According to the National Hydrology Meteorology Forecast Centers, hot weather today hits the southeast region with its peak temperature of 37 degrees Celsius.
Sunny weather without rain and 35 degrees Celsius temperature are predicted to maintain in Ho Chi Minh City during this week.
Yesterday, heat waves covered over the north and central provinces on the large scale. The highest temperature in the areas kept at 39- 40 degrees Celsius.
Temperature in two northern mountainous provinces of Ha Giang and Cao Bang also was up to 35- 38 degrees Celsius. The weather condition is forecast to last until April 12.
However, a cold air mass returns the northern region which is forecast to cause heavy rains in next couple of days.
Speed up electronic toll collection: Transport Minister
Transport Minister Trương Quang Nghị has ordered haste on the installation of electronic toll collection (ETC) equipment in toll stations on major highways.
All project proposals to install ETC equipment must be submitted to his ministry before April 15, and relevant documents and contracts between the ETC installers and BOT (Build Operate Transfer) investors of the highways should be signed before April 30, he said.
Nghi said this applies in particular to the 28 toll stations that are to implement the technology in the first phase of the national project that will cover all stations by the end of 2020.
The latest order comes after tardy progress made thus far on upgrading the toll stations despite the project having been initiated by the ministry in 2015.
In the first phase, the ETC equipment will be installed at 28 toll stations on National Highway No 1 and the section that runs through the Central Highlands region of the Hồ Chí Minh Highway.
The ETC projects, which will collect toll by scanning cards installed in vehicles passing through toll gates, saving a lot of time, will be implemented on a Build-Own-Operate (BOO) basis.
Vũ Quang Lâm, general manager of the Việt Nam Electronic Toll Collection (VETC) Company – an investor and operator of ETC systems under the management of infrastructure developer Tasco, said that his company had installed the system in October 2016 at the Tư Nghĩa toll station in Quảng Ngãi Province.
However, the BOT investor has not allowed them to collect their fees, saying the system should be piloted for the first 6 months, he said.
In fact, VETC has installed ETC equipment in three stations, and the system works well with vehicles passing through toll gates at 30km per hour. However, the BOT investors have not allowed them to operate the systems, Lâm said.
He said the company plans to operate the technology in two to three toll stations per month and complete the 28 toll stations by the end of this year, he added.
In Decision No. 07 issued last month, the Prime Minister has ordered that by the last day of December 2018, the ETC technology should be carried by all toll stations on National Highway No 1 as well as the section of Hồ Chí Minh Highway that runs through the Central Highlands region.
Contractors that build toll stations after January 1, 2019, must complete necessary procedures to hand them over to the BOT investors as soon as their quality inspections are completed, the Decision says.
It also mandates that the ETC equipment should be installed at these toll stations by December 31, 2019 at the latest.
“All investors must comply with the procedures that have been regulated to ensure synchronised implementation of ETC nationwide,” Nghĩa said.
It must also be ensured that the toll fees charged by ETC companies will not exceed that fixed by BOT investors, he added.
No limitations should be placed on the selection of technology providers, he said.
The ETC technology will be implemented on 1-2 lanes of the highways from 2016-2019 and on all lanes after 2019.
The transport ministry wants ETC systems installed at all toll stations nationwide by 2020, said Deputy Minister Nguyễn Hồng Trường.
HCM City leaders congratulate Laotians on Bunpimay festival
A delegation from HCM City led by Vo Thi Dung, Vice Secretary of the municipal Party Committee, on April 10 visited the Consulate General of Laos and wished its staff and Lao people living in the city a happy Bunpimay (New Year) festival.
Dung also congratulated the Lao people on the national construction and development achievements they have made over the past four decades under the leadership of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party.
HCM City always tries it best to boost its relations with Lao localities, particularly those it has twinning ties with, thus contributing to fostering the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations, she noted.
Lao Consul General to Ho Chi Minh City Somxay Sanam – Oune expressed his thanks to the municipal authorities for their active and effective support for his agency and the Lao community in the city.
He expressed his belief that the special relationship between Laos and Vietnam, including HCM City and Lao localities, will be consolidated and deepened in a more practical and effective manner in all fields, benefiting the people of the two nations as well as contributing to the prosperity of each country.
Luận wins first stage of HCM City event
Nguyễn Minh Luận won the first stage of the HCM City Television Cycling Cup, which kicked off yesterday in HCM City.
Luận of Premium Cycling Vĩnh Long triumphed at the 36km stage, which included 20 laps around Nguyễn Huệ Pedestrian Street, with a time of 56.15 min.
He was followed by Trần Thanh Nhanh of HCM City’s youth crew and Nguyễn Minh Việt of BTV Đại Nam.
Today’s second stage will see cyclists touring from HCM City to Đồng Xoài Town of Bình Phước Province on a 114km route.
The tournament, which is in its 29th edition, will cover 20 stages. More than 90 participants from 13 crews will ride some 2,000km throughout 13 cities and provinces. They started from HCM City and will also finish here on April 30, the day of the national Reunification.
145 traditional medicine doctors graduate
The Tay Saigon College in Ho Chi Minh City’s Cu Chi District April 4 granted certificates for 145 graduates who study eastern medicine.
One of them graduated with outstanding results and 17 achieved relatively good.
These graduates are the first class of eastern medicine in the school. The oldest student is 74 years old.
60 percent of them are 40 years old up and most of them are working in eastern medical clinics.
Especially, two of them are Ph.D holders and four modern medical workers.
Currently, the school is the first one to provide training of traditional medicine. It has attracted over 1,000 students who are working in charitable medical infirmaries in cities and provinces in the South.
Painting exhibition displays wounded soldier’s art works
A painting exhibition featuring art works by artist Bui Quang Lam opened at Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Association.
The display titled “The strange land” features 55 oil paintings which were created during his trips in 30 years.
Artist Bui Quang Lam was born in 1960 in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 4. He was a voluntary soldier and wounded in the Battlefield in Cambodia.
Lam is well-known for creating paintings based on music, poetry and diary. “The strange land” is his 6th exhibition. The first display was organized 10 years ago.
Army dominate shooting cup
Four gold medals were split among four teams at the National Shooting Cup yesterday in Hà Nội.
Đậu Văn Đông of the Army won the men’s 25m individual sport pistol event with 585 points. He was followed by Kiều Thanh Tú and Bùi Quang Nam, both of the hosts.
Tú and two teammates triumphed in the team event, scoring 1,470 points. HCM City and Army finished second and third, respectively.
Nguyễn Văn Quân from Hải Dương claimed gold in the men’s 50m individual rifle 3x40 category with 1,250.7 points.
Nguyễn Thành Nam of Army and Đỗ Mạnh Định from Thanh Hoá took silver and bronze.
Định grabbed his second medal, a gold, in the team event. They scored 3,386 points.
After eight days of competitions, Army lead the tournament with 17 golds. Hà Nội are far behind with seven gold and Hải Dương are third with six.
The cup will continue until Wednesday.
A dog’s life, but not for the dog
In a story that grabbed a lot of public attention recently, a Grab taxi driver got beaten by a customer over the smell of a dog.
Doggone it, you are saying, this cannot be a big deal in a country where dog meat is served in some restaurants; in a country where dog thieves have been brutally beaten, even killed, by mobs and vigilantes.
Well, this could end up being a shaggy dog story, but that’s the risk one takes in a dogged pursuit of stories with a twist.
So, back to this Grab driver who responded after a husband, wife and 10-year-old son called a taxi to get home after participating in a dog show held at the Phú Thọ Gymnasium in HCM City. After a few minutes, the driver decided to lower the windows to “prevent the smell of the dog from sticking to his car.”
No, the dog’s owner barked, demanding that the driver raise the windows and turn on the air-conditioner, for fear that his prized pet, worth several thousand dollars, would be rattled by all the noise and the wind outside.
It soon got noisy inside the car as a shouting match ensued and a lot of insults were traded, and no one seemed to care about the canine’s feelings as the tail wagged the dog.
Soon, the car pulled over and the fight continued, with the dog’s owner deciding to turn his bark into bite, weaponising an incense burner from a small sidewalk to strike the driver, causing mild concussion and profuse bleeding. Fortunately, a decent-sized crowd gathered and the police were called. Outnumbered, the couple apologised, agreed to pay the driver’s medical bills and tendered a public apology.
Even in a dog-eat-dog world, justice is served sometimes, right?
The wife later claimed in a Facebook post that the driver had actually locked the door and refused to let the couple out even though he was not happy with the presence of the dog and the woman had offered to pay for the ride.
The driver was bitter, too. He said he would probably have to take a break from his work, adding: “I feel like I was valued less than a dog.”
Ah well. We’ll just let sleeping dogs lie.
Fury over Fast and Furious driving
Was it a Hollywood chase being shot, following close on the heels of Kong: Skull Island? The latest James Bond movie, perhaps? Or, better still, Fast and Furious 9?
The answer: None of the above.
A dash cam video doing the rounds on social media last week showed a fleet of five cars speeding on the wrong lane of Hà Nội’s Nhật Tân Bridge, including at least one carrying a blue licence plate (indicating it was a State-owned vehicle.)
As the cars sped in the wrong direction, terrified drivers going in the right direction had to swerve out the way to avoid what could have been frightful collisions. The licence numbers of the offending cars were clearly seen, and a police investigation was launched.
So who was endangering the health of law-abiding drivers? Cars belonging to the Ministry of Health. The ministry’s Financial Planning Department officially confirmed that the blue-plated car and four other cars belonged to them, and that they did speed in the wrong lane.
The ministry’s dispatch explained that the cars were under the possession of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) project management board under the department. On April 6, the cars were sent to the Nội Bài International Airport to receive Japanese experts landing at 13:15.
However, an accident on the Nhật Tân Bridge had caused a paralysing traffic jam. The offending drivers said they’d explained their predicament and were granted permission by traffic police officers to turn around and switch to the other lane.
Police officers handling the accident and traffic flow on the bridge rejected the claim, saying they would never permit such dangerous actions.
The drivers later admitted they’d lied. Under existing laws, they were fined VNĐ1 million (US$44) each and their driving licences suspended for two months.
Not surprisingly, this sparked some fury among the public, with netizens noting that the lane allowed speeds of 80km/h, and cars running in the wrong direction were highly likely to catch other drivers off guard, causing terrible accidents.
If the punishment does not fit the crime, it would send a message that crime does pay, and when that happens, there is usually hell to pay.
Toll protest gains currency
Last week, this column reported on residents of Nghi Xuân District in Hà Tĩnh Province forcing authorities to take serious note of their protest by using small notes to pay what they felt was exhorbitant feels collected at a toll gate for a road section they rarely used, if ever.
So they began paying the VNĐ40,000-50,000 fees in VNĐ200 or VNĐ500 denominations, forcing toll collectors to count 80 to 200 notes each time a driver passed through.
The protest went on for nearly two weeks before the toll collecting company threw in the towel and decided to let the protesting drivers through without paying any toll..
However, others cautioned that this victory could be fleeting, and that fee collection could resume soon without further steps being taken.
But the protestors remain unfazed. Lê Xuân Hải, 45, a resident, said: “We want the toll booths to be removed completely. In the meantime, the fee should be scrapped for residents living on either sides of the bridges and surrounding areas.
“Scrapped, not waived, since ‘waiving’ implies that we have a duty to pay. But we don’t use Cienco4’s services, why on earth should we pay?”
Why on earth, indeed. He’s struck pay dirt on this one.
Vietnamese embassy in Venezuela holds ASEAN golf tourney
The Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela has organised an ASEAN friendly golf tournament with the participation of embassies from Malaysia, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, and Japan.
The event formed part of activities of the ASEAN Committee in Caracas (ACC) in celebration of the 50th founding anniversary of the association.
It aims to tighten the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and other ASEAN member countries and foreign partners.
Indonesian Ambassador Mochammad Luthfie Witt’eng, as rotating Chair of the ACC, said the tournament helped the embassies enhance mutual understanding and collaboration.
Founded in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
WHO called to help Vietnam improve public health care
Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Tong Thi Phong has proposed the World Health Organisation (WHO) closely work with the Vietnamese Government in curbing diseases and increasing quality of public health care.
She made the proposal at a reception for WHO Director-General Margaret Chan in Hanoi on April 10.
The legislator hoped the WHO will continue providing and updating health information in Vietnam as well as in the region and beyond, while supporting the country in improving capacity for health workers, especially at the grassroots level.
She noted that the active assistance and cooperation of the WHO over the past few years have helped Vietnam gain significant accomplishments in improving public health care and realising the UN millennium development goals.
Vietnam is particularly interested in developing health care network at the grassroots level, especially in disadvantaged and border areas, she said.
The Vietnamese legislature has promulgated a number of legal documents such as law on public health protection, law on HIV/AIDS prevention and law on communicable disease prevention, creating an effective legal corridor for public health care activities, she added.
The National Assembly has closely monitored the implementation of health policies of the Government, Health Ministry and relevant agencies to better public medical care in ethnic minority regions.
Phong also thanked the WHO for providing financial aid for Vietnam’s health sector and affirmed this source has been used effectively in the country.
For her part, Director-General Margaret Chan recognised the crucial role of the Vietnamese NA in building and promulgating important laws to reform the medical system.
She said the WHO is willing to help and share global experience with Vietnam in the field.
The Director-General suggested the Vietnamese Government push ahead with improving public health care and medical stations at district and commune levels, including training family doctors.
She also recommended building regulations on the operation of private health facilities under the management of the State.
Authorities in Ha Long Bay spend US$1.5mn building clock tower
Authorities in Ha Long City, the capital of Quang Ninh Province in northern Vietnam, have confirmed that they had spent VND35 billion (US$1.54 million) building a clock tower in the heart of the city home to Ha Long Bay.
Pham Hong Ha, chairman of the Ha Long People’s Committee, said that the amount was used to fund construction and provide back-up capital.
After thorough evaluation, the design of Salvador, one of the world’s 10 most famous architects, who had designed several constructions in Quang Ninh, was selected for the project, Ha said.
The entire structure was built with special materials and is decorated with fountains and a lighting system.
The VND35 billion (US$1.54 million) fund covered the cost of design, materials, and construction work, the official stated, adding that it was taken from the local coffers.
Similar to other projects in the city, the clock tower was built after assessment, inspection, and auditing had been completed, Chairman Ha said.
The tower was built in early 2017 and completed in late March.
It is 28 meters tall, while its frame is made of steel, weighing 18 metric tons.
A total of 16 LED screens are installed around the tower to display time in Vietnam and in countries across the world.
Kien Giang increasingly attractive to tourists
The southern coastal province of Kien Giang welcomed more than 1.4 million tourists in the first quarter of this year, a rise of six percent year on year, fulfilling over 25 percent of its yearly target.
According to the provincial Tourism Department, the province served 110,730 foreign visitors, up 10% over the same period last year and reaching 30% of its target.
Visitors tended to visit islands and archipelagoes in the province thanks to convenient means of travel, the department revealed, adding that tours to forests and trade villages also drew many.
In the first quarter of 2017, Phu Quoc island attracted about 553,500 visitors, a surge of 82.7% year on year, including 139,000 foreigners, up 53% over the same time in 2016.
The department attributed the success to new tourism products, including the Vinpearl Safari, the largest safari in Vietnam, international-standard golf courses, aquariums, Vinpearl Resort & Villas, Vinpearl Land and Vincharm Spa.
Currently, Phu Quoc has more than 10,000 rooms serving about 20,000 visitors per day.
Huynh Quang Hung, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Phu Quoc district, said the locality has attracted 250 investment projects worth VND315 trillion (US$14 billion), 192 of which have been licenced.
Kien Giang aims to make tourism a spearhead sector by 2020.
Along with building a trademark of Kien Giang tourism as a safe, friendly and civilized destination and Phu Quoc as a high quality eco-tourism and resort centre, the province will review its tourism planning and mobilise resources to upgrade infrastructure for major tourism regions.
Nguyen Van Sau, Vice Director of the provincial Tourism Department, said that the province is developing four major tourism regions: Phu Quoc, Kien Luong and adjacent region, Rach Gia-Kien Hai and adjacent region and U Minh Thuong and adjacent region.
Kien Giang is also implementing two sub-projects within a project launched by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to develop tourism infrastructure supporting the development of the greater Mekong Sub-region.
The project to develop infrastructure for Da Dung mountain’s relic site in Ha Tien will be invested with US$1.81 million, including US$1.63 million from the Asian Development Bank, while the project to improve environmental conditions in Hang pagoda- Hon Phu Tu in Kien Luong will receive US$7.09 million.
Sport exchange promotes ASEAN friendship
A sport exchange among the embassies of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Indonesia and the ASEAN Secretariat took place in Jakarta on April 8.
The event, initiated by the Embassy of the Philippines in Indonesia, was part of the activities to mark the bloc’s 50th founding anniversary.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia Maria Lumen B.Isletta said the event aims to promote exchange and solidarity among ASEAN nations.
ASEAN Vice Secretary General AKP Mochtan said the event will contribute to strengthening mutual understanding among the ASEAN members, thus enhancing cooperation among them and with the ASEAN secretariat, toward the 50th anniversary for the common development goal of the ASEAN Community.
Participants joined a bowling competition. The Philippines grabbed the first prize. The second and third prizes went to Indonesia and Malaysia, respectively.
Seoul requiem for Vietnamese soldiers killed during Gac Ma battle
A requiem to pray for Vietnamese soldiers, who died during a battle to defend Gac Ma island in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago 29 years ago, was held in Phung Nguyen pagoda in Seoul, the Republic of Korea (RoK) on April 9.
The ceremony was organised by the Buddhist association of Phap Mon Vietnam pagoda in the RoK in cooperation with the Vietnamese Students Association, the Vietnam cultural centre in the country and the fund for Vietnam’s sea and island sovereignty.
Speaking at the event, nun Thich Nu Gioi Tanh expressed gratitude towards soldiers who fought to protect national sea and island sovereignty, stressing that Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa archipelagoes are integral parts of the country.
Participants recalled the battle and sacrifices of the soldiers killed in action at Gac Ma (Johnson South) Reef in Vietnam’s Truong Sa archipelago on March 14, 1988.
They offered incense to pray for the heroes.
In the framework of the event, an exhibition was arranged, introducing ancient documents affirming Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes, and photos related to China’s illegal actions.
The requiem and photo exhibition promoted solidarity among Vietnamese communities in the RoK and helped RoK friends understand more about historical evidence affirming Vietnam’s sovereignty over the archipelagoes.
First Hung Kings festival held in Berlin
Overseas Vietnamese held the first Hung Kings festival in Berlin on April 9 to commemorate the legendary founders of the nation in Vietnamese history.
The event was attended by representatives of the Vietnamese Embassy in Germany, more than 20 associations and some 300 Vietnamese living in Germany.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Doan Xuan Hung emphasised the importance of Hung Kings festival to preserving the tradition and culture of Vietnam.
He affirmed that it was one of the biggest Hung Kings festivals organised by overseas Vietnamese across the world.
During the festival, participants enjoyed traditional rituals, art performances and Vietnamese food.-
VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT/TN/Dantri/VNE