Sleeping with call girls earns $24-$237 fines: decree   A prostitute at a police station.Tuoi Tre The Vietnamese government has just passed a decree under which clients of prostitutes will be punished more severely than the call girls. In particular, sex buyers will be fined VND500,000-VND1 million (US$23.7-$47.4). However, those who pay to have sex with several prostitutes at the same time will be fined from VND2 million ($94.8) to VND5 million ($237), according to decree 167/2013/ND-CP to take effect from December 28 this year. Those who lure or force others to buy sex with them will be fined VND5 milion-VND10 million (up to $474.3). For prostitutes, the punishment is much softer. In particular, they will be issued a warning (non-pecuniary) in less severe cases or a monetary fine of VND100,000-VND300,000 (up to $14). If they are found to have sex with many clients at the same time, they will be fined from VND300,000 to VND500,000 ($23.7). If the prostitutes are foreigners, they can be deported from Vietnam. The decree also details monetary punishment for a variety of offenses including providing real estate to others to be used as a brothel (VND1 million-VND2 million); hiding, protecting prostitution activities (VND2 million-VND5 million)… Also, heads of businesses that, through their ignorance and irresponsibility, harbor prostitution will be fined VND15 million-VND20 million. Violating businesses will have their licenses suspended for 6-12 months. Besides prostitution, the decree also regulates punishment in the field of security, fire fighting and prevention and family violence. Last year, authorities nationwide inspected over 30,000 sensitive venues, found nearly 11,000 violating parlors, handled over 1,100 cases and criminally treated 800 cases involving over 1,000 people. Police managed to rescue many child victims. During the first 6 months of this year, police nationwide handled 172 prostitution cases. In Ho Chi Minh City alone, there were 109 establishments found with violations during the period. TUOITRENEWS