Daytime din or late-night karaoke, Vietnam draws new lines on noise

Under Decree 282/2025, which took effect this week, people who cause disruptive noise, including karaoke singing and amplified music, can be fined regardless of whether it occurs during the day or at night, ending a previous focus on late-night disturbances.

In Ho Chi Minh City, local police this week went door to door in several neighborhoods to warn residents that complaints alone could now trigger inspections and penalties, without the need for formal noise measurements.

“The message is that entertainment cannot come at the expense of others’ right to rest,” said Ho Sy Duc, a police officer in Tang Nhon Phu Ward, who was among those briefing households and boarding house tenants on the new enforcement approach.

Authorities say the regulation is aimed at resolving one of the most common sources of neighborhood disputes in Vietnam, where movable karaoke speakers have become widespread at family gatherings, street parties, and rental housing complexes.

As per the decree, people who organize noisy karaoke sessions or use amplified sound equipment in residential areas or public spaces can face fines of up to VND2 million (US$76), with equipment such as speakers subject to confiscation.

Police say enforcement powers now rest with ward-level authorities, allowing faster responses to complaints, particularly during the year-end period when parties and celebrations are more frequent.

Some residents welcomed the change.

“We have to change,” said Le Duy Long, a university student renting a room in the area.

“Playing loud music during the day can also disturb people who are studying, working or resting.”