Sometimes the issue is education on various levels rather than a direct initial confrontation. But easier said than done, and I think it is hard to keep things cordial in such situations.
Ran into similar issues when we stayed at previous condo, where the unit above rented to a new family and started making loud noises that seemed to suggest doors closing / moving chairs late into the night. Initially we thought it might be a reverberation from other units. But there was this one time my wife could no longer take it and went to talk to them nicely, asking innocently if they heard some noise from their units. To our amazement they said they heard absolutely nothing. We resorted to ask the condo security and management to check pay them a visit every time the noise resurfaces, and that usually does the trick, for a while. Apparently the unit above them also lodged similar complaints.
We are glad to have great neighbours in our new place.
I have a friend who ran into similar issues with HDB neighbours above, and after the police, HDB, TC and MPs could not troubleshoot the issue, they proceeded to seek legal redress. Still no head no tail.
Perhaps when relationships have turned sour, the true resolution for the party who can no longer can hold out, to move out.