Thai Utility Bills

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There are many different Thai utility bills that you will have to look after when living in a Thai apartment or Condo. We will look at some of the different bills and how to pay them.

Money

Water Bills



 

You will have a monthly water bill when living in Thailand, and the good news is that it’s very simple to pay and normally very cheap. My water bill every month is less than 100 Baht and that includes 2 or 3 showers a day, cleaning and cooking. My girlfriend also takes a 30 minute shower every time she comes here. The bill is delivered to me and I pay at the juristic office in my condo. If you live in a house then you can pay at local convenience stores such as 7/11.

 

Electricity Bills



 

My electric bill for my 64 square meter condo is about 1,250 Baht per month with the air-con being on 4 or 5 hours a day. I have my TV, a fan for my bedroom and keep my laptop charged at all times. Living alone I pay a bit less than some people and I have a friend with a wife and young child who pay 3,000 Baht a month but they have a lot more equipment running in their 3 bedroom house.  Bills are paid in the local convenience stores or at your bank.  If you live in an apartment you will pay your bill directly to the building but they normally charge more per unit than the direct government energy price. When I lived in a 26 square meter apartment room I often had to pay over 1,500 Baht a month which is crazy in comparison to what I pay now.



 

Internet Bills



 

Having internet in your house is a necessity for most people. Luckily it is quite easy to get your internet fix set up. If you live in a condo or house you can use the services from True  or TOT . I use True Internet and pay 699 Baht a month for 18MB internet and also get around 100 TV channels, although only 1 is in English. TOT have a similar package, but without the TV, at 750 Baht per month for 20MB internet.  True provide free installation and modem whereas TOT charge 1,500 Baht for the modem. The monthly bills are paid either at the companies shop or again at 7/11 or banks.

Living in an apartment you will not be able to install your own connection but will have to share the communal WIFI. When I lived in an apartment I paid 400 Baht per month for this. With constant disconnections and being limited to only 1 device online at a time I found this very frustrating. Streaming video was almost impossible and I was limited to basic web browsing. This service was paid to the apartment office who provided me with a new login and password every month.

 

TV Bills



 

Cable TV is a popular option for Expats with the local Thai channels all being in Thai. True are the most popular provider and offer packages including 18 MB internet from 699 – 2,200 Baht. However, if you want to watch the English Premiership then you will need CTH . Again bills are payable monthly at the company shops or local 7/11 and banks.

Phone Bills



Mobile PhoneHaving a phone is essential in Thailand. From chatting on Line to using Google Translate there are many times you will nee your phone. The main operators are DTAC , True or AIS and all offer packages at very similar prices. normally at around 300 Baht you get unlimited internet and 50 – 100 minutes call time. You can go to the company shops or into 7/11 to purchase credit. I use DTAC and have found their customer service to be fantastic, in English and Thai, to help me and add new packages to my contract.

 

Condo Maintenance Fee



 

If you buy a Condo you will have to pay a maintenance fee which covers the shared facilities and staff costs of people working at the condo such as cleaners and juristic staff. This fee is normally based on the size of your condo and possibly can rise during the yearly AGM of owners. At the moment I pay 10,000 Baht a year for my condo.

 

Pay online



 

You can also set up online billing if you use your banks app but I find it quite difficult and as I go to the local shops every day I prefer to pay via cash. I use SCB and they offer online and mobile bill payments for your utilities.

About Richard 176 Articles
British guy living and working in Bangkok, Thailand since 2013. Running LifeInANewCountry.com teaching and writer of Settling in Thailand expat book.