Loudspeaker

[loong]

I have seen workmen digging and concreting near to the village handpump opposite our house.

My neighbour, an old lady has had a tower in her garden with a loudspeaker that hasn't been used in the 6 years that I have lived here.

Now I see that they have removed the tower from the neighbour's garden and moving it to the common ground opposite.

I asked my neighbour what was going on and she told me that she had requested that the village headman take away the tower. The reason being that her Granddaughter that lives with her liked to climb it and she was afraid that she would hurt herself if she fell. Understandable as the tower is quite high.

Now, of course, as it is in no-one's garden I guess that a lot more children will be tempted to climb it.

I am more concerned that we will be bombarded with noise at 6AM, but I am assured that this will not be the case. I find that difficult to believe, because if they are not going to use the loudspeaker, why not just take it away instead of moving it.

I have lived in a number of villages in my time and I know how loud and annoying these speakers can be. When I see one put a matter of metres from our house, I fear the worse.

[rene123]

I fear you are right. I just came back from Mae La Noi in the Yuam River valley. The little village is FULL of those speakers that come on at 6 AM with some terrible noise that sounds like two cats being tortured slowly for an hour. Then, at 7 AM the screetching noise turns into an hour of propaganda. Finally, about 8 AM it ceases and your jangled nerves can resort to normal. i think there have been other topics on the same subject. No wonder the Thais like Hitler. That is the same tactic he used in 1937.

[Mosha]

We have the speakers in the Moo Ban, and they are only used when the Puy Yai has something to announce. This isn't often.

[krisb]

I think Im the only 1 that likes those speakers. Its a part of Thai village life!

[Hedghog]

Maybe you would prefer.

splat splat splat,as the local kids fall of the tower

[NanLaew]

If the tower is relocated but the speakers aren't reconnected, then the OP needs only to get a tub of axle grease and liberally coat the lower reaches of the new 'climbing frame' to discourage the kids and carry on his peaceful and safe existence.

[rene123]

If the tower is relocated but the speakers aren't reconnected, then the OP needs only to get a tub of axle grease and liberally coat the lower reaches of the new 'climbing frame' to discourage the kids and carry on his peaceful and safe existence.

Brilliant idea, NanLaew. Kids aren't going to waste their time cleaning off the grease so they can climb.

[Bluetongue]

I dont mind the loudspeaker, mind you the nearest one is about 200metres away, I am between 2 moobans so we get different noise from one about 400 metres away and with the echoes around the valley and a time lag between other ones as well it can get pretty confusing. After a few years I have worked out which one is our pu yai, he makes a small number of announcements plus reads out your name if you have mail at his house(not every day). Sometimes they play music not raucous just that lilting melodious stuff but only for 5 or 10 minutes. Nah, doesn't bother me at all, but I do recall travelling in the north years ago when these were being used for propaganda in areas occupied by non ethnic Thais.

[loong]

If the tower is relocated but the speakers aren't reconnected, then the OP needs only to get a tub of axle grease and liberally coat the lower reaches of the new 'climbing frame' to discourage the kids and carry on his peaceful and safe existence.

Good idea, but then I can envisage parents lining up to demand compensation for their children's ruined clothes

[canopy]

I think Im the only 1 that likes those speakers. Its a part of Thai village life!

Loud speaker systems entering Thai villages has its roots in communism. Remember there was a time not so long ago there were no loudspeakers in the villages and that's the REAL Thai village life that existed for centuries. Anyone who thinks it is ok for others to control what you hear, how long you hear it, and what time of day you hear it is a strange person to me. I propose that people who want to hear that racket on a daily basis should be able to request the outdoor speakers be moved inside their house, directly over their bed. That would create the perfect village life for everyone.

[NanLaew]

Loud speaker systems entering Thai villages has its roots in communism. ....

Unlike the speakers in the villages in rural China where they serve to propogate the 'Party line', the speakers in rural Thailand were conceived to counteract the influence of the Thai Communist Party, disaffected, socialist students and other left-leaning radicals that were driven into the countryside in the 1970's.