$4-billion resort project leaves 1,000 families at a loss

The Nam Hoi An Casino Resort project in the two districts of Duy Xuyen and Thang Binh was approved in 2010 to cover almost 1,000 hectares.

In April 2016, construction started on the project and a completion deadline set for 2035.

However, until now, around 1,000 families in Duy Hai Commune, 15 minutes drive from popular tourist town Hoi An, are still waiting to be relocated in degraded houses on the verge of imminent collapse.

The family of Nguyen Thi Thu, 65, has five houses in the area slated to be cleared.

She was informed of the site clearance plan in 2011. Back then, authorities told her that the family would be resettled after four years, but nothing has come of it.

Built in 1980, the houses have all suffered serious degradation.

On Wednesday afternoon, the roof of one of the houses collapsed.

As the houses belong to a planned project, Thu must seek official permission every time she wants to fix anything.

She said the permit for her to replace the tiled roofs with metal was granted in 2020 but due to a lack of money, she could only roof one house.

The house built in 1985 of Nguyen Thi Chu also needs to be repaired but for that to be done, she needs permission from authorities.

Chu said she has written to those in charge several times, asking to be relocated soon, but to no avail.

Worrying her house could collapse anytime, she has moved in with her son's family nearby.

A crack of around three centimeters along a wall of Chu's house.

Nguyen Tien, 37, indicates a wooden pillar in his house that has been consumed by termites.

Another house in Duy Hai Commune under attack by termites.

A cracked pillar of another house.

Workers replace the roof of a house owned by Nguyen Thi Tam, 66. The wooden purlins of the old roof had been seriously damaged by termites.

Tam said she had to borrow money to buy metal purlins for the new room.

"I have asked for permission to be relocated many times but it has not been granted."

The road leads to the residential area in Duy Hai Commune.

The resettlement project for Nam Hoi An Casino Resort. In total, almost 2,000 families must be relocated for the building of the resort but until now, only 979 have been moved.

Tran Van Siem, deputy chairman of Duy Hai Commune, said due to the Covid-19 pandemic impact, the progress of building the resettlement project had been slowed down while the project itself has changed investors several times, causing disruptions in site clearance and compensation.