The peace was disturbed, but restored
A while ago, the peace here was suddenly brutally disturbed. Normally, once it is dark here, I hear very little that can disturb a night's sleep, other than the normal noises coming from the inhabitants of the jungle around me.
Suddenly there was very loud music. I thought about some party, as can sometimes happen, so I didn't pay attention to it, it will pass. But no, the next night the same loud Thai disco and this again until around 23 pm. Must be a big, important party, I thought. But it went on like this, night after night, for a week.
Still looking around to see where this could come from. And yes, the source was quickly found: a car, about 200 meters straight across from my home, was there with open doors and an open trunk lid, spreading this noise.
Just talked to my neighbor and yes, there was a new resident there who placed music installations in cars as a second job. He had found no better way than to promote his cause by demonstrating how loud his creations could make noise.
Apparently the other neighbors were also not happy with this state of affairs and had already addressed the landlord about this problem. Some had small children and they could not sleep because of the loud music. An attempt by the landlord to resolve the matter through a conversation led to no results.
With us in Belgium or the Netherlands this would immediately lead to a complaint to the police because of night noise, but we are here in Thailand and you don't do such a thing there. Neighbors solve their problems among themselves and not through the police. What would people say?
My neighbor would talk to the landlord, together they would arrange this. And yes, my neighbor came to report me a little later, with a broad smile: just a few more days of patience and the problem will be solved. In a few days the rent must be paid, but the rent will not be renewed, so it will be gone and peace will return.
Here in Thailand this is not possible, no protection for the tenant for six months or more, has its advantages and disadvantages.
Lung Addie
We hope that this nuisance will soon be resolved. Now it concerns a rented house, but what could you and your neighbor have done if it had been someone with their own home who caused the nuisance?
Good question somewhere…. but then we are guaranteed to return to the question “rent or buy” in Thailand. You then have to bear the consequences of your choice because as a farang you are powerless against such a problem. Tomorrow a karaoke bar may come next to your previously quiet home…. This is Thailand.
In addition to my in-laws, someone also opened a Karaoke bar years ago. No rental property. Own yard/house Hearing and seeing fared me until late in the evening. When I asked my father-in-law if he could live with this, he said: Oh, that man is poor, he has to live too. This is how a true Buddhist reacts!
One man's bread is another man's death. About 3 to 4 years ago I stayed in a guesthouse in Udon Thani. Excellent and very large room with private bathroom for 400 Bath p/n with breakfast. It was busy, mainly foreigners. The following year I went back, there were 4 of us and I had booked 2 rooms, wanted to stay for a few days to explore the nature around Udon. The guesthouse had a new owner and we turned out to be the only guests. In the evening it became clear why, the neighbor had started a karaoke bar that was open until 2 am. Due to the noise, partly from motorbikes driving in and out and shouting, sleep was impossible until then. We left immediately the next day, the new owner was closer to crying than laughing. It is not Buddha who would cause her impending bankruptcy, but the inadequate regulations in Thailand in the field of (noise) pollution. This is how it happened to a Thai acquaintance of mine in Pattaya that his neighbor started tattooing in his terraced rental house. You would think there was nothing wrong with that, but the result was that customers arrived by motorbike, especially at night, with a lot of noise, often under the influence of alcohol. The drinking continued in front of the door and of course my acquaintance's 3-year-old daughter didn't sleep a wink anymore. After a fight with the neighbors, my acquaintance packed up and returned with his family to his native region in Isan. I am truly happy for Lung Addie that he can enjoy his night's rest again and stay in his rental house.
In a way I feel sorry for that 'creative neighbour', because it was nice that he had his own business.
But then again I don't understand why you 'have to' test your structures after 2300 hours, at full strength…