[Vnbiz] Vietnam is getting richer

[Tran Dinh Hoanh]

Dear chi Thu Huong & CACC,

I absolutely agree with chi Thu Huong.  We all love quiet green cities.  We
want a city full of cars and pollution.

But the reality is Vietnam will have more cars and cars as the economy
improves, whether we like it or not.  What is our policy to deal with that?

First, we have to improve public transportation system.

Second, the car policy.  We can limit and make cars very expensive, and
create a ruling class in cars and everyone else in buses (like Singapore).

Or we can have cars for (upper) middle class and but encouraging people to
use public transportation often (like in the US).

Those are our policy choices.  I believe that a Singapore model is bad for
Vietnam because it will lead to lots of social conflict and instability in
governing (I just know us Vietnamese better than the palms of my hands).  So
I advocate more cars to reduce the appearance of "class distance."

It is very easy to already own a car and dream about a city of without no
car.  But the reality is that cars will have tremendous impact on Vietnam
economy and politics, just because of its status symbol and affordability
(Not like owing a jet).  In Vietnam, I do not know of any other thing that
has very high status while may be affordable for (potentially) lots of
people like a car.

My point here is:  A policy that reserves cars only for a handle of folks
will be detrimental to Vietnam social and political stability in the
long-term.  The other choice is, of course, be more relaxed on car ownership
and work out policies to deal with traffic, pubic transportation, and green
scenery.

Chi Huong said there are many green cities in the US.  And everyone in the
US owns at least one car, right?

Have a great day sister Huong and all.

Hoanh


On 12/7/06, huong luong <huongluongdc at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> [ Vietnam Business Forum ]
>
>
>
>
> All,
>
> I can't agree more with Craig....if number of cars define the prosperity
> of Vietnam today...to be honest...it is very sad sad news. I want to see
> more hospitals, more playgrounds for children, less crime, cleaner
> environment.... I miss my Hanoi of early 90s, it was so green and fresh. I
> miss my cyclo trips cruising around the city after the rain in summer, at
> night, or just biking along West lake and tree-streets, people walk and live
> their lives on street..it's so lively and natural......all these things make
> Hanoi and HCMC special for its own charm, that's why foreigners love the
> cities when they are tired of big, hectic and cement places in the developed
> world.  I saw photos of Bill Clinton walking around the Hanoi Downtown on
> internet and he looked so relaxed and excited. I am really worried about
> transportation development in urban areas in VN now.  Yes, say NO to cars.
> why?
>
> 1. Comparing to other big cities in the world, Hanoi and HCMC are not that
> big and distant, people used to bike everywhere during 70s, 80s....everybody
> was happy and healthy....why do you have to jump in a car to drive for 10'
> to work and stuck in trafic for 1hour or deal with crowd in which most of
> them look like they are going to commit suicide in front of your car? stupid
> trade-off.
> 2. Air pollution: be considerate for your poorer fellow people. While you
> sit inside your  car, thousand others suck in smokes and congestion.
> 3. If VN is richer these days, improve the electricity and sewage
> system for the cities.  They are overloaded with more people.  It's like you
> make a new tall/big man wear his 10-year old shirt. French built Hanoi for
> only few thousands people centuries ago, not millions.
> 4. Public transporation is the best solution, NOT sky bridges nor bigger
> roads in a small city.  It's like you have a big bed, big sofa, big table
> and chairs, big screen TV in a tiny studio (about 15m2) => your shelter will
> be full of furniture, no space for you to walk around anymore, even to
> breath. We need a subway system. that's only place nothing ever built -
> UNDERGROUND!
> 5. Is there any advocacy group to campaign for urban and environment
> issues in Vietnam these days, even community-based group? how effective and
> autonomous they are? (sorry for being out of touch with my dear country :(
>
> 6. Before I come to US, I used to imagine cities here like NYC everywhere,
> but I was wrong. Most cities in US are greener than HCMC now. I remember my
> first few years living in america, I went to NYC (chinatown) to feel less
> homesick!
>
> Just share some thoughts with cacc.
> h
>
>

-- 
Tran Dinh Hoanh, LLB, JD
Attorney of Law
Washington DC
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