Chuck Kuhn's Asia in Photos: small ads

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Rubbish on walls illegal in Vietnam (pictures)

Hanoi authorities on December 26 launched a campaign to abolish illegal small ads, which are compared as rubbish on the walls. This kind of rubbish has appeared in the capital for many years, which are not very convenient but make the city look very ugly.

Hanoi makes a raid on illegal small ads

VietNamNet introduces this type of rubbish in our photos:

“Street Arts”

Volunteers clean up Hanoi’s walls on December 26.

Advertising firms have cleaned up rubbish on bus stops for years, where they have advertising boards of their companies, but small ads reappear overnight.

Now small ads are also on the roof of a bus stop.

Rubbish on the walls has existed for so long that foreign visitors think it is something lovely about Hanoi. Two Vietnamese-Americans opened a Vietnamese restaurant in New York decorated with small ads.

Illegal small ads will be abolished in Vietnam Dec 26

"Illegal small ads on the street will be abolished on December 26 while owners of illegal large advertisements will be fined.

Do Dinh Hong, vice chief of the Hanoi People’s Committee Office, said that this time the city will resolutely deal with illegal small ads by deactivating the phone numbers ithey listed small ads and cut the power supply to individuals and organizations posting illegal small ads.

District police forces will be responsible for verifying the owners of phone numbers on these ads.

The city authorities have instructed the Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Ba Dinh, Dong Da and Long Bien districts to install free notice boards for small adds at publics sites.

At a recent meeting of the Hanoi People’s Committee, vice chairmwoman Ngo Thi Thanh Hang emphasized that the city would be tough in dealing with illegal small ads and would call for families to check and abolish small ads on their walls. Local governments will have to take responsiblity for illegal small ads in their areas.

Illegal small ads have been a city problem for years as it makes the city look very ugly.

VietNamNet/VNE"

They say "

“I can’t say what made me fall in love with Vietnam - that a woman’s voice can drug you; that everything is so intense. The colors, the taste, even the rain. Nothing like the filthy rain in London. They say whatever you’re looking for, you will find here. They say you come to Vietnam and you understand a lot in a few minutes, but the rest has got to be lived. The smell: that’s the first thing that hits you, promising everything in exchange for your soul. And the heat. Your shirt is straightaway a rag. You can hardly remember your name, or what you came to escape from. But at night, there’s a breeze. The river is beautiful. You could be forgiven for thinking there was no war; that the gunshots were fireworks; that only pleasure matters. A pipe of opium, or the touch of a girl who might tell you she loves you. And then, something happens, as you knew it would. And nothing can ever be the same again.”
― Graham Greene, The Quiet American

Tips on Travel to Vietnam

It's always warm in Southeast Asia apart from high mountains, so leave the heavy clothing at home. Cotton and breathable fabrics are always better than synthetics -- although cotton does wrinkle a lot when traveling! December through April is roughly the dry season in that region, although it can still rain a little. December is a good time to go in terms of temperature -- cooler than in the humid summertime. Either way, wearing more clothing (shirt sleeves and long pants) is always more respectful towards the Asian culture, especially when visiting temples and rural areas.