Are you driven crazy by karaoke noise at noon or at night? People often make a petition to the Environmental Protection Bureau (EPB)of Taichung City Government that the snack bars, eateries, or restaurants in their neighborhood provide consumers with karaoke facilities for singing, thus making noise. To protect our citizens form being disturbed at night and at the noon break on weekends, the EPB has amended the relevant regulations to prohibit any shop that is not registered as an “audiovisual and singing service provider" from provision of karaoke facilities for guests to use during the period from 22:00 to 8:00 the next day and from 12:00 to 14:00 on weekends. Otherwise, an offender shall be fined NT$ 3,000-NT$ 30,000 in accordance with Article 23 of Noise Control Act.

In the past, the snack bars, eateries, or restaurants equipped with karaoke facilities were considered as "business places", for which our EPB inspectors had to measure the decibel at the scene and could not punish them if the noise level did not exceed regulatory standards. Meanwhile, the shop owners would turn volume down when they saw our EPB inspectors, making it difficult to catch them red handed. Thus, the EPB has amended the regulatory announcement in accordance with Article 8 of Noise Control Act. Now, without measuring the noise level, the EPB inspectors can issue a ticket to punish a shop that is not registered with the Ministry of Economy as an “audiovisual and singing service provider" and order it to immediately improve the situation, if it is using the karaoke facilities during the control period. This rule also applies to individuals who are singing karaoke at home and causing noise during the control period.

Moreover, some people use microphone for their sports and dancing performances in the park. If the noise level affects those people living near the park during the period from 22:00 to 8:00 the next day, the microphone users shall be fined, too. It is thus advised that everyone shall avoid using microphone during the control hours.

The EPB said that upon receiving a report from the public, inspectors will be sent out to the scene. If any violation is found, an offender shall be fined at least NT$ 3,000 but not more than NT$ 30,000. Consecutive punishment may be executed until the situation improves. It is advised that everyone adjusts his/her operation time so as not to disturb other people at rest. “Let us make Taichung a livable city,” added the EPB.