If you live in a Saigon alley, you’ve undoubtedly been kept up by loud music blaring from the speakers of your neighbors celebrating a birthday, wedding or funeral.

In the country’s southern hub, many avoid the costs of karaoke parlors by setting up sound systems outside of their homes, sometimes sporting up to eight speakers turned up to full volume.

However, many neighbors are not happy about the bass-thumping music as it interrupts sleep, study and work.

Phuc, a resident in Binh Tan District told Tuoi Tre his fellow alley-dwellers are kept up by the music despite their protests.

The scourge of public karaoke is also present in Tan Phu District where residents moaned about headaches and chest pains resulting from the deafening music. When complaining to those creating the disturbance, residents are met with refusals or even louder volumes. And, due to the presence of alcohol, it’s not uncommon for these conversations to escalate into physical violence.

Though fines exist for such behavior, some say complaints to local authorities have fallen on deaf ears.

“The relentless noise keeps us from having a good rest in the evenings and on weekends. Our children can’t concentrate on their studies. We’ve repeatedly reported the nuisance to local authorities but most of our complaints have gone unnoticed,” said one resident.

An official from Tan Phu District told Tuoi Tre these incidents are recorded and his staff has carried out inspections and is working with environmental agencies to determine which businesses and residents are exceeding volume caps.

Numerous government decrees stipulate businesses producing excessive noise are subject to fines of VND1 million-160 million. Individuals making noise that disturbs neighbors from 10:00pm to 6:00am face warnings or fines amounting to a paltry VND100,000 - VND300,000. 

Bottom line, if your neighbors are keeping you up at night, you might want to move to an apartment.

[Tuoi Tre // Photo via Matthijs]