Tighten security and order during the festival season

At Ong Hoang Muoi Temple (Hung Thinh Commune, Hung Nguyen District), since the beginning of the year of Mau Tuat, a large number of tourists have flocked to the temple. This year, the security situation at Ong Hoang Muoi Temple has been tightened, so there are no more incidents of begging, stealing, or soliciting visitors.

A representative of the Ong Hoang Muoi Temple Management Board said: “To ensure security and order in the temple grounds, the Board has coordinated with the Hung Thinh Commune Police and Hung Nguyen District Police to arrange for beggars to not enter the temple and to prevent superstitious practices from occurring. For shops in the temple, the Board requires them to be arranged neatly, not solicit, and especially prevent the exchange of small change for profit.”

Due to the large number of visitors, the Management Board of Ong Hoang Muoi Temple has arranged many parking spots, increased ticket collectors, and arranged vehicles neatly. In the temple grounds, incense burning spots, votive paper burning spots, and accompanying services are also arranged scientifically, helping visitors feel comfortable when coming here.

Ong Hoang TempleTen is guaranteed security for tourists to visit. Photo: Nguyen Hung

At Hong Son Temple (Hong Son Ward, Vinh City), to ensure security and order as well as limit superstition, the temple management board has posted signs prohibiting the exchange of small change for profit right in the temple. Places for burning votive paper money have also been arranged and specific instructions have been provided for visitors.

According to the leader of Hong Son Ward Police, to ensure good security and order at the temple, the ward police have planned to coordinate with functional forces and civil defense forces to regularly be present at the relics to ensure order and fire prevention. Coordinate with the Temple and Pagoda Management Board to regularly remind cases of intentional price gouging; at the same time, strictly handle cases of law violations such as property theft and pickpocketing, so security and order are always guaranteed.

People go to the temple at Hong Son Temple. Photo: Archive

At Con Temple (Quynh Phuong Ward, Hoang Mai Town), although there is still more than a week until the festival opens, since the first days of the new year of Mau Tuat, the number of tourists has been increasing. In addition to organizing and managing activities at the temple to ensure the promotion of cultural values, the work of ensuring security and order is also of great concern to the government and functional forces.

According to the leader of Quynh Phuong ward, before, during and after Tet, the town and ward police force are always on duty, monitoring the situation to prevent street vendors from soliciting tourists, begging, encroaching vehicles, and managing cultural services, food and beverage, and prices of goods. To prevent theft, a security camera system has also been put into use.

In addition, to ensure that people and tourists can enjoy the festival safely, economically, and ensure order in sacred places, the Organizing Committee has also increased security forces, police forces to regulate and guide vehicles in and out of the right places. Hoang Mai Town Police will coordinate with Quynh Phuong Ward Police, Border Guard, and local militia and self-defense forces to deploy at many points in the temple and checkpoints on Route 537B (from the intersection of Quynh Di Ward connecting to National Highway 1A) and other routes leading to Con Temple. Households doing business sign a commitment not to encroach on sidewalks, roadsides, and curbs for business purposes...

New Year's Eve ritual at Con Temple. Photo courtesy

In addition to the above locations, in January and the following months, the province also has many festivals and spiritual tourist attractions that attract people to come to visit, enjoy and pray for peace at the beginning of the year. Such as the Mai King Temple Festival, Van Loc Temple, Hang Bua, Qua Son Temple, Nguyen Xi Temple, Duc Hoang Temple, Bach Ma Temple, Chin Gian Temple, Cuong Temple... Therefore, right before the Lunar New Year 2018, the Provincial Police Department has directed the police of units and localities to coordinate with functional agencies and festival organizers to proactively develop plans and deploy forces to ensure the safety of festivals taking place in the area.

Major Nguyen Van Dao - Deputy Chief of Staff (Provincial Police) said that for those who take advantage of the festival to commit superstitious acts as well as commit theft and gambling, the police force will strictly handle them according to regulations.

In addition to maintaining security and order in the festival area, the police force continues to maintain and expand special task forces in coordination with other forces (including commune-level police) to strengthen patrols and control of key areas and routes 24/7 to detect and strictly handle violations of traffic safety and order (speeding, fighting for passengers, stopping, parking, picking up and dropping off passengers in the wrong places, violating speed regulations, overloading, exceeding the prescribed number of people, especially driving under the influence of alcohol; violating alcohol concentration"...

There was still a case of palm reading and taking money in the Hoang Muoi temple grounds on the afternoon of February 25. Photo by Nguyen Hung

At the same time, the Traffic Police and Public Order Police will coordinate with the Transport Inspectorate to implement measures to manage transport activities immediately upon departure, resolutely handle vehicles that violate transport regulations, are oversized, and are overloaded on roads. Deploy forces at key and complex routes and intersections to separate lanes, flow, and provide guidance to ensure smooth traffic, especially during peak times.

However, in addition to the responsibility of the authorities, visitors to temples, pagodas and relics need to be vigilant to avoid having their trust taken advantage of to participate in superstitious practices, which not only costs money but also causes psychological insecurity.