Quang Nam starts tourism year

The government of Quang Nam Province has kicked off the 2016 tourism year in the upland district of Tay Giang.

PM orders sale of multimillion dollar steel and iron plant

 The VND8 trillion ($361.4 million) Thai Nguyen iron and steel plant-phase 2, invested by Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel JSC (TISCO), is finding potential investors, according to newswire Tuoitre.vn.

Indian inspired fashion on Saigon street

The latest collection by designer Li Lam is inspired by Indian fashion. The colourful dresses were featured on Nguyen Hue walking street.

A breath test for malaria

 Diagnosing malaria may soon be as easy taking a simple breath test, according to researchers.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 13/5

Car sales record 42 percent annual surge in April, Cashew from the heart to the world, Korean cosmetics and food enterprises look for Vietnamese match, Construction of airport near Sa Pa could start next quarter

Viettel selling part of Cambodia ops

 Viettel is inviting interested investors to buy part of its Cambodian operation Metfone, according to newswire vneconomy.vn.

More localities to pilot electric vehicle tourism service

 The Prime Minister recently approved the use of electric four-wheel vehicles for tourism in the central province of Quang Nam and the southern province of Kien Giang.

Vietnam, Laos work in training personnel for politics research

Laos appreciated the Vietnamese Party’s support for training personnel for the country’s political system, said Phankham Viphavanh, a politburo member and standing member of the Secretariat of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee.

Lao Prime Minister’s Vietnam visit to step up all-around links

  Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith’s official visit to Vietnam from May 15-17 looks to bolster the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations.

Japanese firms flock to Vietnam’s real estate market

 The property market in Vietnam has seen an influx of Japanese capital recently, with many projects carried out under partnerships between the countries’ enterprises.

Race for seats at secondary schools begins

VietNamNet Bridge - The competition among students for seats at star secondary schools is expected to be ‘scorching hot’ this year as schools plan to reduce enrollment quotas in an effort to improve education quality.

Thai billionaires pour more money into Vietnam

VietNamNet Bridge - The huge assets worth $40 billion owned by three Thai billionaires will become larger thanks to the market of 90 million Vietnamese.  

Ecotourism project could damage national park

VietNamNet Bridge - An ecological & spiritual tourism development project in Bach Ma could damage the national park, experts say. 

Fines forgiven for illegal VN workers returning home

 Illegal Vietnamese workers in South Korea who voluntarily return home from May 1 to September 30 this year will not have to pay any administrative penalties.

Vietnam Fashion Week kicks off

 A Summer Party held last night in downtown HCM City for fashion industry insiders and guests kicked off activities for Vietnam Designers’ Fashion Week.

English version of war diary donated to museum

The HCM City-based War Remnants Museum has just received the original English version of a diary written by war martyr Dr Dang Thuy Tram, who worked on the battlefield as surgeon in a central province of Vietnam during the American war.

Vietnam and Japan to collaborate on play

The first collaborative stage work by Japanese Edo Marionette Theatre Youkiza and the Vietnam Youth Theatre will debut in Hanoi tonight.

Vietnam boats save foreigners at sea

 Two Spanish nationals, a Hong Kong (China) national, and a Malaysian, who reportedly went missing at sea, were saved by Vietnamese fishing boats, Malaysian officials said on May 12.

Vietnam to augment power generation

 A new master plan in Vietnam has mapped out medium-term objectives for investment and development in the power sector to meet the goal of advancing industrial capacity.

The Well of God in Da Nang

Located deep in a forest northwest of Da Nang, Gieng Troi (The Well of God) has been newly explored by local trekkers. The site still keeps its pristine beauty.

Vietnam firmly opposes to Taiwan’s sovereignty violations

 Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Le Hai Binh has voiced protest against Taiwan (China)’s violations of Vietnam’s sovereignty over Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago.

Old feature phones selling better than iPhones in Vietnam

VietNamNet Bridge - Reports from market survey firms all show that the sales of feature phones have been higher than those for medium- and high-end products.

Social News 13/5

HCM City court upholds sentences in AgriBank case, HCM City’s District 7 declared Zika-free, Passive smoking reduces at both home, workplaces, Vietnam Airlines' passengers fly to SEA with US$ 50 return tickets

US$20 billion of foreign capital in Vietnam from 'tax havens'

 VietNamNet Bridge - British Virgin Islands (BVI) is an archipelago of about 153 km2, with GDP of more than $1 billion but businesses registered here have invested $19.3 billion into Vietnam.

Thailand's plan to sell stockpiled rice sparks concerns

 Thailand's plan to accelerate sales of 11.4 million tonnes of rice in stockpiles within two months sparked concerns that it would hurt prices as well as Viet Nam's rice exports.