THAILAND - Children who listen to loud music through earphones connected to portable music devices are at risk of having hearing problems, and those younger than five years old are advised to not use earphones, or they face slow development, the Public Health Ministry warned yesterday.

Citing a European Union health report which designated the 80decibel level as a safety limit, secretary general Phaijit Warachit said more than 10 million teenagers there had hearing problems, while around five to ten per cent of portable music devices worldwide offered a similar risk.

Thailand has no such statistics, but Dr Phajit cited a National Statistical Office survey last year that there were now 32 million users of mobile phones with a minimum age of six, a 53percent increase compared to a survey four years earlier.

"The hearing problems possibly inflicted on a large number of Thai teenagers, resulting from excessive noise level in earphones, will have a bad impact on the country in many areas," he said.

Dr Somkiat Sirirattanaphruek, a senior government doctor with expertise in occupational and environmental hazards, said there was no decibel regulations imposed on manufacturers of mobile phones and portable music devices, despite common knowledge that 80decibel was the safest level.

Dangerous earphones

He said there were three types of earphones - the over-ear type, the on-ear type, and in-ear type - which is most dangerous although the most popular among teenagers. "This in-ear type gives the loudest beat to the music and is most popular among them - rhythm-based music types like hip hop or rock 'n' roll," he said

Somkiat cited a smaller scale local survey about hearing problems among Thai students - that around 70 per cent in upper and lower secondary levels who regularly listened to loud music through earphones, reported hearing problems.

He said the most dangerous practice was of wearing earphones to sleep - which could cause bad effects or injuries on waking up.

"The long term effect could be permanent loss of hearing, while the short term effects include emotional breakdown, aggressiveness and loss of concentration."

Children younger than five, whose ear nerve cells are developing and very fragile, could possibly face slow development, or initial hearing problems resulting in speaking difficulties and personality problems, which would have lifelong effects after they grow up, Somkiat said.