In an effort to improve the city’s image in the eyes of tourists, Saigon officials recently unveiled a plan to make local street signs bilingual.
According to Tuoi Tre, visitors to Saigon have been complaining that street signs in town are confusing, making it difficult for them to navigate the city. Therefore, the Department of Transport has already come up with prototypes of the bilingual street signs, currently on display at the department headquarters.
The new sign design includes both Vietnamese and English versions of the street – for example, “Đường Pasteur” and “Pasteur Street” – as well as Saigon’s logo.
Director of the Office of Urban Traffic Management No. 1 Nguyen Vinh Ninh told Tuoi Tre that the agency welcomes feedback from residents, experts and scholars regarding the final design.
Tran Doan Phi Anh, the former director of the Southern Center for Transport Research and Development, also agreed that translating the city’s traffic signs into English is necessary as it helps foreigners to understand Vietnam’s traffic regulations.
He recommended that the department conduct a trial run in downtown Saigon before expanding the project city-wide.
[Photo via Tuoi Tre]
