How many power outages are there in Bangkok? Very few, by the utility's own measure. The Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA), which distributes electricity in the capital, reports that in 2024 its average customer experienced 0.508 interruptions over the whole year, roughly one every two years, for a total of about 15 minutes without power. Both figures have fallen steadily for a decade.
For a visitor, that means a power cut is unlikely to affect a short stay. When outages do happen they are usually local, affecting a street or a block rather than the city, and many are planned maintenance that MEA announces in advance.
Who supplies electricity in Bangkok
The Metropolitan Electricity Authority is the state enterprise that runs the distribution network in Bangkok. Its head office is the Watthanawipat Building at 1192 Rama IV Road in Khlong Toei, near MRT Khlong Toei. The scale is large: MEA counted 4,354,432 customer accounts in July 2025, of which 3,936,684 were residential.
Outside MEA's service area, electricity is distributed by the Provincial Electricity Authority, so if you travel on to other provinces, outage notices come from a different utility.
How often the power goes out: MEA's reliability figures
MEA publishes two standard reliability indices each year. SAIFI (System Average Interruption Frequency Index) is the average number of interruptions each customer has in a year. SAIDI (System Average Interruption Duration Index) is the average total time without power, in minutes per customer per year.
| Year | Interruptions per customer (SAIFI) | Minutes without power per customer (SAIDI) |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 1.369 | 35.700 |
| 2018 | 1.199 | 31.754 |
| 2020 | 0.834 | 27.668 |
| 2022 | 0.632 | 20.194 |
| 2023 | 0.569 | 19.847 |
| 2024 | 0.508 | 15.134 |
Between 2015 and 2024, the average number of interruptions per customer fell by more than half, and the average time without power fell from about 36 minutes a year to about 15. These are system-wide averages: some streets will see more interruptions and some none at all, but they are the best official measure of how often Bangkok's power goes out.
Planned outages are announced in advance
Many interruptions are scheduled, for maintenance or network work. MEA publishes planned outage announcements on its website under Power Outage Notifications, normally one notice covering each week, listing the affected areas and times. If you are renting an apartment or staying somewhere for several weeks, it is worth checking the list for your street.
What to do if the power goes out
- In a hotel: tell the front desk first; the problem may be inside the building rather than on MEA's network. If you are still choosing where to stay, our Bangkok hotels page covers the main areas.
- In an apartment or house: first check whether your own breaker has tripped. If the whole street is dark, report it to MEA.
- Report an outage: call the MEA Call Center on 1130, which MEA says answers 24 hours a day, or use the MEA Smart Life app, which has a power-outage reporting function. MEA also runs an official LINE account.
- During a storm: stay away from fallen wires and flooded electrical equipment, and let MEA know about any damage you see.
Thailand's Meteorological Department notes that thunderstorms in upper Thailand, which includes Bangkok, are most frequent from April to October, peaking in May. If you are visiting in those months, charge your phone before heading out for the evening, and keep a small flashlight in your bag if you are staying somewhere without a generator.
The bottom line for travelers
On MEA's figures, the average customer in its network loses power about once every two years, for about a quarter of an hour in total. For a holiday in Bangkok, the practical steps are simple: know the 1130 number, check MEA's planned outage notices if you are renting for a long stay, and plan evenings out, such as a rooftop dinner or a river cruise from our Bangkok attractions list, without worrying about the lights.
Sources: Metropolitan Electricity Authority, reliability indices (archived September 19, 2025), Metropolitan Electricity Authority, number of customers, Metropolitan Electricity Authority, contact us, Metropolitan Electricity Authority, MEA Smart Life, Metropolitan Electricity Authority, power outage news, Thai Meteorological Department, climate of Thailand. Checked September 26, 2026.
According to the Metropolitan Electricity Authority, its average customer had 0.508 interruptions in 2024, about one every two years, down from 1.369 in 2015.
MEA's figure for 2024 is an average of 15.134 minutes without power per customer for the whole year, down from 35.700 minutes in 2015. Individual outages vary.
The MEA Call Center on 1130, which MEA says is available 24 hours a day. You can also report an outage through the MEA Smart Life app or email callcenter@mea.or.th.
On MEA's website under Public Relations, Power Outage Notifications, where it posts planned outage announcements, usually one notice per week, with the affected areas and times.
No. MEA runs the distribution network in the Bangkok area; the Provincial Electricity Authority serves the rest of the country.
The Thai Meteorological Department says thunderstorms in upper Thailand, which includes Bangkok, occur most often from April to October, with the peak in May.
