Operations of vehicles for water entertainment and recreation

Question: What are regulations on the management of underwater vehicles for entertainment and recreation in Viet Nam?

Answer:

Decree 48 regulates managing underwater entertainment activities, operational areas, vehicles and vehicle drivers serving underwater entertainment activities, but is not applicable to traditional festivals and diving activities.

The subjects of application of Decree 48 include: (i) agencies, organizations, individuals and vehicles involved in underwater entertainment activities in Viet Nam; and (ii) inland waterway vehicles or vessels involved in underwater entertainment activities.

Accordingly, Decree 48 features some key points as follows: Participants must be solely responsible for their water entertainment activities.

During entertainment activities, participants must wear life vests and be solely responsible for their own health upon taking part in water entertainment activities.

Vehicles for entertainment and recreation under water must satisfy the prescribed conditions.

As prescribed by Decree 48, vehicles for entertainment and recreation under water being ships, boats or other floating structures used for underwater entertainment activities must have a capacity of not more than 5 persons and operate within the operational areas approved by competent authorities.

These vehicles must be: (i) verified in accordance with the national technical standards approved by the Minister of Transport; and (ii) registered in accordance with the provisions of Decree 48, except the vehicles which have been registered in accordance with the law on inland waterway traffic or the maritime law.

Under Decree 48, organizations and individuals exploiting water entertainment and recreation activities must fully arrange life vests and life equipment for participants and not allow the drivers of underwater vehicles to drive beyond the specified operational areas./.