HO CHI MINH CITY TEMPORARY CLOSES PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT FACILITIES

Deputy chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Le Thanh Liem on March 14 signed an urgent document requiring local authorities to temporary stop all public entertainment facilities such as cinemas, pubs, online gaming shops, massage parlours, karaoke clubs, discotheques, and theatres in all 24 districts of the city starting from 6pm today (March 15).

This decision was made under a proposal from Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports to limit the gathering of large crowds to prevent the spread of the COVID-19.

Accordingly, the People's Committee ordered the temporary suspension of all entertainment facilities mentioned above from 6pm on March 15 until the end of March 31.

Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee assigned the Department of Culture and Sports, the Department of Health, and other related departments, as well as the People's Committees of districts to monitor, inspect, and take charge of the implementation of the decision.

Earlier, at an online briefing between Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, People's Committee, and districts’ Party Committees on March 12, Tran Kim Yen, Party Secretary of District 1, proposed the committee to suspend public entertainment facilities.

"Those facilities make for quite a favorable environment for spreading the disease. We propose suspending them to contain the epidemic until the epidemic is over," Yen proposed.

Ho Chi Minh City Party Secretary Nguyen Thien Nhan approved the suspension but required related authorities to safeguard the local residents while keeping other business as usual.

As of March 14, Ho Chi Minh City had six positive cases for COVID-19, three of whom (two Chinese nationals and an overseas Vietnamese) were successfully treated and recovered. The remaining three cases are being quarantined and treated, including one Vietnamese person living in London who had met Patient 17, and two Vietnamese people living in Ho Chi Minh City who had met Patient 34. Currently, Vietnam has 53 positive cases for COVID-19, with the first 16 patients successfully cured.

Source: VIR

Related News

BANKING / FINANCE / INSURANCE / TAX

BANKS LAUNCH CROSS-BORDER QR PAYMENTS TO TAP GROWING DIGITAL ECONOMY

Banks are rolling out cross-border QR payment services enabling consumers to make international transactions directly through domestic banking apps to tap into the country’s fast-growing digital economy. The expansion of QR-based payments is gradually reshaping spending habits, reducing reliance on cash and international cards while offering faster and more transparent transactions at points of sale.

Apr 23, 2026

VIETNAM ECONOMY INVESTMENT

VIETNAM’S SMALL BUSINESSES TOP ASIA‑PACIFIC GROWTH RANKINGS

Vietnamese small businesses posted the strongest performance among 11 Asia Pacific markets in 2025, with 84% reporting growth, up from 82% a year earlier, according to CPA Australia’s small business survey. This momentum is forecast to continue in 2026 with 89% of small businesses expecting to grow on the back of a strong focus on technology, e-commerce, and improved business management.

Apr 23, 2026

VIETNAM ECONOMY INVESTMENT

VIETNAM’S IMPORTS FROM CHINA TOP US$50 BILLION IN Q1

Vietnam’s imports from China in the first quarter of 2026 surged a staggering 31.6% year-on-year to more than US$50 billion, accounting for around 40% of the country’s total imports, customs data showed. The increase was driven largely by technology goods and industrial equipment. Imports of computers, electronics and components jumped 62.2% to US$16.77 billion, while machinery, equipment, tools and spare parts rose 25% to US$9.72 billion.

Apr 23, 2026

INFRASTRUCTURE / CONSTRUCTION / LOGISTIC / PORT

VIETNAM TARGETS OVER 30 AIRPORTS, 25 RAILWAY LINES BY 2050

Vietnam plans to expand its nationwide civil aviation network to more than 30 airports by 2050, with total capacity reaching 533 million passengers per year. Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh told the National Assembly on April 20, as the country accelerates decentralization and diversifies funding sources for transport infrastructure.

Apr 23, 2026

VIETNAM ECONOMY INVESTMENT

FIRST-QUARTER GROWTH HITS RECORD HIGH DESPITE GLOBAL VOLATILITY

According to Dragon Capital, Vietnam’s growth momentum strengthened in March following Lunar New Year normalisation, reinforcing confidence that the expansion remained firmly intact through the first quarter of 2026. GDP grew 7.8 per cent on-year in the first quarter, with industry and construction rising 8.9 per cent and services 8.2 per cent, highlighting that growth is not solely reliant on exports and manufacturing, but is increasingly supported by services and domestic demand.

Apr 23, 2026

VIETNAM ECONOMY INVESTMENT

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE EXPORTS SURGE ON GLOBAL DEMAND

Việt Nam’s fruit and vegetable exports have made a strong start to the year, with rising shipments and tighter compliance with international standards helping producers tap robust global demand, according to the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetables Association. The association reported export earnings of nearly US$532 million in April, bringing total export value to $2.06 billion in the first four months of the year, up 22 per cent year-on-year.

Apr 23, 2026