Street vendors are vital in the city
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The first time I came to HCMC as a student I was fascinated by the street vendors selling their goods on the sidewalks of Saigon. It was my first time in Asia as well, so I found it to be so exciting to be able to buy from local vendors and try a variety of traditional Vietnamese food.
It was nothing like my home in the US, where I buy mostly everything from a supermarket. The streets were alive with color and energy. The street vendors were the highlight of my trip and left a deep impression on me.
Overall, throughout my 4 years living in HCMC, I had very few bad experiences with street vendors, and this small number cannot compare to the number of wonderful experiences.
In my opinion street vendors are extremely hard-working and good people who have little income and little support. Each one of them has a story of their struggles that would touch your heart.
Street vendors have really enriched my experience living in Vietnam. They have always been open, friendly and easy to talk to, and have even taught me Vietnamese. They are willing to share their life stories with those who ask and talk with foreigners without the least bit of shyness. I love walking down the street and seeing familiar faces and their bright smiles. It is so comforting because it makes me feel like I am part of a community.
The most important point about street vendors is the large number of benefits they bring to the city and to the economy, which is often not recognized. First, they truly are the face of this city and they bring it to life; thus, many tourists are attracted by them to come to HCMC. Street vendors not only draw in more visitors, but they contribute significantly to the local economy by providing reasonably-priced goods to the poor and middle class. This includes migrant workers, blue-collar workers and students who depend on them for daily necessities.
Moreover, with urbanization, people do not have enough time to cook and vendors provide for any people. Furthermore, more jobs are made available for those with a low education, which includes incoming migrants to HCMC. Working as a street vendor is a viable option for these individuals.
As I was sitting and enjoying a morning coffee on a small chair on the sidewalk, suddenly I saw several men in uniform quickly jump off their motorbikes, and it looked like they were about to attack the poor street vendors. The woman who I bought my drink from ran and tried to grab what she could. After that everyone in that area started to pick up everything they could and run and hide. That was the first time I witnessed this shocking event. It is quite disturbing for me and for the other foreigners with me. We did not know what was happening at that moment.
Later, as I drove around the streets I would see this same thing happen again and again...outside of construction sites where workers buy their food, sidewalk magazine or book vendors where tourists buy goods and so on. They are kicked out one day and the day after they come back. The vendors also lose money when their property is taken, but these are not long-term solutions.
There are solutions in other countries which have recognized the street vendors importance, managed the situation and have long-term vision. For example in Kuala Lumpur street vendors are able to get licensed by a department which controls street vendors. If they are licensed they are able to receive many benefits, and if unlicensed there are no benefit so this encourages all vendors to apply to become licensed.
The objective is to keep the city clean, healthy and beautiful. So if the vendors are licensed they receive training and support. Funding for regular training sessions for street vendors about personal hygiene, nutrition & food, business skills, and accounting is available. They can also receive training on how to improve facilitates and the department officials make sure to organize basic stall facilities such as water, electricity and garbage collection and disposal. This requires cooperation between NGOs and the government.
Another solution in some countries has been to authorize areas where they can legally operate. Street vendors can resettle to food centers or markets, which are certified, where they are allowed to operate if they pay a daily tax or buy a permit. Again the vendors with permits received benefits like training and facility upgrades.
One last example is street vending in Singapore. All street vendors are licensed in Singapore and there is a Hawkers Department which checks to make sure everything is managed and controlled. They provide training and support, and the government helps to upgrade stalls and facilities.
I am not an expert on this and this is just the tip of an iceberg. I do not have all the details and facts here. Therefore, the point of my article is to make you think more about the street vendors in Vietnam and the valuable contribution they make. I think there needs to be a long-term solution suitable for them. The street vendors are the backbone of this city providing for workers and tourists. They need more assistance and support.
Alison R. Bishop (American, teacher)
