What right to disturb the peace?

A Russian cosmonaut once said, "If you want to see two people come to hate each other, stick them in a tiny capsule together for weeks." Similarly, you can take your favourite song, and if it's played non-stop for weeks, it will become annoying. In my small village, Hoy Plakang on the outskirts of Chiang Rai, there's a new Buddhist temple.

The head monk has a five-note song he loves. He plays that one song, via giant loudspeakers, to everyone within a 20-square-kilometre area. The song starts before dawn, and repeats non-stop, all the daylight hours. It's like there are speakers facing everyone's windows, with no volume control or off-button.

Does Buddhism need to be so intrusive? I don't compel my neighbours to listen to my favourite songs. Does a religious organisation have the right to compel me to listen to its favourite song 80 hours a week?

Kip Keino

Hoy Plakang