S-Fone needs to find its voice

 VietNamNet Bridge – Ailing mobile network S-Fone’s latest movements are under the microscope.

Rats becoming a serious menace in HCM City

 VietNamNet Bridge – Rats are proving to be a serious menace for residents of some districts in Ho Chi Minh City as they are not just devastating items in homes but also biting people and thereby transmitting dangerous diseases.

Male and gay prostitution is increasing

Although there are no specific figures, according to representatives of the Departments of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho City, male prostitution is on the rise, including students.

Museums need to be more friendly

Museums in Viet Nam are not appealing enough for tourists, resulting in them being bypassed by agencies organising visitor tours, experts said at a workshop on museum and heritage tourism in the capital

Wind-energy farms may get priority

 VietNamNet Bridge – Wind farms that offer economic efficiency and plan to connect with the national grid could be given priority status by the Government as it seeks to modernise the nation's energy supply.

Vulnerable vocational schools losing students to universities

This year vocational training schools are facing declining enrolment numbers due to fierce competition from universities, who are opening their own vocational schools and extending the enrolment season in order to attract more students,

Draw leaves Cup door open for VN

 VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam drew 1-1 with Myanmar in the opening game of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup, Thailand's Rajamangala Stadium on Saturday.

Old pagodas in Bich Dong

 VietNamNet Bridge – The historical province of Ninh Binh comprises of three different types of landscape - wetlands, coastal delta and uplands - and is endowed with many places of interest for tourists such as Tam Coc-Bich Dong Grotto,

Resettled families bemoan poor-quality flats

 VietNamNet Bridge – Inhabitants in high-rise resettlement apartments in the capital are complaining about poor maintenance, particularly for elevators and water pumps,

Under the table fees burden businesses

Sixty three percent of enterprises said they always have to pay under the table fee to state officials in order to expedite their administrative procedures.

Spammers fined billions of dong

The Ministry of Information and Communications has collected a total penalty of more than VND1.6 billion, detained over VND760 million and suspended operations of three service providers for spreading spam messages.

The Japanese connection

The experience of social integration and assimilation depends largely on the individual, their past experiences and how adaptable they can be. While my origins lie in Japan, I have noticed that being Japanese has its benefits and downfalls

Big banks report profit decrease, small fail to pay promised dividends

Commercial banks all keep pessimistic about the business result this year, when the credit flow gets stuck and the bad debts increase rapidly.

Nurse shortage

VietNamNet Bridge – On a normal working day, Pham Bich Diep, a nurse at the Ha Noi-based Bach Mai Hospital's Emergency Ward, cares for an average of eight patients.  

The top scandals of V-biz 2012

VietNamNet Bridge – Let’s review the biggest scandals of the Vietnamese showbiz this year.

Wearing slippers to the theater, lingerie to the cinema

VietNamNet Bridge – This like-fabrication fact happens very often in Vietnam, which unfortunately is made by "famous" people.

Secrets of 12,000-year-old remains

The unique way of decorating the dead (putting sea snails into the eye sockets) that was discovered by archaeologists of the Vietnam Institute of Archaeology in Phia Vai cave in Tuyen Quang, has revealed the burial secrets of primitive people.

VN aims to join global carbon market

 VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam is preparing to further enhance its green credentials and competitiveness on the world stage by joining the global carbon market after 2020.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 25/11

Lack of bio fuel demand puts cassava farmers in quandary; Real estate inventory causing huge losses; HCM City builds property indices;

Firms cynically exploit commendations to target pre-schoolers

 VietNamNet Bridge – Firms are targeting pre-school kids as part of their marketing campaigns by sponsoring traditional commendation certificates for good behaviour.

Ministry unfazed by foreign telecom firms’ exit

 VietNamNet Bridge – Given that a number of telecom firms have pulled out of the Vietnamese market and that a foreign organization has remarked the local telecom market is losing its appeal,

Mobile phone promos to be tightly controlled

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Department of Telecommunications under the Ministry of Information and Communications has issued a circular to tighten the control of mobile phone promotional activities.

Effort on to reduce motorbike fuel exhaust fumes

A project to reduce fumes from motorbike fuel exhausts has been prepared by the Vietnam Registry Department and is expected to be submitted to the Prime Minister by the Ministry of Transport by the end of this year.

Vietnam suffers “shortness of breath” in FTA race

By joining free trade agreements (FTAs), Vietnam strives for the market expansion and the full global trade integration. However, it has been facing a lot of challenges in the race.

High-rise building boom adds to traffic congestion

 VietNamNet Bridge – The large number of high-rise buildings being built in HCM City's centre has worsened traffic congestion, one of the country's most serious problems, urban planning experts have said.