VietNamNet Bridge - Thang Long Highway, Peace Park in Hanoi and Phu Yen Museum in Phu Yen province are the big works with investment capital of tens to hundreds of US dollars. They have a common thing: being built to celebrate anniversaries and quickly downgraded after the anniversaries.

Dust and rubbish flood Vietnam’s most modern avenue

The surface of Thang Long Boulevard is sunk, making 5-10 cm deep slots after two years in use. Photo by VNE on December 5, 2012.

Thang Long Boulevard is the longest and most modern highway in Vietnam. It was inaugurated on the occasion of the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long - Ha Noi (October 2010). The project has a total investment of VND7.5 trillion (about $417 million), with a total length of more than 29 km and the road width of 140 m.

However, after only six months in use, the surface was sunk, creating a lot of holes and slots. In May 2011, the surface of the tunnel on Thang Long Avenue had dozens of cracks, some of which were dozens of meters long and 2-3 cm wide. Though this road has been constantly repaired, new cracks have appeared.

Similarly, the Peace Park in Tu Liem district, Hanoi was built at a cost of nearly VND280 billion ($15 million), with an area of 20 ha and three main gates. The gate on Pham Van Dong Street features Lac birds - the iconic bird of Vietnam. The two remaining gates feature doves – the icon of peace. Located in the center of the park is the bronze-made Peace monument, which 20 tons in weight, 7.2 meters high and is placed on a base of 22.8 meters high.

This is also one of the works built to celebrate Hanoi’s 1000th anniversary in 2010 and it was also quickly downgraded after a shot time in use. The surface is sunk, stone chairs are damaged, wood frames are broken… Considered as the most modern park in Hanoi, this park is now damaged and deserted.

The Peace Park was quickly damaged after less than one year in use. Photo by VNE, taken on October 19, 2010.

Another work is the Hanoi Intellectual Palace, with two buildings (16 floors and 3 floors, total floor area of nearly 16,000 m2) and a total investment of over VND200 billion (over $10 million). It was built with the aim of "gathering" Hanoi’s intellectuals. The work is now seriously downgraded and deserted after more than two years in use.

The Hanoi Museum – the largest museum in the country, which was built at the cost of VND2.3 trillion (around $117 million) to celebrate Hanoi’s 1000th anniversary, is now “empty” and quiet because it does not have enough exhibits and cannot attract visitors.

This work was inaugurated in October 2010 on the occasion of the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi, with unique architecture, located near the National Convention Centre. However, when the museum opened, it had only 4,000 artifacts, mostly ancient artifacts through the ages.

Photo: Phu Yen museum.

Not only in Hanoi, in the central province of Phu Yen, the Phu Yen Museum which was built at the cost of nearly VND100 billion ($5 million) to celebrate the city’s 400th anniversary is in the same situation.

The project started in July 2010 and was scheduled for completion in March 2011. This is a special project so the Prime Minister allowed Phu Yen to select contractors in order to speed up the construction. However, the construction was very sluggish. Until February 3, 2012, the construction was completed while the display was in the first phase.

The problem is that just over a year after being used, the museum has seriously downgraded. Currently, the eastern facade of the main building has two long cracks; many bricks on the wall were peeled off and fell to the ground; water from the toilet absorbs to the outside wall; some wooden doors are warped...

P. Lan