The number of migrant workers leaving Ho Chi Minh City and southern provinces to return to their hometowns by motorbike has dropped as provinces have strictly observed the Prime Minister's dispatch, which says: "Absolutely not allow people to leave the province or city where they reside after July 31 until the social distancing is over, except for those allowed by the authorities."

In HCM City, gateway roads were quiet on August 2. There were no more images of “motorbike caravans” with up to hundreds of people leaving the city to go to their hometown.

An officer at the checkpoint at Dong Nai bridge, which connects Bien Hoa city in Dong Nai province and Di An city of Binh Duong province, told VietNamNet that the number of people returning home was insignificant on August 2. This checkpoint was very busy in the past few days when thousands of migrant people were traveling by personal vehicles to their hometown.

The situation was similar at a checkpoint at Vinh Binh bridge, on National Highway 13 between Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong. This checkpoint was also stuck with thousands of people passing through to the Central Highlands provinces in the past few days. In addition, there were also a huge number of people who are workers in Binh Duong passing through this checkpoint to the southwestern provinces. On August 2, only a few private vehicles came here. They were all stopped and asked to return.

In Da Nang, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Rang. Head of Hoa Hiep Gate Traffic Police Station, told VietNamNet that at around 11pm on August 2, a group of nearly 300 motorbikes carrying over 500 people passing through the territory of Da Nang. Earlier, at around 10 am, this unit welcomed a group of nearly 1,000 people.

"It is expected that there will be other small groups of people going through Da Nang on August 3," Lieutenant Colonel Rang said.

Major Nguyen Thien Hoang, Chief of Staff of the Da Nang City Traffic Police Department, said that the group of over 500 people passing through Da Nang on August 2 evening was probably the last departing before the issuance of the Prime Minister's dispatch.

After the PM’s dispatch was issued, many provinces decided to stop welcoming people leaving southern provinces after July 31.

At a checkpoint at Vinh Binh bridge, on National Highway 13 between Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong, the number of people leaving HCM City to the Central Highlands has dropped in the past few days.

At the checkpoint of Dong Nai Bridge on August 2.

People are not allowed to pass this checkpoint. Those who have to return are stamped like this so they can pass other checkpoints to come back to their houses or inns.

Volunteers in Da Nang city fix motorbikes for migrant workers who are on their way back home.

Volunteers in Da Nang city fix motorbikes for migrant workers who are on their way back home.

A group of migrant workers passing through Da Nang on August 2.

At a checkpoint in Da Nang on August 2.

Ben Thuy bridge checkpoint at the gateway to Vinh City of Nghe An Province.

Many trucks carry migrant workers for free from this checkpoint to their hometowns in mountainous districts of Nghe An.

Free water for migrant workers for migrant workers who arrived in Vinh City on August 2.

Free food delivered for migrant workers in Ha Tinh provinc.e

A quiet checkpoint on August 2.

Photo: D. Nguyen

PV

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