Loudspeakers!

[Dah fahrang]

Another thread on a popular subject.

I live in a village with a single dirt-track road. The post only makes it once or twice a week, and ToT won't put in phone linmes. But, I am very fortunate when it comes to noise.

Today's horror thought! Election campaigning nears! The dreaded candidate canvassing trucks will be out, daily, with their pyramids of loudspeakers on the back - repeatedly playing the same monotonous campaign song, inrterspersed with taped bull***** about what the candidate is going to do for the community. (Not ban loudspeakers, thats for bloody certain)! All at a massive decibel level, and from 6.30am to dusk (in my district, anyway).

My local school installed a set of 'old fashioned' horn shaped speakers, on which the news is aired at full volume from 7am daily, distorting the sound because the volume exceeds the speaker capacity. (I'm sure my village kids love to update themselves on the Stock Exchange of Thailand reports)! Followed by the national anthem, assembly and PE. Lunchtime the speakers bang out silly little songs about 'bang faan (teeth cleaning) for half an hour. We now have broadcast weekend football competitions for the village youth - all Saturday and Sunday - with inane commentary.

My local pui-yai baan plays his messages (occassional, i must admit) on another set of speakers - mounted on a high steel scaffold!

Add that after 'kao bpen sa' weddings and tamboon-baan parties take place weekly, always with two or more huge banks of speakers, always set up the night before, from 'specialist noise rental' companies complete with their own technicians to pump out every last bit of volume, playing to beyond midnight. Then starting up at 5am the day of the event.

And finally, private individuals, with their 'home' hi-fi set up outside their house for New Year (to remain there until the rains come - or beyond) playing at maximum volume? Augmented by karaoke?

My wife of 23 years (Thai, who agrees with the above sentiment) can't answer the following question, other than "for them to sanook." So:

Historians:

Q: At what point in history, and for what reasons, did the insidious loudspeaker become part of the Thai culture and national heritage?

Q: Does this almost endless racket make the (rural) Thai, (otherwise gentle, mild mannered and sedate) collectively noisiest race on earth?

M'ai chorp nok hoo.

Sawadee pi'mai!

[cdnvic]

If they didn't turn up the loudspeakers, the noise carrying over from the Phillipines would be deafening.

cv

[astral]

The Thai's simply do not hear the noise.

I remember trying to talk to a Thai lady that I knew. Her Alscation dog was standing by her, barking its head off. She made no attempt to quieten the dog, and as I result I could not make out what she was saying.

[cdnvic]

The Thai's simply do not hear the noise.

I remember trying to talk to a Thai lady that I knew.  Her Alscation dog was standing by her, barking its head off.  She made no attempt to quieten the dog, and as I result I could not make out what she was saying.

She's probably deaf by now dude.

cv

[Silvercharm]

I can relate to this thread! For the most part, the village I live in is rather quiet. However, with the unfortunate tragedy in the south last week, the village headman has been on the speaker system daily/nightly. For the first 4 days, he was on the darned thing for nearly 8 hours a day! I was praying his vocal chords would give out. He would take breaks for maybe 20 minutes, but that was proceeded by a Thai "swan song" I guess. Same song over and over again, blaring as loud as his voice throughout the village.

When that would die down, usually at 10PM, neighbors up the soi would pick up where he left off. This would last until maybe midnight. Nobody else seemed bothered...I was going nuts! Enough is enough.

I've often wondered if many Thai's are becoming deaf. His Majesty did address the effects of loud music on hearing. Don't know of it's a cultural thing or not, but many people here tend to talk rather loud. Usually a sign of going deaf. I can hear people "talking" from the other end of the soi. Sometimes it's so loud I wonder if maybe people are trying to see who can yell/talk the loudest.

Supermarkets are notorious. Walk down any aisle during a weekend and it's deafening at times with the many, small P.A. systems cranked at full volume. Naturally, people stand around these trying to talk above the noise level.

I was out with some friends last week for dinner. It was a quiet little restaurant until a group of people came in. It turned into a competition (so it seemed) as who could talk the loudest. The worst part was when a gal got on her mobile. Even though we were well enough away, we could more than hear her, she was practically yelling into the reciever. Her voice was so intrusive, we couldn't even have a normal conversation.

I think premature deafness is on the rise.

[ProfessorFart]

Isn't the PM supposed to clamping down on noise!!?? Thais don't just pollute noise, they abuse it. A beautiful country it may be, a peaceful, quiet one it ain't.

Point in history for loudspeakers was during Premiership of Plaek Pibulsongkhram who admired Mussolini, Hitler and other emerging facist dictators and began to ape their techniques of getting through to the people.

Edited January 3, 2005 by ProfessorFart

[astral]

Department stores selling music systems are another example.

All the systems blaring out different tunes and film sound tracks.

How is one supposed to tell if a system gives good sound in this bedlam?

[Harmonica]

Why the historical perspective?

[ProfessorFart]

Why the historical perspective?

Because the OP asked for it Harmonica!

[chingy_]

have you been to CHINA, HK, TW, or SIN?

and you think thai are the noisiest Race on Earth, think again

[SeaVisionBurma]

EH?????

*cups hand to ear*

[mbkudu]

have you been to CHINA, HK, TW, or SIN?

and you think thai are the noisiest Race on Earth, think again

On a train journey from Bangkok to Hatyai I could not sleep the whole way. Why?

Because of a small group (4) of Chinese tourists talking/(shouting?) the entire trip.

To them their conversation is normal; to me it sounded like they were shouting at each other. Absolutely f%%%ing maddening! Don't get me wrong, the Chinese are pleasant people and I have many good friends who are Chinese, but man oh man do they get fired up when talking in a group. Loud speaker not necessary.

Edited January 3, 2005 by mbkudu

[ProThaiExpat]

Noise Polution Control seems to vary depending on enviromental contol efforts from country to country, the emering countries have the least.

In the U.S., reputable authorities have published that persons who were teenagers and early adults who lived through the disco age had a 40% hearing loss as a result of being exposed to disco clubs.

I would suggest the same in Thailand, however, not limited to teens nor to the disco years.

[~G~]

Now the hill tribes are joining in as well! On my first visit to LOS, I stayed in Soppong (Mae Hong Son). I went for a quiet walk, deciding to follow a tiny sign that said "Lahu village". The path was not very used so on some point I wasn't sure if I was going on the right way or not.

I was very lucky though. Listening carefully, I could hear the sound of music. I followed the sound and in a few minutes, I stood facing an original Lahu village. There was an elderly woman sitting in front of her house, doing her laundry. Next to her was a radio turned to the maximum volume.

I was pleased to see some authentic culture...