Noise Pollution

Noise Pollution

As a foreigner in Thailand, I’m not encumbered by cultural restrictions on speaking out about discomfort, and we have to say that the noise here is louder and more pervasive than what we hear in our home countries.

To spend any time in Thailand, one must be inured to loud noise or it would be like walking through a blizzard dressed only in pajamas. Neither are monks nor their temples exempt from loud noise. One may wonder how they could meditate. Thai shopping malls are like oversized boom boxes.

It’s a similar story on a bus, in a boat, in the skytrain in Bangkok or in a restaurant. Leisurely strolls in a quiet street in Bangkok are next to impossible. Such places as post offices and banks are not a source of refuge either.

Excessive noise is not only in the cities. In the countryside growls of internal combustion engines and loudspeakers noise from outdoor festivals can be heard.

Thailand relies on tourism to supply a major portion of its revenue. Offensive noise annoys tourists and lessens their probability of returning to Thailand. They also tell others when they return home. More importantly, noise pollution lessens quality of life for Thais.