The Ministry of Transportation’s draft decree on managing right-handed cars used by foreigners in Vietnam requires these cars to run in groups, with guides.

Cars with right-handed steering wheels entered Vietnam via a border-gate in the central region.

The ministry said that drivers of this type of car will face difficulties in Vietnam because of the country’s contrary traffic system so they need to have guiding cars.

Tran Ngoc Thanh, chief of the Transportation Department, said that the guide will be arranged by travel agents that organize trips for right-handed cars to Vietnam.

“All guiding cars must obey the traffic rules and are not allowed to enjoy the priority policy,” Thanh said.

To avoid the flow of cars with right-handed steering wheels into Vietnam, the drivers must be foreigners. Moreover, these cars must transport men, not cargo, Thanh said, explaining that this decree aims to promote tourism in Vietnam.

Thanh also said that the agreement that facilitates goods and visitors passing the borders of the member countries of the Great Mekong Sub-region (GMS) (Laos, Thailand, Vietnam) is being revised so that right-handed cars that transport cargos must obey this agreement.

“Right-handed cars that transport cargos must travel on certain routes like Lao Cai – Hai Phong, the route in the central region, Kim Giang and some others. These roads have systems of bilingual road signs and traffic networks that are suitable for this kind of car,” Thanh added.

This decree was introduced to related ministries and agencies for consideration and comment on April 7 and submitted to the Prime Minister recently.

VietNamNet/VNE