Noise From The Mosques

[AlanL1275]

You say;

Bright boy, so what will you do if they built a mosque next to you-move or complain?

I say;

BOTH

[jdinasia]

You say;

Bright boy, so what will you do if they built a mosque next to you-move or complain?

I say;

BOTH

Well there ya go .. you have worked out your own answer :-)

[jdinasia]

I spent years being woken up by Church bells in the UK...... I guess it was because I lived near a church.

When you rent or buy a house next time go there at prayer time and see if its noisy, its not much different then moving near a night club and then complaining about the music.

Maybe you should move again.

Not really the same is it, church bells do not ring out five times a day and they are not amplified either so as to disturb people miles away. Why don't they do it the old way-just one deluded idiot shouting from the tower? In any case there is just no need for them to be broadcasting the disgusting racket as everyone has a watch these days and do not need this reminder.

BTW --- with your remark about "just one deluded idiot shouiting from the tower" and "disgusting racket"

pretty much pegs you .....

[lotus eater]

The OP also said

"...I am Christian, Thailand is Buddhist, why does everyone have to listen to this. It wouldn't be proper for me to stand in front of a Mosque while this is going on and preach Christianity with a PA System."

As has been pointed out Thailand 2nd religion, completely accepted by all thais is islam. Christianity does not have a similar official status, though of course thais are tolerant of all religions, their practices and their places of worship.

Does the OP know that the previous army chief, Sonthi was a muslim, that their past foreign minister and now head of Asean, Surin is a muslim. Such appointments would not happen in America. Whatever America is supposed to be, in practice it's something else. Thailand in practice is infinitely more tolerant than America.

Edited March 28, 2010 by lotus eater

[AlanL1275]

Yes jdinasia

You are right. If they build one next to me I want have any choice but to move. If being 1/2 kilometer away can be so loud, then I wouldn't want to risk the foundation of my building giving in.

You know; You are the first person I have come across in Thailand that I consider a Hater.

Hater!

But there has to be one in every crowd.

Noise is noise. Doesn't matter whose making it.

[jdinasia]

ouch

[AlanL1275]

Jeeeeeez I just noticed..... jdinasia;

10,935 posts in only 7 years. Do you sleep?

Are you paid to be a hater?

Are you bored?

Hey I guess you need something to do with your time.

I guess if you weren't picking a fight with me, you'd be Hating someone else.

Just a note; I will only be able to reply a few times a day to you. I sleep at night and have better things to do during most of the day.

So don't fret if I go some hours or even a day before replying. I will get around to it so you can continue your hate on me and maybe spare someone else.

Looks like I might hit 26 posts by the end of March ;-)

Edited March 28, 2010 by AlanL1275

[jdinasia]

Jeeeeeez I just noticed..... jdinasia;

10,984 posts in only 7 years. Do you sleep?

Are you paid to be a hater?

Are you bored?

Hey I guess you need something to do with your time.

I guess if you weren't picking a fight with me, you'd be Hating someone else.

Just a note; I will only be able to reply a few times a day to you. I sleep at night and have better things to do during most of the day.

So don't fret if I go some hours or even a day before replying. I will get around to it so you can continue your hate on me and maybe spare someone else.

Looks like I might hit 26 posts by the end of March ;-)

If they are all complainin about the religious observances of people that have been doing it for years before you moved in, I am sure we will all look forward to those posts (that is sarcasm, in case you missed it). If on the other hand, you grow up and take responsibility for your own actions then I am sure you won't feel a great need to post silliness on here :0

[AlanL1275]

Not the brightest bulb in the box ay....jdinasia

You keep saying religious observances.

My complaint is about noise.

I am usually in bed before midnight and get up around 8.

Don't give me too much to get caught up on tomorrow.

[singa-traz]

Not the brightest bulb in the box ay....jdinasia

You keep saying religious observances.

My complaint is about noise.

I am usually in bed before midnight and get up around 8.

Don't give me too much to get caught up on tomorrow.

Looks like "the noise" of the call for the morning prayer is not disturbing your sleep ... might not be that bad, then.

[AlanL1275]

Not the brightest bulb in the box ay....jdinasia

You keep saying religious observances.

My complaint is about noise.

I am usually in bed before midnight and get up around 8.

Don't give me too much to get caught up on tomorrow.

Looks like "the noise" of the call for the morning prayer is not disturbing your sleep ... might not be that bad, then.

Hey singa-traz, Thanks for chiming in! Please read on!

As a matter of fact I can sleep well because I had to purchase this thing from The Sharper Image, Is called a Sound Soother. It can make sounds of rain, the ocean, white noise, a creek, thunder storm, and about 10 more.

The ocean is my choice.

I turn it on and have the volume turned up most of the way. At the same time I have a Samsung AC running full fan speed, and a Hatari Remote control fan set on medium speed and the natural mode. This means the speed goes up and down and itself sounds a little like the ocean.

This combination keeps the room cool, and provides lots, of White Noise.

This Sound Soother is also great for world travel because no matter what new sounds you get in the night from different hotels, the sound you hear no matter where you are is always the same.

Unfortunately I try to enjoy the fresh air in the morning and miss the early noise, and the rest of the day depends on where I am.

Thanks for the insight,

[AlanL1275]

Well, this sentence didn't sound correct. I needed to edit my post, but the site seems to have crashed.

Here is the original sentence in previous post;

Unfortunately I try to enjoy the fresh air in the morning and miss the early noise, and the rest of the day depends on where I am.

Here is what I was trying to say.

Unfortunately I try to enjoy the fresh air in the morning (after 8am) but at least miss the early noise. (call to prayer) The rest of my day depends on where I am. If I am here I probably have the windows open and balcony door letting the breeze come through, until.

The sound soother is great for sleeping but doesn't help during the day.

Edited March 28, 2010 by AlanL1275

[lotus eater]

...

The sound soother is great for sleeping but doesn't help during the day.

You have a contraption that allows you to sleep well. But you want to stop muslims practising their religious rites, which they have done for centuries, with which their thai compatriots have no problem and which last in total barely half an hour a day - because you might want to sit on your balcony for a part of that half hour. And you are a guest in their country.

You have my deepest sympathy.

Edited March 29, 2010 by lotus eater

[DLock]

AlanL, you are correct and I truly sympathize with you.

So I recommend you take your First Amendment rights down to the Mosque and express your Freedom of Speech that they are far too noisy and that you think they should curtail their prayers from 5 times a day to 2, preferably after 9am and before 6pm...although Sunday you'd like a lie in, so perhaps after 10am. That should do it.

Let us know how that works out for you.

[jdinasia]

AlanL, you are correct and I truly sympathize with you.

So I recommend you take your First Amendment rights down to the Mosque and express your Freedom of Speech that they are far too noisy and that you think they should curtail their prayers from 5 times a day to 2, preferably after 9am and before 6pm...although Sunday you'd like a lie in, so perhaps after 10am. That should do it.

Let us know how that works out for you.

LOL ----

gotta love the First Amendment! (of course that is for a completely different constitution in a country far far away!)

[kpmsprtd]

The noise pollution in all parts of Thailand is one of the reasons I continue living and working here in California. I am fortunate to have found a little house that is generally very quiet most hours of the day and night. These kind of quiet conditions are are increasingly difficult to find in California, Thailand, and the rest of the world.

As the amplified noise revolution continues, will we see greater and greater numbers of deaf people? For those who are not bothered by mega-noise, please consider yourselves lucky. It's a truism that we are all bothered by different things.

[beejoir]

I can't imagine its that loud, if its 500 meters away and you've got your windows closed, is it REALLY that bad.

I kind of like the call to prayer, it makes me feel like I'm somewhere exotic.

[beejoir]

I spent years being woken up by Church bells in the UK...... I guess it was because I lived near a church.

When you rent or buy a house next time go there at prayer time and see if its noisy, its not much different then moving near a night club and then complaining about the music.

Maybe you should move again.

Not really the same is it, church bells do not ring out five times a day and they are not amplified either so as to disturb people miles away. Why don't they do it the old way-just one deluded idiot shouting from the tower? In any case there is just no need for them to be broadcasting the disgusting racket as everyone has a watch these days and do not need this reminder.

In my town they rang every hour on the hour, and then on Sundays and Holidays for morning service, it was loud, and often woke me, but it was my fault for moving to a quiet village near a church, noise pollution yes, but its just one of those things you have to tolerate.

The times of the call to prayer change, so it has to be announced in the community for all to hear.

[singa-traz]

Noise pollution is a big problem in Thailand and there is a department that is trying to deal with this (Pollution Control Department)

http://www.pcd.go.th/indexEng.cfm

You can fill up a complain here.

I have lived in a few places in Bangkok, and each had their source of noise:

- School (Don't choose your appartment during school holiday )

- Tuk-Tuk, you can hear them from very far at night

- Trucks, low frequency that make your building vibrate

- Open Air Bar ... the worst!

Last year, an open bar opened next to where I live, and for the past few months, the neighbor thought it was good business for his bar to have a live band on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, as well as set the sound level for the music so that I could hear it from my bedroom.

A few calls and visits to the police, repeated discussions with the owner of the bar, call to the district somehow helped to manage the situation ... meaning nobody got hurt.

One phone call to the actual owner of the land (who rent it), and the noise disappeared.

If I had to choose, I will still go with the call of prayer than any of the other sources of "noise" pollution, and would take it as a daily invitation to taste some of that Thai Muslim food that I like so much.

[AlanL1275]

I can't imagine its that loud, if its 500 meters away and you've got your windows closed, is it REALLY that bad.

I kind of like the call to prayer, it makes me feel like I'm somewhere exotic.

When I close the windows it is fine. Especially if I am playing music or watching TV.

It is too loud when my windows and doors are open and enjoying a cool breeze.

And you are correct about the potential for exotic sounds. It could be at a lower level and some effort put into making it exotic. About half of the time it starts with the highest volume and very loud bellowing into the mic. If the wind is blowing from here towards the Mosques and there is someone on the mic that maybe knows what he is doing better than one of the others, it can definitely be an exotic sound.

Thanks;

[AlanL1275]

Noise pollution is a big problem in Thailand and there is a department that is trying to deal with this (Pollution Control Department)

http://www.pcd.go.th/indexEng.cfm

You can fill up a complain here.

I have lived in a few places in Bangkok, and each had their source of noise:

- School (Don't choose your appartment during school holiday )

- Tuk-Tuk, you can hear them from very far at night

- Trucks, low frequency that make your building vibrate

- Open Air Bar ... the worst!

Last year, an open bar opened next to where I live, and for the past few months, the neighbor thought it was good business for his bar to have a live band on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, as well as set the sound level for the music so that I could hear it from my bedroom.

A few calls and visits to the police, repeated discussions with the owner of the bar, call to the district somehow helped to manage the situation ... meaning nobody got hurt.

One phone call to the actual owner of the land (who rent it), and the noise disappeared.

If I had to choose, I will still go with the call of prayer than any of the other sources of "noise" pollution, and would take it as a daily invitation to taste some of that Thai Muslim food that I like so much.

Thanks for the link; I will look into it. Some of the sounds you mention above would be much better for the most part. Some of them are more continuous and remain at around the same level. ( car traffic, or highways ) To me those sounds would lean a little towards being white noise. ( a little :-) Once I lived close to train tracks but there was no intersections for the train to sound it's horn so I was able to forget about it. Probably took a couple of weeks. What gets me is the condo is mostly quiet and then out of the clear blue comes a very, very, loud bellowing and loud hollering into the mic. Occasionally the approach seems to be more subtle like a professional has the mic in hand, and it can be a really interesting sound. The school that adjoins my property is much closer than the Mosques and I "never" hear it, but when you are walking through the condos past the school and they are have an assembly or band practice it gets pretty loud. ( why I chose the end I am on ) Where I am talking about it getting loud the school building is directly against the condo property.

Thanks;

[AlanL1275]

...

The sound soother is great for sleeping but doesn't help during the day.

You have a contraption that allows you to sleep well. But you want to stop muslims practising their religious rites, which they have done for centuries, with which their thai compatriots have no problem and which last in total barely half an hour a day - because you might want to sit on your balcony for a part of that half hour. And you are a guest in their country.

You have my deepest sympathy.

"I have never said stop Muslims from practicing their religious rites." I am complaining about how loud and bellowing it is. (most of the time) I rarely sit on my balcony which is on the opposite side of my building that is 1/2 kilometer from the 1st Mosque. The sounds get to me inside my condo, and sometimes (depending on the wind) I can't watch my TV or talk on the phone until I get up, turn on the AC and close the windows and doors.

I believe this could be done at somewhat lower levels and without bellowing and hollering and occasionally clearing of the throat into the mic. (I know it can be done because some of the time it is.) Problem is most of the time it isn't.

[AlanL1275]

AlanL, you are correct and I truly sympathize with you.

So I recommend you take your First Amendment rights down to the Mosque and express your Freedom of Speech that they are far too noisy and that you think they should curtail their prayers from 5 times a day to 2, preferably after 9am and before 6pm...although Sunday you'd like a lie in, so perhaps after 10am. That should do it.

Let us know how that works out for you.

Thanks; Is this what the Thai people did in Pattaya to have the noise levels reduced? ""reduced, not taken away""

5 times a day would be fine if they were not trying to drown out the Suwannaphum Airport. :-)

Okay folks, or at least some folks. I am talking about the loudness at 1/2 kilometer.

I will tell you if there was not bellowing, hollering, and occasional clearing of the throat. it wouldn't be nearly as bad. I know it can be done because some of the time it is like beejoir said, it can almost be an exotic sound.

I strongly believe in freedom of religion but just don't chase after me in my home watching TV, or talking with friends. of which one of my longest friends in Thailand is Muslim

Maybe if I post again I will post something you like and can be a cheer leader.

There have been some constructive answers and abusive answers.

This give me an idea for another thread; Check it out later.

[Gary A]

I have been avoiding posting because every time I think about that blasting noise, I have the urge to become VERY profane. I lived in a townhouse in an expensive area of Bangkok. Across the small lake from my townhouse there were huge speakers on tall posts. I don't care what religion or business is making the noise, it is rude and inconsiderate. It's a good thing I wasn't able to find a long range high powered rifle. Those speakers would have had serious damage and I would have had some piece and quiet even if would have been while sitting in jail.

[beejoir]

Very Expensive area of Bangkok?

Where would that be?

[zaza]

Alan

you can easily walk to the mosuqe , or ask your spous to ask them to lower the volume, if they don't comply , report them to the Police.

can you do that?

[Tanaka]

Mosques all over the world do this. Thailand is no different

And that would make it ok then?

And you are wrong, they do not do it all over the world. Only where there are no laws against noise pollution.

[fiddlehead]

Noise pollution is a definite problem (for me anyway) in Thailand.

However, the Muslim call to prayer is way down on the problematic list for me.

#1 would be the plethora of wireless mikes and cheap sound systems that you hear all too often at any Thai festival.

#2 Harley Davidson motorcycles or wannabee Harleys with the loud "look at me" pipes.

#3 Government loudspeakers (my wife's mother's house is right next door and these things are horrible)

#4 The volume of the horns on buses. OK, i often wish I had one that loud on my pickup truck too but would use it a lot more sparingly than some.

#5 The bars trying to outdo each other playing that techno thump thump thump stuff they call music

#6 Big trucks, buses, pickups, cars, motorbikes with the mufflers removed or modified. (especially if you live near any sort of hill)

#7 Drag racing late at night by drunks

#8 Maybe, maybe, maybe the Muslim call to prayer but only the one at 4 or 5 AM. They all sound pretty nice but that one in particular is a bit early.

Note to the OP. Don't think you have to answer every negative comment. These guys will never leave you alone.

[Gary A]

Very Expensive area of Bangkok?

Where would that be?

Off Phatanakan road Muang thong 2 if that is important.

[othmannorhisham]

The khlongs in that area are loaded with temples and mosques. 3 of the most active mosques in BKK are along khlong Saen Saep. They have been there for decades and are part of the communities they serve. I sincerely doubt that other people are as bothered as you appear to be, but if I am wrong on that then you can be assured that the locals will deal with it appropriately.

As suggested above, perhaps in the future you would be best served by doing your due diligence before spending too much to get away from.

A simple and straight forward comment. Masjidul Khlong Tan (opposite a well known massage parlor!) and Bandon are two of the ones just beside the khlong so it serves the Muslim community in Ramkhangheng especially from Soi 1 until Happy Land Bangkapi. The Ban Haw Yunnanese Mosque just behind the Night Bazaar in Chiang Mai is also well known.