It was during a trekking trip to the central Quang Binh Province in 2014 that I first spotted wooden houses with tanks under them. This November I realised that these very houses had saved thousands of lives when the region flooded.

VietNamNet Bridge – Many sectors have built long-term development plans, but after a period of implementing those plans, they must adjust them to be suitable with reality. 

 Typhoon Nock-ten has entered the East Sea, becoming tenth storm this waters in 2016, according to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Tourism and travel are expected to contribute substantially to growth in trade in services and total export growth of Vietnam in the coming years,

 VietNamNet Bridge – Last week, Ha Noi municipal authorities asked the Standing Committee of the National Assembly to consider a number of special financial mechanisms for infrastructure development of the capital city,

 VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam lacks control over non-fired brick quality despite the large number of such bricks produced in the country over the last five year,

 VietNamNet Bridge – Plans to scrap the minimum number of points required for university enrollment in Viet Nam has highschool students cheering, but teachers concerned.

  The Christmas atmosphere weaved its way through every corner of the country on the night of December 24, from churches and parishes to lamp-lighted streets and colourfully-decorated shops. 

Children are more likely to become overweight or obese during summer vacation than during the school year, a U.S. study suggests. 

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese striker Le Cong Vinh will be appointed deputy chairman of HCM City FC, according to Chairman of HCM City Football Federation Tran Anh Tu.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Tan Lao Lo, accused of murdering four people, including three children in Bat Xat District in the northern mountain province of Lao Cai,  was sentenced to death yesterday by the provincial People’s Court.

VietNamNet Bridge – Thailand will meet Yokohama in the final match of the International U-21 Football Tournament, to be held in HCM City tomorrow. 

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Secretariat of the Party Central Committee has banned all provinces and cities in the country from displaying fireworks during the Lunar New Year holiday (Tet),

 VietNamNet Bridge – The tourism industry has experienced a successful year in 2016 with total revenue estimated at VND400 trillion, international visitor arrivals at over 10 million and domestic tourists at 62 million.

A “Happiness Concert 2017” will be presented to music lovers at Hanoi Opera House on January 11 featuring masterpieces of famous composers, Otto Nicolai, Johann Strauss II, Fritz Kreisler, Johannes Brahms and Maurice Ravel

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnam Match Play and Professional Golf Championship will be organised from December 28 to 31 at BRG Ruby Tree Golf Resort with the participation of 130 golfers in Hai Phong.

VietNamNet Bridge -   A report of the State Bank’s HCMC Branch showed that 22 percent of overseas remittances goes to the real estate sector, 72 percent to production and business and the remaining to other fields. 

VietNamNet Bridge - The Gieng Ngu (King’s Well) is a historic and mysterious attraction that should not be missed on Phu Quoc, Vietnam's largest island.

VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Health has denied the existence of 10 so-called cancer villages, as their rates of cancer were found to be no higher than the national average. 

 VietNamNet Bridge – Major changes in the bus routes from the capital are to go into effect on January 2, said the deputy director of the city’s Transport Department, Ha Huy Quang. The changes are intended to reduce congestion.

 Imported meat forecast to flood Vietnamese market, HCM City guarantees loans for SMEs, Da Nang, Japanese bank ink agreement, Facebook touted as business development tool, Construction ministry warns against resort real estate glut

 The Supreme People’s Procuracy officially filed charges on December 23 against the former Chairman of Ocean Bank, Ha Van Tham, and 47 accomplices for serious violations during their time in charge of the bank.

 The Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) recorded high growth in 2016 compared to 2015, according to figures released by the Ministry of Information and Communications (MoIC).

 Viet Nam’s stock market has kept its nose ahead in 2016 despite several negative impacts of international events. The 10 biggest events on the securities market in 2016 were announced yesterday.

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh has agreed in principle to build an underground shopping centre in downtown HCM City along side the city’s first metro line project.