Something else to think about before deciding to rent one of those spiffy little motorbikes :


Foreign drivers must cooperate with traffic police: officer
April 12, 2009 about News, Social

Ho Chi Minh City police will not tolerate resistance from foreign drivers found flouting traffic rules without a driver’s license, a police official said.

The Ho Chi Minh City police department set up a task force to oversee the observation of traffic regulations by foreigners late last month. The move followed a crackdown on foreigners and overseas Vietnamese caught breaking traffic regulations last December. English-fluent traffic police have been dispatched mostly to District 1 to handle foreigner-related traffic infringements.

Any violating foreign driver will have their bikes impounded if they cannot present a driver’s license, said lieutenant-colonel Nguyen Ngoc Loan, head of the Traffic Police Task Force No.1 at the city police department.
Foreign drivers who were uncooperative with traffic police would face additional fines of VND1.5 million, Loan said.

Loan also said the city police department would consider printing traffic violation tickets in English to make it easier for foreign drivers to read and sign.

Ho Chi Minh City Traffic Police Deputy Chief Lieutenant-Colonel Tran Thanh Tra said the current fines for the owners of rented motorbikes were not enough of a deterrent. Owners of motorbikes rented by foreigners face fines of VND100,000-200,000 ($5.90-11.80) if their customers break traffic regulations.

Tra said the fines should be higher.

HOW TO APPLY FOR A VIETNAMESE DRIVING LICENSE:
Foreigners eligible for driving licenses in Vietnam include those who have lived, worked or studied in Vietnam for at least three months and have legitimate driving licenses granted by their home countries.

To apply for a Vietnamese driving license foreigners need to submit the following documents:

• An application letter certified by their Vietnamese employer or agency;
• A copy of their driving license from their home country and a Vietnamese translation;
• A copy of their passport. Those under diplomatic immunity must present an introduction letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Three passport photos.

License applications, which should be processed within five days, can be made at HCMC Department of Transport offices at:
252 Ly Chinh Thang, Ward 9, District 3; 8 Nguyen Anh Thu, Trung My Tay Ward, District 12; or 111 Tan Son Nhi, Tan Son Nhi Ward, Tan Phu District.

In Hanoi, the documents can be submitted at the Hanoi Department of Transport offices at: 16 Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh District; or 2 Phung Hung Street, Ha Dong Town.

Reported by Dam Huy