Bangkok, already one of the world’s noisiest cities, might be in the process of getting louder. U.S.-educated entrepreneur Palin Lojanagosin intends to start putting ads in washrooms on television monitors.  These will not only be placed above sinks, but above the toilet stalls themselves.  All of us have come to grips with the notion that print advertising is pervasive, but many are questioning the sanity of blasting verbal information all over the place, from BTS stations, to cinemas, to the sidewalks themselves (witness the monstrous television on Ratchadamri outside of the Central World complex, which can be heard one block away, even with heavy traffic). 

Construction in Bangkok has sheathed the city in hard, reflective surfaces that radiate street noise, ditto for interior spaces, such as shopping complexes.  It’s become increasingly more difficult to engage in a mobile telephone conversation in shopping centers, as introducing ear-shattering live music has become commonplace.  Washrooms have always been something of a safe haven from ear pollution, and we’re concerned that silent television ads will not be the final stop.  In our opinion, adding boisterous sound to washroom TV ads cannot be far away, taking away yet another place where we thought we could get some peace and quiet.