Dear Editor,

I must protest at the callous and thoughtless Hello mobile phone promotion at the Caltex Mao Tse-tung petrol station near Parkway. For the past week, Hello has been broadcasting loud music from dawn to after dark. This includes blasting so-called "music" into the compound of the Chinese Embassy.

While Hello's gross selfishness is preventing the local community from carrying out its normal business, the greatest offence has been the extreme vulgarity of the lyrics contained in the US hip-hop music it has played. If the words were reprinted in this paper, The Phnom Penh Post would lose its publication licence and incur hefty fines for public indecency. To blast such filth into the Chinese Embassy compound is inexcusable and a diplomatic blunder. I, therefore, call on the Hello CEO to personally apologise to the Chinese ambassador for such grossly offensive behaviour.

In light of the widespread and insensitive use of citywide sound systems, I propose the municipal administration take urgent steps to regulate such loudspeaker systems. At the very minimum, a 500-metre exclusion zone should be established around schools, wats, hospitals and embassies. The selfish disregard for our children's education, the sick and other vital services should not be tolerated.

I would also highlight the gross stupidity of Caltex in permitting unearthed electrical systems on its forecourt. The explosion risk is very high, and sufficient examples of catastrophic fuel station accidents exist worldwide, demonstrating the widespread death and destruction such events can cause. No fuel station should have electrical equipment within ignitable vapour distance of its pumps, and Caltex should be investigated for its reckless disregard for public safety.

Peter Goodman

Phnom Penh

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The views expressed above are solely the author's and do not reflect any positions taken by The Phnom Penh Post.