Records in areas such as Ba Chieu market, Nguyen Tri Phuong market or Nguyen Trai, Cach Mang Thang Tam, Hai Thuong Lan Ong streets...
show that the situation of rampant sidewalk trading has been significantly rectified.However, reality shows that the restoration of sidewalk order is not really sustainable.Sidewalks on streets such as Le Thanh Ton, Phan Chu Trinh, Phan Bo Chau, Nguyen Thai Binh, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai...are still encroached upon for trading and parking motorbikes.
Recently, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction issued new guidelines on temporary use of sidewalks and roadways. Cases allowed for temporary use include organizing socio-political events, cultural and sports activities; disaster prevention and control, overcoming consequences; serving construction; organizing funerals, weddings; or parking when necessary. Compared to previous regulations, Ho Chi Minh City no longer allows the use of sidewalks as places for business services and trading goods.
Statistics from the Department of Construction show that after more than a year of piloting the temporary use of sidewalks, the city has collected about 7 billion VND from cultural activities, public utility arrangement and trading. This policy is assessed to contribute to restoring urban order and creating conditions for people to register to use sidewalks legally.
However, the implementation process is still lacking synchronization between localities. Some places still allow encroachment to occur, causing public concern about transparency and fairness in management.
According to Dr. Huynh The Du, lecturer on Public Policy at Fulbright University Vietnam, the reality in Ho Chi Minh City shows that sidewalk "deployment" campaigns often only create a short-term effect. When the pressure to make a living still exists, sidewalk trading activities will quickly return.
Mr. Du said that it is necessary to see street vending as a part of the urban economy, which absorbs a large amount of low-skilled labor. If there are no alternative livelihood solutions, simple prohibitions may put many people in a more precarious situation.
In addition, spatial planning needs to go first, such as piloting concentrated sales areas, night markets or food streets; stipulating flexible time frames on some streets; designing synchronous strollers and stalls to ensure urban aesthetics. At the same time, the city can apply technology in licensing, transparent fee collection and food safety and hygiene management.
Policies also need to take into account the factor of career change. For the elderly or those who are difficult to adapt to the centralized sales model, there needs to be a skills training program, supporting access to micro-credit or integrated into urban social security programs.
