More than 670 stalls Tan Bien Market in Bien Hoa Town have been left vacant since 2007

Many new markets in southern Dong Nai Province have been lying vacant for years as local traders don’t want to move from their old places, where they have a secure customer base, without any compensation.

“We don’t want to start at a new place because we have regular customers here,” a seller, who wished to be unnamed, said. “Moreover, the local government doesn’t want to give us any compensation, so we stay here.”

The market where many sellers insist on staying was built 22 years ago without any fire-prevention systems, waste treatment facilities, parking spaces and toilets. According to a local government plan, all sellers have to move out of the unsafe market by the end of next year’s first quarter.

Elsewhere in the province, many other modern markets are yet to be occupied by merchants.

Nguyen Thi Sang, director of the Duc Loi Thanh Company, said her company has invested more than VND10 billion in a new market to replace the Vinh Tan Market in Vinh Cuu District, following “encouragement from the government.”

But two years after the completion of the new market, merchants have still not moved in, Sang said, noting her company has to pay VND20 million in interest every month on the loan taken to build it.

The situation is slightly better for Tan Bien Market in Bien Hoa Town as it has been able to attract traders to come and do business at night. However, more than 670 stalls in the large market have been left vacant during the daytime since 2007.

Tin Nghia Real Estate Company, investor in the market, said although it offered lower rents for businesses from a nearby market, no one came because they don’t want to be relocated without compensation.

As a result, Tin Nghia said it had to sign a deal with leading retailer Saigon Co.op to transform part of the market into a supermarket.

But Nguyen Thi Yen, a grocer, said she and many others refused to move into the Tan Bien Market also because Tin Nghia also built more than 200 stores for rent around the market, which would make it hard for market traders to do business.

Le Van Danh, director of Dong Nai Department of Industry and Trade, said the department would inform the provincial government of the issues concerning the new markets and discuss possible remedial measures.

Reported by Hoang Tuan