BOTB rock reality show offers lucrative prizes

VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnamese version of 2013 Tiger Translate Battle of The Bands, a rock reality TV show, will offer record cash prizes of VND100mil, VND50mil, and VND25mil for the winning, second, and third placed bands.

Market madness in Ha Noi

VietNamNet Bridge – Being the insomniac I am, I woke at 3am at what most would say is a crazy hour to have your eyes open, but I wanted to see a part of the city that doesn't adhere to a conventional working day.

Over 20 foreign TV channels suspended over new rule

 VietNamNet Bridge – A new Vietnamese regulation on pay TV effectively temporarily stops local viewers watching more than 20 foreign channels from Wednesday this week.

Digital content firms join forces to stimulate IPv6 users

VietNamNet Bridge – The “deployment” of IPv6 in Vietnam has been going slowly because of the reluctance of enterprises, especially digital content firms.

New drama set to celebrate Vietnam hero

VietNamNet Bridge – A collaborative film between Viet Nam and Japan about the famous 20th century Vietnamese nationalist Phan Boi Chau will be shot from June to July this year, with filming to take place in both countries.

Crape myrtle and flamboyant blossom on Hanoi streets

 VietNamNet Bridge - The flowers associated with school age are blooming around the streets of Hanoi, together with the sound of cicadas to signal that the school year is passing.

National Assembly to set up own TV channel

 VietNamNet Bridge – The National Assembly (NA) will soon have its own TV channel to provide comprehensive reportage on the activities of the assembly and local People's Councils.

Bottled green tea market to be remapped by the big guys?

Tan Hiep Phat deserves credit for “changing the wasteland into cultivated land” when it marketed the first bottled green tea products in 2006.

Tetanus eliminated in Vietnam

 VietNamNet Bridge – The United Nations and its partners have announced that tetanus has been wiped out in more than 30 countries, including Vietnam, which previously had high rates of the illness.

Farmer's turbine offers green solution

 VietNamNet Bridge – Ngo Van Quynh has spent 21 years creating green hydroelectric power plants. The three plants he built have a small capacity, but they save water, protect the environment and are quite economical.

Minimum wage less than half of the lowest standard of living

 VietNamNet Bridge - According to the Committee for Social Affairs of the National Assembly, the current minimum wage in the public sector satisfies about 38.4 percent of the minimum living standard.

The pilot who turned the tide of war

VietNamNet Bridge – Despite climbing the ranks at Vietnam Airlines and leading a sedentary life today, the beginnings of Nguyen Thanh Trung's career were fraught with risk and danger as he courageously fought in the war effort.

MOET glad because fewer students want higher education

The number of students registering to attend the university entrance exams this year is lower than the last year, which is believed to be proof showing that Vietnamese students nowadays don’t try to follow university education at any cost.

US veteran sculpts the pain of VN past

VietNamNet Bridge – Former US soldier and artist Jim Gion first fell in love with Viet Nam when he was forced to serve here during the American War.

Sea “swallows” hundreds of hectares of forests and shrimp farms

 VietNamNet Bridge - Approximately 100 hectares of preventive forests and 20 hectares of shrimp farms in Sam Son of Thanh Hoa Province, central Vietnam, have disappeared due to sea encroachment.

Gov’t should have fewer duties, say experts

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Government needs to adjust many of its roles and functions if wanting to achieve a healthier socioeconomic development, experts recommended at a conference held in Hanoi on Thursday.

Difficulties of local property developers mean opportunities for foreign investors

Foreign investors have been flocking to Vietnam to hunt for real estate projects, which is believed to help warm up the market. However, the market price would be forced down by 50 percent at least.

A tour of Buddhist temples in Truong Sa

VietNamNet Bridge – Since time immemorial, Vietnamese fishermen have built small shrines and temples on islands in the East Sea to pray for safety and good luck during their seafaring journeys.

RBS announces 1,400 job cuts over next two years

 Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) on Thursday announced that it will cut 1,400 jobs over the next two years as part of plans to restructure its retail head office operations in Britain.

Telcos told to improve service

VietNamNet Bridge – Mobile operators have been instructed to increase the quality of the services they provide after an industry survey revealed that 45 per cent of 3G subscribers were dissatisfied with service quality.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 18/5

 Mortgage loan for social housing touches 6%; VDB mobilises 4.45 trillion VND from guaranteed bonds; Ship yards go on with new orders; Hue plans to build VND 17 billion science-technology centre

Real estate troubles raise serious debate

 VietNamNet Bridge – Arguments regarding property market development, the government’s supportive measures and market perspective were bandied about by scholars,

First News releases Nick Vujicic’s third book in Vietnam

 VietNamNet Bridge – Nick Vujicic’s third book Limitless (Song cho dieu y nghia hon), which is translated by Bich Lan, was launched on May 15 in Vietnam by First News.

Living cost in HCM City cheaper than Hanoi

 VietNamNet Bridge - In 52 Asian cities that are most expensive for foreign visitors, HCM City ranks 43rd and Hanoi 38th.

Hanoi’s One-pillar pagoda restoration faces opposing viewpoints

VietNamNet Bridge – Hanoi authorities and experts have held four meetings to discuss ways to restore the One-pillar Pagoda (Chua Mot Cot) but they have yet to reach a final decision.