# item.guide
Side-by-Side Comparison Plug Types

Type E vs. Type O

Comparing 2 standards across 5 specifications. 4 key differences identified.

Comparing:
Type E
Type O

Type E is the French/Belgian standard -- unusually, its round grounding pin is fixed in the socket, not the plug. It's used across France, Belgium, Poland, Slovakia, and Czechia, and a hybrid CEE 7/7 plug design bridges it with the incompatible German Type F.

View full Type E spec sheet →

Type O is Thailand's standard, introduced in 2006 -- three round pins whose earth-pin offset happens to numerically match Type B's, letting Thailand's real-world hybrid sockets also accept American Type A/B and European Type C plugs. Pure single-standard Type O outlets barely exist in practice.

View full Type O spec sheet →

Specification Comparison Table

5 Parameters
Parameter / Spec
Pin Count
2 round power pins; earth pin projects from the socket, not the plug 3 round pins, 4.8mm diameter
Rated Current
16 A 16 A
Rated Voltage
250 V 230 V
Grounded
Yes (mandatory) Yes
Common Regions
France, Belgium, Poland, Slovakia, Czechia Thailand only