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Feb 27, 2018 / 17:10

Hoi An to pull plug on noisy bars

From now on, bars in Hoi An will not be allowed to operate for 24-hours, turn up the volume on their sound systems nor to encroach beyond their permitted space.

Bars in Hoi An.
Bars in Hoi An.
Until recently, restaurants and  bars frequently violated the rules on business hours, blared ear-splitting music even to passers-by, and arranged tables and chairs even on the roadway. That led to many complaints from the community, thus adversely affecting the image of Hoi An, according to Nguyen Van Son, Vice Chairman of Hoi An People’s Committee.
Consequently, the city asked owners to regulate their activities, including a ban on 24-hour operations, and informing customers 15 minutes before closing time. The owners were also asked to immediately desist from online advertising or through leaflets of “overtime business hours”.
Audio equipment in the bars will not be allowed to exceed the noise level of 50dB after 10 pm daily. Restaurants are only permitted to arrange tables and chairs in the space inside the red line curb, and they should not encroach on the sidewalks and roads (except during festivals, when this is allowed by the city).
Goods containing stimulants as funky ball are banned and all bars must implement safety measures, such as making sure customers who drink liquor are able to leave the bar in fairly good condition.
“From now on, if we see any bar which does not follow the rules on sound levels or operating hours, they will have to close shop, without exception. The people’s committee of the city plans to put up an amusement park separate from the old town center,” Son was quoted as saying. 
In 2017, Quang Nam province received 5.35 million visitors, including 2.8 million international tourists, a rise of more than 13% compared to 2016. Hoi An City in the central province of Quang Nam welcomed 3.22 million visitors in 2017, a year-on-year increase of 21.6%.
The 3.22 million visitors included 1.78 million foreigners and 1.44 million domestic visitors. As many as 2.38 million tourists visited Hoi An Ancient Town, up 28.16% and 400,000 more went to Cu Lao Cham Island. Up to 1.45 million guests stayed in Hoi An Ancient Town.