Vietnam telecom firm removes ‘Russian Market’ sign amid cultural concerns in Ho Chi Minh City

The sign was placed on a building at the corner of Nguyen Van Binh and Hai Ba Trung Streets, part of a retail area managed by the Ho Chi Minh City branch of Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT).

The building is located next to the Saigon Central Post Office, a popular French colonial-era structure completed in 1891 and currently listed for potential heritage designation.

It also faces Nguyen Van Binh Street, widely known as the Ho Chi Minh City Book Street.

The appearance of the ‘Russian Market’ branding, along with retail stalls under the name ‘The Box Market,’ sparked criticism online and from cultural officials who said the term ‘market’ was inappropriate for a street known for books and public art.

At a meeting on Monday, VNPT representative Do Ngoc Hung said the name ‘Russian Market’ was a business brand and not an actual market.

“We asked the tenant to stop using the sign and remove it to avoid misunderstanding,” he said.

VNPT leases the space legally, and the property is not part of the heritage-listed Saigon Central Post Office.

A spokesperson from Ho Chi Minh City Post Office confirmed that the Saigon Central Post Office, located at 2 Cong Xa Paris, is separately managed and under heritage inventory.

“The Russian Market and The Box Market are in a different building, not related to the listed structure,” said Le Hai Hoa, the post office’s chief of staff.

VNPT and the Ho Chi Minh City Book Street Company also agreed to reopen six doors of the building in question facing Nguyen Van Binh Street that had previously been sealed off.

However, Le Hoang, director of the Ho Chi Minh City Book Street Company, raised concerns about commercial stalls selling clothing and handing out flyers, which he said could disrupt the street’s cultural image.

City cultural officials said that although the VNPT building is not heritage-listed, it sits near protected architectural landmarks and must be used in a way that respects the surrounding environment.

“Any activity here must be evaluated carefully,” said Nguyen Minh Nhut, deputy director of the municipal Department of Culture and Sports.

Business licenses for the retail area have not yet been processed, as the building remains under renovation, officials said.

The culture department will compile feedback and report to the city leadership.