Ho Chi Minh City to ban eating, drinking from walking street

The municipal People’s Committee has issued a ban on several activities, including eating and drinking, on the street and the area around the statue of President Ho Chi Minh.

Other actions to be banned include the illegal occupation of roadways and sidewalks, unlawful construction, behaviors that affect order and aesthetics in the area, superstitious activities, and all wrongdoings that compromise public hygiene.

The sale of food and drink, marketing, the vending of other products, and those cultural activities that violate regulations on civilized lifestyle, social security and order, and the prevention of fire and explosion.

In addition, the new rules will forbid the use of loudspeakers, horns, gongs, drums, and whistles, and assembly of people without permission of competent authorities.

The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has decided to establish a special team to control the situation on the walking street and to directly work with other relevant agencies.

The new regulations will take effect on April 18 and will be enforced directly by authorized units and indirectly with surveillance cameras installed along the street.

The 670-meter long walking street was opened in April 2015 and has become one of the favorite destinations of local people as well as tourists.

The venue attracts many people every night and is even more crowded on the weekend.

According to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters’ observation on Saturday evening, the street was packed with citizens, mainly young Vietnamese who are high school and college students.

The young people were sitting in groups along the street to enjoy their street foods, of which many were spilled while leftovers and food containers were often left on the ground.

Despite the placement of numerous recycle bins along the road, littering has remained an unsolved issue as it is easy to spot plastic bags, empty water bottles, candy wrappers and others around the planters.

Even after being reminded, many people still throw their trash on the ground, according to a volunteer working on the walking street.