The Tambon Tannoy System

[alanspinks]

How many of you have been affected by the local tannoy systems situated on the telegraph posts in the Tambons ?

I have recently spent some time in the Muang Tambon in Uttaradit, the family home of my Thai wife.

At 6am every morning , starts with the excrutiating loud tannoy system of the broadcast of the chanting of the local monk, followed by the messages of the local "Poo Yai Baan" !!

The noise is so loud that nothing can block it out. and I have tried everything!! Any suggestions?

All the villagers have registered their protest but are afraid and timid to really have a go at the "Poo Yai Baan ". He listens ,smiles and shruggs his shoulders and then does nothing !!

The decibel registering must be double that to which the entertainment places in Pattaya and Bangkok are now being restricted to.

This early hour of mental torture ( I can now understand what the troops suffered in Burma to Lord Haw Haw from the Japanese ) affects me and the families and gives me doubts as to whether I will proceed there with a new house development.

Am I the only one to suffer? I would appeciate any comments as to how this can be toned down.

[fatter than harry]

This was in the Phuket section, I just checked my map and I think it's one for you boys...

Unless alanspinks is just after an opinion of the Phuket people

Good luck with your new forum.

[alanspinks]

Yes, thanks for redirecting this. Uttaradit is north of Bangkok!!

Anybody else have any opinions on this topic?

[Khutan]

I have a similar complaint about something slightly different.

My wife just tells me "People here wake up early"

Often its the morning news, and some people don't have the luxary of Television or a newspaper.

My only suggestion, try to find if people around you still want the morning news, and maybe you could politely ask to have the speaker near your house removed.

[lopburi3]

Go to bed early and get up early is the obvious solution. If unable to do that perhaps an air-conditioned sound proof environment for the bedroom if you can not move to a more urban location.

[chuchok]

Cut the wire of the most offending speaker..in the middle of the night. then complain bitterly the next day as to who was the inconsiderate prick that did this.

[RDN]

Cut the wire of the most offending speaker..in the middle of the night. then complain bitterly the next day as to who was the inconsiderate prick that did this.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why complain? Maybe everybody else will be thankful too and the Poo Yai Baan may never know...

[RamdomChances]

Its realy common in most rural areas, they used to do it all the time here, dont know why, but have'nt had any for about a year now. As lopburi said go to bed early and get up early, actually about 6 in the morning is one of the best times of day, get a few hours of work in before it gets hot

[Khutan]

actually about 6 in the morning is one of the best times of day, get a few hours of work in before it gets hot 

And when it gets too hot, have a sleep for many hours, until it cools off again.

[Ajarn]

Many years ago, a friend who was a judge in Nan province told me that these speakers were linked to the communist problems of some years ago, and they were removed from certain areas that became 'free of commies'... I don't know if this was one of those 'I don't know, but what sounds good?' kinda things, or there is something to that. I've never seen it mentioned anywhere since I've lived here...

Anyway, the only answer is obvious, and has been said a few times....

Though I do sympathize

[RDN]

... the only answer is obvious, and has been said a few times....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The "wire-cutters" option...

[Ajarn]

... the only answer is obvious, and has been said a few times....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The "wire-cutters" option...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Now I see what that new 'smiley' is for..

[samran]

Many years ago, a friend who was a judge in Nan province told me that these speakers were linked to the communist problems of some years ago, and they were removed from certain areas that became 'free of commies'... I don't know if this was one of those 'I don't know, but what sounds good?' kinda things, or there is something to that. I've never seen it mentioned anywhere since I've lived here...

Anyway, the only answer is obvious, and has been said a few times....

Though I do sympathize 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I guess the logic was that 'commies' liked sleeping in. By forcing them to wake up everymorning made them move on!!

I alway managed to sleep through the call to prayer from the local mosqu at 5am when living in Pattani. Bit like the clock radio, no matter how loud, I'd always sleep though it!!

[Pie Boy]

Just asked the missus, she siad "if you don't like it, why don't you move"

She also recalls her ma tellin' her to eat up b4 the communist come.

[simba]

Hi

good to hear im not the only person who suffers this wake up call, i get the same in a small tombon outside chiang mia. not the hangover cure i was looking for.

[Upcountry]

These days they outlaw the system in urban areas, like "downtown" Phitsanulok. Were I live, I can still hear a temple about a km away that is technically outside the zoned area, but still pretty urban-looking to me.

At least it only happens in the morning.

As mentioned above, the locals don't read the papers or get exposed to enough advertising on TV or radio, so politicians and retailers drive trucks up and down the sois with huge speakers in the back behind large signs - I call them screaming billboards.

According to an academic I spoke to, they do use it to spread news about laws, etc., such as trying to convince people not to burn trash or fields. Doesn't seem to be working...

I realize this thread is about noise, but here's another interesting point I discovered: Some of the fires we see in the hills, etc., are started by hunters trying to scare out animals to kill - sometimes only one at a time.

Fires here are like smoking cigarettes used to be - most people don't give a thought about the health and environmental costs.

[A. BOOZER]

TIT

[Boon Mee]

We finally got the "Pooyai" in our little mooban to stop his broadcasts at 0500. He agreed to 0600 - a bit better...

Edited February 18, 2005 by Boon Mee

[frtiz]

We finally got the "Pooyai" in our little mooban to stop his broadcasts at 0500. He agreed to 0600 - a bit better...

Hi there everyone, I realize this is an old topic but I'd like to dust it off so I don't have to start a new one.

My question is: What is exactly the area in which they outlawed the tannoys. Is it amphoe muang? tambon muang or is it again something like TIT and the whole country is one big gray area? And is there a max DB level that has been set?

The reason why I'm asking is that we just moved to our new house. Great house, nice area except for the fact that the Poo yai freaking baan and the kamnon, his boss, both live in our area. I looked around before we moved there and only 200 meters away did I find 4 speakers tied up to an antenna pole. Now it turns out that those speakers are loud enough to kill my morning rest, i.e., 5.45 I wake up with freaking Thai country music and the bullshit of some provincial hillbilly DJ and after that the worst part starts: people can make phonecalls to the DJ to complain or ask questions.

If I didn't work here I would mind so much but I'm seriously developing a lack of sleep. My job here is really busy and I really need the rest. It's not that I mind waking up at 6 on weekdays, but on my days off, like Saturday, I would like to catch up on some sleep. I've just had 5 days of 24/7 karaoke because the poo yai baan and kamnon were throwing new year's parties for their consituency. That drove me up the wall. Thai music is OK when it's a vague background murmur but when I hear it loud and clear all day long I'm going crazy.

I live just outside Nakhon Sawan on the road heading Southeast to Krokh pra if anyone is familiar in that area. No I'm not a disgruntled old farang or anything, I just want to get some sleep and yes I already know that Thailand is LOS the land of SOUND

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

[redscouse]

We finally got the "Pooyai" in our little mooban to stop his broadcasts at 0500. He agreed to 0600 - a bit better...

Hi there everyone, I realize this is an old topic but I'd like to dust it off so I don't have to start a new one.

My question is: What is exactly the area in which they outlawed the tannoys. Is it amphoe muang? tambon muang or is it again something like TIT and the whole country is one big gray area? And is there a max DB level that has been set?

The reason why I'm asking is that we just moved to our new house. Great house, nice area except for the fact that the Poo yai freaking baan and the kamnon, his boss, both live in our area. I looked around before we moved there and only 200 meters away did I find 4 speakers tied up to an antenna pole. Now it turns out that those speakers are loud enough to kill my morning rest, i.e., 5.45 I wake up with freaking Thai country music and the bullshit of some provincial hillbilly DJ and after that the worst part starts: people can make phonecalls to the DJ to complain or ask questions.

If I didn't work here I would mind so much but I'm seriously developing a lack of sleep. My job here is really busy and I really need the rest. It's not that I mind waking up at 6 on weekdays, but on my days off, like Saturday, I would like to catch up on some sleep. I've just had 5 days of 24/7 karaoke because the poo yai baan and kamnon were throwing new year's parties for their consituency. That drove me up the wall. Thai music is OK when it's a vague background murmur but when I hear it loud and clear all day long I'm going crazy.

I live just outside Nakhon Sawan on the road heading Southeast to Krokh pra if anyone is familiar in that area. No I'm not a disgruntled old farang or anything, I just want to get some sleep and yes I already know that Thailand is LOS the land of SOUND

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

open up all your windows and blast out some Motorhead at 3am every day, then get a microphone and read the news on the BBC website for an hour, I will call you at 4am and ask some questions

(sorry I don't have a sensible answer as I don't have this problem, although a house nearby does play country music at times at 5 am but not too loud)

[hanno]

Could be worse: you could be living in Phan Thiet, Vietnam were the loudspeakers start at 05:00

[frtiz]

Great Idea, I'll pm you my telephone number. don't think that that getting up at 3 will do me any better.

Just found out yesterday that the whole area turns out to be one big family except for us and my filthy rich Thai neighbor who already said little could be done, he already pulled all the strings he could.

Anyone an idea where I can buy double glazed windows for the aluminum framed sliding windows

We finally got the "Pooyai" in our little mooban to stop his broadcasts at 0500. He agreed to 0600 - a bit better...

Hi there everyone, I realize this is an old topic but I'd like to dust it off so I don't have to start a new one.

My question is: What is exactly the area in which they outlawed the tannoys. Is it amphoe muang? tambon muang or is it again something like TIT and the whole country is one big gray area? And is there a max DB level that has been set?

The reason why I'm asking is that we just moved to our new house. Great house, nice area except for the fact that the Poo yai freaking baan and the kamnon, his boss, both live in our area. I looked around before we moved there and only 200 meters away did I find 4 speakers tied up to an antenna pole. Now it turns out that those speakers are loud enough to kill my morning rest, i.e., 5.45 I wake up with freaking Thai country music and the bullshit of some provincial hillbilly DJ and after that the worst part starts: people can make phonecalls to the DJ to complain or ask questions.

If I didn't work here I would mind so much but I'm seriously developing a lack of sleep. My job here is really busy and I really need the rest. It's not that I mind waking up at 6 on weekdays, but on my days off, like Saturday, I would like to catch up on some sleep. I've just had 5 days of 24/7 karaoke because the poo yai baan and kamnon were throwing new year's parties for their consituency. That drove me up the wall. Thai music is OK when it's a vague background murmur but when I hear it loud and clear all day long I'm going crazy.

I live just outside Nakhon Sawan on the road heading Southeast to Krokh pra if anyone is familiar in that area. No I'm not a disgruntled old farang or anything, I just want to get some sleep and yes I already know that Thailand is LOS the land of SOUND

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

open up all your windows and blast out some Motorhead at 3am every day, then get a microphone and read the news on the BBC website for an hour, I will call you at 4am and ask some questions

(sorry I don't have a sensible answer as I don't have this problem, although a house nearby does play country music at times at 5 am but not too loud)

Edited January 7, 2009 by frtiz

[davyboy]

frtiz, most Thais work 7 days a week not 5, and they start work as the sun rises, but I understand that Thais have to change there way of life so that you can have your beauty sleep!

[canopy]

These speaker systems make me wonder how they got by without them before the electricity age. I don't know the justification for announcements blasted at all the sheeple day in and day out, and multiple times a day at that. Seems a case they do it because they can, not because they need to. I admit I don't know much about the current system, but it comes off as a power trip by the speaker. As another annoyed person in the firing line, I would advocate two solutions, but I presume I already know the response--such ideas will be shot down immediately by the speaker and listeners alike because roaring over loudspeakers is absolutely essential to village life. In short, people resist change.

1. low tech: post important news on cork boards at each little mini market that people visit daily and another at the poo yai's house. Then people can gather around, learn, and discuss the news amongst each other at their leisure.

2. high tech: mobile phones now seem endemic in households. Send an SMS voice message (not text since not everyone can read). People can listen at their leisure.

[dave_boo]

FWIW, I used to have the same-same system just outside our house. However, I haven't heard it for a while. Truth be told, I kinda miss it, was a wonderful wake-up call, and since most of the rest of the time it's really quiet around the area it was a decent change of pace. Part of me also liked the quaint-ness of it; sure didn't have anything like it in the Midwest where I grew up.

[frtiz]

frtiz, most Thais work 7 days a week not 5, and they start work as the sun rises, but I understand that Thais have to change there way of life so that you can have your beauty sleep!

I teach English reading skills as well. Do you want me to help you?