CAUSES OF STREET VENDOR HEALTH AND SAFETY PROBLEM, AS CASE STUDY OF DE THAM STREET, DISTRICT 1, HO

Field Studies of Southeast Asia Report, Semester 2, 2016-2017

CAUSES OF STREET VENDOR HEALTH AND SAFETY PROBLEM, AS CASE STUDY OF DE THAM STREET, DISTRICT 1, HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM Mohamad Shahrul b Selamat Department of Architecture Faculty of Built Environment University of Malay (Email Address:shahrulds21@gmail.com)

Abstract A street vendor is broadly defined as a person who offers goods for sale to the public without having a permanent built-up structure from which to sell.

Street vendors may be stationary in the sense that they occupy space on the pavements or other public/private spaces or, they may be mobile in the sense they move from place to place by carrying their wares on push carts or in baskets on their heads. In this essay, the term 'street vendor' includes stationary as well as mobile vendors and it incorporates all other local or region specific terms used to describe them. In this study, the terms 'street vendor' and 'hawker' have the same meaning and they are often interchanged. There is a substantial increase in the number of street vendors in the major Asian cities. In India, the National Policy for Urban Street Vendors notes that street vendors constitute approximately 2 per cent of the population of a metropolis. The total number of street vendors in the country is estimated at around 10 million. This number is likely to increase even further. The reports from the Asian countries show that there was a jump in the number of street vendors after the financial crisis of 1998. This crisis had affected the Asian Tigers the most and one does find that that there was a sharp rise in street vendors in Thailand, Singapore and Philippines. One of the noticeable features of the cities in Asia is the growing number of street vendors. The growth is mainly related to the changes in the economy of these countries. Street vending increases with the shrinking of jobs in the 1

formal sector and with lack of gainful employment in rural areas. Nowadays, growing effect of street vendor has made the activities as a prominent tourism attraction in most Asian country. The community informal interaction on the market has bring the tourist closer to the nature of Asian country and somehow street vendor popular with the issue such as cleanliness and hygiene even many vendors try to keep the streets clean and safe for their customers and provide them with friendly personal service.

The sidewalk or pedestrian walkway which mainly design and construct not for street vendors activity is the reasons is happen. However the street market activity still received good impression and demand by the community and tourist. Meanwhile, traffic congestion problem in developing country become worse over the year .The number motorize vehicular such as motorbike and cars has increase in the city which accidently increase the value of bad particles emit to surrounding including streets. The problem become worse when it will increase the chances and probability the product sell by the street vendors as well as the vendor’s health themselves. The study was conducted to determine causes of street vendor health and safety problem and Ho Chi Minh City has been used as case study because of intense activity of the street vending on the city.

Keywords Street vendor, carbon emission, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Health Problem Introduction Vietnam is a developing country based in Southeast Asia. The country has a long history of struggle against imperialism and colonialism which culminated in the victory of the Vietnamese Communist Party in the war against the US and its allies in what was then South Vietnam. Millions were killed in this struggle. The subsequent autonomous Communist rule led to a boycott by the USA and this had a serious negative impact on economic growth. However, since the collapse of the Soviet system and the ending of financial and institutional support from Russia, Vietnam has taken steps to enter into the capitalist world system by employing the doi moi policy which 2

provides for liberalization of the economy while retaining the autonomous political system (Painter, 2005). This has resulted in successive years of high growth (declining to 6.5% in 2008 and projected to dip further in 2009 and 2010 (ADB, 2009)). In addition to liberalization, the country has become more open to inward tourism. Official statistics indicate that in 2008 a total of 4,253,740 international tourists visited the country, which represented a 0.6% annual increase on 2007 (Vietnam Tourism, 2009). While the two principal cities of Ho Chi Minh City (previously Saigon) and the national capital of Hanoi are particularly important in tourism, beach resorts.

Street vendors occupy many areas throughout the city such as Hanoi, Vung Tau and Ho Chi Minh, both official and unofficial. Some are mobile in nature and others prefer a more settled position. Pitches have been marked out around some of the various open public spaces for vendors to use but either there is still insufficient supply of vendors or else they only operate on certain periodic occasions. As the tourism industry is still developing, it is likely that the nature of more modern street vending operations is also keep developing. (John Walsh, 2010).Unfortunately, the 2008 street vendor ban is implemented and enforced in Hanoi, like many Vietnamese state policies, at the lowest level of local urban administration, the ward (phuo´’ng).The ban is designed to make the city more habitable, says an official from the Hanoi Trade Management Division, who asked not to be named. "It is to beautify the city," he said, referring to Decision 02, which bans mobile vendors from 62 streets. "Hawkers are a major reason for traffic problems. We believe that once the ban is enforced it will help improve urban sanitation, food hygiene and ease congestion". Before the 2008 ban, it was estimated that there were about 5600 vegetable and 5900 fruit street vendors working in greater Hanoi. These figures include mobile street vendors and fixed vendors selling on pavements, as well as those trading in informal markets (M4P, 2007).

Recently, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) has received shocked announcement regarding the sidewalk cleaning campaign in District 1 to take back the sidewalks from invaders including the street vendor. Authorities in District 1 started the "sidewalk revolution" early in February in a bid to reclaim the sidewalks for their original purpose and turn the district into a “Little Singapore”. The authorities removed various furniture, vehicles and food 3

stalls from the pavement. Benches which were installed around a tree by a restaurant were also removed. As the follow up plan, the authorities plans to organize a street food area to support poor vendors affected by the sidewalk cleaning up campaign, and to preserve its street culture. District 1 officials said they plan to move street vendors to Nguyen Van Chiem Street near Notre Dame Cathedral, Bach Dang Park along Ton Duc Thang Street and the Saigon River, and then to sidewalks wider than three meters. District chairman, Tran The Thuan told newspaper that the plan aims to help 500 street vendors who have been plying their trade for years in the area. “It won’t just be a place of business; it will show the city's special culture,” Thuan said.

HCMC which is the largest city in Vietnam and is the economic centre of the country. Its official population in 2007 was 6.6 million, a 3.1 percent annual increase from 2002. However, the total population including migrant workers may be as high as 8.7 million. Independent estimates based on enterprise employment, motorcycle registration, and construction permit data also suggest an absolute increase of 400,000-500,000 people in the city a year. Since infrastructure, beyond some minimum, should be related to population growth, the current amount of major urban investment is lower than it should be. As a result, the city is facing two critical and related challenges, namely, traffic congestion and development of new urban areas.

Recognizing the fact that motorcycles are fairly efficient users of street space, thus it become the main transportation on the city. Traffic congestion is increasing as the city is registering 1,300 motorcycles and 150 cars every day. The city, which the French had christened the “Pearl of the Orient”, is now referred to by some as the “motorcycle capital of the world.”

Literature Review

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Strong demographic growth as well as the fast development of the economy in HCMC leads to the increase of the population in the city. According to HCMC’s General Statistics Office (Statistical yearbook of HCMC, 2006), in 2006 it has reached a total of 3,340,964 vehicles (among them 2,895,831 motorcycles). In addition, the infrastructure of HCMC is not prepared for the rapid urbanization and its economic growth. For example, traffic jams are omnipresent on the weekends. The results are environmental problems such as air and noise pollution. High levels of air pollution are thus very often detected (Ho et al, 2006). For over 10 years, air quality in HCMC has deteriorated considerably thus exposing millions of people to harmful pollutants. A recent study on the relation between air pollution and health (Le et al., 2008) showed that more than 90% of children under 5 years old suffer different illnesses in HCMC. (Bang Quoc Ho, Alain Clappier, 2011) stated that the motorcycle is the most important of traffic emission source (contributing 99% of CH4, 94% of CO, 68% of NMVOC and 61% of SO2) and if the HCMC government does not follow the planning, the emission of CO and CH4 in 2015 will increase very fast (more than 30%) and the emission of CO and CH4 in 2020 will increase more than 60%.

Characterized as chaotic, “unruly and uncontrolled” (Harms, 2014), with “heavy international flows of people and capital” (Hoang, 2011), and “fast, dangerous, (and) reeking of sex and intrigue” (Edwards, 2003), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam which is the study area is a sprawling urban space that represents the lion’s share of southern Vietnam’s urban population economic production, and cultural activities (Gainsborough, 2010, Luong, 2009). As in much of Southeast Asia, the most common form of private transportation in HCMC is the motorbike (Cresswell, 2014). Indeed, traveling through HCMC, Vietnam, one is awash in motorbike movement and becomes “besieged by motorbikes” (Truitt, 2008) moving through urban space. These motorbikes carry all manner of people and things. Due to the disordered nature of HCMC traffic, outside observers often note that Vietnamese motorbike drivers seem to have a sixth sense when driving the city’s roadway

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Figure 1: WHO statistical profile, Vietnam Road transport is globally recognized as a significant and increasing source of air pollution. A major contribution of particulate matter in urban areas is believed to be attributable to emissions from diesel-powered vehicles and 6

traffic (Wahlin et al., 2001).The fine and ultra-fine particles are generated mainly by combustion from diesel exhausts (Vallius et al., 2000). Over the past two decades, numerous epidemiological studies have reported an association between traffic-related air pollution and various health outcomes such as respiratory symptoms, reduced lung function, chronic bronchitis, mortality and hospital admissions (Kunzli et al., 2000; Clench-Aas et al., 2000; Solomon and Balmes, 2003).Consistent on consuming the polluted air increase the risk of developing respiratory and other adverse health symptoms as exposed to multiple air pollutants, fine particulate (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO) and total volatile organic chemicals (VOCs).Prevailing levels of ambient air pollutants exacerbate asthma. Thus, asthma-related symptoms, emergency room visits, and hospitalizations all increase, along with the need for asthma treatments, during periods with higher outdoor air pollution and the main reason for such that is traffic (Kunzli et al., 2009). With increasing motorisation throughout the world the emission of potentially hazardous substances is increasing. One main source of outdoor air pollution is road traffic, which produces a mixture of volatile hydrocarbons, air bome particles, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide (Matthias Wjst et al.)

Street vendors usually work for very long hours and are regularly exposed to adverse weather conditions, atmospheric and road dust, vehicular emissions and air pollutants from industrial and other sources. Based on study by (Ruchirawat et al., 2005) conducted in traffic-congested areas of Bangkok, Thailand found street vendors operating in these areas to be exposed to high levels of total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and benzene compared to monks and nuns residing in nearby temples. Also in Cotonou, Benin, a study conducted among four groups of workers that were highly exposed to ambient air pollutants found DNA adduct levels biomarkers of PAH and benzene to be significantly higher in these workers compared to suburban dwellers and rural inhabitants (Ayi-Fanou et al., 2011).

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Theoretical Framework

Figure 2: Framework

The study start with the problems determined in current situation regarding street vendor health and safety when working by the street. The main elementq detected which has relationship with the cuases of the problems is has been explain in briefly during literature review topic. The methodologies used to conduct the study will be explained in the next part of this report.

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Research Methodology

Research methodologies includes library research, interview and observation. The data collected differentiate by two part which are primary data and secondary data. The primary data is data collected through library research which extracted from books, journals, published reports and online database. Meanwhile the secondary data colleted by interview and observe the street vendor activity on De Tham Street, Cau Ong Lanh, District 1, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. Library research will be done by cross referencing of previous research to the related topic. The process involves the retrieval of information in the forms of fact and theories. Scientific and structured writing is usually founds in journals, monographs, academic books and previous reports. The technique is to focus on understanding and clear representation on the current situation regarding the intensity and value of vehicular emissions on the city and the street vendor activity on the study area. Observation method mainly use to determine side effects of the vehicular emission on the vendors along the De Tham Street based on human visual perception. This method aim is to determine the vendor health condition before close conversation or interview take place.

Figure 3; Methodologies diagram

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Results/Findings

Figure 4: De Tham Street, District 1, HCMC De Tham Street, District 1, HCMC was choosen as study area because of the dense population and activity of the market. The street which located nearby the city centre yet have a street vendors and markets that sell lots of cheap items and products that bring the community to the street and participate on the market activities. The resultant of the intense vehicular activity on the city somehow spread to the street which used for various reasons.

Street vendor activities along the street

Figure 5: Morning Activity (source: author)

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Figure 6: Evening activity (source: author) The street rich with activity by the insertion of morning market as well as street vendor. Most vendors and hawkers consisting elderly citizen 40-above based on observation without concerning health self-condition. Absence of self-protection namely face mask. Street vendor and morning market are happened on the street everyday. The street vendor that sell cigarette, ice creams, vegetables, sandwiches, grilled meat, fruits and Vietnamese dishes/food set up and start as early as 6AM. The street activity are very intense on morning compared other time. Mainly the local customers that participate in the market activities are local users which living nearby area as well as few tourist.

Most of the street vendors and market activity that sell fresh vegetables, fruits and groceries generally start as early as 6am until 6pm. Meanwhile, street vendors that sell Vietnamese food and dishes normally start between 8am to 9am and closed before night time. Vendors that sell packaging products such as cigarette and can water oftenly closed during midnight. Yet there is fews vendors that sell groceries and food that open the stall until midnight. Thus, conclude that the street vendor or street hawker are the group of people which considered as 11

the most exposed to the surrounding air and environment.The street vendors that at least spent ten hours a day consistence received or inhales the vehicular emission released on the street has higher chances to suffer chronic obstructive pulmunory disease which causes by the long exposure on bad air quality or smoking habit. Moreover, as most of the vendors taken less consideration of theirs health and safety, the number

Figure 7: De Tham Street cross-section (source: author)

Figure 8: Position of the Street Vendors (source: author)

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The wider pavements designed by the city planners has encourage the street vending activity around the city. The increase of number of street vendors due to population, demand and culture has expand the activity towards the road; street vendor nearer to road used for vehicle. The road also has been used as place street vending and market activities which bring a positive impact on the economic activity on the city. However, the safety and the health of the vendors has been threatened. The possibility of accidents to occur involve by the vehiculars will be increase as the vendor and market activities has made street or vehicular path become smaller.

Vehicular activity along the street

Figure 9: Vehicular intensity chart (source: author) Through series of observation and interview, the vehicle intensity along De Tham Street is resultant of the intense vehicular activity on the city somehow spread to the street which used for various reasons. Motorcyle which widely preferred by the local as medium of transportation has covered every edges of the city including De Tham Street. The vehicular intensity of 13

the street is at peak during morning and evening time. In the morning and evening, the environment around the city as well as De Tham Street lit with various activities such as recreation and tourism which influnces the intensity of the vehicular to be high.

Figure 10: Vehicular activity (source: author) High density of vehicle circulation including ingress and egress along the street to participate in the market activities and most of the vehicle spotted is motorcycles. The motorist just lay by on the street to buy the items such as food and groceries sell by the street vendors which create intense traffic activities along the street.

Figure 11: Position of motorcycle parking (source: author) The pavements or sidewalk along the street also used for motorcycles parking. The wide pavements and lack of open centralize parking space has encourage it to be alternative parking for motorcycle. The vehicular activity 14

has become dominance activity compare to others activity along the street such as recreation as well as market activity. Therefore, padestrians and street vendors especially should take good consideration of theier health and safety while using or working along the street as accidents deal with vehicle can cause death or serious injured.

Figure 12: Cross-activity between street vendors and the vehicles on the street (source: author) Refering diagram above, the street vendor activity and vehicles activity along the street are busy with vehicular and street vendor activity however it is no clear division between both activities. The distance between position of the vendors and vehicular estimated only about 600mm become one of the causes of the health problems. The boundary of physical interaction between the vendors and vehicles are too close which totally eliminate the secure and healthy enviroment for the vendor activity.

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Position of the vendors and vehicles as shown above encourage increase in number of the street vendors suffer health problem along the street because of direct intake of the polluted air resulted by the vehicular emission released.

Figure 13: Cross-activity between street vendors and vehicular expected in the future (source: author) The street vendor activity which is the main economic source of the city as well as the citizen in the city itself are growing over the year has pull the street vendors activity nearer to street and vehicles. The street activity become busier compared with current situation when the numbers of vehicles and vendors increased on the city which also happen along the street. The intense street activity will be harder to control in term of bad particles amount emitted to the air by the vehicles then inhale by the vendors. Thus, the health problems facing by the vendors become even worst then current.

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Figure 14: Proposal of enhancement the street vendor activity (source: author) The needs of good strategy to decrease the health problems suffer by the vendors is vital element to promote safe and healthy life on the city. The proposal was derived by replacement of the current street zoning Refering the current street cross-activity (Figure 11), there are certain activity that can be replace in a way to enhance the street activity. By simply relocated the motorcycle parking which currently on the pavements nearer to the street, the space on pavements then can be replaced by totally by the street vendors.

By implemting this technique, a clear bearier can be seen between street vendors activity and the vehiculars activity. The separation somehow can filter a liitle amount of the carbon emiited by the vehicles furthermore prevent from direct polluted air being inhale or consume by the vendors.

Discussion Initially, the cause of the health and safety problem on street vendors is vendors itself. The absent using facemask when working by the street for a long hours is serious habit to be apply. The extention of the street vendor activity to the street which is busy and intense with vehicle ingress and egress already promote a bad example of healthy lifestyle eventough it is good and vibrant activity for the community and the country economy.The 17

street vendor activity has contributed into a positive impact to the city development from past few years until now. Likely it will continue as is it in the future and help the city to develop to another level. However, as to maintain the existence of the street vendor activity, the government should take an immediate action as to promote the healthy and safety street activity in the city. Due to the population growth, the problem could become even worse if the government taken unseriously abou the problem furthermore will promote bad image for the country. Nowadays, tons of organization has been established with a goal as to improve knowledge about attaining and maintaining good health such as World Health Organization (WHO), which an organization that has the means to reach out to people with information on disease prevention and health promotion. Thus, the government should has strong collaboration with the organization before come up with a solution to improvise the street activities in the country. Based on my point of view, the causes of the street vendor health and safety problem still can be cure even with little adjustment and believes to be time consuming. Even by eliminating a cuase of the problem, such as the extention of vendor activity to street, lots of positive impact to the society and vendor health and safety.

But, every action that will be taken by the government or authorities can come up with other impact in every aspects of the city.

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References

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Sharit K. Bhowmik, (2005). Street Vendors in Asia: A Review.

Economic and Political Weekly Vol. 40, No. 22/23 (May 28 - Jun. 10, 2005), pp. 2256-2264 Ho Minh Dzung*, Dinh Xuan Thang (2009). Estimation of emission factors of air pollutants from the road traffic in Ho Chi Minh City. VNU Journal of Science, Earth Sciences 24 (2008) 184-192 Short-bio

Mohamad Shahrul b Selamat Full time architecture student

Education Bsc Architecture (Part 1) at University of Malaya 2013 – Present ,Kuala Lumpur, MY

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