Anutin", Minister of Interior, urged the electricity and the network of the Ministry of Interior, village headmen, and sub-district headmen to proactively communicate to households with bedridden patients who need to use medical equipment to know the criteria for assistance and not cut off the electricity in the case of overdue electricity bills. Ms. Traisuree Traisaranakul, spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, said that after Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, yesterday (October 3, 2024), the Governor of the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) had clarified the facts regarding criticisms of the power outage (power cut) of people's houses in Wang Yang District, Nakhon Phanom Province, which was the cause of death of a bedridden patient, the Governor of the PEA has prepared a factual report to the Ministry of Interior, including explaining through the media for the public to understand the various procedures. The PEA has provided initial financial assistance to the relatives of the deceased, while the relatives understand the procedures and procedures of the PEA and do not have any objections to the PEA's power outage. However, even though the PEA fact-finding report found that the time the patient died was not during a power outage and could not state that the power outage was the cause of death, Mr. Anutin is still concerned about the vulnerable family with a bedridden patient who needs electricity for medical equipment all the time, and should not be at risk from basic public utilities such as electricity. Ms. Traisulee said that currently, the PEA has criteria for providing assistance by not cutting off electricity to places or houses with patients who need electricity to operate medical equipment for treatment. Mr. Anutin therefore urged both the PEA and the network and mechanisms of the Ministry of Interior, which are very close to the people, such as districts, kamnans, and village headmen, to help proactively publicize to families with patients who need me dical equipment to know about the criteria for assistance that the PEA provides, because currently, there may be only a limited number of people who know about these criteria. 'When the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand has measures to help households with patients, the Minister of Interior has urged the network of the Ministry of the Interior that is close to the people to help be a mouthpiece, publicize and inform families with patients about this right. This matter must be widely known because Thailand is an aging society and there is a tendency for more and more bedridden patients,' said Ms. Traisulee. For the current PEA exemption criteria for power outages or power cuts, electricity users with patients at home can register at any PEA office. The documents required for registration are: 1) The electricity user's national ID card 2) The patient's national ID card or a copy 3) A medical certificate from a hospital, not older than 1 month, stating that the patient requires electricity to operat e medical equipment for medical treatment 4) Evidence showing the place where electricity is used, such as an electricity bill receipt or electricity purchase agreement or a copy of the house registration of the place where electricity is used 5) In the case of authorizing another person to act on their behalf, evidence of the authorization and the authorized person must be provided. The PEA will require you to register to maintain your rights by January 31 of each year. In the event that you no longer need electricity to operate medical equipment, you must notify the PEA of your cancellation within 30 days from the date the need ceases. However, the PEA will cancel the rights in the following cases: 1) Total electricity bills are overdue for 3 months 2) Wrongful acts/violations in electricity usage are found 3) False information is provided or 4) A patient is found to have cancelled the use of medical equipment but has not notified the PEA of the cancellation. Source: Thai News Agency
