Museum of Plugs and Sockets logo, small TIS 166-2549
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TIS 166-2549 plugs have been developed in Thailand and are meant to replace Schuko (CEE 7/4) plugs on imported equipment. Sockets in Thailand accept North American flat blade plugs (but 220 V) and CEE 7/16 Europlugs, but not CEE 7/4 plugs.
'2549' is the year of introduction of the standard according to the Thai Buddhist Era. It corresponds to our year 2006.

 

Socket for type A, B and C plugs Type A, B,C socket and Schuko plug TIS 166-2549 plug  
       
Thai Schuko adapter Thai Schuko adapter Thai Schuko adapter wiith Schuko plug Thai Schuko adapter, detail

1, 2 Multi-standard sockets, rated at 16A - 250V. They accept US NEMA 1-15R (top outlet), NEMA 5-15R (bottom outlet) flat blade plugs and CEE 7/16 Europlugs. These multi-sockets are commonly found in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.
Also Schuko plugs can be inserted as illustrated by the superimposed black Schuko plug (see no. 2). However, only the line and neutral pins are functional; there is no connection between Schuko earth clips and the US earth pin slot. In this situation a Schuko plug behaves as a non-earthed 2-pin plug.

To stop this unsafe use of Schuko plugs, the Thai authorities have designed in 2006 a new type of plug that has to replace Schuko plugs, see no. 3. For already existing appliances equipped with a Schuko plug, an adapter can be used, see nos. 4-7.
3 As of 2008 it is a legal requirement to fit the newly developed Thai standard TIS166-2549 plug on imported appliances that otherwise would have a Schuko plug. A TIS166-2549 10A, 250V plug fits in a NEMA 5-15R type socket, see image no. 1 (lower outlet). This combination provides for an earthed connection, assuming that the socket is connected to an earthed network.
Only TIS 166-2549 plugs molded on an extension cord are available; rewirable plugs are not for sale.  {DC}
4 - 7 The Thai Schuko adapter provides for an additional earth pin (see no. 4) which is connected to one of the earth clips of a Schuko plug (see nos. 5 and 7). The combination of two Schuko pins (N and L) and the earth pin of the adapter (see no. 6) will fit in correctly in an earthed multi-standard socket (see no. 1).   {DC}
Note that the adapter has disappeared from general hardware stores and it is not clear whether they are still available elsewhere (info given in 2016 by John Goodwin).

 

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