Losing sleep to noise? You're not imagining it — and you can prove it.
Bass from a bar, a loud neighbour, PA speakers, or a factory isn't just annoying — it disrupts your sleep, your health, and your mind. The good news: noise can be proven with numbers, and the right numbers turn your suffering into evidence.
Noise harms you more than people admit
Many people feel unheard, or are told to "just put up with it." But the effects of noise are real and measurable:
- Broken sleep, waking at night, never fully rested
- Accumulating stress, irritability, lost concentration and productivity
- Low-frequency bass passes through walls — you hear it even with windows shut
- Long-term effects on heart and blood pressure, especially for children and the elderly
The law is on your side — but it needs numbers
Thailand has clear noise-nuisance limits. The problem isn't a lack of law — it's that most people complain without evidence strong enough to act on.
- Nuisance level must not exceed 10 dBA above the background level, under National Environment Board Notification No. 29 (B.E. 2550)
- Measurement must use a calibrated IEC 61672-1 Class 1 sound level meter
- It must be calculated and assessed by the Pollution Control Department's method (B.E. 2565)
- A phone app or uncalibrated meter cannot be used as legal evidence
This is where most people fall short — complaining with a feeling, not with defensible numbers, so officials struggle to act.
A correct measurement is your evidence
Geonoise, with the ALT laboratory, measures to ISO/IEC 17025 — a traceable, neutral measurement that a community or complaint group structurally cannot give you.
- Measured with calibrated Norsonic-grade instruments
- At the right location and time — where you actually live
- Assessed by a neutral acoustic engineer with no stake in the outcome
- Delivered as an evidence-grade report usable with the municipality, PCD, police, or in court
What to do when you have a noise problem
- 1
Record initial evidence
Note the date, time, character of the noise, and its effect on you. Take video or audio to show the pattern (not legal proof yet, but it helps establish the pattern).
- 2
Check who is responsible
Use our free self-check tool to find which authority to contact — municipality, Pollution Control Department, Department of Industrial Works, or police.
- 3
Get a neutral, standards-based measurement
When you need strong evidence, have Geonoise/ALT measure to ISO/IEC 17025 and issue a defensible report.
- 4
File your complaint with evidence
Submit to the relevant authority together with the measurement report — it adds significant weight to your case.
Situation-specific guides
Pick the guide that matches your problem — your rights, the legal framework, the evidence to prepare, and the steps that actually move a complaint forward.
Noise from neighbours or building services: AC, pumps, generators, lifts, music rooms
A guide for residents of houses, townhomes and condos facing noise from building machinery or neighbours' activities — understand your rights, the legal framework, the complaint process, and engineering fixes that actually work.
Living near entertainment venues: pubs, bars, karaoke, outdoor events
A guide for residents affected by late-night venue noise — understand the local legal framework, your rights, the evidence to prepare, and how to file a complaint that moves, plus ways to work with the operator.
Living near a factory: your rights and how to handle the noise
A practical guide for residents affected by factory, workshop or construction-site noise — understand your rights, the legal framework, the responsible agencies, the evidence to prepare, and how to make the case move and close.
The legal process and evidence: making your case move and close
A practical summary for complainants and operators: the flow from incident logging → complaint → formal measurement → correction orders/mediation → escalation, with evidence checklists, measurement standards, and chain-of-custody guidance.
Workplace noise: exposure limits and hearing protection
For employers, safety officers and HR: employee noise-exposure criteria, legal duties, correct measurement methods, hearing conservation programmes (HCP), and engineering/administrative/PPE controls.
Road, rail and aircraft noise: a resident's guide
A practical guide for residents affected by roads/expressways, trains/metro, and aircraft — your rights, the responsible agencies, the evidence to prepare, and complaint steps that actually move.
For business operators: noise law and compliance
An actionable guide for factories, construction, restaurants, pubs/bars, hotels and venues — noise limits, correct measurement, reporting, and risk management to avoid fines and disputes and protect your brand.
Complex cases: hospitals, schools, events, mixed-use, multi-party disputes
For situations outside the standard categories — hospitals/ICUs, schools, development approvals, temporary events, mixed-use towers, heritage/religious sites, or multi-party disputes — we build a purpose-made framework that moves the case forward and closes it.
Noise lawsuits in Thailand: court trends and lessons from real cases
Noise disputes that reach the Administrative or Civil Courts — factories, venues, residential buildings, construction — reflect communities' rights to health and a decent environment. Understand the ruling trends and what courts weigh most heavily.
Don't just endure it — start by proving it with numbers
Tell us about your noise problem and we'll tell you honestly what to do next. No commitment, no sales pitch.
Get help with noise nuisance →Frequently asked questions
How loud is illegal in Thailand?
When the nuisance level exceeds 10 dBA above the background level, under National Environment Board Notification No. 29 (B.E. 2550). Knowing whether it exceeds that requires measurement with a calibrated standard meter, calculated by the Pollution Control Department's method.
Can a phone recording be used as evidence?
It can help show the pattern and frequency of the problem, but it can't serve as numerical legal evidence — a phone isn't a calibrated IEC 61672-1 Class 1 sound level meter.
Where can I file a noise complaint?
It depends on the source — the municipality for general nuisance, the Pollution Control Department or Department of Industrial Works for factories, the police, or the 1111 hotline. Our free self-check tool helps identify the right authority for your problem.
How can Geonoise help?
We measure to ISO/IEC 17025 through the ALT laboratory and issue a neutral, evidence-grade report — giving your complaint enough weight to actually stand.