Thai Village Noise, Finally Had Enough.

[callaway]

Had the local lao khao village idiot always starting his karaoke at 4.30 in the morning. Every morning. Up until I went to his house at 4.45 in just shorts with a shovel over my shoulder and in sign language conveyed to him if he didnt turn it down or off I was going to slam him around the head with the shovel, dig a hole and bury him in it. Even drunk he could see my fury so down it went. I work month and month and the village love it when I come home because they have quiet mornings. While I am away I am told they still get it.

Sometimes, it's necessary to move to a different town. If one is in Hang Dong, perhaps a move to Mae Rim or San Sai. If one enjoys living outside the downtown area, there really is a 360° circle to choose from unless one absolutely needs to be in a certain district for business or personal reasons. We can't 'like' an area and dislike it at the same time. And we sure as hell aren't going to change it ourselves.

I like the area that I live in, but very soon a new school will open here, and that will change the dynamics of the entire neighborhood for several blocks around it. If the change turns out to be something I don't care for, I'll find somewhere else to live. As much as I like this apartment and its conveniences, I won't put up with living here if the rest of the ambiance gets destroyed.

Not all of us live in rented apartments. Some of us are actually settled with family, have homes we have built or redeveloped and are not nomadic. Sometimes the locals just need to be told strongly, not with political correctness or pussy words. My wife and I respected in our village and get along with all. But if there is an issue then rest assured they will know. Why run away?

Why run away? Well, for one, so we don't come here pretending that we would have killed someone with a shovel and bury him.

It may be fun to imagine that you'd actually do it, but it's well out of the realm of reality. Not with, as you put it, having a settled family. So let's stop pretending, eh?

We know you wouldn't, and you know you wouldn't. It's even doubtful that you threatened him with something in your hands. A foreigner threatening a Thai? With something that could be construed as a weapon? Please... The Thai makes one phone call that the foreigner is out on his ear. Thai's problem solved. Foreigner's family is now looking for another farang to fill the rice bowl.

If you're in a small village, and all the other villagers are upset about the same person, a simple phone call to the police WILL get a response. The response may have to be repeated 2-3 times, but eventually it gets resolved. But if the other villagers simple don't care enough to talk about it, and only you demand to see something done... Well... you don't get to demand anything around here. Only they do.

Next, let's redefine the words. It's not 'running away.' It's relocating to a more comfortable location.

It's doing so because life is just too short to have to be uncomfortable. If you've bought a home, or rebuilt one, you don't want to have to move. I get that.

But you aren't going to quiet down the karaoke joints. You aren't going to quiet down the festivals. They aren't going to shut down the airport after 11pm for you because you don't like the noise... or what ever the particular problem may be. Neither you nor I matter very much to the average Thai, and not at all to those in control. That still leaves you with two choices...

The local thais must love the fact they have a farang that that they can treat like <deleted> and is ok because he will run away and then let others do it again. You dont get it. Respect is earned not given for free. You will never gain the respect of a thai person by being a pussy. They respect, or at least, acknowledge strength in a person. Not physical but character strength. Hiding from or running away does not work. I guess being "folk guitar" I sort of understand. As for trying to shut down an airport what a stupid analogy. I have not heard of any new airports being built. If you choose to go and live near an already existing airport then cop the noise problem on chin. It was there when you chose to go there. As for not mattering to the average thai. Where I live I do matter to the average thai. I help the school and village. I socilize with the people around us. I guess you dont matter to the average thai because you are on the "run" and you dont get to form a friendship or get involved in the community. These are things you will not see when you are renting and nomadic. Edited February 14, 2016 by callaway

[loong]

Maybe just try explaining to them that they should all adjust their lifestyle/culture in their own village because so old Englishman has moved in (uninvited) and gets grumpy when he has to listen to those annoying locals having fun singing those annoying Thai songs

I mean, how dare they. If that doesn't work, perhaps try moving to somewhere a bit quitter and dull, like the English countryside.

Do you think that most foreigners just show up at a village and move into a house? For sure 99% plus move in because they are invited.

Believe it or not, it is not only foreigners that get annoyed by the selfishness and total lack of consideration for others shown by the party organisers. Many Thais are unhappy to be blasted with sound at rock concert decibels. People just don't complain because repercussions can be deadly.

At one party, a couple of people started to play a video game, Believe it or not they actually broadcast the sound from the game at high volume to the village. What sort of morons do that?!

99% were invited? By who? I didn't receive an invitation, I just showed up. Initially on a tourist visa. Who invited you ? The government? The mayor? Pu yai baan? All the people in the village? To think that these sneaky Thais invite us over here and then don't respect us enough to stop having fun. This is outrageous.

So you showed up with a tourist visa, found a Thai village and moved in? You didn't know anyone in the village and no-one suggested that you move there?

Every foreigner that I know of who lives in a Thai village, lives there because they are in a relationship with a Thai person. They are there at the invitation of that Thai person.

It is not about lack of respect for us foreigners. It is total lack of consideration for anyone, foreigner or Thai.

I don't think that anyone wants to stop the local Thais from having fun as long as it doesn't inconvenience other people. I just don't see that it is fun to blast out loud music. I am absolutely certain that if they placed the speakers facing in, instead of out, that they would turn the volume down themselves.

It is not tradition or culture, it is a minority of people who somehow think that the louder the volume, the higher their status, usually people of very low status. Most funerals/wakes are held without the high volume for hours on end. These parties are meant to make merit and many are intelligent enough to realise that annoying the neighbours will not make merit and could actually do the opposite.

Most laws are based on reason, and it is unreasonable to bombard your neighbours with sound at an extremely loud volume. That is why many countries, including Thailand, have laws against such anti-social behaviour.

[Puccini]

Study: People who listen to music out loud have more sex

...

The largely self-reported study findings bear out those sentiments. With music being played aloud, families reported spending 13% more time together and were in closer proximity to each other (20% more of the time). That second stat may have something to do with the huge increase in sex. Globally, the music listeners reported having 67% more sex.

...

Full story: http://mashable.com/2016/02/09/study-people-who-listen-to-music-out-loud-have-more-sex/#0mFKKlkF7EqS

-- Mashable (undated)

[soalbundy]

I didn't get any sleep last night. The temple did an open air cinema withe a huge screen,disco lights and,yes you guessed it, huge speakers. I expected it to stop at 2300 hours but instead it went on and on and on the film appeared to end and then start again, at 4 in the morning i had had enough i walked to the temple, disco lights flashing a stupid old Chinese film running, sound pulsing and nobody there. I woke up the teenager who was supposed to be guarding everything, yes he was fast asleep, i told him to switch it of, he mumbled something about not knowing where the switch was, cables and control boards everywhere, he told me that the owner was 'over there' sleeping, at that moment a motorbike started 'over there' and an angry looking man sped off. I followed the cables to a post with a switch and turned it off then walked back home. 20 minuets later it started again until 5;30. When i told the wife what i had done she went ballistic, how dare i interfere with someones work etc. I'll never understand.

[FolkGuitar]

I didn't get any sleep last night. The temple did an open air cinema withe a huge screen,disco lights and,yes you guessed it, huge speakers. I expected it to stop at 2300 hours but instead it went on and on and on the film appeared to end and then start again, at 4 in the morning i had had enough i walked to the temple, disco lights flashing a stupid old Chinese film running, sound pulsing and nobody there. I woke up the teenager who was supposed to be guarding everything, yes he was fast asleep, i told him to switch it of, he mumbled something about not knowing where the switch was, cables and control boards everywhere, he told me that the owner was 'over there' sleeping, at that moment a motorbike started 'over there' and an angry looking man sped off. I followed the cables to a post with a switch and turned it off then walked back home. 20 minuets later it started again until 5;30. When i told the wife what i had done she went ballistic, how dare i interfere with someones work etc. I'll never understand.

The two people at the sight were sleeping. But you couldn't sleep. So they should do what you want. Did I get that right?

[soalbundy]

I didn't get any sleep last night. The temple did an open air cinema withe a huge screen,disco lights and,yes you guessed it, huge speakers. I expected it to stop at 2300 hours but instead it went on and on and on the film appeared to end and then start again, at 4 in the morning i had had enough i walked to the temple, disco lights flashing a stupid old Chinese film running, sound pulsing and nobody there. I woke up the teenager who was supposed to be guarding everything, yes he was fast asleep, i told him to switch it of, he mumbled something about not knowing where the switch was, cables and control boards everywhere, he told me that the owner was 'over there' sleeping, at that moment a motorbike started 'over there' and an angry looking man sped off. I followed the cables to a post with a switch and turned it off then walked back home. 20 minuets later it started again until 5;30. When i told the wife what i had done she went ballistic, how dare i interfere with someones work etc. I'll never understand.

The two people at the sight were sleeping. But you couldn't sleep. So they should do what you want. Did I get that right?

Yes, i object to 100 decibels at night in my bedroom, my 8 year old son couldn't sleep and has to go to school and my wife admits to not sleeping, in fact her words were, nobody in the village can sleep, with the exception of the two idiots who were more than likely deaf through years of work with this hell machine. The point is the noise was for nothing, nobody was watching so why not turn it off, because they are Thai probably.

[jacky54]

Wat fair film shows often go on all night with one film after another, bit of a time warp from when nobody had tv's and likay was the other main entertainment, This is Thai culture that people are always telling us that loving it was why they came here

[Roomuck]

Maybe just try explaining to them that they should all adjust their lifestyle/culture in their own village because so old Englishman has moved in (uninvited) and gets grumpy when he has to listen to those annoying locals having fun singing those annoying Thai songs

I mean, how dare they. If that doesn't work, perhaps try moving to somewhere a bit quitter and dull, like the English countryside.

Do you think that most foreigners just show up at a village and move into a house? For sure 99% plus move in because they are invited.

Believe it or not, it is not only foreigners that get annoyed by the selfishness and total lack of consideration for others shown by the party organisers. Many Thais are unhappy to be blasted with sound at rock concert decibels. People just don't complain because repercussions can be deadly.

At one party, a couple of people started to play a video game, Believe it or not they actually broadcast the sound from the game at high volume to the village. What sort of morons do that?!

99% were invited? By who? I didn't receive an invitation, I just showed up. Initially on a tourist visa. Who invited you ? The government? The mayor? Pu yai baan? All the people in the village? To think that these sneaky Thais invite us over here and then don't respect us enough to stop having fun. This is outrageous.

So you showed up with a tourist visa, found a Thai village and moved in? You didn't know anyone in the village and no-one suggested that you move there?

Every foreigner that I know of who lives in a Thai village, lives there because they are in a relationship with a Thai person. They are there at the invitation of that Thai person.

It is not about lack of respect for us foreigners. It is total lack of consideration for anyone, foreigner or Thai.

I don't think that anyone wants to stop the local Thais from having fun as long as it doesn't inconvenience other people. I just don't see that it is fun to blast out loud music. I am absolutely certain that if they placed the speakers facing in, instead of out, that they would turn the volume down themselves.

It is not tradition or culture, it is a minority of people who somehow think that the louder the volume, the higher their status, usually people of very low status. Most funerals/wakes are held without the high volume for hours on end. These parties are meant to make merit and many are intelligent enough to realise that annoying the neighbours will not make merit and could actually do the opposite.

Most laws are based on reason, and it is unreasonable to bombard your neighbours with sound at an extremely loud volume. That is why many countries, including Thailand, have laws against such anti-social behaviour.

Yes, I showed up on a tourist visa, looked around for somewhere to stay, found a great house and moved in. The soi was a bit messy, so I cleaned it all up, everyone was impressed with the "diligent farang". I threw a house warming, invited the whole soi and a few others (with loud music), suckling pig, plenty of grog. The women next door spoke pretty good English (at that stage I knew stuff all Thai) so helped me get sorted with rubbish collection, paying water bills, helping get furniture delivered etc. Lovely old lady, I will be forever grateful. Lovely people these Thais.

Moving in with your girlfriend is hardly being invited into the village as you say, why would you assume that they care less about you. And quite frankly, why should they. You ain't that important. Get over yourself.

[soalbundy]

Wat fair film shows often go on all night with one film after another, bit of a time warp from when nobody had tv's and likay was the other main entertainment, This is Thai culture that people are always telling us that loving it was why they came here

That's OK as long as someone is watching, even at 4 in the morning,it's only once a year, but why one has to have a few thousand Watt blasting away especially when nobody is there is beyond me, the sound level at 20% would have been more than enough and not bothered anyone, in fact when the village genius switched it back on he turned the sound down so that it was acceptable, i could still hear the voices from 300 meters away.

[vogie]

I didn't get any sleep last night. The temple did an open air cinema withe a huge screen,disco lights and,yes you guessed it, huge speakers. I expected it to stop at 2300 hours but instead it went on and on and on the film appeared to end and then start again, at 4 in the morning i had had enough i walked to the temple, disco lights flashing a stupid old Chinese film running, sound pulsing and nobody there. I woke up the teenager who was supposed to be guarding everything, yes he was fast asleep, i told him to switch it of, he mumbled something about not knowing where the switch was, cables and control boards everywhere, he told me that the owner was 'over there' sleeping, at that moment a motorbike started 'over there' and an angry looking man sped off. I followed the cables to a post with a switch and turned it off then walked back home. 20 minuets later it started again until 5;30. When i told the wife what i had done she went ballistic, how dare i interfere with someones work etc. I'll never understand.

The two people at the sight were sleeping. But you couldn't sleep. So they should do what you want. Did I get that right?

Yes, i object to 100 decibels at night in my bedroom, my 8 year old son couldn't sleep and has to go to school and my wife admits to not sleeping, in fact her words were, nobody in the village can sleep, with the exception of the two idiots who were more than likely deaf through years of work with this hell machine. The point is the noise was for nothing, nobody was watching so why not turn it off, because they are Thai probably.

Was the film 'Groundhog Day'

[LannaGuy]

Anyone who has lived here for a time understands Thais have no considerations for anyone because they are "Thai" so whether it be parking, driving or music we are stuffed. Just choose, as best you can, a quiet location. San Sai is very quiet (for example).

[FolkGuitar]

I didn't get any sleep last night. The temple did an open air cinema withe a huge screen,disco lights and,yes you guessed it, huge speakers. I expected it to stop at 2300 hours but instead it went on and on and on the film appeared to end and then start again, at 4 in the morning i had had enough i walked to the temple, disco lights flashing a stupid old Chinese film running, sound pulsing and nobody there. I woke up the teenager who was supposed to be guarding everything, yes he was fast asleep, i told him to switch it of, he mumbled something about not knowing where the switch was, cables and control boards everywhere, he told me that the owner was 'over there' sleeping, at that moment a motorbike started 'over there' and an angry looking man sped off. I followed the cables to a post with a switch and turned it off then walked back home. 20 minuets later it started again until 5;30. When i told the wife what i had done she went ballistic, how dare i interfere with someones work etc. I'll never understand.

The two people at the sight were sleeping. But you couldn't sleep. So they should do what you want. Did I get that right?

Yes, i object to 100 decibels at night in my bedroom, my 8 year old son couldn't sleep and has to go to school and my wife admits to not sleeping, in fact her words were, nobody in the village can sleep, with the exception of the two idiots who were more than likely deaf through years of work with this hell machine. The point is the noise was for nothing, nobody was watching so why not turn it off, because they are Thai probably.

You moved to Thailand because presumably you liked Thai culture

Now that you're here, you want to change Thai culture. You want it to be more like where you came from.

Obviously Thais want it to remain the same. Perhaps not all Thais, but enough so that it's still an ingrained part of Thai culture.

You have choices you can make. None of them involve changing Thai culture.

Choose...

[soalbundy]

I didn't get any sleep last night. The temple did an open air cinema withe a huge screen,disco lights and,yes you guessed it, huge speakers. I expected it to stop at 2300 hours but instead it went on and on and on the film appeared to end and then start again, at 4 in the morning i had had enough i walked to the temple, disco lights flashing a stupid old Chinese film running, sound pulsing and nobody there. I woke up the teenager who was supposed to be guarding everything, yes he was fast asleep, i told him to switch it of, he mumbled something about not knowing where the switch was, cables and control boards everywhere, he told me that the owner was 'over there' sleeping, at that moment a motorbike started 'over there' and an angry looking man sped off. I followed the cables to a post with a switch and turned it off then walked back home. 20 minuets later it started again until 5;30. When i told the wife what i had done she went ballistic, how dare i interfere with someones work etc. I'll never understand.

The two people at the sight were sleeping. But you couldn't sleep. So they should do what you want. Did I get that right?

Yes, i object to 100 decibels at night in my bedroom, my 8 year old son couldn't sleep and has to go to school and my wife admits to not sleeping, in fact her words were, nobody in the village can sleep, with the exception of the two idiots who were more than likely deaf through years of work with this hell machine. The point is the noise was for nothing, nobody was watching so why not turn it off, because they are Thai probably.

Was the film 'Groundhog Day'

Should have been, it was however the intellectual sort of slapstick comedy that matches their IQ

[Stevemercer]

My pet hate in village life is the giant ghost chaser kites. The bloke next door launches one very evening at this time of year and ties it off when it is about 100 metres up in the air. He then leaves it to moan and warble away all night.

Never heard of this.... Where do you live? Isaan? In any case, do you know what those kites are called in Thai / Lao?

Many thanks!

My wife tells me the kites are called 'sanoo'. I live in a town called Kosum Phisai near Mahasaraham in Isan. Contrary to my belief, my wife says that the kites are not to ward off ghosts or spirits. The farmers just like the noise all night long when there is no electricity or loudspeakers available to make loud music. For me, the eerie warbling sound will always remind me I am in Thailand.

[Dante99]

Ok, Thanks all for your "helpful and sympathetic" (Not!) responses.....

I don't see any need for an apology. Thai people only care about themselves (ME, ME, ME). They do not care at all if their actions and behaviour inconvenience others in any way, shape or form. Witness their behaviour on the roads and in a queue in a busy shop.

Bigoted blindness.

Well that's most Thais for you, loud music, barking dogs left in the yards all day, totally unaware of the distress their actions might be having on anyone else.It's almost slightly retarded and then they have the nerve to bang on about being 'grengjai' all the time, this only applies when there is a bit of face to be made of course by claiming you have not some something due to being grengjai. PostmanPat is spot on -unfortunately

Given your low opinion of Thai people, why are you still here?

[soalbundy]

I didn't get any sleep last night. The temple did an open air cinema withe a huge screen,disco lights and,yes you guessed it, huge speakers. I expected it to stop at 2300 hours but instead it went on and on and on the film appeared to end and then start again, at 4 in the morning i had had enough i walked to the temple, disco lights flashing a stupid old Chinese film running, sound pulsing and nobody there. I woke up the teenager who was supposed to be guarding everything, yes he was fast asleep, i told him to switch it of, he mumbled something about not knowing where the switch was, cables and control boards everywhere, he told me that the owner was 'over there' sleeping, at that moment a motorbike started 'over there' and an angry looking man sped off. I followed the cables to a post with a switch and turned it off then walked back home. 20 minuets later it started again until 5;30. When i told the wife what i had done she went ballistic, how dare i interfere with someones work etc. I'll never understand.

The two people at the sight were sleeping. But you couldn't sleep. So they should do what you want. Did I get that right?

Yes, i object to 100 decibels at night in my bedroom, my 8 year old son couldn't sleep and has to go to school and my wife admits to not sleeping, in fact her words were, nobody in the village can sleep, with the exception of the two idiots who were more than likely deaf through years of work with this hell machine. The point is the noise was for nothing, nobody was watching so why not turn it off, because they are Thai probably.

You moved to Thailand because presumably you liked Thai culture

Now that you're here, you want to change Thai culture. You want it to be more like where you came from.

Obviously Thais want it to remain the same. Perhaps not all Thais, but enough so that it's still an ingrained part of Thai culture.

You have choices you can make. None of them involve changing Thai culture.

Choose...

This has nothing to do with culture, it's vandalism, funnily enough if you speak with Thai's about noise they all object to it (except when they are making it) but nobody has the guts to complain. When i filed an official complaint about a 'music loving' Thai with the police i got a standing ovation on the road as i drove into the village, the police had got there before me and had given him a blasting, the village headman came and shook my hand thanking me, it was his job not mine and he lived next door to the miscreant, he had begged the guy to stop but hadn't made a complaint, it's all 'don't rock the boat' here but this farang does rock it and the gutless locals seem to appreciate it.

[dru2]

Obscure but interesting:

wow dui dui
The 'wow dui dui' has developed from 'wow ngao' of ancient times. It makes a unique sound caused by the 'sanoo' a bow shaped bamboo frame on the kite body. The loudness of the 'wow dui dui' sound depends on the design of the ' sanoo' its relation to the size off the kite.

[LannaGuy]

Given your low opinion of Thai people, why are you still here?

ah another 'rose spectacles' pseudo thai just what we need on Monday morning lol jacky54 and Hugh2121 are right, we all know it, but we have to live with it as best we can. Thais are insular xenophobes but it's still a great country to live in.

[JanPeder]

haha...I lived 50 m close to that activity..(Moban Sanasran/Nongkwai) so I ...want sympatize with you...I thought world war III had started....we had to move som glasses from the table....because the started to move themselves..haha........the volume on the base was huge....

...the solution for me, living 50 m close, was 3 beer Chang and my wireless "Beats bydr.dre" headphones......didnt hear anything only fell alsleep

and now happy again living in the best of all worlds..

[FolkGuitar]

The two people at the sight were sleeping. But you couldn't sleep. So they should do what you want. Did I get that right?

Yes, i object to 100 decibels at night in my bedroom, my 8 year old son couldn't sleep and has to go to school and my wife admits to not sleeping, in fact her words were, nobody in the village can sleep, with the exception of the two idiots who were more than likely deaf through years of work with this hell machine. The point is the noise was for nothing, nobody was watching so why not turn it off, because they are Thai probably.

You moved to Thailand because presumably you liked Thai culture

Now that you're here, you want to change Thai culture. You want it to be more like where you came from.

Obviously Thais want it to remain the same. Perhaps not all Thais, but enough so that it's still an ingrained part of Thai culture.

You have choices you can make. None of them involve changing Thai culture.

Choose...

This has nothing to do with culture, it's vandalism, funnily enough if you speak with Thai's about noise they all object to it (except when they are making it) but nobody has the guts to complain. When i filed an official complaint about a 'music loving' Thai with the police i got a standing ovation on the road as i drove into the village, the police had got there before me and had given him a blasting, the village headman came and shook my hand thanking me, it was his job not mine and he lived next door to the miscreant, he had begged the guy to stop but hadn't made a complaint, it's all 'don't rock the boat' here but this farang does rock it and the gutless locals seem to appreciate it.

It was kind of the police to announce who it was who filed the complaint so that the villagers could thank you. I was never aware that the police gave out that sort of information to the public, so as to avoid having the crazy culprit visit you in the middle of the night, kill your wife and children, and burn your house down in retaliation...

I guess it's all about 'guts...' Most of us wouldn't have the guts to make up a story like this, to say nothing of posting it publicly.

Edited February 15, 2016 by FolkGuitar

[jacky54]

Wat fair film shows often go on all night with one film after another, bit of a time warp from when nobody had tv's and likay was the other main entertainment, This is Thai culture that people are always telling us that loving it was why they came here

That's OK as long as someone is watching, even at 4 in the morning,it's only once a year, but why one has to have a few thousand Watt blasting away especially when nobody is there is beyond me, the sound level at 20% would have been more than enough and not bothered anyone, in fact when the village genius switched it back on he turned the sound down so that it was acceptable, i could still hear the voices from 300 meters away.

The last one I saw cost 20k and nobody there either, they would not switch it off cos the man had paid and they had to run it or he might want some refund. Forget what the films were but nothing interesting even for Thais

[MaeJoMTB]

It was kind of the police to announce who it was who filed the complaint so that the villagers could thank you. I was never aware that the police gave out that sort of information to the public, so as to avoid having the crazy culprit visit you in the middle of the night, kill your wife and children, and burn your house down in retaliation...

I guess it's all about 'guts...' Most of us wouldn't have the guts to make up a story like this, to say nothing of posting it publicly.

Many of us wouldn't have survived long enough to post the story.

If it were true.

Edited February 15, 2016 by MaeJoMTB

[jacky54]

True, one thing Thais hate more than anything is a falang busybody poking our noses into their business

[soalbundy]

It was kind of the police to announce who it was who filed the complaint so that the villagers could thank you. I was never aware that the police gave out that sort of information to the public, so as to avoid having the crazy culprit visit you in the middle of the night, kill your wife and children, and burn your house down in retaliation...

I guess it's all about 'guts...' Most of us wouldn't have the guts to make up a story like this, to say nothing of posting it publicly.

Many of us wouldn't have survived long enough to post the story.

If it were true.

I can assure you it is true, i announced the fact that i was going to the police at the village shop before i left which was near his house, i was one of the few that actually went to his house to tell him to stop, more than once and yes apparently the police said to him that they had a complaint from the farang, about half the village watched the altercation between him and the police. It only stopped him for two weeks, when he started up again i went to the headman and asked him to speak with him and tell him if he didn't stop i was going to the police again and would insist on a prosecution. He advised me instead to go to the council office (we are a tetsabaan) the mayor promised to speak with him and tell him that if he didn't desist he would get a court order to take his stereo (about 30,000 bahts worth,a lotto win) That worked,silent ever since.

[soalbundy]

True, one thing Thais hate more than anything is a falang busybody poking our noses into their business

unless there is an advantage in it for them, let the farang run around and do it then we have our peace and quiet, this wasn't the only occasion where i have shut the noise up but it was the only time that i had cause to use the police usually i managed to force the headman to do his job although he mostly passed it on to his sarawat (inspectors,or official helpers)

[Trujillo]

Every foreigner that I know of who lives in a Thai village, lives there because they are in a relationship with a Thai person. They are there at the invitation of that Thai person.

What do you mean by the word "village." You mean some out-in-the-sticks enclave, far from the main city, where a big night out is going to the 7-Eleven and then setting frog traps in the rice paddy?

I don't think this is what people are talking about. Isn't the discussion about in the CM environs? I was not invited to live in my mooban/baan jat san. And I didn't know anyone beforehand.

I believe the film at the wat continues to be shown even after the humans are asleep because the film is for the spirits/ancestors. Shutting off the film before time could very well anger the spirits and this could be what upset your Thai woman. The spirits might be angry and want to exact revenge....

[loong]

Yes, I showed up on a tourist visa, looked around for somewhere to stay, found a great house and moved in. The soi was a bit messy, so I cleaned it all up, everyone was impressed with the "diligent farang". I threw a house warming, invited the whole soi and a few others (with loud music), suckling pig, plenty of grog. The women next door spoke pretty good English (at that stage I knew stuff all Thai) so helped me get sorted with rubbish collection, paying water bills, helping get furniture delivered etc. Lovely old lady, I will be forever grateful. Lovely people these Thais.

Moving in with your girlfriend is hardly being invited into the village as you say, why would you assume that they care less about you. And quite frankly, why should they. You ain't that important. Get over yourself.

So according to your logic, no invitation is valid unless the whole village/town extends an invite? In that case, every person who moves anywhere does so ininvited.

You were very lucky to move next door to a Thai person that could speak good English. It is extremely rare that I meet a village Thai that can speak English unless they have been in a relationship with a foreigner.

Interesting, you stated

Maybe just try explaining to them that they should all adjust their lifestyle/culture in their own village because so old Englishman has moved in (uninvited)

The soi was a bit messy, so I cleaned it all up,

So, if I understand you correctly, you moved into a village, uninvited. The Thais were quite happy to live in a messy soi. You decided that the messy soi did not meet your standards. You forced your standards on the Thais by cleaning it up.

Their lifestyle included living in a messy soi, yet you thought it ok that you adjust their lifestyle?

[soalbundy]

Yes, I showed up on a tourist visa, looked around for somewhere to stay, found a great house and moved in. The soi was a bit messy, so I cleaned it all up, everyone was impressed with the "diligent farang". I threw a house warming, invited the whole soi and a few others (with loud music), suckling pig, plenty of grog. The women next door spoke pretty good English (at that stage I knew stuff all Thai) so helped me get sorted with rubbish collection, paying water bills, helping get furniture delivered etc. Lovely old lady, I will be forever grateful. Lovely people these Thais.

Moving in with your girlfriend is hardly being invited into the village as you say, why would you assume that they care less about you. And quite frankly, why should they. You ain't that important. Get over yourself.

So according to your logic, no invitation is valid unless the whole village/town extends an invite? In that case, every person who moves anywhere does so ininvited.

You were very lucky to move next door to a Thai person that could speak good English. It is extremely rare that I meet a village Thai that can speak English unless they have been in a relationship with a foreigner.

Interesting, you stated

Maybe just try explaining to them that they should all adjust their lifestyle/culture in their own village because so old Englishman has moved in (uninvited)

The soi was a bit messy, so I cleaned it all up,

So, if I understand you correctly, you moved into a village, uninvited. The Thais were quite happy to live in a messy soi. You decided that the messy soi did not meet your standards. You forced your standards on the Thais by cleaning it up.

Their lifestyle included living in a messy soi, yet you thought it ok that you adjust their lifestyle?

sounds OK to me unless you want to go really native and live in filth,at least he did it himself,he wasn't forcing the lazy sods to do it themselves

[Trujillo]

You decided that the messy soi did not meet your standards. You forced your standards on the Thais by cleaning it up.

Are you being facetious?

"The locals have a habit of defecating along the sidewalks; I worked to change this attitude."

-- You FORCED your standards on the them!

"The locals were drinking tainted water downstream from the tannery; I worked to change this situation."

-- You FORCED your standards on the them!

I don't think creating a more hygienic environment is "forcing your standards on the Thais."

[loong]

What do you mean by the word "village." You mean some out-in-the-sticks enclave, far from the main city, where a big night out is going to the 7-Eleven and then setting frog traps in the rice paddy?

I didn't even realise that this was in the Chiang Mai forum. I came herefrom a link in the ThaiVisa news email.

Yes, I consider a village to be in a rural, not urban environment.