Thao, a local resident, often travels to the mainland to do paperwork, carry out medical examinations and purchase essential items. Since wooden vessels were banned from operating, she’s experienced far higher travel costs.
“In the past, a wooden boat trip cost only VND35,000 (USD1.50) but a speedboat costs VND100,000-150,000. Therefore, only those with urgent work are willing to pay such high costs to travel to the mainland,” Thao said.
In addition, tourist speedboats only carry people, not goods, so business between the island and the mainland has almost ground to a halt.
Those who earn a living by farming aquatic products find it difficult to transfer fish and shrimp to the mainland for sale.
Ho Nhat Le, chairman of Nhon Chau Commune’s People’s Committee, admitted that the new regulations were a problem.
Previously, there were two wooden boat trips every day to serve people going back and forth during the day.
Currently, the speedboat leaves at 2 pm and arrives at the mainland at 3 pm, meaning sometimes people have to get accommodation overnight on the mainland, incurring additional costs.
Nhon Chau Commune has signed a contract with a 69-seat tourist boat, carrying residents to the mainland for VND100,000 per person.
Each trip, the boat owner will take a photo of residents’ identity card and send it to the commune authorities. At the end of each month, the commune will make a list to support residents for VND50,000 per trip.
"Last month, my husband and I travelled to the mainland six times at VND600,000 each, but the locality only supported us VND100,000 each. Some people received money support while others did not, so people also complained to local authorities," Thao said.
People previously just rented a wooden boat to get to Quy Nhon on the mainland for medical emergencies for around VND2 million a trip but now the cost of renting a tourist speedboat is around VND7-8 million, said a local named Nguyen Van Dao.
In case of bad weather, if the service can't run, patient's lives would be put in danger, Dao added.
Waiting for the speedboat from 7 am to nearly 10 am, Nguyen Hoang, 58, in Khanh Hoa plans to travel to Nhon Chau Island Commune to visit relatives.
"I was used to taking wooden boats at a fixed time while travelling by speedboat now has proved very inconvenient. Ticket prices have increased while the standard of living on the island commune remains low."
Nhon Chau Island Commune is home to nearly 2,300 people. It is located nearly 30 kilometres from Quy Nhon City in the central province of Binh Dinh. Local residents previously used wooden boats operating on the Nhon Chau - Quy Nhon route to reach the mainland.
Local authorities are working with agencies to remove obstacles facing residents, making it easier for them to travel to the mainland.
