The curb sides of big cities in Vietnam such as Hanoi and HCM City have become lucrative for small traders who earn large amounts of money amid lax management.
Over a year ago, the Hanoi municipal government issued a regulation to ban vehicles park on sidewalks and on roads on 267 streets citywide. The ban has only recently become effective, yet trading is still visible along roadsides in many places.
Pavements along many streets in the capital city, like Ngo Quyen, Hang Tre, Hang Thung, and Tran Nhat Duat, are largely occupied by beer stalls, snail and noodle vendors as well as lottery ticket salespeople. Their clients' vehicles are parked in the way of pedestrians.
A tea stand on the pavement in Hanoi. Photo by VEF
In several places including, the Tran Nhat Duat Street section starting from Long Bien Bridge, sidewalks have been turned into small businesses or vehicle repair shops.
Trading on sidewalk along streets, including Nguyen An Ninh, Truong Dinh, Bach Mai, Hue and Hang Bai, have become lively at night as many people have opened tea stands, sidewalk cafés, fast food and clothing stalls.
Hoan, a trader of second-hand clothes on Nguyen Van Huyen Road, said, “Trading is busiest between 7pm and 10pm. Sometimes local authorities come and give warnings, but we continue business as soon as they're gone."
A food stall on the pavement in Hanoi. Photo by Petrotimes
As trading on the roadside brings about considerable profits for those small entrepreneurs, they continue to violate the law and, as some say, create an eyesore.
Many traders rush to clear out as soon as they see the police coming, then quickly resume their activities after they leave. Many have said that the lax management has failed create an effective deterrent to prevent repeated violations.
This has resulted in rampant illegal occupation of roadsides and even streets for businesses.
Residents around Thanh Cong market said a temporary market recently overwhelmed the street, and many traders occupied children’s playgrounds and public spaces for their businesses.
In several places, such as Hoa Binh Park and along Nguyen Van Huyen Road in Cau Giay District, small traders pay money, reaching into the millions in VND each month for protection. Newcomers who are unaware of the regulations often face a tough battle if they do not pay these fees.
In some cases in Hanoi and HCM City, many people even offer to lease roadsides in front of their houses to small traders, earning tens of millions of VND per month.
Some have even advertised leasing of this public property without reprisal.
