Do’s and don’ts for walking street

Do’s and don’ts for walking street

Last week, Hanoi People’s Committee proposed stringent regulations for the popular walking street in the heart of the city to foster a civilised and more enjoyable experience for visitors. As the draft, organisations and individuals visiting the walking space around Hoan Kiem Lake and its vicinity would be required to practice cultivated manners, wear appropriate clothes, and refrain from using rude or impolite language.

Visitors would be required not to walk their pets, step on the grass or benches, or vandalise trees or public objects. Activities such as swimming and fishing, as well as street vendors, shoe polishers, and aggressive sales strategies are also on the prohibited list.

The draft also requires residents not to use, stop, and park vehicles on the pavement, roads, and other public places in the walking area. Meanwhile, activities such as illegal gathering and propagating illegitimate information – which are technically prohibited already – would also be scrutinised and punished.

Meanwhile, any kind of cultural or artistic performance as well as physical training and sports must be properly licensed as the law requires. Performances that do not per se require licensing must be registered with the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports five days in advance.

Khanh Tam, a student at Hanoi’s Banking Academy said, “Young people swearing in public should have been banned for a long time. Often, I have been startled and ashamed to take my relatives down the street since you can easily hear a group of youngsters swearing or using otherwise inappropriate language.”

However, Khanh also clarified that the walking street is an entertainment location, not a workplace, so there is no need for regulations to be too tough.

Le Quy Duc, former deputy director of the Institute of Culture and Development said the regulations are necessary to build a better Hanoi, but it is essential to carefully consider proper implementation because the proposed regulations remain too vague.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Thi To Quyen, deputy head of the Department of Sociology at the Academy of Journalism and Communication, said that there should be clear regulations for street vendors around Hoan Kiem Lake rather than banning them as they are a unique part of Vietnamese culture.

Hanoi’s walking street began to reopen in mid-September with many activities gradually being restored. According to Hanoi People’s Committee, the pedestrian area around Hoan Kiem Lake welcomed 20,000-25,000 visitors every weekend day before the pandemic broke out.