Page 67 - Contributed Paper Session (CPS) - Volume 3

CPS1946 Jittima D. et al.

Assessment of condominium occupancy rate in
Bangkok and its vicinity from electricity meter

data analytics
Jittima Dummee, Kuntip Trongthamakit
Bank of Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract
The purpose of study is to apply the use of micro-level data as supplement
indicators for assessing economic condition in couple with other traditional
aggregate data. As urbanization has prevailed thoroughly in large cities, living
in high-rises is often people’s choices. It follows that demand for residential
units, i.e., condominiums can be quantified. In the study, electricity meter data
are adopted as proxy to estimate resident occupancy rate. The result reveals
electricity data can be effectively used as a supplementary economic indicator.
However, it is worth noting that on its own supplement indicator alone is not
a substitute for conventional analysis yet it is synergistic with other variables
in helping to enhance accuracy, profoundness as well as comprehensiveness
of the findings.

Keywords
Electricity data; Micro data; Occupancy rate; Real estate

**Views expressed in this paper do not necessarily reflect views of the Bank of
Thailand.

1. Introduction
Apart from the 4 requisites, electricity, is an essential necessity in our life.
It has become the fifth requisite in modern civilization long before the age of
smart phones. In economic context, electricity is considered as input or “factor
of production” for goods and services, thus, economic growth usually
coincides with higher energy consumption and vice versa. Regarding this, the
study utilises this concept to investigate occupancy rate of residential
buildings in Bangkok and surroundings.
Electricity data is public utility data which contains recondite information
about human, at least, geographically and behaviourally. Sensibly to say it can

 This study would not have been possible without support from following people. Authors wish
to express their gratitude to Mr. Permsuk Sutthinoon, Dr. Pichit Patrawimolpon, Dr. Somsajee
Siksamat, Dr. Don Nakornthab and Mr. Chatchawan Intarak, for valuable comments, assistance
and full support. Special thanks are also addressed to Mr. Suwatchai Chaikhor and colleagues
from Monetary Policy Group, for initiating the study of this topic as well as staff from
Information Technology Group for data preparation. Lastly, many thanks to Mr. Krit
Chalermdumrichai as an editor for this paper. All remaining errors are the authors’ own.
56 | I S I W S C 2 0 1 9