Vietnamese commune orders temporary karaoke halt to help students prepare for exams

Dang Hong Son, secretary of the Tan Hao Commune Party Committee, on Monday confirmed that the Tan Hao Commune People’s Committee had issued a dispatch requiring a pause in family karaoke and informal singing venues across the area.

The measure is aimed at reducing noise and helping students focus on revision ahead of their exams.

Under the directive, local agencies, units, and hamlet heads have been asked to step up communication and advocacy efforts, encouraging officials, public employees, union members, and residents to temporarily refrain from activities involving loud sound systems.

The commune’s culture and social division has been tasked with working with police officers and relevant units to intensify inspections and strictly handle violations in accordance with regulations.

The heads of hamlets have been instructed to mobilize households and sites offering karaoke services to suspend karaoke operations from December 29 until 5:00 pm on January 9.

However, venues that have invested in soundproof rooms may continue operating according to schedules already registered with local authorities.

Families hosting weddings or engagement ceremonies are permitted to use sound systems for two days – the main day of the event and the preceding evening – provided they obtain approval from local authorities.

As for cultural performances, contests, and exchange programs marking major holidays or political events at the provincial or commune level, the Tan Hao People’s Committee said these would only be organized once specific plans are in place.

“Temporarily suspending karaoke to give students better conditions to study has been well received by local residents,” Son said.

The commune is adjusting the timing of the suspension to align with exam schedules and the Lunar New Year holiday, he added.

Under Decree 282/2025, which took effect on December 15 and replaced Decree 144/2021, the long-standing regulation that prohibited noise only after 10:00 pm was abolished.

Instead of regulating noise by time frame, the new decree focuses on the actual level of noise generated, regardless of whether it occurs during the day or at night.

Karaoke singing or the use of portable loudspeakers can be penalized at any hour if the sound exceeds allowable limits, not just late at night as before.

Penalties can reach up to VND160 million (US$6,070) for noise levels exceeding the standard by 40 dBA or more, along with possible suspension of operations and mandatory payment of measurement costs.