

 

[Guest]

Although a lot of the electrical sockets have three holes, often that is only so that you can plug in a three pin plug and not have to use a two pin. It doesn't mean at all that the earth hole is actually connected to anywire. In our house we had to drive copper rods deep into the ground and directly connect to them anything that needs earthing such as the water heater. We use one rod for each earth, they are easy to buy and cheap. But I have to agree with Frogblogger, that in Thailand the hazzards are everywhere

 

[Serendipity2]

I'm not taking your comments lightly S2, but I'll just add that if you start to check out every hazard you encounter in LOS, you won't get outside your front door. You'll have to cross the road whenever you see someone at work up on the bamboo scaffolding, except you can't because of the way people drive, you won't be able to eat anything because no quango has checked out the health and safety aspects of the stalls, you won't be able to enter a bar or club because of the likelihood of tea money being paid to avoid the need to conform to safety standards, you won't be able to use a motorcycle taxi or tuk-tuk, you won't... etc etc.

It's just impossible to do anything other than take the most basic precautions...

frogblogger,

I agree you can't protect yourself from every possible danger - especially in a country like Thailand with lax codes, no enforcement etc. but I would still think it wise to control as much of your immediate environment as you can. If I were building a home in Thailand or leasing a home long term I would at least check the electrical which is the single biggest danger in a home that isn't readily visible. Beyond that just hope your juju or karma or kismet is good.

When two healthy young men die in about 72 hours of one another - both farangs, it is worth the time to check at least your shower/bath area. It only takes a minute or two to check for a proper ground. It takes a millisecond to kill you!

Serendipity2

 

[Guest]

frogblogger,

I agree you can't protect yourself from every possible danger - especially in a country like Thailand with lax codes, no enforcement etc. but I would still think it wise to control as much of your immediate environment as you can. If I were building a home in Thailand or leasing a home long term I would at least check the electrical which is the single biggest danger in a home that isn't readily visible. Beyond that just hope your juju or karma or kismet is good.

When two healthy young men die in about 72 hours of one another - both farangs, it is worth the time to check at least your shower/bath area. It only takes a minute or two to check for a proper ground. It takes a millisecond to kill you!

Serendipity2

I forgot - must be the new year thing - but those electric shower heaters have a test button. I believe they only will trip the heater if it is earthed properly.
The other one though of a wire falling into a pool is very odd because the wire must have been laying around ready to fall in. I stopped working in Thailand though because it was ludicrously dangerous and they didn’t see any need to fix the simplest thing. They talked about safety but didn't really understand it.

 

[Serendipity2]

I forgot - must be the new year thing - but those electric shower heaters have a test button. I believe they only will trip the heater if it is earthed properly.
The other one though of a wire falling into a pool is very odd because the wire must have been laying around ready to fall in. I stopped working in Thailand though because it was ludicrously dangerous and they didn’t see any need to fix the simplest thing. They talked about safety but didn't really understand it.

So if the water heater doesn't trip and we get electrocuted....... Sounds like Thailand is trying to thin the herd with their sloppy approach to electrical safety! Can't say as I blame you for not wanting to work there. I was wondering if that electrical cable that "fell" into the swimming pool might have had some help? He and his compatriots were swimming illegally after hours and making a lot of noise - someone may had decided to play a prank that turned deadly. Cables don't usually fall into pools on their own - nor should they be anywhere near a swim pool or shower or bath tub.

Serendipity2

 

[Guest]

So if the water heater doesn't trip and we get electrocuted....... Sounds like Thailand is trying to thin the herd with their sloppy approach to electrical safety! Can't say as I blame you for not wanting to work there. I was wondering if that electrical cable that "fell" into the swimming pool might have had some help? He and his compatriots were swimming illegally after hours and making a lot of noise - someone may had decided to play a prank that turned deadly. Cables don't usually fall into pools on their own - nor should they be anywhere near a swim pool or shower or bath tub.

Serendipity2

Lol , Na na you press the button before you stand under the shower. But yes if a fault develops and the thing isn't earthed - well like you say.
I did wonder about the cable and just checked it on the news it sounds like a drunken party night gone wrong.
Why does this sound funny?

 

[Guest]

Lots of news about the pool death on the web, most saying it was deliberate and describing an event which could barely be an accident. One jewish site has whole lists of them killed on vacations all over the world in the sort of 'accidents' popular in Thailand like balcony trips

 

[Serendipity2]

Lots of news about the pool death on the web, most saying it was deliberate and describing an event which could barely be an accident. One jewish site has whole lists of them killed on vacations all over the world in the sort of 'accidents' popular in Thailand like balcony trips

happy bunny,

It did seem improbable that a live wire would be anywhere near a swimming pool and for it to "drop" in the pool? The extension cord would not have to be connected to anything either - just be "live". But why would a live wire ever be near a pool or a hot tub or a bath. I wonder if the Thai police even investigated the fatality. I don't think they rate farang very high on their "to do" list to protect.

Serendipity2

 

[Guest]

happy bunny,

It did seem improbable that a live wire would be anywhere near a swimming pool and for it to "drop" in the pool? The extension cord would not have to be connected to anything either - just be "live". But why would a live wire ever be near a pool or a hot tub or a bath. I wonder if the Thai police even investigated the fatality. I don't think they rate farang very high on their "to do" list to protect.

Serendipity2

Murder is bad for the tourist trade, accident to drunk annoying kid is not... nuf said

 

[Serendipity2]

Murder is bad for the tourist trade, accident to drunk annoying kid is not... nuf said

happy bunny,

Remind me not to be drunk and annoying! I guess that does make some sense and the original article I read mentioned the loud, late night swimming parties.

 

[KhwaamLap]

From what I heard the pool was shut at night due to inefficient lighting (and sign posted as such). However, often guest ignore it. The cable was not free hanging and snapped (as some reports put it), it was some device the boys had brought with them (heard various versions - a radio/a lamp/an aircon unit??? - not sure why anyone would use an aircon unit outside, but its one story). There was also talk that it was knocked in accidently, and others that someone threw it in as a stupid prank (a pool is large so would normally dessipate very qickly and only those touching the sides would be at risk.