noise and the police

[Estrada]

Most bars pay protection money to the police and some are even owned by the police so you would need to pay the police compensation if you are to get them to turn down the noise or even switch it off. We have 5 restaurant/discos within 100 metres of our house but I must say that I am not bothered by the noise except on rare occasions. The largest two bars are operated by the police, one is even next door to the temporary Phrakanong Police Station.

Best get some earplugs.

[MobileContent]

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I wouldn't hold your breath...It all depends who is making the noise. If it's the offspring of some stuffed shirt, you've little or no chance. We had the local boy racers recently roaring around the place with their un-silenced chicken chasers at 3 am. It turned out the 'leader' of this bunch of losers was the nephew of one of the local Kamnan's....until they went racing too near to the wrong house - the local Chief of Police - and woke his 2 infant kids up. They were rounded up, bikes confiscated in seconds after that....

Same hear in our village. The son of a Kamnan has the loudest bike. Wish we have a local police chief in our village.

[AsterixThai]

I had this problem in Koh Samui.

1 - I went to the office of public health a report

2 - They went to the "musician" to inform Regulation

3- to 2 weeks without problem, but he started

4 - Complaint to the police who confiscated his sound

5 - He wanted to hit me, complained to the police

6 - He had to pay a fine of 5000 THB 20,000 and threatened if recidivism.

7 - 9 months ago, I'm quiet

[namdocmai]

In Chaweng on Samui we booked a nice bungalow in a resort at the beach. Then we had to hear very loud music all night long from far away, it was a disco playing very loud misic. Nobody in the resort could sleep and there were plenty other hotels/resorts close to ours.

The owner said the police was paid so they had to live with it.

[Mr Brown]

I understand the OP frustration with this one. I had a similar situation over the 7 day holiday period [Christmas] last year.

The people across the road from were I live had just completed the building of the new house. The daughter of those people decided it was a good idea to throw a party to coincide with the completion of her parents house and the holiday period. The only problem was the Party started on the Monday evening at 7pm with music blaring at an unacceptable level and the later it got the louder it got. This went on until 3am the next morning. Now some might say I need to suck it up because TIT. Well the party actually went for the next 9 nights as well. The minute the sun set the music went on and it blared until 3am every night. After several complaints from a near by hotel and several other neighbors the party actually stopped. Thinking that we had somewhat of a win was satisfying at the time. However I later found out that the ONLY reason the music stopped was because the daughter had gone back to Bangkok after the holiday period. Yes indeed, mutual consideration is only two words when it comes to some in this country.

[klauskunkel]

How does that line go in the Thai National Anthem, you can here it twice a day, oh yes:

"khon thai rak sangop!", meaning: "Thai people like serenity, peace and quiet"

[recycler]

Extremely loud sound, preferably from different sources, seems to belong to this country.

At the beach there's a 1000 watt pickup every 50 meter which owner presumes it is his duty to provide all present with his choice of racket.

Local restaurant, nice setting, ponds, fish, sparkling sounds of water and... TV, radio and their own music system competing!

Nobody here gives a rats ass about sound!

[stephenterry]

It's the same old, do what they like with no sense of social responsibility or consequence. It's sanook. Other Thais would say - up to them.

[fvw53]

making very loud music can help to fill the emptiness of the brain

[elzach]

This is not a Thailand problem OP, it's an Asia problem (outside of Japan)

Root of the problem? "Other people don't exist".

Solution in Thailand: get a Thai to talk to them and offer them money to move their music somewhere else (for their trouble, Thais will understand that right away).

[thailandbeachisland]

Now we understand why wealthy Thai buy 30 millions houses ! At least neighboors won't be monkey MOTOSAI...

[LALes]

Police does not deal with noise, city council does.

Next time give them a call and they will send a car around.

Noise will not be the only worry for "nose makers" as city hall rangers(or whatever you call them) will also ask to see permits and licenses.

Its amazing how fast those get shut down

Ha! Where are you living? I remember going to Pattaya City Hall a few years ago. We got the runaround.

They pointed us in the direction of some bureaucrat and we could see him fleeing out the back door as we

approached. Noise is part of the deal in Thailand. If you don't have any, consider yourself lucky.

Once again, the best piece of advice....rent, don't buy.

[soalbundy]

I had a problem in my village with an idiot who was so proud of his new stereo that he would play it full blast all day and into the night (the speakers were one and a half meters high) He lived 100 meters from me but the music caused the windows to vibrate. He lives next door to the kamman who came to him several times a day and begged him to stop,his answer was if you don't like it move.Many people complained to him but to no avail. He would stop for about 6 hours if i complained ( a sort of respect for farangs or something) In the end i drove to the market town to the main police station and made a formal complaint. The station boss used a radio and called up one of the cars to investigate,he then told me by the time i drove home the problem would be sorted out..........it was!!!! As i drove into the village i was cheered by some families,the kamman came and shook my hand wordlessly ( i had done his job) The two policeman in the car had spoken to the idiot very aggressively, hands on their guns, and had warned him in no uncertain terms not to cause bother again,that was 4 months ago,he has't turned his stereo on since then........good to live in Isaan.

[maderaroja]

Moving doesn't solve the problem, there will always be a time when a party is thrown with loud music. Unfortunately, the best thing to do is to sit it out.

Not really. There are places in Thailand where's is quiet and respectful. I'm in one of those places, and honestly, it's too quiet for me. I'm the opposite of you guys -- you complain about the noise, where I complain about the lack of activity / interaction.

Ok, there were a few parties on New Years that lasted until about 1 am. Then a couple months back there was one morlam concert somewhere in the vicinity, but lasted one night. Other than that, unspoken word here is 8pm, neighborhood shuts down, noise off, and all dogs inside. That's just the way it works here.

You seem to be afraid to tell everyone where you are, that is so quiet. Is it for fear that we will join you?

[tullynagardy]

I quickly read through this topic and it seems no one has asked the obvious question of where the hell the OP is?!

This is massively relevant I would have thought.

A gated development in Bangkok will be rather different to a village in Issan. If it is the later (where it is socially accceptable for the speakers to blare out news from the village leader at 5 30am daily and parties to pump out music any day of the week) you dont have much hope.

Not to say Bangkok is much better, If its any consolation theres dozens of posters on here who had the same problem until very recently because of some crackpot politican called Suthep. Apparently he thought it was acceptable to blast music into the early hours and had a street party outside my mates Condo at Asoke for a solid 2 months! He lives in a tent in Lumpini park now.

Edited March 17, 2014 by tullynagardy

[namdocmai]

Also a 30m baht home doesn't help against this. I have seen it myself.

Thai are just very selfish.

I also have been in a nice resort somewhere at a river, all nice and perfect. Then some driving disco's came by over the water, very very loud music. When it got dark those driving disco's came nonstop untill 2 am. They had loads of them and that was the attraction of the town. Loads of people came there to rent a partyboat like that. I 'm happy i forgot where it was.

[DLP]

Thais just love noise.

[namdocmai]

I quickly read through this topic and it seems no one has asked the obvious question of where the hell the OP is?!

This is massively relevant I would have thought.

A gated development in Bangkok will be rather different to a village in Issan. If it is the later (where it is socially accceptable for the speakers to blare out news from the village leader at 5 30am daily and parties to pump out music any day of the week) you dont have much hope.

Not to say Bangkok is much better, If its any consolation theres dozens of posters on here who had the same problem until very recently because of some crackpot politican called Suthep. Apparently he thought it was acceptable to blast music into the early hours and had a street party outside my mates Condo at Asoke for a solid 2 months! He lives in a tent in Lumpini park now.

I live in a gated community in BKK with houses from 30 M baht in it, they do it outside the walls and the noise is still very good to hear.

The noise can go like 500 metres easy.

[tullynagardy]

the noise is still very good to hear.

Well at least you enjoy it

What are the playing? Western hard rock or something?

[Wordworx]

Generalization coming: Thais -- for that matter, most SE Asians and the Chinese -- have completely differently sensibilities about noise.

Just past two days, checked into (and out of) a nice place, really nice poolside rooms (immediately over the pool), A couple of Thai families check in, the kids immediately start screaming and the place becomes a nerve-rattling mess. At 07:00 the kids start screaming in the halls. At 07:10 the parents dump them in the pool, screaming, throwing tantrums, usual false crying. All this before 07:45, 10-20 feet from room. Parents sitting poolside with their F-king cereal and tea, completely oblivious and inconsiderate. Hotel staff and management just oblivious. And this is a four-star.

I could go on with about a million other examples, but will not. In short:

"Excuse me, do you hear those dogs / that blasting crappy music / shrieking / crying / running up and down the halls screaming kids?"

"What dogs / blasting crappy music / shrieking / crying / running up and down the halls screaming kids?"

Edited March 17, 2014 by Wordworx

[namdocmai]

the noise is still very good to hear.

Well at least you enjoy it

What are the playing? Western hard rock or something?

Yep lot of western partymusic, also thai housemusic. I don't live in a house from 30 Mb though but they are very close and must hear the noise like me or even louder.

[ehw200]

well you are lucky and don't know it

it could be a lot worse

I spend 6 months in Thailand and 6 months in Panama

I wnat to say that the music volume is nothing in Thailand compared to Panama

ih Panama they have BOOM trucks which are basically speakers on wheels

buy a van,,,load it with amplifiers ans speakers with a couple of extra for the roof and presto a boom truck

the police claim it is their culture

I have never seen such a bunch of inconsiderate people in the world as those in Panama

I tried going out when the noise started but then they cross the road and urinate all over my house

came home one day and one drunk peeing on my front steps

apparently getting shit faced on booze and drugsthen driving home is part of their culture too

one day one of these people was so drunk he went the wrong way

on his return he took out a telephone pole and a large tree,,,,sorry to say he lived

the grass is not always greener

[sante]

If moving isn't possible and the noise is supported by local authorities then ear plugs are the solution.

I'm extremely sensitive to sound so sometimes the blaring loudspeaker from the school adjacent to my apartment becomes unbearable. Or the raucous music from outdoor concerts that last until midnight. Or the endless blasts of fireworks on some Thai holidays. I've become an earplug expert.

My recommendation for total sound blockage is:

yellow cylinder non-tapered foam earplugs that squish easily to mold to the inner ear

http://www.ebay.com/itm/40-x-3M-EAR-Classic-Foam-Ear-Plugs-FREE-UK-P-P-/230847878967?pt=UK_BOI_ProtectiveGear_RL&hash=item35bf9b1737

And on top, wax earplugs for an outer seal.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/390494943084?_trksid=p2055120.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I don't use this dual system often but when I do, noise disappears.

Edited March 17, 2014 by sante

[robert888d]

T.I.T. This is Thailand!

Edited April 22, 2014 by metisdead
Oversize font reset to normal.

[edwardandtubs]

If moving isn't possible and the noise is supported by local authorities then ear plugs are the solution.

I'm extremely sensitive to sound so sometimes the blaring loudspeaker from the school adjacent to my apartment becomes unbearable. Or the raucous music from outdoor concerts that last until midnight. Or the endless blasts of fireworks on some Thai holidays. I've become an earplug expert.

My recommendation for total sound blockage is:

yellow cylinder non-tapered foam earplugs that squish easily to mold to the inner ear

http://www.ebay.com/itm/40-x-3M-EAR-Classic-Foam-Ear-Plugs-FREE-UK-P-P-/230847878967?pt=UK_BOI_ProtectiveGear_RL&hash=item35bf9b1737

And on top, wax earplugs for an outer seal.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/390494943084?_trksid=p2055120.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I don't use this dual system often but when I do, noise disappears.

That's not going to work. Loud bass creates vibrations that affect the whole body. Earplugs will make little if any difference.

[jsflynn603]

Asians do like their noise. So do many Americans. Sometimes I think it has to do with perceived penile perception and well, maybe in their minds bigger is better--who knows. If you can't have one...well maybe the other will compensate...

The Philippines sound like the description of Panama.

Suggestions of "wear ear plugs" often will not work. At certain sound levels, especially with high bass no hearing protection works because sound is transmitted to the ears via bone conduction.

Sound is complex but here's a simple comparison list for giggles and grins

100 NORMAL AVERAGE CAR OR HOUSE STEREO AT MAXIMUM

110 A CAR STEREO WITH TWO 6 X 9” SPEAKERS AND 100 WATTS

135-122 (P) “VERY LOUD” CAR STEREO, ONLY BASS LEVEL, HIGHS RARELY ABOVE 115

145-136 (P)“COMPETITION” CAR STEREO, SIXTEEN 12 OR EIGHT 15, OR FOUR 18 SPEAKERS

150 (N)ROCK CONCERT “THE WHO” TWO 10 STORY STACKS = 144 DOUBLE REFRIDGERATOR SIZED SPEAKERS, ACTUAL LEVEL REACHED 120 DB AT A DISTANCE OF 32 METERS FOR THIS NORMALIZED READING OF 150 DB.CONTINOUS LEVEL 114-118db (P) AT 32 METERS -REF.1.1982

world dB drag SPL records: 2007 180.5 dB, Alan Dante's concrete filled Volvo with a single Digital Designs 9918Z 18" subwoofer (3" dual voice coil 0.5 ohms) and four Stetsom 7KD amplifiers (26 kW) and fifteen Powermaster 16V batteries and a 61 Hz sine signal source

If nothing else you can have some solace knowing that, especially if they are drunk, and also have "braggart" sound systems, their hearing is rapidly beings destroyed. Of course this has another side to consider--as they lose hearing, they will feel the need to increase sound to compensate and will do so. In the early '80s I had a tenant family in a rental unit, dad and mom played in a rock group. Over time their stereo sound level increased causing complaints--yet they could not comprehend the problem.

Somewhat impractical solution:

If the park is tiny, collect and surreptitiously distribute various, preferably human fecal material here and there. They'll probably think a drunk does this at night and over time, they will leave. I had a friend who lived in a place in New York City. The neighborhood punks sat on doorsteps wherever they pleased but never on his--and the punks never noticed why. He carefully removed the grout between stone sections and inserted perforated hoses that wept water, just enough to make his steps continuously damp. No fun to sit on--problem solved. Nobody even noticed.

Sort of practical solution:

Build a Concrete block wall (filled). The success of this will vary as reflected sound can create sound direction sources other than the park.

Build a sound resistant home. Triple sealed glass works well and is what is often used in cities where houses are near airports. Windows can rattle at fairly low sound pressure because they present a large surface area and for instance windows that roll on a track vibrate easily. If your walls are concrete they are sound-resistant already. If wood frame (unlikely) the only real answer is to make a secondary wall with a space between and isolated with flexible connectors which is faced with a dense material (for instance two layers of 3/4" firecode rated gypsum wallboard. (Firecode X weighs about double the normal gypsum board.

Very impractical solution: Build a World dB Drag Competition Sound System, in a short time, theirs will no longer be noticeable.

Extremely impractical solution: Narcotics.

I do feel for you and remember being in a house in Cebu, Philippines where our windows shook and there was a house in between the sound system causing it, they were courteous though and shut it off around 11PM.

I wonder what the dBA output of roosters are....

btw, the iPhone has an app that can do a fairly good job measuring sound dB(A)

Edited March 17, 2014 by jsflynn603

[belg]

laws are here, none inforced

[khunjerrybkk]

I too have had numerous problems with LOUD MUSIC NOISE here in Chiang Mai in the past 5 years.

But it is MOST certainly getting WORSE each week.

Last year lived in House & View Housing development.....same problem with LOUD BASS THUMPING from cars traveling in development and from neighbor car across the street.

Complained to Police Hqtrs with a written statement and had PROOF with car photo's and recording of NOISE on my mobile. The next day (late afternoon) the Police came to my house and told ALL people involved that if they received another complaint about the LOUD music at night they would return and arrest everyone and the fine would be 10,000.thb.

Well, that seemed to do it!

I made a donation of foreigner prepared food items & a small donation to their retirement fund for helping me with my problem. Problem solved.

I figured that I should move anyway because the problem would most certainly resurface again at some time.

I went to scope out Q-house Development a higher cost development thinking that maybe just maybe people/neighbors would be more considerate and or intelligent. Duh....my first error in judgement.

Went to the Q-house development every morning, afternoon and night to see if there was a noise problem.

Nothing for the 3 months they were building the new house.....I was so happy and relieved.

We moved into the house in September.....and on the first Saturday night beginning at 8:00pm the EXTREME LOUND MUSIC started......is lasts until sometimes 1:00AM......sometimes on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday.

The problem is it is coming from several NEW restr/karoke/bar shacks about 1.5km from the development.

I am screwed........the windows rattle and my stress factor will take orbit shortly.

There is NO PEACE & QUIET in Chiang Mai any more.......and I resolve to finally leave LOS after 7 years.

ANYONE....wanting a great deal on a Toyota PreRunner 2012, all the bells and whistles (9,000km)....in NEW condition. Several LG LED 42" TV.....household items.....potted flowers galore....and etc etc.

PLEASE reply......and thank you for any consideration so I can leave and return to my country.

To the people who joke and make small of your concerned posting pay them no-mind....

[seajae]

when I was 18 I was in a heavy rock band, loud music is great when it is done properly, even now at 60 I still like all the good music from the 70's & 80's loud but with the treble and bass adjusted properly, here they have live music so badly adjusted and have no idea of how to handle it that they get tremendous feedback all the time, a few minor adjustments would fix it but they refuse to listen to you as they insist they know what they are doing . The fact that they play traditional music as loud as possible is also a bit over rated, if it was decent music I would not bitch so much but no luck, still trying to find the head mans house so I can pay him a visit or leave a calling card, just hope this weekend is music free.

[seajae]

This country is their country. If they like to listen music loudly they do it with out any permission by yourself.

This is their style all over nationwide and Bangkok too. They think if you don't like, move (home).

you are wrong, thais dont all like it, most do complain but the ignorant bastards doing the loud music dont give a sh*t about the people that have to live with it, babies, school kids, parents grand parents, they are all effected by it. If it was a simple matter of everyone liking it then there would not be any bitching but how do you tell a 90 y/o that is dying to just suck it up and put up with the pain it causes her because its a thai thing and as a thai she should love it, or the babies that are screaming because they cannot handle the decibels and it also causes them pain. Anyone that thinks this is just a matter of being thai is full of sh*t as are the ignorant pr*cks that allow/do it. Its simply a matter of &lt;deleted&gt; you jack, we want it, they have no consideration for their own people and simply dont care about the pain/problems they cause.