A missing item in the rural soundtrack

As usual at this time of the year I have been enjoying life in the Northeastern province of Chaiyaphum for several weeks.

- Roger Crutchley

However on this visit there was something slightly different which I couldn't immediately put my finger on. It took a few days before realising I was not being woken up by the usual early morning chorus of roosters or chickens of any sort.

Although at our Chaiyaphum abode we have never raised chickens our immediate neighbour had dozens of them including some extremely noisy roosters. I had grown to accept it was a part of the rural soundtrack you have to put up with while living in the Northeast. And these roosters didn’t wait until dawn to wake you up but were in full crowing voice at 5am or even before that. Tt was a real racket and impossible to sleep through.

But now they are all gone. Apparently our neighbour got fed up with having to look after them and sold them all. Not a cluck to be heard. Perhaps he too couldn't stand being woken at uncivilised hours. Anyway I'm not complaining although it does of course mean we don’t get the occasional free eggs anymore.

However there are still annoying noises. The worst are the political campaign vans for the upcoming election with their loudspeakers which are extremely loud and intrusive. On one such van the bass volume was so extreme it rattled the foundations of our house. It would be interesting to know the politician's stance on noise pollution.

In fact I'm beginning to think I would rather have the roosters back.

Little Red Rooster