Journal entry by Al Negstad — a minute ago
"Noise pollution? What's that?" was the response when I commented on the speaker truck, blasting at a gazillion decibels, slowly motoring by the school. Attempts to explain it were about as successful as my attempt to explain daylight savings where the sun rises and sets at almost the same time year around. Thai live loud!
Thai spoken quietly is beautiful, soft and melodic, it floats on the air. It is also very rare. Typical Thai speech is almost a shout carried on in guttural registers...think fish market. Years ago on a 24, bus ride from Teh Kek, Laos, to Bangkok for medical treatment of an infected leg, I was so frustrated by the loud conversations in the middle of the night that I stood up and shouted "Use your inside voices." Obviously it had no effect whatsoever but I felt better.
If loudspeakers are available for use they will always be turned to maximum volume; at school, the temple, speaker trucks etc. Speaker trucks roam the streets blasting their wares or advertising some venue. The school is next to a busy highway where teaching contends with them plus all the other noisy traffic; motorcycles, buses, trucks, etc. The school custodian always plans to do lawn mowing and trimming with the world's loudest implements during class time. The students are enured to it all so pay no attention.
The house is at the end of a quiet dead end street so there is not a lot of traffic noise...some speaker trucks, though. The Muslim call to prayer can be heard from the local mosque. The nearest Buddhist temple makes its self heard by blasting music and chanting from mega-speakers when monks are being ordained...this goes on from sunrise until late in the evening. When there is a funeral the gong sounds as loud as a gunshot. Frequently dogs bark and occasional dog fights could wake the dead. More pleasant sounds are bird and lizard calls.
Horns honking? not so much. Thai drivers only do an occasional beep to warn someone of something. When drivers get cut off it must kick into their karma because they never evidence frustration. Observing this over the years has motivated me to be more patient in traffic. Bangkok is much quieter than Ayutthaya at least in the central city. For one things there are no speaker trucks.
Hanging out in Bangkok has been restful. Tomorrow I will return to Ayutthaya and resume teaching on Monday. It's nice and hot here.
Blessings,
Al
Picture: A food stall across the street from the guesthouse where I like to eat.
Thai spoken quietly is beautiful, soft and melodic, it floats on the air. It is also very rare. Typical Thai speech is almost a shout carried on in guttural registers...think fish market. Years ago on a 24, bus ride from Teh Kek, Laos, to Bangkok for medical treatment of an infected leg, I was so frustrated by the loud conversations in the middle of the night that I stood up and shouted "Use your inside voices." Obviously it had no effect whatsoever but I felt better.
If loudspeakers are available for use they will always be turned to maximum volume; at school, the temple, speaker trucks etc. Speaker trucks roam the streets blasting their wares or advertising some venue. The school is next to a busy highway where teaching contends with them plus all the other noisy traffic; motorcycles, buses, trucks, etc. The school custodian always plans to do lawn mowing and trimming with the world's loudest implements during class time. The students are enured to it all so pay no attention.
The house is at the end of a quiet dead end street so there is not a lot of traffic noise...some speaker trucks, though. The Muslim call to prayer can be heard from the local mosque. The nearest Buddhist temple makes its self heard by blasting music and chanting from mega-speakers when monks are being ordained...this goes on from sunrise until late in the evening. When there is a funeral the gong sounds as loud as a gunshot. Frequently dogs bark and occasional dog fights could wake the dead. More pleasant sounds are bird and lizard calls.
Horns honking? not so much. Thai drivers only do an occasional beep to warn someone of something. When drivers get cut off it must kick into their karma because they never evidence frustration. Observing this over the years has motivated me to be more patient in traffic. Bangkok is much quieter than Ayutthaya at least in the central city. For one things there are no speaker trucks.
Hanging out in Bangkok has been restful. Tomorrow I will return to Ayutthaya and resume teaching on Monday. It's nice and hot here.
Blessings,
Al
Picture: A food stall across the street from the guesthouse where I like to eat.
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