In the background of bustling crowds at Ho Chi Minh City’s Ben Thanh Market taking pictures in ao dai, a traditional Vietnamese long gown, a less pleasant picture emerged: widespread littering.

Beginning at 7:00 am one recent day, crowds began flocking to the market for photos. 

By noon, hundreds of people had shown up, despite the scorching afternoon sun, to snap holiday photos in front of the iconic landmark. 

Many of those who visited the market were all too comfortable leaving piles of empty water bottles, styrofoam boxes, and plastic bags behind.

By 1:00 pm, the streets surrounding Ben Thanh Market were littered with plastic bottles, cups, and food containers.

Vendors selling Tet decorations, including peach and apricot blossoms, have added to the clutter by leaving behind discarded branches, flower petals, and plastic water bottles for others to clean up.

Nguyen Kim, a 56-year-old resident of Go Vap District, observed that many people casually toss their trash into planters after eating, despite dustbins being readily available nearby.

"Sanitation workers clean the area daily, but as soon as they finish, new groups arrive and start littering all over again," Kim said.

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