Last year we took a long lease on a property located in what was at that time a secluded and idyllic corner of the Thai countryside.

Knowing only too well about noise pollution problems after many years of living in Thailand, this seemed perfect. No villages, karaoke lounges, moobahns, temples, or factories etc. for miles around.

But -- for the last few months, an isolated farmhouse about 150 metres away, and completely hidden by a thick band of trees, plays an local FM radio station the whole day. Not blaring disco music, just a loud, unrelenting, invasive sound, which continues for 6-8 hours a day, every single day.

This ruins the feeling of peace, the quality of life, and destroys the dream.

The local Kamnan who we know well has spoken to them on our behalf three times, but they just ignore him. Apparently, they are uneducated people who think being in the middle of the countryside means you can make as much noise as you want. There are no other neighbours in proximity, so a group protest is not on the cards. (And blasting them back with Beethoven or the Beatles has absolutely no effect)

Short of moving out and losing all we have invested in making the place habitable, the idea comes to build a natural sound wall.

A concrete/brick structure would be both too expensive and unsightly, as it would need to be about 4 metres high and 10 metres long, so Im thinking about maybe using rows of thick bamboo filled with some natural insulators such as coconut husks? It would have to be erected about 2-3 metres away from the end of the house which faces the sound source.I realise this plan may not be practical or workable, but if anyone else has solved a similar problem, or is a sound expert, wed be grateful for advice or other suggestions. No jokes please.

Whilst this link is a commercial product, you may be able to make something similar.

will you consider ear plugs that are use in a rifle range ?

No jokes please.

Get used to it, or move.

Not joking but have you considered paying them a small amount?

I know that seems ridiculous but I know of someone that gave a neighbor a small amount and they stopped

Cheaper than building a sound barrier

Bamboo filled with coconut husks will not do the job. I'm a sound engineer. Anything I suggest will not be cheap and would not be practical. I suggest that you find another solution to the problem.

The idea that bazmlb has put forth is what they use to block the sound of traffic from quiet residential neighborhoods - sound barriers. It would cost you a fortune to build something like that.

indoors it's doable. outdoors would be a science breakthrough or mega expensive.

A system used on Melbourne freeway near Hallam

You don't want to hear the solution DH used for the construction workers next door who blared their truck radio at 6 a.m. every morning. While it worked, it's not one I would necessarily recommend.

Would it be possible to raise a high berm of earth between them and you? Additionally, would white noise work at all?

I gather a bottle of whiskey and quiet 'friendly' word has already failed ?

Not joking but have you considered paying them a small amount?

I know that seems ridiculous but I know of someone that gave a neighbor a small amount and they stopped

Cheaper than building a sound barrier

I hate the idea of payoff but it might be the only solution without resorting to violence which certainly will get you into trouble.

It may backfire though if your neighbors later feel that they could extract more money from you for playing music even louder than before.

My sympathy is with you. So sorry!

cut there elect. take a bottle of whiskey and have a chat cheaper than your wall

I doubt any kind of sound barrier would work, unless it was close to where the sound was produced. If it's on your property not theirs, the sound won't be stopped by it, at all.

The barriers used to cut down sound from things like railway lines, are right next to the tracks. Also, trains aren't a continuous source of noise, they only make noise for a few seconds, then they're gone. The barriers reduce the sound but don't eliminate it.

I wish I could suggest something that would help but, unless they stop doing it for whatever reason, I'm sorry to say, you're stuck with it.

Most likley the fm signal they are getting is very weak . I would recomend getting a transmitter and playing your own music , much cheeper than a wall which probably would not work . You could play ac/dc all day my guess is they would turn it off and give up after a few days . It worked in Pamama might work here !

http://www.pcs-electronics.com/3000-stereo-transmitter-card-p-1664.html?gclid=CI_99ayiw6kCFcl66wod6k30Kw

Here is your solution - I've no idea about the legality here, but its along the lines of the post above - but jams the signal.

http://www.afrotechmods.com/cheap/jammer/jammer.htm

Or you could get a transmitter, and transmit silence once you find the station they are on - but to be honest, they will just tune to a different station. The link above is the answer.

Sounds like a wall is not the answer.

Creating a conflict with them in any way including playing your own music at high volume will only make things worse. Often just waiting is all that is needed and the problem goes away. Alternatively get creative in a positive way.

How about giving them a couple of small portable radios with headphones? Inexpensive, they get their music and you get your quiet. A bonus of a few batteries a month?

We live near a busy street. I had the wall built up to around 3M or so. It didn't stop the noise. Reduced it quite a bit, but did not completely block it out.

I think buying them off is the way to go. Find an intermediary and see if they can negotiate for you????

Good luck!

The 'Buy Off' has been mentioned a couple of times already in this thread.... I suspect this could be a terrible mistake. The Op is dealing with Poor (I assumed) and undedicated (I assume again) people. Any pay off will immediately be interpreted as weakness and a new Money Spinner...

The Op needs to place himself in a position of strength from which to negotiate his peace and quiet. Although it has been mentioned that the village head has spoken with the neighbors is the Op 100% sure of this. As we know Thai's tend to avoid conflict and complaints so the Village Chief may have simply preferred to ignore the issue and spin the white lie...

It might be something best handled by the Op with a Firm but Polite tone, while at the same time offering something small to show his humility (i.e. Bottle of Whiskey), Failing that then a

FM transmitter might be the way to go (that would have the neighbors stumped for a long while).

Handheld EMP? Or EMP 'gun'??

First find out who is occupying the house. If only the last few months it could be a case of a renter or caretaker making the noise. In which case a quick word to the owner might suffice.

Must be some radio to broadcast over 150m. Are you sure that's where its coming from.

This suggestion could run into a few baht, but it might help calm the frayed nerves. Is it possible to install a water feature (fountain or waterfall) in your yard? Certainly this does nothing to quiet the neighbors' radio, but it could block out some of the noise from their place. Moreover the sound of water is quite relaxing (if you can tune out the other noise).

It must be pretty darn loud to hear a radio through the trees from 150m away. But if it is such a serious problem then it is not the offending family you purchase the whiskey for but instead you treat your pal the kamnan, and his family, to a nice meal along with the whiskey. And coinciding with that event you make some merit (tam bun) by hosting the local abbot (cao awat) and his monks from the local temple and make a contribution. Then you remark that the noise is intolerable and you would be forced to move to another region if the music did not reach a tolerable level regarding both volume and duration.

The last thing you want is to act directly with the neighbors. That is not the Thai way. You must use the kamnan to act as your phu yai. And if they still have roots in the community, you can also note to the landlord that the current situation is intolerable and might force you to break your lease.

Just like to say MANY THANKS to all who responded with helpful suggestions and technical advice – very much appreciated.

The essential problem is that it’s otherwise dead quiet here – no white noise, just birds, insects, and leaves rustling in the breeze - and that was the whole wonderful appeal at the outset.

The sound of an ordinary FM radio at high volume with a maximum bass setting travels a long way in this environment.

Anyway, you’ve given us food for thought, and we’re most grateful to you all – this is Thai Visa at its best.

Not joking but have you considered paying them a small amount?

I know that seems ridiculous but I know of someone that gave a neighbor a small amount and they stopped

Cheaper than building a sound barrier

Some times you gotta think out side the box

PS-Good idea and just might work. Probably best if a respected go between person is used...

One of the main reasons not to buy property. You should feel blessed you do not own the property. Well sort of.

One of the main reasons not to buy property. You should feel blessed you do not own the property. Well sort of.

Correct, unfortunately.

I have heard numerous stories over the years of foreigners investing their life savings to buy/build their own dream home in Thailand, only to have it turn into a nightmare for whatever reason – new highway projects opening close by, bars opening with music thumping until way after midnight, new construction projects nearby, plus of course Neighbours from Hell, unforeseen flooding, etc.

As in our case, there is always a risk of paradise turning into purgatory in Thailand, no matter how ‘safe’ you think you are, far away from populated areas.

Buyer beware therefore.

Rental property in Chiang Mai is inexpensive, likely to remain that way, and the further out you go, the cheaper it becomes. As a tenant, just don’t -- as we have done -- invest large sums on improvements.

If things become intolerable for whatever reason, you can move somewhere else and leave the problem behind, without a painful financial loss.

Handheld EMP? Or EMP 'gun'??

Even a largish EMP gun will only be useful over 15m, not really an option here i think.

Neighbours From Hell I think the OP is a tad too sensitive. I mean a FM Radio 150 meters away..........

I wonder if the neighbors moved to the country so they 'could ' play loud music. If bass is whats bothering you, mail them a cd anonymously and load a 10hz sinewave track on it masked by a regular song and record the 10hz sinewave level +12db, better yet +24 db

The sub will break in about 30 seconds do to torn suspension.

Better yet get one one of those frequency transmitters and do it from the comfort of your couch interactively.I have all the tracks and can generate any frequency, just let me know.

For your own white noise counter-effort, how about installing a fountain or rock fish pond/waterfall to help things a bit ? It could make things look nice and cut whatever's in the audio air.