HCM City scrutinises pre-paid mobiles

 Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Information and Communication has asked the Ministry of Information and Communications to issue regulations governing pre-paid mobile subscribers as strictly as post-paid subscribers. 

ABC channel to broadcast in Vietnam

 ABC's Australia Plus TV (A+ TV) started broadcasting in Vietnam via VTV Cable channel 199 and FPT ONEtv channel 177 from October 3. 

Photos: Pham Thi Huong crowned Miss Universe Vietnam 2015

 Pham Thi Huong, 24, won the crown of Miss Universe Vietnam 2015 after surpassing other 43 contestants in the finale held in Nha Trang city, central coastal Khanh Hoa province, on October 3. 

Rain forecast for northeast region as storm Mujigae hits China peninsu

Moderate-to-heavy rain is forecast to pour down in the northeast and northern mountainous areas of Vietnam from October 4 evening as tropical storm Mujigae made landfall in the north of China’s Leizhou Penisula in the afternoon. 

Vietnam attends Asia-Pacific Judicial Reform forum in Russia

A delegation of the Supreme People’s Court led by Chief Judge Truong Hoa Binh attended the eighth Asia-Pacific Judicial Reform Forum in Vladivostok city, Russia, on October 2.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung congratulates Singaporean counterpart

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on October 3 extended his congratulation to Lee Hsien Loong on his swearing-in as Singaporean Prime Minister.  

What being a pedestrian means in Vietnam

 VietNamNet Bridge – "Walk! Walk! You can walk! It's easy." You probably associate these words with your earliest memories of taking your first steps. However, these words were spoken in a very different context recently.

Foreign retailers must win over local customers

Mr. Nguyen Huy Hoang, Business Development Director at Kantar Worldpanel Vietnam, tells about the performance of foreign retailers in Vietnam.

Vietnam's universities plan to raise tuition

VietNamNet Bridge - The cost of university education in Vietnam is becoming more costly as a series of state-owned universities said they are planning to raise tuition. 

Ministry maps out new solutions to environment woes

 VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam will face a range of environmental protection challenges over the coming years despite efforts made by the Government and environment sector over the past five year.

Phu Quoc Island’s coral reefs are dying

 VietNamNet Bridge – Coral reefs on the seabed of Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s largest island, are being destroyed at an alarming rate, Tuoi Tre Newspaper has reported.

Venture funds hesitate to enter Vietnam

VietNamNet Bridge - Venture funds have been very active in ASEAN countries, but not in Vietnam, despite the need for capital from Vietnamese technology startups.

Word-of-mouth key in Vietnam consumption

Across Southeast Asia, 88 percent of consumers placed the highest level of trust in word-of-mouth recommendations from people they know. Word-of-mouth endorsements gathered the highest increase in approval from Vietnamese consumers.

More Vietnamese laborers sent overseas than targeted

The first nine months of this year saw more Vietnamese sent overseas for guest work than the entire year’s target of 90,000 set early this year by the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 5/10

 GSO: Economy grows 6.5% in Jan-Sept, Power price hike proposal rejected, Goods producers, distributors strike cooperation deals, Ministry proposes delaying ice-to-fish ratio rule, Vietnam promotes overseas investment

Official refutes think tank’s calculation of public debt

A finance ministry official has refuted the figure of public debt in 2014 as given by the Policy and Development Institute under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, saying that the method of calculation is not in line with regulations.

Banking industry gears up for ASEAN

Vietnam banks have been in a restructuring mode lately as part of their attempt to get the banking system in shape for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations economic integration at the end of the year,

Diseases undermine Mekong fruit exports

Mekong Delta provinces are rich in orchards with many kinds of fruit for export, but a shortage of disease-free seedlings is threatening the industry.

In pictures: Vocational training at a Buddhist pagoda

Situated in a place shaded by ancient trees, Kom Pong Chray Pagoda is known not only as one of the most beautiful ancient pagodas in Tra Vinh but also as a place where wood carving is taught to children of the Khmer ethnic people.

Quang Binh national park rescued red list animals

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park in this central province has rescued seven civets from hunters that entered the park illegally last Tuesday.

The last paper mache mask makers in Hanoi

 VietNamNet Bridge – In the past, making mask from paper mache was a popular and unique cultural feature of Hanoi. However, the art has faded into oblivion over time.

Gov’t bonds not selling, sparks concern about gov’t spending

VietNamNet Bridge - The proportion of government bonds sold in the primary market has dropped to a low of 20 percent for the year.

HCM City to build multiple sluices to ease flooding

 VietNamNet Bridge – The HCMC government plans to spend VND9.85 trillion constructing a number of flood tide control sluices and seven kilometers of dyke in different parts of the city to mitigate flooding in inner-city areas.

Green coffee shops in Saigon

 VietNamNet Bridge - In the heart of bustling Ho Chi Minh City are quite a few tree-covered cafes.

Boeing sets up factory in China, Vietnam hopes to get benefits

VietNamNet Bridge - Boeing has set up a factory in to assemble aircraft in China, which is expected to bring opportunities to Vietnam.