Thousands of bamboo stakes have been planted in a flower bed at a public square in Hanoi, sparking safety concerns among locals.

The sharp bamboo sticks, about 50 centimeters in length, have been planted in the soil along the flower bed at the 19-8 Square in Hon Kiem District.

An employee from the Hanoi Green Tree and Park Company said on Monday that the objects were added about a week ago to prevent dogs from destroying the newly-planted flowers. 

The pointy traps are considered a potential danger for local residents as well as a distraction from the esthetics of the area.

Nguyen Thu Ha, a teacher at a local kindergarten, said that she had to constantly remind her students to watch out for the sharp sticks during their outdoor exercise periods at the square.

“There must be some other ways to keep dogs out of the flower bed than this,” Ha complained.

Dang Thi Luoc, another local resident, is also worried that playful children or elderly people could trip and fall onto the spikes by accident.

The ‘punji sticks’ are said to prevent dogs from destroying flowers. Photo: Tuoi Tre

During an interview with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, Pham Tuan Long, vice-chairman of the Hoan Kiem District People’s Committee, confirmed that he had ordered the removal of the bamboo stakes.

The Hanoi Green Tree and Park Company is in charge of planting flowers and fencing the garden, Long said, adding that the local administration had asked the firm to fix the problem as soon as they heard of the news.

Nguyen Xuan Hung, the company’s deputy director, confirmed that the flower bed was under the management of authorities in Hoan Kiem District.

“We were following the plan set by the local administration,” Hung elaborated.

The ‘punji sticks’ had been removed from the flower garden by Monday evening.

The stakes were removed on the evening of April 10, 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre 

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