Proposal to remove the regulation of minimum karaoke room size of 20 m2

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism proposed to remove the regulation that karaoke rooms must have a minimum usable area of 20 square meters, because it has no meaning in fire prevention.

The draft decree amending and supplementing a number of articles on regulations on karaoke and discotheque business is being developed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Along with removing the regulation on the minimum karaoke room area of 20 square meters, the drafting agency also proposed removing the provision that the dance hall room must have an area of 80 square meters, excluding ancillary works.

According to regulations from 2019, karaoke and dance club businesses must be 200 meters away from schools, hospitals, religious establishments, historical and cultural sites. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also proposed to abolish this regulation.

The drafting agency explained that the conditions on the area of karaoke rooms and dance halls under current regulations "are mandatory, causing difficulties for businesses". While in reality, the majority of karaoke bars and dance halls are converted from family homes. The conditions on minimum area also have no meaning in ensuring fire prevention and fighting.

Commenting on the draft, Hanoi City proposed to maintain the regulation on minimum distance from karaoke bars and dance clubs to schools and hospitals. The reason is that these businesses use loud music, high noise and vibration levels, affecting the surrounding community, especially places that need quiet such as schools, hospitals, religious and belief facilities.

The proposal to remove the minimum distance also makes it difficult for local authorities to handle noise violations when karaoke bars and nightclubs use loud music. Authorities currently do not have effective means to measure the intensity, volume, and vibration of the sound emitted from these establishments.

Karaoke bar on Su Van Hanh Street, District 10 returns premises, February 2023. Photo: Quynh Tran — Karaoke bar on Su Van Hanh Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City returns premises, February 2023. Photo: *Quynh Tran*

In addition, in the draft, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism proposed to add regulations that karaoke and dance club businesses must comply with national technical regulations and fire prevention and fighting standards for this type of service.

In mid-November, the Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to study and amend regulations on granting business licenses for karaoke and discotheque services in a shortened process, to be completed in December. The directive was issued in the context of many karaoke businesses requesting guidance on fire prevention and fighting standards to remove difficulties for this industry.

According to current regulations, district-level police are responsible for receiving applications and assessing and issuing certificates of eligibility for security, order and management of establishments. After that, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism issues licenses to qualified karaoke and discotheque establishments.

The conditions for licensing karaoke businesses are to ensure fire prevention and security. Singing rooms must be at least 20 square meters wide, excluding outbuildings. Rooms must not have internal door latches. Discotheque businesses must also meet fire prevention requirements, rooms must be at least 80 square meters wide, and must not have internal door latches.

After the An Phu karaoke fire (Binh Duong) that killed 32 people in September 2022, the Ministry of Public Security conducted a comprehensive inspection of karaoke establishments and tightened fire prevention and fighting inspections, especially in big cities.

Viet Tuan

Source link