Festive crowds swamp bus stations, amusement parks

Bus stations and amusement parks were inundated over the three-day holiday period – despite efforts to alleviate the mayhem.
Bus stations in Ha Noi received 70,000 arrivals each day over the festivities, 50 per cent more than normal, said Tran Hoang, head of the Planning Department at the Ha Noi Coach Station Management Company.
Ha Noi Transport Company said it put on an additional 136 buses to cope with the extra demand.
HCM City's Mien Dong Bus Station was also swamped by passengers.
"Although the number of passengers was estimated to rise by 30 per cent over the holidays, demand was far in excess of that," said Thuong Thanh Hai, deputy director of the station.
Meanwhile, Mien Tay Bus Station received about 26,000 arrivals daily, 30 per cent more than normal, said Le Cong Tam, head of the station's Bus Operation Department.
HCM City's Centre for Management and Operation of Public Passenger Transport said it put on an additional 2,000 buses for routes to amusement parks and resorts such as Suoi Tien or Dam Sen. However, it said buses were still packed to breaking point.
Meanwhile, roads were also jam-packed. Traffic jams were reported on National Highway No 1A in southern Long An Province and on the Ha Noi Highway leading to Suoi Tien Cultural Resort in HCM City.
Ha Noi police fined 1,894 individuals a total of VND400 million (US$20,500) for traffic violations on the first two days of the year.
They also seized contraband worth VND8.5 billion ($436,000).
The Hue Monuments Conservation Centre reported 5,600 visitors to royal tombs and historical sites on the first day of 2011.
On the same day, more than 2,000 people had to queue up for cable car rides at Ba Na Hill Mountain Resort in Da Nang City.
The Bai Chay Tourism Port in northeastern Quang Ninh Province said more than 11,000 tourists visited the area on the first two days of the holiday, 80 per cent of whom were international tourists heading to Ha Long Bay – 10 per cent higher than last year.
Nearly 2,000 caught
Ha Noi police fined 1,894 individuals a total of VND400 million (US$20,500) for traffic violations on the first two days of the year.
They also seized contraband worth VND8.5 billion ($436,000).