Vientiane Capital is getting a makeover starting 23 August. The Department of Industry and Commerce is rolling out new rules to clean up and organize the city. This includes revamping streets and relocating local stalls to improve safety and order.
The new initiative, originally approved by the Vientiane Administration on 20 December, 2017, focuses on restructuring disorganized stores, minimarts, and street vendors that currently use road pavements for selling goods without official permission. This unregulated use of public space has led to traffic congestion and a cluttered cityscape, the authorities said. The project will address issues such as unauthorized extensions, disorderly advertisement signs, and littering.
Under the new regulations, all local stalls and street vendors must relocate from pavements and ensure their selling practices comply with city guidelines. Managers of markets, shopping centers, and supermarkets are also required to enforce these rules, ensuring that vendors do not obstruct sidewalks or roadways. The objective is to improve pedestrian and vehicular movement, enhance the city’s aesthetic, and ensure public safety.
The Department of Industry and Commerce urges consumers to purchase only from authorized vendors to avoid contributing to the disorganization. Vendors who do not comply with the new rules may face fines or legal action.
The announcement has elicited concerns from long-standing vendors.
“I have been selling food here for over 30 years. If I have to move, I’m worried I’ll lose my customers,” said one vendor from Rue Samsenthai, Vientiane.
Pheng, another food vendor in the same street questioned the logistics of relocating and how it would impact their business.
“How will the government manage the vendors that have already moved? Where are we supposed to sell our food? Because this is where we have always been,” he said.
As the city moves forward with these changes, residents will be watching to see if the new regulations effectively improve organization and safety while addressing the concerns of local vendors.
