Nearly 90 golf courses will have replaced natural landscapes in Vietnam by 2020, according to a zoning plan recently approved by the Prime Minister.

Nineteen golf courses are already in operation in Vietnam, complete with conical-hat wearing cadies.

The newly-approved plan drawn up by the Ministry of Planning and Investment is part of a government effort to tighten regulations on golf course projects, which critics say have been over-licensed and are posing a grave threat to the country’s environment and cooking security.

According to the ministry, as of June this year, 116 golf course projects had been approved for construction.

The ministry then said it would cut the number down to size by canceling many projects that had yet to break ground and revoking land and permits from those who had breached regulations agreed to in their license applications.

Limited to an area of five hectares each, the golf course projects will not be allowed to build on rice fields that yield two crops a year, according to the approved plan.

The plan stipulates that each course must meet several infrastructure requirements, such as installing sufficient waste water treatment systems.

Investors must start building the courses within 12 months of their licensing and the projects must be within 48 months of the licensing, according to the plan.

Reported by X.Toan