Hoi An Town in the central province of Quang Nam has a total of 1,017 ancient heritage buildings, 103 of which are badly in need of repairs from which 40 are already becoming fast crumbling ruins.
The Hoi An Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation Center has asked the People’s Committee to order immediate closure of four private heritage homes that are badly in need of repairs in Hoi An Town to ensure tourist safety.
Despite being in bad condition, owners are using various construction materials to hold up them up temporarily and continue to use them for businesses and tourist destinations.
For instance, Lo Thi Chuong and Lo Thi Hac’s ancient home on 26 Bach Dang Street is in a shockingly poor state and badly in need of repairs, yet it has been let out for selling bamboo souvenir items.
Similarly, Tran Van Sung’s old house on 96 Bach Dang Street has been dilapidated for years, but continues to welcome hundreds of travelers who arrive there for sightseeing and meals.
Previously, Hoi An Town had adopted a program to restore private heritage buildings. The program supported from 25 to 75 percent of the total restoration cost. However, only a few of these homes were restored as the owners could not raise the rest of the expenditure.
The Hoi An Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation Center has proposed to the People’s Committee of Hoi An Town and the Quang Nam provincial authorities that the government should cover the cost of restoration for the most badly dilapidated houses. The house owner must be allowed to repay the cost incurred from rental of the building.
Hoi An town is a UNESCO-recognized natural heritage site, and needs to set a restoration program to repair its ancient heritage homes or else stand to lose its ancient cultural architecture, which is fast crumbling into ruins, if they don’t act in time.
