PATTAYA, Thailand – Club member Howard Longden-Thurgood, at the Pattaya City Expats Club on Wednesday, June 3, was entitled the Sleeping Dragon. It was to alert Expats in Pattaya of the hidden danger of electrocution his company has uncovered in many older condominium buildings across Pattaya which could also apply to older houses.
He noted that many condos and houses in Thailand may have electrical systems that are improperly grounded, inconsistently wired, or lacking basic protective devices, creating serious risks of electric shock, electrocution, and fire.
During the talk, Howard, a renovation consultant who works with homeowners and condo residents, explained that older buildings are especially vulnerable because many were built without earth protection. He said that while circuit breakers are common, they do not always provide the level of safety needed in wet or high-risk environments such as bathrooms, where water heaters can pose an immediate danger if a fault occurs.
A central recommendation he made was the need to install RCBOs (Residual Current Circuit Breakers) which can cut power within milliseconds when a fault is detected. Howard described them as potentially lifesaving, particularly in buildings where a full grounding system is not in place. He also warned residents not to assume that newer homes are wired correctly, noting that even recently completed properties should be professionally tested.
Questions from the audience highlighted how widespread the concern may be. Attendees asked whether new houses could be trusted to meet safety standards, whether older condo buildings could be retrofitted with grounding, and whether ground-floor owners might be able to install their own earth systems with building approval. Others raised concerns about incorrect wiring, switched live and neutral lines, and unstable power damaging household devices.
He ended his talk with a practical message: do not assume your electrical system is safe simply because it appears to work. Testing, proper protective devices, and qualified inspection remain essential, especially in older buildings. Howard also offered free inspections for club members, reinforcing the talk’s broader goal of preventing avoidable accidents before they turn deadly.
Following the presentation, MC Ren Lexander brought everyone up to date on upcoming Club events followed by the Open Forum portion of the meeting where questions are asked and comments made about Expat living in Thailand, especially Pattaya. To learn more about the PCEC, visit their website at https:/pcec.club. A video of presentation will be uploaded to the PCEC’s YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@pcecclub6255/videos.
