'Learn from Singapore,' HCMC chairman tells District 1

At a city meeting on Wednesday, Mai said the development of renovation projects in District 1, the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, has been "too slow" and ineffective.

The district should learn from Singapore to manage "downtown as effectively as possible," he said, as cited by Saigon Giai Phong newspaper.

Mai told local authorities to organize more events, day and night, in District 1, to take advantage of the locale’s position as the center of a booming metropolis.

The chairman also reminded the district to better utilize the Saigon River, where he suggested more tourism activities could be established.

He also called on authorities to clamp down on rude and impolite vendors who pester tourists.

The chairman encouraged District 1 management to build more public toilets.

The district needs to further expedite administrative reform and improve the locality’s investment environment, Mai added.

Accounting for a total area of 7.72 square kilometers, District 1 had a population of 142,625 as of 2019.

The district is home to many government agencies, foreign consulates, and an array of tourist attractions, including Ben Thanh Market, Notre Dame Cathedral, Independence Palace, the HCMC Opera House, the historic Post Office, Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street, and Bach Dang Wharf.