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Thailand Is Using Long Range Acoustic Devices (LRAD) (twitter.com)

36 points by laikerkh ↗ HN
Thailand is using Long Range Acoustic Devices (LRAD) as sound-wave disruption equipment. At high levels, exceeding 120–160 decibels, it can cause harm and lead to ear pain or deafness, dizziness, headaches, nausea, and difficulty breathing.

https://x.com/BongSeiha/status/1959953357277470757?t=kKBVeXW8s6CJNg7Wv4TonA&s=19

#CambodiaNeedPeace #ceasefireviolation

8 comments

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PaulRobinson
It's not exactly novel at this point for LRADs to be deployed by law enforcement in many countries, as well as by 20+ navies around the World.

The Wikipedia article on them has a long list of countries using these in a variety of contexts [0], but that is not to say they are a good solution. NYPD is prevented from using them in alert mode due to the lawsuit that suggested physical harm was present in crowds where they were used. However, they can use them to make announcements, and they've been used in many crowd control scenarios in other parts of the World.

So, can someone explain why Thailand using them is explicitly of note?

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-range_acoustic_device

Traubenfuchs
Can you protect against those with deep earplugs + overear hearing protection or does it vibrate right through your face and skull?

How about riot shield type gear for protection?

PicassoCTs
I have yet to see any police strategy involving harmful crowd control, that deals with the retaliation by dronestrikes.
Ms-J
This is sickening. What is the countermeasure to these?

Edit. The countermeasure, according to an AI model is:

Avoid the direct beam of the LRAD by moving out of its narrow 15-degree coverage angle. Stepping off to the side drastically reduces exposure

Sound-dampening shields or barriers

Range style earmuffs and high-quality earplugs that attenuate sound significantly

jacknews
I've seen this described as the dumbest conflict in history, given the trigger this time is a break-down in the personal relationship between ex-leaders, over gambling and scam compounds and trafficking. Of course, there's a long and complex history to the border dispute, but it's been calm for about 12 years otherwise.

What's notable is the level of propaganda and brainwashing of the populations, on both sides, and an 'if you're not echoing the propaganda maybe you're on their side', kind of atmosphere.

It's extraordinary to witness. I get a sense of how Germans must have got caught up in Nazi Germany, or at least, kept silent out of fear.