Excavation error triggers total blackout on Koh Larn island

PATTAYA, Thailand – At 10:30 this morning (June 14), a catastrophic power outage plunged the entire island of Koh Larn into darkness, when a backhoe operated by Pattaya City workers accidentally severed an underground cable while she was digging at Yin Yom beach on Phra Tamnak hill. Pattaya City. The damage caused a complete power outage, sending shockwaves across the island.

The impact of the outage was immediate and severe, with local businesses most affected. The resort’s operator, Mr Suphan Tophae, reported a flood of refund requests from guests due to the sudden power outage. The outage wreaked havoc beyond hotels, affecting beachfront stores and restaurants that struggled to keep seafood and other perishables fresh. The estimated financial toll from the disaster has already exceeded one million baht, prompting Suphan to urge authorities to compensate affected businesses.

Amid the chaos, Mr. Rungroj Chanmanit, Director of the Chonburi Provincial Electricity Authority, and Mr. Sitthipong Buakla, Director of the Pattaya City Electricity Authority, were quickly alerted. They went to the site to see the damage. In a coordinated effort, a team of qualified technicians was dispatched to undertake the repair work. By 4:30 p.m., their tireless efforts paid off and normal power supply was restored to the island of Koh Larn.

Mr Rungroj highlighted the electricity authority’s preparedness for such crises, explaining that it had a contingency plan in place. They quickly informed electricity users on Koh Larn of the situation and called on local operators to activate their generators. Even though they had their own generators, the authorities’ equipment could not power the entire island. While the initial estimate for the repair was approximately 10 hours, the technicians’ quick action resolved the issue much faster due to minimal damage.

In a revealing statement, Mr. Boonthien Chansuk, Director of Pattaya City Engineering Office, clarified that the incident was a result of unclear understanding of the position of high mast power lines and power lines providing electricity. electricity in Koh Larn. These cables overlapped, with the high mast lines being deeper than the Koh Larn power lines. Excavation to locate the cables for the high masts inadvertently cut the power lines leading to Koh Larn.

Mr Boonthien expressed his deep regret to residents and tourists on Koh Larn, assuring them that all efforts had been made to quickly restore power. To avoid future disasters, the electricity authority plans to install clear signs indicating the routing of high-voltage lines. Long-term measures possibly include encasing the cables in concrete structures to protect them from accidental damage during excavations.