How to get a local wat to not play a loud single song every day?

[boomerangutang]

I went this evening to reconnoiter. Only one horn speaker (there were 2 or 3 before), but it's powerful, and they put it 5 meters up a concrete pole. The wires are high also, and not coming up the pole. A nearby pole has 5 security cameras facing 360 degrees, and there are powerful lights everywhere. I tried tracing the speaker wires, but they're mixed with other wires, so it's v. doubtful I'll do anything untoward. I've met the head monk a couple of times. We even waved at each other as I pulled my car away, this evening. He's an amiable fellow, and he's got grande plans for his complex. Already, a 9 story pagoda which visitors can walk up to the top, using alternate staircases. It's got about 2,000 large wattage lights on and around it. A large wat, with white Xmas lights all over is 80% done, and on a nearby hill they're building a statue of what will be (my guess) the largest female Buddha in the world. It's as tall as a 12 story apartment. Each of the lotus pedals on her pedestal are as big as the roof of a bungalo. Visitors will be able to take 2 elevators up in to her head and look out (through her eyes or through her crown?) on 3 levels. Ironically, the female Buddha faces my property, 2 Km away, as I'm due east of her. She will be lit up each night, I'm sure, as everything else at the compound is. Its name is Wat Hoy Plakang, 5 km northwest of Chiang Rai. They've already got 30 giant busloads of Asian tourists going there every day - and the village is only about 250 folks.

I'll grin a bear the sound (maybe with clenched teeth). I have another property I could move to, which is 5 km SW of the wat, and I can see the female Buddha statue from there also. ha ha, chortle. For 43 years I've called myself a Buddhist. Now, I'm a 'none of the above.'

[harrry]

You may wish to go and have a talk to this guy...Brahmburgers is his name. He aparently gets upset at people complaining to the monks about the speakers there.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/231502-hoy-plakang-town-mistaken-identity/

[hookedondhamma]

Moving may not help, every chance they'll start to do it in the new place. "Noise pollution" from a variety of sources (Wats, parties etc; in my village the village chief has taken to blaring sounds and announcements at an ungodly hour) is a fact of life in Thailand.

I keep earplugs by my bed.

I agree about the earplugs. I have always had a pair with me since after about two months living here.

[boomerangutang]

You may wish to go and have a talk to this guy...Brahmburgers is his name. He aparently gets upset at people complaining to the monks about the speakers there.

I know the guy well. He's a quixotic oddball. He's endeavoring to build a free park near his town singlehandedly. He asked a few Thais if they'd want to assist and they thought he was off his rocker. Who, in their right mind, would want to work and sweat outdoors, with no monetary gain, when they could be hanging out at an air-conditioned mall?

[Briggsy]

Which earplugs are good quality? The ones I get on planes seem to fall out.

[hookedondhamma]

Which earplugs are good quality? The ones I get on planes seem to fall out.

the green ones by 3M are great - they block out alot but you can't hear if someone comes uo to you and asks a question.

The pair I have now was given to me by the nurses in a hospital in Buengkan province. They're similar to the 3M but you can hear when people talk - they take the edge off the loud voices though and tones down racket from the speakers in the mu bahn.

[Adeeos]

THE trick, with installing ear plugs CORRECTLY,,, you can't just poke them in,, they'll not go deep enough to REALLY help, and tend to fall out,, The green 3M ones are great,, The trick,, roll them between thumb/forefinger,, squish them to a smaller diameter,, (they'll expand),, putting in left ear,, reach over the top of your head with right hand/arm,, pulling up on the top of the left ear,, insert the squished plug,, repeat with right ear,,, This opens/straightens the ear canal,, allowing you to get them in deeper,,, Learned from many many years working in a heavy iron fabricating shop,,,,

[godzilla]

go to the wat and do a big pooh on the steps

[Somtamnication]

How long has the wat been there? 200 years? Move.

Alternatively, give them Pink Floyd's Keep Talking.

[Briggsy]

Thanks, Adeeos, I'll try that. I hope you are not having me on.

[stedyedy]

30 minutes a day seriously better than hourly streches like here in our street,and thats full on dubstep or drumnbass but I like it anyway.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Somsrisonphimai]

There is nothing you can do but to get your dancing shoe on.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[wym]

Can't believe you guys are seriously talking about earplugs <deleted>!

Have you really got a ball and chain keeping you to this one location?

[speedtripler]

Can't believe you guys are seriously talking about earplugs <deleted>!

Have you really got a ball and chain keeping you to this one location?

otherwise known as a wife .......

[wym]

Can't believe you guys are seriously talking about earplugs <deleted>!

Have you really got a ball and chain keeping you to this one location?

otherwise known as a wife .......

If the wife doesn't follow you wherever you go then you're not doing it right

[boomerangutang]

How long has the wat been there? 200 years? Move.

The wat; 3 years (and haven't yet got the wat built), and I've been in the neighborhood 16 years. According to your logic, does that mean the wat should move, because I've been here a lot longer?

I look at it from a different angle. The wat is in the neighborhood. It can be debated whether they're sacrosant or whatever. But, being a neighbor means not annoying others in the neighborhood. In general, Thais have different standards than farang, regarding noise and trash. If I do anything which annoys my neighbors, I'd like them to tell me about it. If I can fix it, I will.

Examples: if I have a trash can without a top, and dogs get soiled pampers and leave them all over neighbors' properties, I'd like to know about it so I can fix the trash can. (that was an actual issue I had with my neighbor's soiled pampers.) If I play music that annoys my neighbors, I'd like to know about it, so I can improve the situation. Needless to say, I've had noise problems with nearly all my neighbors, but I've learned not to even mention it anymore to them - because Thais are easily offended, and quick to anger.

[Adeeos]

Thanks, Adeeos, I'll try that. I hope you are not having me on.

Not at all,,, just poking them in,,, doesn't always work,,,, do as I stated,,, they'll work well,,,,,

[wym]

I look at it from a different angle. The wat is in the neighborhood. It can be debated whether they're sacrosant or whatever. But, being a neighbor means not annoying others in the neighborhood. In general, Thais have different standards than farang, regarding noise and trash.

No, they have different standards in that they don't at all go along with:

being a neighbor means not annoying others in the neighborhood

In fact, I'd say in Thailand, being a good neighbor means not letting yourself get annoyed by such things, or at least not being so rude as to openly show that annoyance.

Much more fundamental difference than sheer quantity of the "causes" of your annoyance.

And then you have the sacrosanct aspect, obviously monks are right up there, in theory even more so than the government.

Afraid you need to live with it, or move.

Or perhaps make large regular donations on the condition they turn it down.

Maybe a one-time payment will at least move the pole, point it away from your house?

But I'm still not backing down on anyone living long-term in Thailand shouldn't get too tied to a given spot, be ready to pack up and move when these things come up.

[wym]

Cool article, IMO relevant on (sub)cultural differences wrt not disturbing the neighbors - in this case on the right to have noisy sex:

http://nymag.com/thecut/2014/02/not-apologize-for-having-loud-sex.html

[somchaismith]

What I can't believe is how foreigners come to Thailand, they're in the minority, but they still want to change things to suit themselves.

Just imagine, back home, if you were at the football and an Asian man came to you and started waffling on (mind you in a foreign language too), about your loud church hymns, which he didn't like. What would your response be?

Edited February 9, 2014 by somchaismith

[boomerangutang]

What I can't believe is how foreigners come to Thailand, they're in the minority, but they still want to change things to suit themselves.

Just imagine, back home, if you were at the football and an Asian man came to you and started waffling on (mind you in a foreign language too), about your loud church hymns, which he didn't like. What would your response be?

"church hymns at 'the football' ....no comprendo, senior."

Who are the Thai people? They're all immigrants. Before them were a mix of Khmer and Malay, Tibetan, and several others. Before them were aboriginal tribes, long since gone. We are one species. We do not own the land - neither farang, Thai or incoming Asian mixes. Similar to Caribs in the Caribbean islands. They were an aggressive group which came up from S.America and eradicated (or inter-breeded with) indigenous peaceful tribes who there prior. As for Thailand, I can't respect a grouping of people who are very out of touch (indeed, afraid of) nature, and who are on a collective campaign to pave over as much of nature with concrete as fast as they can.

Are squirrels living in Thailand, any less Thai than the people living here? ....Any less important? You could hike for months in any part of northern Thailand and you'd be lucky to see one squirrel - and that would be the biggest wild mammal you'd see.

[tim armstrong]

Maybe a bit obvious, or maybe you've tried it already, but have you talked to the head monk. They are usually quite approachable, especially if you have your wallet in hand. Decide before you go what it's worth. I reckon about 5,000 baht will get the volume down and a change of song. Take a thai with you who is not too subservient in front of monks.

[claffey]

Before starting to sabotage it's maybe a good plan first to talk with the abbot of the temple.

Most force pressed on Thais come back harder. Talk, smile and don't corner or confront them. That is the way civilized Thais solve problems.

The arrogance of Westerners is startling. Do you actually think that you can move to a country and expect them to change their views to placate your self importance! An ordinary Thai would never approach a head abbot for this reason so a farang will hardly make a difference and probably make the situation worse....

[somchaismith]

What I can't believe is how foreigners come to Thailand, they're in the minority, but they still want to change things to suit themselves.

Just imagine, back home, if you were at the football and an Asian man came to you and started waffling on (mind you in a foreign language too), about your loud church hymns, which he didn't like. What would your response be?

....no comprendo, senior."

That's what all they say.

[wym]

Before starting to sabotage it's maybe a good plan first to talk with the abbot of the temple.

Most force pressed on Thais come back harder. Talk, smile and don't corner or confront them. That is the way civilized Thais solve problems.

The arrogance of Westerners is startling. Do you actually think that you can move to a country and expect them to change their views to placate your self importance! An ordinary Thai would never approach a head abbot for this reason so a farang will hardly make a difference and probably make the situation worse....

No, if approached in the right way - with humility, "just asking on the off chance" and offering a hefty donation, tithing something like that may well work. Certainly worth a shot.

I agree it's white-man hubris, but they understand we have crazy cultural differences and monks do tend to bepretty tolerant.

[mmh8]

I went this evening to reconnoiter. Only one horn speaker (there were 2 or 3 before), but it's powerful, and they put it 5 meters up a concrete pole. The wires are high also, and not coming up the pole. A nearby pole has 5 security cameras facing 360 degrees, and there are powerful lights everywhere. I tried tracing the speaker wires, but they're mixed with other wires, so it's v. doubtful I'll do anything untoward. I've met the head monk a couple of times. We even waved at each other as I pulled my car away, this evening. He's an amiable fellow, and he's got grande plans for his complex. Already, a 9 story pagoda which visitors can walk up to the top, using alternate staircases. It's got about 2,000 large wattage lights on and around it. A large wat, with white Xmas lights all over is 80% done, and on a nearby hill they're building a statue of what will be (my guess) the largest female Buddha in the world. It's as tall as a 12 story apartment. Each of the lotus pedals on her pedestal are as big as the roof of a bungalo. Visitors will be able to take 2 elevators up in to her head and look out (through her eyes or through her crown?) on 3 levels. Ironically, the female Buddha faces my property, 2 Km away, as I'm due east of her. She will be lit up each night, I'm sure, as everything else at the compound is. Its name is Wat Hoy Plakang, 5 km northwest of Chiang Rai. They've already got 30 giant busloads of Asian tourists going there every day - and the village is only about 250 folks.

I'll grin a bear the sound (maybe with clenched teeth). I have another property I could move to, which is 5 km SW of the wat, and I can see the female Buddha statue from there also. ha ha, chortle. For 43 years I've called myself a Buddhist. Now, I'm a 'none of the above.'

cctv could be a problem with destroying the speaker. I feel for you man, I don't understand the noise pollution in this country and why no locals complain.

it is not just outsiders who want to change this, many Thai's want to stop this ignorrant stuff too. As I am frequently told, how can pissing off all your neigbours be good karma for anyone, I suspect the only karma is that the ones playing the music suffer from damaged hearing , loss of hairs etc. Despite the karma this just accacerbates the problem, since the sound is just ramped up more to play naff music or promote local what ever day festival for getting abbot more money .

point is no locals complain, since they don't know where to start either

[wym]

Many things we consider basic "rights", are not so here.

Peace and quiet in your home, much less in public, is one of them.

Effective and fair, not to mention paid from taxes, law enforcement and emergency response.

Citizens having some power vis-à-vis their "public servants" (if we were citizens)

etc etc

Just not on here, B & M all you like isn't going to change a thing.

Adapt and relax.

[Briggsy]

That may be a drug money wat. I wouldn't mess with them if I were you.

Edited February 10, 2014 by Briggsy

[edwinchester]

Before starting to sabotage it's maybe a good plan first to talk with the abbot of the temple.

Most force pressed on Thais come back harder. Talk, smile and don't corner or confront them. That is the way civilized Thais solve problems.

The arrogance of Westerners is startling. Do you actually think that you can move to a country and expect them to change their views to placate your self importance! An ordinary Thai would never approach a head abbot for this reason so a farang will hardly make a difference and probably make the situation worse....

This is exactly what my Thai wife did with the support of her friends in the village. Have a read of #29.

[boomerangutang]

Before starting to sabotage it's maybe a good plan first to talk with the abbot of the temple.

Most force pressed on Thais come back harder. Talk, smile and don't corner or confront them. That is the way civilized Thais solve problems.

The arrogance of Westerners is startling. Do you actually think that you can move to a country and expect them to change their views to placate your self importance! An ordinary Thai would never approach a head abbot for this reason so a farang will hardly make a difference and probably make the situation worse....

There is arrogance, and there is speaking up for what you feel is right. People are people. National boundaries are man-made. I have respect and tolerance for others, but there are places where I draw the line. If I see a mother bashing her son in public, or a husband pummeling his wife/g.f. or someone tying up a dog and beating it with a stick (something I saw in Mexico), then that would compel me to take action.

We are visitors to a foreign land, but we are also world citizens, all of us. Even visitors, still and forever farang, can be considered 'natives' from some perspectives. For example, if they've resided here for many years, raised family here, melded with locals, etc.

I recall a story I read in the newspaper 'Letter to Editor': A farang woman was in a rail coach. All windows were closed tight. All the other passengers were Thai, and wouldn't open any windows, regardless of how stuffy it became. I think the custodian advised against it for some odd reason. Only the farang woman had the gumption to open her window - to the great relief of everyone in the coach. Is that arrogance? Afterwards, some Thais opened their windows.