It is common to see smoke from the votive burning on streets such as Hang Ngang, Hang Dao, Hang Buom and Hang Bong.
Vietnamese people use lots of votive paper on the Ghost Day, the annual Wandering Souls Day, or Ghost Festival, when it is believed the gates to the afterlife are opened and spirits enter the real world.
To mark the occasion people also burn gifts to offer to the dead in the hope they will use their powers to rid people of their sins and bad fortune.
Many people even burn votive paper on the road.
Excessive votive paper burning not only causes smoke but also the risk of fire and pollution as well as waste.
