Village Loudspeakers

[SiriusBlack1]

Hello board members,

I live in a house outside Pattaya. I love where I'm living, it's safe and reasonably convenient, everything is great. Just one thing is driving me nuts.

It's the village loudspeaker.

Directly behind our house, mounted on a concrete pole, is a loudspeaker. Every morning from 7 to 8 and again in the evening from 5:25 to 6:00, it broadcasts to the entire neighborhood a mixture of luk teung songs, local news and the rambling thoughts and reflections of someone I assume is the village headman. It's loud and impossible to ignore. Apparently this is a not uncommon arrangement in Thailand.

The question is, what can I do about it?

My wife and I have repeatedly called Pattaya City Hall, to no avail. I would like to get a shotgun or RPG and blast the crap out of the thing, but the authorities might take a dim view of this approach.

Is there someone better I should call? Some kind of engineering solution? Has anyone else had this problem?

Most grateful for any constructive suggestions. Thank you.

[eefoo]

It's not an 'uncommon arrangement' as you put it. It happens in every hamlet across Thailand. You have two choices, basically.

1) put up with it and accept that's what the locals do, or

2) move. You aren't going to stop it in a month of Sundays no matter who you complain to.

Sorry my suggestions are neither constructive, nor what you want to hear, but that's the way it is out here.

Anyway - Luuk Tung aint all that bad - some of it actually sounds musical sometimes. And listen to the local gossip coming over the wires; there's things to be learnt there that'll be good ammunition one day.

( you're going to tell me now that you haven't had the time to start learning Thai yet, aren't you? Tut, tut)

[Lite Beer]

Every morning from 7 to 8 and again in the evening from 5:25 to 6:00

Just think yourself lucky that it is not 5.30 or 6-00 am as it is where I live.

As said you ain't gonna stop it. It's the Phuyai doing his job.

[bobbin]

How long have the loudspeakers been operating?

These same loudspeakers appeared on Soi WatBoon in Jomtien about 1 month ago. The music/commentary started about 7 am and continued until 8 am. However they irritated many farang/tourists in the area and someone in our building wrote a complaining letter and asked anyone/everyone interested to sign it. He then arranged for the letter to be sent to Banglamung district offices. Who it was addressed to I don't know. But the loudspeakers have been silent for the past week!

They belong in rural areas, not residential areas in the Pattaya/Jomtien area, where many listeners do not even understand the commentary. I speak Thai and like luk thung music, but I am not a farmer and have no need to awaken at 7 am to loud radio.

Try to enlist a small group of people who are also bothered by them and complain as a group. Or ask that the loudspeakers be limited to playing the national anthem at 8 am. This actually is the most important use of these loudspeakers for Thai officials.

[jaideeguy]

That's why I chose to live in a remote development about 1 k from the moobaan loudspeakers. I can hear them faintly in the distance.

No way could I live close to the speakers, a wat, karaoke, or someone elses roosters.

[FarangBuddha]

Wire cutters in the middle of the nite should solve the problem

[bobbin]

Wire cutters in the middle of the nite should solve the problem

Government property.

[DisparateDan]

The most indispensable item for Thailand/Asia, GOOD ear plugs, only obtainable from friends getting them at BOOTS UK. Boots here don't stock them, only the ineffective foam or rubber.

Edited February 1, 2011 by DisparateDan

[bangkokcitylimits]

Wire cutters in the middle of the nite should solve the problem

And connect a little FM receiver to the cables, adjusted to your FM transmitter, play your own music such as James Brown, 'Like a Sexmachine' etc.

Success guaranteed !

Or try to get an 'anti-sound' generator or Active Noise Control, but no experience with this stuff..

[bifftastic]

The most indispensable item for Thailand/Asia, GOOD ear plugs, only obtainable from friends getting them at BOOTS UK. Boots here don't stock them, only the ineffective foam or rubber.

Yep, the silicone ones work for me, about £5 from superdrug, maybe I should start importing them?

[isanbirder]

I live just behind a village wat, which starts broadcasting at 5.30 a.m., but only operates in the mornings. My solution: get up, a quick snack and a coffee, and a good long walk in the opposite direction. Good for the health... and the best time for birdwatching.

You cannot beat tthis... you can only take evasive action.

[gotlost]

The question is, what can I do about it?

Nothing live with it. or move.

[Hog Head]

If you cut the wire they will eventually repair it.

Push a small pin through the cable, so that it shorts the 2 conductors - preferably in a buried location. Snip off the protruding ends so that it will be difficult to locate the fault. This will keep then busy trying to rectify the problem and they likely will either give up, or decide that there is no budget to replace defective electronics.

Do not do this when the wire is live.

Have fun

[mario299]

The question is, what can I do about it?

Nothing live with it. or move.

Agreed, nothing you can do about it but ear plugs. And worse yet now, for us, our dog howls when they start the music...adds to the misery. We do, however, get the latest news from the puhyai when we can listen over the howling.

mario299

[Thaddeus]

I once asked my ex what the guy was blabbering on about, she said "don't know, don't listen" when I asked her if anyone in the village listened she simply said "no"

Unfortunately the puu yais are very proud of their jobs mostly and hang on to this archaic method of communication with a death grip.

[Lite Beer]

My Wife never listens to it either.

Occasionally it is important news like last month when He announced that the electric supply would be cut the next day for repairs.

I was sitting here all day with no electric which means no water for showers or flushing the toilet.

[tim armstrong]

If you cut the wire they will eventually repair it.

Push a small pin through the cable, so that it shorts the 2 conductors - preferably in a buried location. Snip off the protruding ends so that it will be difficult to locate the fault. This will keep then busy trying to rectify the problem and they likely will either give up, or decide that there is no budget to replace defective electronics.

Do not do this when the wire is live.

Have fun

Good suggestions The 'no budget' angle is a good one. Some of the speakers have disappeared in our area. Definitely no money to replace them. Unusually my wife and SIL marched off with some friends recently to complain to the local admin. But no change yet. Its a pity some rats couldn't be trained as they love plastic insulation. I had a dream about this event, but I couldn't work out which wire to cut, and I got fried and fell off the ladder. (Too many movies) Sorry, I don't have a solution, maybe the earplugs

[PattayaParent]

Go visit the phuyai bahn and offer to donate 5,000 Baht to his re-election campaign and ask if anything can be done to relocate the speaker.

[DP25]

These loudspeakers are absolutely horrible, I could never live with them. In Thailand I need the peace and quite offered by cities.

[Travel2003]

The most indispensable item for Thailand/Asia, GOOD ear plugs, only obtainable from friends getting them at BOOTS UK. Boots here don't stock them, only the ineffective foam or rubber.

Yep, the silicone ones work for me, about £5 from superdrug, maybe I should start importing them?

Wow, you guys accept the fact that you might sleep rest of your lifes using ear plugs?

[SiriusBlack1]

Some good, useful and practical suggestions, thanks!

Active noise control or the donation to the pua yai sound like the best options. I'd love to snip the wires but there's a security camera mounted on the same pole, and not too many people in the neighborhood look like me as you can imagine, so with my luck I'd probably get rumbled.

[Travel2003]

Some good, useful and practical suggestions, thanks!

Active noise control or the donation to the pua yai sound like the best options. I'd love to snip the wires but there's a security camera mounted on the same pole, and not too many people in the neighborhood look like me as you can imagine, so with my luck I'd probably get rumbled.

I think post # 12 got it spot on.

Sorry to say, but I think there is nothing legal you can do about it.

Im also sorry that you were not aware of this before you moved there.

Luckily I was aware of it, which is why I choose not to move to my wife's town.

Good luck mate.

You might get used to it. Im sure many have already.

[travelmann]

How long have the loudspeakers been operating?

These same loudspeakers appeared on Soi WatBoon in Jomtien about 1 month ago. The music/commentary started about 7 am and continued until 8 am. However they irritated many farang/tourists in the area and someone in our building wrote a complaining letter and asked anyone/everyone interested to sign it. He then arranged for the letter to be sent to Banglamung district offices. Who it was addressed to I don't know. But the loudspeakers have been silent for the past week!

They belong in rural areas, not residential areas in the Pattaya/Jomtien area, where many listeners do not even understand the commentary. I speak Thai and like luk thung music, but I am not a farmer and have no need to awaken at 7 am to loud radio.

Try to enlist a small group of people who are also bothered by them and complain as a group. Or ask that the loudspeakers be limited to playing the national anthem at 8 am. This actually is the most important use of these loudspeakers for Thai officials.

Nope they ruin rural areas also and these days with the advent of mobile phones and tv are in fact uneceesary. I suppose they might announce whats going on in the village but in the civilised world we have a "notice board" of course this assumes they can read..............many cant.

I did hear you can stick a resistor or something in the wire and it muffles it right down but id cut the bloody thing off although thats easy to see and fix, slice half trhu the wire harder for them to find.

I bought land where ther arent any and if they come Ill be hacking them down

Edited February 1, 2011 by travelmann

[SiriusBlack1]

I don't want to destroy any property as that could land me in hot water. One thing I'd considered was placing a hood of some kind over the speaker, directing the sound upward.

I'm gratified to learn from Bobbin's post that a small number of people petitioning can get something done. Failing that, a small ANC device would be fine -- I'll see if I can pick one up in Akihabara.

I don't want to destroy anything and I certainly have no need to defeat anybody. I just want to get what I want.

[mstribling]

I don't want to destroy any property as that could land me in hot water. One thing I'd considered was placing a hood of some kind over the speaker, directing the sound upward.

I'm gratified to learn from Bobbin's post that a small number of people petitioning can get something done. Failing that, a small ANC device would be fine -- I'll see if I can pick one up in Akihabara.

I don't want to destroy anything and I certainly have no need to defeat anybody. I just want to get what I want.

Good luck.

[jazzbo]

From The Blues Brothers (Elwood's room is just a few meters away from the elevated Chicago 'L' train):

Elwood: Well, it ain't much, but it's home.

Jake: How often does the train go by?

Elwood: So often you won't even notice it.

-- I live next to a Wat ... the large bass drums at 4AM are not always appreciated

Edited February 1, 2011 by jazzbo

[glomp]

insulate the bedroom to keep the heat out. Saves you power for the AC and gives a bit more soundproofing.

perhaps worth investigating?

[SiriusBlack1]

insulate the bedroom to keep the heat out. Saves you power for the AC and gives a bit more soundproofing.

perhaps worth investigating?

Good idea.

Kills two soi dogs with one stone.

[MJP]

insulate the bedroom to keep the heat out. Saves you power for the AC and gives a bit more soundproofing.

perhaps worth investigating?

Good idea.

Kills two soi dogs with one stone.

[bina]

I was sitting here all day with no electric which means no water for showers or flushing the toilet

litebeer, thailand the land of large garbage pails filled with water and a plastic bowl for both shower and toilet convenience... i indeed appreciate the training i received in thailand with both bowl and bucket, when we have water/electric issues here (happens often enough)...

bina

israel