Vietnam to fine businesses for illegally displaying ads in public With a new set of rules taking effect this month, people who put advertisements in public places against Vietnamese regulations will be subject to a certain fine.   Ads are hung on tree trunks along Ly Nam De Street in Hanoi. Tuoi Tre Several decrees are scheduled to be implemented in May, detailing administrative penalties for violations in public advertising, along with some other fields. In accordance with Decree 28/2017, not only those who are hired to hang advertisements on utility posts, traffic light posts, and tree trunks but also the owners of these banners will be fined.   People who are employed to display such ads will be fined from VND1 million (US$44) to VND2 million ($88). Those who own the law-breaking advertisements will have to pay VND5 million ($220) to VND10 million ($440) in pecuniary punishment. Handing out leaflets that compromise urban esthetics and traffic safety will subject one to a warning by authorities or a fine of up to VND500,000 ($22).   Operators of businesses and services promoted in these flyers will be fined VND5 million to VND10 million. According to the observation of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters on Monday, ad banners were still hung on tree trunks and traffic light posts along many streets in Hanoi, namely Ly Nam De, Ton Duc Thang, and Tran Phu.   That also happened in Vinh City, located in the north-central province of Nghe An, as ads of all sizes and types were stuck on tree trunks and utility posts. Tran My Phuong, a local resident, stated that it would be easy to deal with this kind of violation as the contact details of businesses were clearly displayed in their advertisements. According to Nguyen Quoc Than, head of the city’s Urban Management Unit, attempts have been made to clear these violating banners. However, advertisers tend to hang ads at night to duck competent agencies, Than said, without hinting at any solution to the problem.      An ad is stuck on a tree trunk in Vinh City, located in the north-central province of Nghe An. Photo: Tuoi Tre TUOI TRE NEWS