Episode 3: Phu Quoc 2 - The Ham Ninh Pier Bridge

In 2020, the Phu Quoc government decided to tear down the Ham Ninh pier over safety fears that it might collapse at any moment. The bridge was deemed unsafe only a short period after several nearby restaurants’ construction was completed, prompting some locals to question why the bridge was going to be torn down. What makes this story so interesting was the mixed responses that it received from the Ham Ninh locals. Some protested the tearing down of the bridge because it was the symbol of the island’s history, a piece of Phu Quoc heritage that is priceless to the locals there at the Ham Ninh fishing village. On the other hand, some were open to the tearing down of the bridge because it would greatly benefit the area and bring in more tourists; the new bridge could be used as a new tourist attraction. These conflicting views reflect a current ongoing debate in Phu Quoc about the role tourism plays in the preservation of the island’s heritage and history.