An electricity bill like this one would have disturbed small house owner Krissana Tomethong, but imagine her shock when the PEA said she actually owed 445,000 baht.
By Terry Fredrickson
The small house owner had never been charged more than 1,000 baht for her electricity use, so imagine her shock when she received a bill of 445,000 baht for one month.
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Shocking bill
Krissana Tomethong, 55, a resident of tambon Phai Ling in Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya province, lives alone in an elevated one-floor house.
She has three television sets, three electrical fans, one air-conditioner, a washing machine and fluorescent lamps.
Her electricity bill for March-April: 445, 396.85 baht to be paid by May 5.
She was horrified and shocked. The highest bill she had ever received during a time when some cousins stayed at her house was less than 1,000 baht.
According to the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA), her power consumption for the March to April time period was 92,010 units, more than many factories.
Obviously, there was some mistake and the PEA has now admitted the error.
PEA governor Numchai Lorwattanatrakul said there was an error in the printing of the invoice. The PEA had informed the customer and resolved the problem.
The correct bill was 532.50 baht.
Adapted from a story by our online reporters.
Vocabulary
admit: to agree that something is true, especially when you are unhappy, sorry or surprised about it - ยอมรับ
consumption: using, eating or drinking something - การบริโภค
cousin: a child of your uncle or aunt; someone who is related to you through a brother, sister, uncle, or aunt of one of your parents - ลูกพี่ลูกน้อง, ญาติห่างๆ
disturb: to interrupt somebody or cause them to stop when they are trying to work, sleep, etc - รบกวน
elevated: raised above the ground, or higher than the surrounding area - ซึ่งอยู่ในระดับที่สูงกว่าสิ่งอื่น
factory: a building or group of buildings where goods are made - โรงงาน
fluorescent: fluorescent lights; the very bright lights typically used in Thailand - ที่เรืองแสง, หลอดไฟเรืองแสง
horrified: very shocked or frightened - หวาดกลัว, ตกใจ
imagine: to form a picture of something or someone in your mind - นึกคิด, จินตนาการ, นึกฝัน
invoice: a document giving details of goods or services that someone has bought and must pay for - ใบแจ้งราคา
obviously: clearly - เห็นได้ชัด, อย่างชัดแจ้ง
owe: to be required to give someone money for something you have bought or money that you have borrowed from them - เป็นหนี้
resident: a person who lives in a particular area - ผู้ที่อาศัยในท้องที่
resolve: to solve a problem, or to find a satisfactory way of dealing with it - แก้ไขปัญหา
shock: a strong feeling of surprise as a result of something happening, especially something unpleasant; the event that causes this feeling - ช็อค, ความสะดุ้ง, อาการช็อค
