Music in the air as Hanoi karaoke parlors get spruced up

After nearly a year of closure, employees of a karaoke parlor on Tran Thai Tong Street in Cau Giay District worked hard Thursday cleaning up the premises and fixing all broken equipment.
Hanoi had ordered all bars, karaoke parlors, discotheques and game rooms to close from midnight April 30 last year, after the fourth Covid wave struck Vietnam.

Hanoi officials said Wednesday that karaoke, massage parlors, bars and internet cafes can reopen starting Friday.
All 15 karaoke rooms of the eight-story building were covered in dust when employees headed back to work.

Floors had to be swept and mopped and interiors sanitized to make the parlor presentable for guests.

PPham Thi Thoa said she and other employees started cleaning up at 2 p.m. and were done by midnight.

Quoc Cuong said he had to switch to being a delivery worker to make a living during the time karaoke parlors remained shut and was glad that he could resume doing something he loves. “I hope we won’t have to shut down again if another Covid wave erupts.”

To Duong, owner of the karaoke parlor, tested the sound systems and other devices Friday morning.
“Many devices have broken down after not being used for an extended period. So, I have had to spend a lot of money to get them fixed or replaced.”

“I still have to pay monthly venue rent in full and some staff living on the site to keep watch over the property. I am concerned that business will be slow right after reopening and that I will not make enough to cover overheads,” he added.

A man checks and fixes the wiring in a parlor getting ready to reopen.

Tran Quoc Trung, manager of the karaoke parlor, said he and other staff were happy and excited on hearing that the city had lifted restrictions. However, he remained concerned about not having enough staff and customers.

Some karaoke parlors don’t plan to reopen right away and remain shut.
The latest decision means Hanoi will no longer impose any Covid-19 restriction and is ending various levels of social distancing imposed over the last two years.
The city has crossed its Covid-19 peak, officials said Wednesday, noting also that the ratio of vaccinated people had increased. The number of new Covid-19 cases in the capital has dropped from the record 32,000 on March 11 to 2,897 Friday.