A miserable life on Nguyen Tai's 'drinking street'
Lack of security and order, environmental pollution, traffic congestion… these are the concerns of residents living along Nguyen Tai Street (Vinh City) sent to Nghe An Newspaper. According to them, the cause is that the section of the enclosed canal No. 2 running parallel to Nguyen Tai Street has been "forced into a redevelopment plan," turning it into a "drinking street."
Nhat LanMarch 24, 2025
Lack of security and order, environmental pollution, traffic congestion… these are the concerns of residents living along Nguyen Tai Street (Vinh City) sent to Nghe An Newspaper. According to them, the cause is that the section of the enclosed canal No. 2 running parallel to Nguyen Tai Street has been "forced into a redevelopment plan," turning it into a "drinking street."
In early March 2025, representatives of households living in Block 2, Truong Thi Ward and Binh Yen Block, Hung Binh Ward contacted Nghe An Newspaper to submit a petition reflecting on the aforementioned issues.Nguyen Tai StreetThis is caused by the food and beverage businesses located along the No. 2 wastewater canal in Vinh City.
The petition is quite long, detailing the problems that are disrupting people's lives. These include pollution caused by restaurants and customers' indiscriminate waste disposal. Leftover food, packaging, bottles, cans, etc., dumped on sidewalks and streets, along with customers' unsanitary practices, cause serious environmental pollution. This is especially problematic during the rainy season, when drainage ditch No. 2 is frequently clogged, causing flooding and foul odors that permeate every house along the street and in the alleys.
Since restaurants and bars started operating along Canal No. 2, the street has seen numerous arguments and fights, especially in the evenings. Some fights have resulted in injuries, requiring the intervention of law enforcement and leaving residents in the area constantly feeling unsafe.
Furthermore, these establishments frequently emit loud music and boisterous shouting from people drinking alcohol, seriously affecting residents' sleep and impacting children's studies.
Since becoming a street known for its restaurants and bars, Nguyen Tai Street has suffered from severe traffic congestion. Vehicles parked haphazardly narrow the road, making it difficult for residents to move around and creating a constant risk of collisions and traffic accidents.
Due to the unsanitary and dilapidated conditions, Nguyen Tai Street has lost its original beauty; alleyways and public spaces have also been encroached upon, causing difficulties in daily life and detracting from the urban landscape.
In addition, food establishments pose a potential fire hazard to residents in the area; they also affect the health of customers who consume food from these establishments because they do not ensure food safety and hygiene, and some food businesses operate right next to drainage ditches carrying toxic wastewater…
That's the main point of the petition, and the representative, visibly upset, stated that they had been knocking on the doors of the relevant authorities for several years. Through this investigation, they discovered that the licensing of food and beverage businesses along Canal No. 2, Nguyen Tai Street, contradicts the pedestrian street pilot project.
"According to the pilot project for pedestrian streets, Nguyen Tai Street is only permitted to sell snacks, drinks, coffee, etc., and businesses must restore the street to its original state after the pedestrian street opens at 11 PM, and it is not a street for eating and drinking as it is currently..." - the representative affirmed.
He also stated that around December 2024, their petition was addressed by the People's Committee of Truong Thi Ward. At a meeting organized by the People's Committee of Truong Thi Ward in coordination with representatives from several departments and units of the Vinh City People's Committee and the Block 2 Steering Committee, all confirmed that the residents' complaints were true, and the Chairman of the People's Committee of Truong Thi Ward, Mr. Ho Sy Dung, also made a conclusion.
However, the People's Committee of Truong Thi Ward does not have the authority to definitively resolve this issue, and can only prepare a report on the resolution of the complaint, along with some recommendations and proposals to be sent to the People's Committee of Vinh City.
Sadly, nothing has changed since the report from the People's Committee of Truong Thi Ward on December 30, 2024. The problems from these businesses continue to recur, and have even become more complicated because, from the beginning of 2025 until now, the People's Committee of Truong Thi Ward has no longer directly managed or signed contracts with these businesses...
“We hope that the Vinh City People's Committee will permanently close down the street food and drink stalls on Canal No. 2, Nguyen Tai Street, so that people can have their right to live and their health protected…” – said the representative of the households.
The petition includes confirmation from representatives of the Block 2 Committee, Truong Thi Ward, and Binh Yen Block, Hung Binh Ward. Specifically, Mr. Duong Van Chuyen – Head of Block 2 – stated: “The petition is entirely correct and has affected the lives of residents around Nguyen Tai Street. The business at 18A Nguyen Tai Street has been repeatedly penalized. Therefore, we respectfully request that the competent authorities resolve this issue definitively to ensure security and order, and to allow the people to live in peace.” Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Huyen – Head of Binh Yen Block – stated: “The Binh Yen Block Committee, Hung Binh Ward, respectfully requests that the competent authorities consider and resolve this matter.”
According to Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Huyen, the food stalls along Canal No. 2 on Nguyen Tai Street are managed by Truong Thi Ward. However, some houses in Binh Yen block are adjacent to these stalls, and since their operation began, problems have arisen, affecting people's lives. The stalls obstructing Canal No. 2 affect the water flow, causing blockages during the rainy season; cars and motorbikes parked haphazardly cause traffic congestion; and customers urinate indiscriminately into people's houses after eating and drinking.
Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Huyen said: "The shops and stalls are open all night. The residents of Binh Yen neighborhood nearby are basically no longer peaceful..." He also stated that he participated in a meeting to address complaints organized by the People's Committee of Truong Thi Ward, and had presented the situation and requested that the competent authorities consider resolving this issue.
Mr. Duong Van Chuyen, head of Block 2 in Truong Thi Ward, expressed his frustration: "Day and night, I keep my phone on 24/7 to receive feedback from the public about pressing issues in food and beverage businesses along Canal No. 2, Nguyen Tai Street, so I can promptly report them to higher authorities."
According to Mr. Chuyen, many problems exist on Nguyen Tai Street. Vehicles are parked haphazardly on the road and in the alleys, causing traffic congestion and safety hazards. In addition, there is pollution and unsanitary conditions due to "businesses renting out space for food and drinks on the drainage ditch without toilets, resulting in customers constantly defecating indiscriminately in the residential area..."; and the loud shouting and yelling under the influence of alcohol late at night, causing disturbances.
“After a day's work, everyone needs to rest. And children of school age need peace and quiet to study. But noise all night long is very disruptive…” - Mr. Chuyen said.
The head of Block 2 also recounted many times he called upon and encouraged residents to work together to quickly clear the trash from Canal No. 2 to unblock the flow and prevent flooding. “Every year, Nguyen Tai Street is flooded because of the blocked flow. The households around there suffer, but the local officials also have a very hard time…” he lamented.
Furthermore, Mr. Duong Van Chuyen even recounted several incidents of clashes and brawls, including one involving the use of weapons which was handled by the ward police, thereby affirming: "The ward police officers also see that allowing food and beverage businesses on Canal No. 2, Nguyen Tai Street, is unreasonable and gives rise to negative consequences…".
Therefore, according to Mr. Chuyen, the residents' petition to "prohibit food and beverage businesses on Canal No. 2" is entirely justified. "I disagree with the absence of city leaders at the meeting to resolve the petition, organized by the Truong Thi Ward People's Committee. How can such a meeting be thoroughly addressed without the participation of city leaders…?" Mr. Chuyen lamented.
At the People's Committee of Truong Thi Ward, we reviewed Report No. 452/BC-UBND dated December 30, 2024, sent to the People's Committee of Vinh City regarding the resolution of petitions from households living in Block 2, Truong Thi Ward, and Binh Yen Block, Hung Binh Ward. The report from the People's Committee of Truong Thi Ward concluded: "The content of the petitions is entirely accurate."
Within its assigned authority, the People's Committee of Truong Thi Ward requests that businesses operating along Canal No. 2 strictly adhere to the signed commitments and current legal regulations; they are prohibited from conducting business beyond 11:00 PM. Furthermore, it directs the Urban Order and Regulations Team and the Truong Thi Ward Police to coordinate with the City's Urban Order Management Team and the City's Culture, Information and Communication Center to strengthen inspection and enforcement efforts to address related issues.
Notably, it was suggested that the City's Center for Culture, Information and Communication organize the signing of lease contracts with businesses operating along Canal No. 2 for management purposes; study and propose that the city add facilities such as street lighting in Binh Yen alley, public restrooms, water and electricity systems, and parking areas to business locations along Canal No. 2; and advise and propose to the Vinh City People's Committee a plan to reorganize business types at locations along Canal No. 2 to suit the current situation.
Living nearby, I often go on inspections with the police and urban order officers. My personal opinion is that the arrangement of businesses along Canal No. 2 on Nguyen Tai Street is inconsistent. Where there's an entrance, there must be an exit. Even temporary food businesses should have restrooms, but there aren't any here. There's also no planned parking space, and with the narrow road, it's no wonder it causes traffic congestion and gridlock. The section of Canal No. 2 there is at the end of the waterway, so it's always congested and prone to flooding… causing great frustration among residents. Regarding the ward's responsibility, they have conducted inspections and dealt with violations many times, sometimes even at 1 or 2 in the morning. But nothing changes…”
Mr. Mai Ngoc Luong – Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Truong Thi Ward
Working with the City's Culture, Information and Communication Center, it was learned that due to unresolved issues with residents, the Center has not yet signed contracts or collected fees from businesses operating along Canal No. 2 on Nguyen Tai Street.
Furthermore, because the Center is tasked with organizing and managing the pedestrian street on Friday and Saturday evenings, operating only until 11 PM, it is impossible to control the food and beverage stalls that operate continuously throughout the week.
According to Vu Hong Duc, Deputy Director of the City's Center for Culture, Information and Communication, when assigned to manage the pedestrian street, the Center surveyed the food and beverage businesses along Canal No. 2, Nguyen Tai Street, and found several shortcomings. Therefore, in early March 2025, the Center submitted a report to the Vinh City People's Committee.
Upon receiving the petition, we reviewed the relevant documents. The pilot project for organizing pedestrian streets (approved by the Vinh City People's Committee in Decision No. 5243/QD-UBND dated September 5, 2025) shows that during the project's development, public opinion was sought, and the plan for organizing business on the sidewalks and over the ditches along Nguyen Tai Street was defined as: "For lease for the sale of snacks, grilled food, beverages, etc."
However, on May 7, 2020, by Decision No. 2218/QD-UBND, the People's Committee of Vinh City allocated the area of canal section No. 2, Nguyen Tai Street, for "street food business," with "business hours all days of the week."
Meanwhile, the affected households, as well as local officials in Binh Yen block, Hung Binh ward, and Block 2, Truong Thi ward, all affirmed that they were not consulted before this change!
Over the past period, we have visited the food and beverage businesses along Canal No. 2 on Nguyen Tai Street several times. Through these visits, we found that the residents' complaints are accurate. Canal No. 2 carries wastewater, and the space on and around the canal is narrow, making it impossible to install restrooms. Nguyen Tai Street is only 8 meters wide and is surrounded by densely populated residential areas. Therefore, the placement of food and beverage businesses there does not ensure food hygiene, causes environmental pollution, traffic congestion, and disrupts public order and security.
Therefore, it is necessary to cease operations in the food service industry in order to reorganize and streamline business activities to ensure people's right to live!
