Loud beer stalls on the sidewalks of Pham Van Dong Boulevard in Ho Chi Minh City were required to sign commitment forms on noise restrictions after local authorities toured the area to inspect noise complaints on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, the Binh Thanh District Bureau of Resources and Environment formed a cohort with authorities of Binh Thanh’s Ward 11 to roam Pham Van Dong Boulevard and address persisting noise issues that come from local beer stalls.

The cohort identified several problematic beer stalls, pubs, and nightclubs that blast deafening music at night, including Cali Beer, a beverage establishment owned by Tran Thi My Huyen.

Confronted by the task force, Huyen agreed to sign the commitment form, which requires her facility to curb music volume and relieve noise pollution for the neighborhood.

“Music is a major factor that draws customers to beer businesses, we can’t operate without it,” Huyen explained.

“However, as authorities required, we would tone down the music.”

Meanwhile, Nguyen Van Thiet, an executive of Havana Coffee & Beer on Pham Van Dong, said beverage stalls in the area should all be required to turn down their music volume.

“My facility goes for a laid-back atmosphere, yet the surrounding establishments always play ear-piercing music that ruined the ambience in my place,” Thiet complained.

“I hope that other places lower their volume so I can do the same to mine.”

According to Trieu Thi Bich Huyen, deputy chairman of Ward 11 in Binh Thanh District, penalties for noise violations used to be applicable only to disturbances between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am, with fines set in a nominal range of VND100,000-300,000 ($4.3-$13).

As per the new proposal of Binh Thanh District, the telling-off approach for noise violations will only be kept until the end of May, as administrative penalties will be introduced to punish disobedient businesses starting from early June.

The campaign will also target households and individuals who play loud music and karaoke to the point of overstepping noise regulations.

According to the national technical standards, noise in residential areas must not surpass 50 decibels from 9:00 pm to 6:00 pm, while noise output that exceeds 70 decibels during the rest of the day is also not acceptable.

Earlier this month, leaders of Ho Chi Minh City reached a consensus on the launch of a sweeping campaign against noise pollution in residential areas in 2021.

During the first phase of the drive, which runs till May, the city will focus on promoting messages and regulations against noise pollution among the community.

Meanwhile, administrative penalties for noise pollution will be strictly imposed in the second phase, which will start in June and last until the end of the year.

“We are striving to achieve economic development and raise living standards for the people, which is why noise pollution, among other issues that impact the urban environs, should be thoroughly addressed,” said Vo Van Hoan, deputy chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, during a city-level meeting last week to identify solutions for dealing with urban noise pollution.

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