S. Korea loosens visas for Vietnamese tourists

 VietNamNet Bridge – South Korea has started loosening visa procedures for Vietnamese visitors by reducing visa application fees and simplifying financial capability provability procedures to woo more travelers.

General Giap museum idea embraced

 VietNamNet Bridge – Following the death of the legendary General Vo Nguyen Giap, experts and relevant authorities have said a museum should be established in memory of the General.

Banking giants to offload bad debt

VietNamNet Bridge – The Viet Nam Asset Management Company will sign contracts this week to purchase more than VND1 trillion (US$47.6 million) in bad debts from Maritime Bank, Techcombank and Global PetroBank.

Education official warns against early mental maths method for children

 VietNamNet Bridge – It is not good for children to be taught early mental and super-quick maths programmes before they're able to recognise numbers, said an official from the Hanoi Department of Education and Training.

Tragic car accident kills 7, injures dozens in Lao Cai

 At least seven passengers were killed and 25 others were injured after a coach en route from Haiphong to Lao Cai plunged into a canyon on October 25.

Cabinet convenes for October meeting

VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnamese cabinet convened for its monthly meeting in Hanoi on October 26, focusing on the implementation of socio-economic development tasks in the first ten months of this year and discussing measures

The old church in Sapa

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Sa Pa Rock Church was built in 1895 and it is the most ancient architectural work of the French left in Sa Pa, Lao Cai.

Bung Binh Thien in the flood season

 VietNamNet Bridge - Bung Binh Thien is one of the largest freshwater lakes in the Southwestern region of Vietnam. It is located near the Vietnam-Cambodia border and connected with the Binh Di River in An Phu district, An Giang province.

Free trade threatens local producers

 VietNamNet Bridge – The local livestock production sector is predicted to suffer after the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement takes effect.

Restructuring: Does it really happen?

 VietNamNet Bridge - For years, the word "restructuring" has become so familiar to many people, but not many people have seen the results of restructuring. Experts say that they have just heard about restructuring, not seen it.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 28/10

 CPI rises less than expected; Supermarket offers big discounts; Malaysia to build thermal power plant in Vietnam; Vietnam to accelerate FTA negotiations with EFTA; Digital signatures will be used for e-customs

Rare giant muntjacs discovered in Saola reserve

VietNamNet Bridge – Staff of the Saola Nature Reserve in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue have discovered the existence of giant muntjacs (Muntiacus vuquangensis), a rare animal species, in the area.

Dinh Cong silversmiths strive to preserve works of art

 VietNamNet Bridge – “My village is full of silversmiths, let me make you a ring to wear...” This folk verse has long been associated with Dinh Cong Village in Hanoi’s Hoang Mai District, which is renowned for its silver craft making.

Unclear laws make business naming a troublesome job

 VietNamNet Bridge – Giving a name to a newly established business turns out to be a difficult job because of the unclear provisions in the Business Registration Law.

Malaysian piano prodigy to perform in Vietnam

 VietNamNet Bridge – Music lovers in Vietnam will have a chance to witness the talent of the 15-year-old Malaysian prodigious pianist Tengku Ahmad Irfan during a performance tour of the Malaysian Symphony Orchestra.

Bai Dinh Pagoda, between worship and gigantism

 VietNamNet Bridge – Located behind a range of limestone mountains in Gia Sinh Commune, Gia Vien District, northern Ninh Binh Province, Bai Dinh is only 6km away from Hoa Lu ancient capital to the northwest.

How Taiwanese businesses make price transferring in Vietnam?

 VietNamNet Bridge – In Vietnam, one kilo of Oolong tea is priced at VND2-3 million, or over $100. Meanwhile, Taiwanese invested businesses in Vietnam export Oolong tea to the holding companies in Taiwan at $4 per kilo only.

Facebook fanatics chase online bargains

 VietNamNet Bridge – Nguyen Phuong Thao, 25, sits amid a messy pile of clothes. Her eyes are on her desktop screen, while her hands slide over the calculator, figuring out how much she made in a recently concluded transaction.

Soul sister drops unlikely debut album

 VietNamNet Bridge – Runner-up of the Voice Viet Nam Dinh Huong talks to Khac Thi about her debut album and her unique style of performance that set pulses racing across the country.

New Constitution to set tough conditions on land recalls

VietNamNet Bridge – The Committee for Draft Amendment to the 1992 Constitution on Tuesday reaffirmed the need of recalling land to implement socioeconomic development projects and said that there needed to be tight regulations

The fight to keep langurs swinging free

VietNamNet Bridge – A group of biologists have spent days trailing a troop of primates in Kon Ka Kinh National Park, before they eventually caught up with about 30 gray-shanked douc langurs having an afternoon meal in the treetops

Youths shelve print books

 VietNamNet Bridge – Many Vietnamese youth have abandoned printed books and their school libraries in favour of short news items and the occasional ebook on the internet, educators say.

HCM City – Haven for vintage motorcycles

 VietNamNet Bridge – Saigon, known today as Ho Chi Minh City, is now a haven for vintage motorbikes. Not only treasuring the value of the past, the collectors are working to benefit the community also.

Government steps up efforts to tackle tax fraud

 VietNamNet Bridge – Deputy general director of the Department of Taxation Cao Anh Tuan told Kinh te Dau tu (Economics and Investment) newspaper the Government is going to tighten control of bill printing by companies.

New textbooks must mention General Vo Nguyen Giap: Historian

VietNamNet Bridge – Duong Trung Quoc, well-known historian and National Assembly Deputy, said that in response to public concern, new text books should now mention the services and contributions rendered by the late General Vo Nguyen Giap.