Major karaoke chain in Saigon pleads for reopening after 3-month closure
Tuesday, June 02, 2020, 11:16 GMT+7
A big karaoke parlor chain in Ho Chi Minh City has filed a document, pleading with local authorities for permission to reopen after a three-month closure over novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
The Nnice karaoke chain operator sent the plea to the municipal People’s Committee and the Department of Culture and Sports, asking for their help with business resumption.
A ‘karaoke brand’ in Ho Chi Minh City, Nnice has seven locations in different districts.
The operator said in the plea that it had become “exhausted” after “suffering” for three months since its temporary shutdown, ordered by the city admistration to stem COVID-19 transmission.
Nnice has halted all operations since March 15, leading to hundreds of jobs lost and huge damage to the chain, the operator elaborated.
Karaoke parlors have incurred great losses, made zero revenue, and had to take out loans to support staff, pay for location rent, and settle bank interest, the operator said, adding that each suffers billions of Vietnamese dong in damage a month. (VND1 billion = US$43,000)
The Nnice operator suggested in the plea that Ho Chi Minh City authorities ask the central government for permission for karaoke businesses to reopen, as Vietnam has kept COVID-19 at bay.
Such resumption will create jobs and keep the business afloat, Nnice said, promising to take preventative measures to prevent COVID-19 spread.
The People’s Committee ordered a series of businesses, including karaoke parlors, to close down from March 15, when the country was at the peak of the pandemic, in order to curb COVID-19.
The committee allowed the majority of businesses to come back on stream on May 9, except for discos and karaoke lounges.
Vietnam has well kept the novel coronavirus under control, with 293 out of 328 patients having beaten the disease.
No virus-related death has been documented in the country so far.
The government is still reminding citizens to keep an eye on the virus to prevent its resurgence.
Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
