VietNamNet Bridge – Sapa Town in northern Lao Cai Province holds a number of interesting things for visitors to discover.

Consumer credit boom expected in next five years, Only 30 percent of SMEs have access to bank loans, Social policy bank targets 8 percent growth, Thai company not qualify for exporting parent shrimp to Vietnam

An opening ceremony will be held today to mark the reopening of an ancient house on stilts in the northern province of Hoa Binh that had been reduced to ashes.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has told Vietnam National Shipping Lines to divest entirely from nine seaports and companies and retain 20 per cent in Hai Phong and Sai Gon seaports.

The Government of Viet Nam has provided the public with scant information about its coffers and limited opportunities to engage in the budget process, a report announced yesterday.

 Human trafficking across Vietnam’s borders with Laos and Cambodia was reduced during a three-month crackdown from July to September last year, Vietnam’s Investigation Police Department on Social Order Related Crimes (C45) reported.

 Hoang Thuc Hao received the title Architect of the Year during the 2015 Ashui Awards ceremony held on January 14 in Hanoi.

 Vietnamese Consul General to Guangzhou province Nguyen Tien Hong on January 14 hosted a banquet to mark the 66th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and China (January 18, 1950).

 The national futsal team will play two friendly matches with Malaysia to prepare for the 2016 AFC Futsal Championship finals, which is scheduled to be held from February 10-21 in Uzbekistan.

 Vietnam and Thailand have agreed to complete their domestic procedures at an early date, in order to reach an agreement on setting up a hotline for their fishing activities in the first quarter of this year.

 General Secretary of the South African Communist Party (SACP) Blade Nzimande has extended his warmest greetings to Vietnam over the upcoming 12th National Party Congress slated for January 20-28.

 State President Truong Tan Sang hosted separate receptions for newly accredited and outgoing ambassadors in Hanoi on January 14.

VietNamNet Bridge - Both domestic and foreign brands of food and beverages in Vietnam have already or are preparing to launch new plants in Vietnam through direct investment or joint ventures.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved an additional grant of 69 million euros (US$75.1 million) for the Ha Noi Train Station-Nhon urban metro rail project.

VietNamNet Bridge - The Ministry of Education and Training’s (MOET) decision on setting limitations on universities’ training scale has raised strong opposition from schools.

VietNamNet Bridge - Netflix’s services are now available in Vietnam but Vietnamese state management agencies say the service is violating state laws.

VietNamNet Bridge - If the sea water level rises by one meter, the rice growing area will be cut by half, from 4 million to 2 million hectares, experts say.

Metro Cash & Carry Vietnam has been officially transferred to TCC, a giant firm from Thailand. Big C, which has been put up for sale, is also expected to be bought by a Thai company by the end of the first quarter of 2016 at the latest.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Minister of Finance Dinh Tien Dung said in an interview on VTV on Sunday that one of the key tasks that his ministry will fulfill this year is to balance the state budget.

 Vietnam could not spring the expected surprise in the first match at the Asian U-23 Football Championship in Qatar on January 14.

 20,000 workers receive free bus ticket to return homeland for Tet, Hung Yen hospital treats 34 for food poisoning, Woman punished in scheme to smuggle 7 Vietnamese into UK, Ha Noi authorities seize expired food

 Vietnam condemns terror attacks in downtown Jakarta, Indonesia, on January 14, which caused deaths and injuries, said Foreign Ministry Spokesman Le Hai Binh.

The significant improvement in Vietnam’s business environment is expected to be the major reason which helps Vietnam obtain high economic growth rate in difficulties, and helps ‘the fish swim against the current’ as economists commented.

VietNamNet Bridge – Hanoi’s newly elected chairman Nguyen Duc Chung served more than three years as the city police chief. He directly commanded investigations of many major cases.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The HCM City Department of Health instructed relevant agencies to severely penalise small food stores and vendors on streets who continue to flout safety and hygiene regulations.