Picture: Sanook

 

Thai social media was in uproar after a police Facebook site in Ratchaburi reported on the case of an 18 year old female busker who someone at a market reported for making too loud a noise with her singing.

 

All she was doing was putting out a hat for donations to pay for her studies - though admittedly it was rather early in the morning.

 

Netizens slammed the complainant giving them a piece of their mind and criticized the police while supporting the student.

 

Sanook reporters went to Ratchaburi in south/central Thailand where they caught up with eighteen year old Paweena Ruamsin otherwise known as "Nong Gift".

 

Gift explained that her parents split up several years ago and she was left as the main breadwinner in the home of her grandparents.

 

After finishing the first few years of secondary school she had gone into non-formal education to help her other siblings finish their regular schooling.

 

She is an accomplished singer who has won many competitions in the province gaining bursaries. 

 

She often attends various events and goes to markets to busk and earn money for both her studies and to support her grandparents. 

 

On Thursday she had risen at 5 am and gone to the market and started singing at 6.30 am.

 

The police arrived at 7 am saying someone had complained about the noise and asked her to be a little quieter.

 

She said the police were great about it and even donated 50 baht to her cause.

 

She decided to pack up for the morning, however, as she didn't want to antagonize whoever it was who complained. 

 

Undaunted - and surprised by the outpouring of support on social media - she intends to responsibly continue busking to support both herself and those nearest and dearest to her. 

 

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People can be so vile...

It does not need to sound beautiful only the more noise the more beautiful.

I am wondering when the singers start to realize that they can't sing at all...

9 minutes ago, chuang said:

People can be so vile...

It was 6:30am !!!!......      

 

Someone singing at 6:30am through a speaker at 6:30am is going to annoy a lot of people... 

Very strange. Thai people never complain about noise, especially noisy music, singing. It had to be a falang complaining ???? 

38 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thai social media was in uproar

As per usual…

53 minutes ago, webfact said:

She said the police were great about it and even donated 50 baht to her cause.

Nice touch.

27 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

It was 6:30am !!!!......      

 

Someone singing at 6:30am through a speaker at 6:30am is going to annoy a lot of people... 

Be my guest and tell the monks in my local temple. Now they really can't sing!!

She started singing at 6:30am and the cops showed up at 7:00am?

 

Highly doubtful complaint came from a foreigner as police response time way too quick. Standard procedure for police dealing with noise complaints from foreigners is to drag their feet as long as possible.

 

It would have been all 'you'll need to come down to the station to make a complaint, and don't forget to bring your passport. You have Thai lady? Bring her too.' Once down at the station, it would have been, 'Why you no like karaoke? Thailand people love karaoke. Karaoke very beautiful. Thai culture, Thai way. Complain about singing not Thai way. Why you marry farang no like karaoke? Plaak mak. Sorry, cannot.'

 

Complaining about noise in Thailand is like "handing out speeding tickets at the Indy 500"

1 hour ago, chuang said:

People can be so vile...

yeah screaming your lungs out at six o'clock in the morning is just not on!

53 minutes ago, Havenstreet1940 said:

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

It was 6:30am !!!!......      

 

Someone singing at 6:30am through a speaker at 6:30am is going to annoy a lot of people... 

Be my guest and tell the monks in my local temple. Now they really can't sing!!

Religion.......... knee-caps all decency...  

 

We can’t complain about temples and mosques making a loud noise at ridiculously early hours because those making the noise would be so upset and offended at the affront to their religion !!... 

 

Those loud speakers which belt out noise in the morning and evening should have their wires cut !... 

The same goes for the Pick-up vans which go around with loud speakers advertising utter rubbish or politics. 

 

 

9 minutes ago, Captain Monday said:

Complaining about noise in Thailand is like "handing out speeding tickets at the Indy 500"

Handing out speeding tickets at the Indy 500 would be like handing out speeding tickets in Thailand !!! ????

 

In my village, At 6’30 am, must to hear the obnoxious voice of someone talking by Loudspeakers on the streets …

 

Every morning and noons.. 10 years already ????

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The police arrived at 7 am saying someone had complained about the noise and asked her to be a little quieter.

 

She said the police were great about it and even donated 50 baht to her cause.

Should have asked her to come back a little later and moderate the sound.

Then asked the complainant to show some compassion as everyone has the right to earn money.

7 am in the morning is very early and totally unnecessary. People who have worked late the night before need their rest.

7 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

It was 6:30am !!!!......      

 

Someone singing at 6:30am through a speaker at 6:30am is going to annoy a lot of people... 

My village 'news system' sometimes cranks up at 5.30, beginning with some tuneless Thai singing before they get to News For the Day. 6.30 is not early for Thais - I've been in a traffic jam in Bangkok at 6am. This was just someone being a pain in the a**.

6 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Handing out speeding tickets at the Indy 500 would be like handing out speeding tickets in Thailand !!! ????

 

6 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Religion.......... knee-caps all decency...  

 

We can’t complain about temples and mosques making a loud noise at ridiculously early hours because those making the noise would be so upset and offended at the affront to their religion !!... 

 

Those loud speakers which belt out noise in the morning and evening should have their wires cut !... 

The same goes for the Pick-up vans which go around with loud speakers advertising utter rubbish or politics. 

 

 

Er…was it your choice to live here……unbelievable.

A  bit later would not be a problem,but at 6.30 in the morning.It is  a bit too early for busking

22 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

23 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai social media was in uproar

As per usual…

Edited 22 hours ago by Bluespunk

I wish social media would make less noise. 

But rooster crowing, chickens and barking dogs are all ok at 5:30 in the mornings