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Vo Van Hoan, vice chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee (Photo: VNE)

Vo Van Hoan, vice chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee made the statement at the meeting on March 9 morning. Accordingly, the city will first launch an awareness-raising campaign until May while completing legal policies to deal with noise violations. No punishment will be made during this phase.

Starting June, noise violators might face an administrative penalty of VND 1 mil – 160 mil (US $43.29 – 6,927). “By that time, regulations have all been set. The government must crackdown on all violated individuals and organizations for the good of the community”, Hoan was quoted by VNE, stressing that the city’s aim was to end karaoke noise pollution by the end of 2021.

Nguyen Thi Thanh My, deputy director of the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, said noise pollution in the city is mainly caused by karaoke services, bars, dance clubs, or malls. She also voiced her concern over paltry fines which might probably not effective in deterring law-breakers and can only be applied if the violations happen within certain time frames.

A man sings karaoke via a portable set at a street-side restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City's Go Vap District in 2020. (Photo: VNE)

Other challenges include the requirement of noise measurement equipment approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment. Citizens’ own efforts to evade fines such as reducing noise levels upon knowing authorities’ checking arrival could also stand in the way.

The department has requested the municipal People’s Committee to adopt new measures to resolve noise pollution in the city, like increasing the fines and expanding the time frame for levying them.

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