The Energy Regulatory Commission has ordered an investigation into the death of a bedridden patient in Nakhon Phanom Province who had his electricity cut off.
Dr. Poolpat Leesombatpaiboon, Secretary-General of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and spokesman of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), revealed that the ERC and the ERC Office would like to express their deepest condolences for the media coverage of the death of a 68-year-old bedridden woman who required medical equipment that required electricity to sustain her life and lived in Wang Yang Subdistrict, Wang Yang District, Nakhon Phanom Province, but her electricity was cut off due to an overdue electricity bill, which resulted in her death.
‘As a representative of the Energy Regulatory Commission and the Energy Regulatory Commission Office, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the families of the deceased for the incident. After receiving the news, I have ordered the Energy Regulatory Commission Office Region 4 (Khon Kaen), wh
ich is the unit of the Energy Regulatory Commission Office responsible for the area of ??the incident, to investigate the facts and report to the Energy Regulatory Commission and the Energy Regulatory Commission Office immediately. Initially, I have ordered the Energy Regulatory Commission Office in each area to facilitate, coordinate, and provide advice to the families of the deceased in contacting, demanding, or taking legal action against those involved to the fullest extent,’ said Dr. Poolpat.
In addition, the Energy Regulatory Commission will urgently call a meeting with executives and relevant departments of authorized electricity distribution companies to urge them to work proactively and urgently survey electricity users with bedridden patients under their care in all areas nationwide to prevent a repeat of the incident.
Dr. Poolpat said that he would like to emphasize to electricity service providers that they cannot cut off electricity in cases where electricity users have bedridden patients who n
eed electricity to operate medical equipment for medical treatment. Otherwise, it will be dangerous to life, body or health, which is in line with the electricity purchase agreement of the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) that specifies the criteria and methods for exempting from cutting off electricity, which is in accordance with the announcement of the Energy Regulatory Commission on the standards of electricity service agreements 2015, so that electricity users can have convenience and safety in using electricity continuously.
However, we would like to ask for the media and energy users to help publicize the news to all users that all electricity users who have bedridden patients living with them and have registered to apply for the right with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand will be protected under the contract with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand to be exempted from the power outage in all cases.
For electricity users who have a person under their care or a patie
nt who needs electricity to operate medical equipment for medical treatment, if it is not dangerous to life, body or health, they will be protected under the standard of the electricity service contract for small electricity users to be exempted from the power outage. In such cases, electricity users must register to apply for the right with the electricity distribution office in the area where the electricity user lives, with the following supporting documents for applying for the right:
Evidence showing the location of electricity use, such as an electricity purchase agreement, electricity bill receipt, or a copy of the house registration of the location of electricity use.
A medical certificate from a hospital, valid for no more than 1 month from the date of issuance of the medical certificate, stating that the patient requires electricity to operate medical equipment for medical treatment.
Copy of the electricity user’s national ID card (if any)
A copy of the patient’s national ID card or other govern
ment-issued card (if available)
In the event that another person is authorized to act on your behalf, evidence of the authorization and the authorized representative must be provided.
You can ask for more information at the ERC offices in every district nationwide, including the District Energy User Committee in your area of ??residence, or complain about electricity service problems for the public via the Line Official Line ID @ERCvoice, official account name “ERC. Reporting Problems”, which the ERC office has invited the Electricity Distribution Office to join this Line Official, which the Electricity Distribution Office will be the one to solve the problem directly.
Source: Thai News Agency
