With over 800 billion VND in tax debt, Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden is at risk of ceasing operations.

With an annual land rent of over 163 billion VND, the Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden management unit currently owes over 800 billion VND in taxes. Faced with tax enforcement, the Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden is at risk of ceasing operations.

The District 1 Tax Department, Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department has just announced that the tax debt of Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden Company Limited (Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden Company) as of October 31 is more than 846 billion VND. Of which, 787 billion VND is the overdue tax debt that must be enforced.

According to Ms. Vu Thi Huong Giang - Director of Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden Company, the unit operates "for non-profit purposes". The main function of the company is to manage and take care of the zoo with more than 4,000 animals and plants, many of which are rare and endangered.

W-zoo 2.jpg — Foreign tourists visit Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens. Photo: Nguyen Hue

Regarding the tax debt of more than VND846 billion, Ms. Huong Giang said that in 2014, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee decided to lease 158,117 square meters of land at Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden to the company for public use. The land lease term is 50 years, with an annual rent of VND163.3 billion.

However, in reality, the Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden management unit only uses about 5,600m2 and has paid the annual fee. The remaining land area is used for conservation purposes.

According to the leader of Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens Company, if the tax collection of hundreds of billions of VND as above is forced, the cost of caring for and preserving animals and plants will be greatly affected. Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens is even at risk of having to stop operating.

zoo 1.jpg — A corner of Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden. Photo: Nguyen Hue

Speaking with VietNamNet reporters this morning (December 10), a leader of the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department said that regarding the tax debt of Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden Company, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee recently met with relevant units to resolve the issue.

“To clarify the land rent of the Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden management unit, the competent authority must base on the land lease contract. Tax management of this enterprise is under the function of District 1 Tax Department” - the leader of the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department informed.

Sudden rain, thousands of tourists flee to find shelter at the Zoo

At noon on September 2, a sudden rainstorm forced thousands of visitors to Ho Chi Minh City to run for shelter, and the covered areas at the Zoo were packed with people.

'Sea of people' flock to the Zoo to celebrate September 2nd, heavy rain leaves no time to react

At noon on September 2, the Zoo and Botanical Gardens (District 1, Ho Chi Minh City) was packed with people from the gate to the inside due to the large number of visitors coming to visit on the occasion of National Day on September 2. Suddenly, it rained heavily, causing thousands of people to rush to find shelter.