Economically speaking, pubs help

It's normal that many people have a negative view of pubs, I did too.

But I have realized that just like most things, whether they are good or bad depends on what humans make of them.

My house is near a hotpot restaurant, which also function as a pub because people have a lot of drinking parties there. The day the restaurant opened, it played loud music. I thought to myself that I was really unlucky, and I hoped that the restaurant would sell poorly and close down quickly so I could enjoy the peaceful atmosphere I had before.

But then I got to know the managers and they were reasonable people. Except for that opening day, they have never played loud music again. All noise comes from the chattering of diners, and it is within an acceptable threshold.

When thinking about pubs, everyone more or less thinks about negative issues. But I think that pubs are also a link in the economic chain. They help by boosting consumption and creating jobs. Bar staff and street vendors rely on them to make a living.

The pub near my house has more than a dozen waiters, who are provided food and accommodation, and given a salary of VND5-7 million (US$206-288) a month. There are also part-time employees who are students, serving and earning money by the hour. For people without academic degrees, this is really a stable job for them. That is not to mention jobs for chefs and security guards.

Besides, pubs are also places where street vendors stop by to sell lottery tickets and snacks. This is truly a small but vibrant business ecosystem.

In the context that many Vietnamese cities lack libraries, entertainment centers, parks, public bookstores... where do people, especially the lower classes, find entertainment?

Furthermore, restaurants and pubs create spaces for meetings and conversations that cannot be held at company offices.

Regarding the negative impacts, I certainly agree that drunk driving is against the law and requires strict punishment. But that doesn't mean all pubs need to shut down.

In London and Paris, there are many pubs and bars that may look more civilized than those in Vietnam, but they serve the same purposes. They are businesses that serve people’s demands, from gatherings, to celebrations, or the opposite. When a person needs some alcohol to forget their sadness, how can you advise them to "go to the library and read books"?

We only need appropriate policies and regulations to ensure a balance between economic development and protecting community interests, and for pub owners to minimize negative impacts such as noise and disorder.