Hanoi (Vietnam) (AFP) – The pavements of Hanoi's wide boulevards and narrow lanes have long been clogged with bustling food stalls, weaving scooters, and crowds of coffee and beer drinkers sitting on low plastic stools.
Issued on: 02/06/2026 - 04:20
3 min Reading time
But the spontaneity that charmed tourists and supported street vendors in Vietnam's capital has subsided in recent months as authorities clamp down on illegal use of footpaths.Unauthorised peddling, parking and blocking foot traffic were long tolerated informally, but fines are now being enforced -- and city authorities are considering doubling them."Without vendors, I don't think Hanoi is Hanoi anymore," said Nguyen Thi Hoan, 58, who used to sell flowers on the pavement outside a large downtown apartment complex."Of course, I support the efforts to make the pavements clearer," she added.Hoan worked from the same slab of concrete for a decade, eking out a modest living hawking colourful bouquets.
Unauthorised peddling, parking and blocking foot traffic were long tolerated informally © Nhac NGUYEN / AFP
