Danang eyes sustainable tourism development

Visitors take photos at a beach in Danang City. Danang has drawn up a plan to ensure the sustainable development of the sector 

The central coast city of Danang has drawn up a plan to maintain the competitiveness of its tourism services and ensure the sustainable development of the sector.

Tran Chi Cuong, deputy director of the Danang Department of Tourism, said the plan would include bolstering cooperation between Danang and its two neighboring provinces, Thua Thien-Hue and Quang Nam.

Cuong said the city would ask the central Government to adopt preferential policies for the three localities to further develop tourism.

The city government will work with the Vietnam Tourism Association and other tourism management organizations in the city to carry out promotion programs, improve tourism service quality, and develop human resources for the sector this year.

The department plans to open a representative office in South Korea and set up representative offices in Japan, China and even Europe to bring in more international tourists.

Until 2020, Danang will convert Tien Sa and Thuan Phuoc ports into tourist ports, develop tourism products and services at night along the bank of the Han River, upgrading and building boat piers and boat fleets to foster waterway tourism, and launch services at Cat Vang Beach, K20 historic site and La Huong vegetable farm.

Last year, the tourism sector contributed 24.4% to Danang’s gross regional domestic product (GRDP), above 23.72% in the previous year.

Quang Ninh clamps down on ‘free tours’

The northern province of Quang Ninh has shut down many retail stores specializing in serving those Chinese tourists coming to Vietnam on zero-dollar tours, said a report on the website of Thanh Nien newspaper.

The stores closed for breaking regulations and failing to meet customer service standards include Van Linh Chi in Hung Thang Ward and a shop under Que Phuc Trading Travel Joint Stock Company, the report quoted the provincial government as saying.

Cao Xuan Luat, director of the market surveillance bureau of Quang Ninh, said an inspection team of the bureau had since early this month fined 13 stores for selling goods of unclear origin and not listing prices.

The management of Mong Cai International Border Gate said that since early this year 350,000 Chinese had come to Vietnam via this border gate. A majority of them took tours offered in China at zero dollar but when they were in Quang Ninh, they were forced to buy overpriced goods at 6-7 rubber pillow and handicraft stores.

Delays in tackling sexual harassment can cost garment industry billions

Binh has not forgotten his early days in Japan almost a decade ago when he just arrived there for higher studies. He remembers vividly the three things the Japanese taught him and his classmates in those first days. One of them was about preventing and dealing with sexual harassment.

Nguyen Van Binh, now serving as deputy director general of the Department of Legal Affairs under the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, shared this story at a recent workshop on prevention and response to sexual harassment in garment factories. The event was coorganized by CARE International in Vietnam, Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, and the Center for Development and Integration (CDI) in Hanoi on March 27, 2018.

Long dedicated to fighting gender-based discrimination in general and preventing and handling sexual harassment in particular, he admits that while sexual harassment is a universal issue, many countries, including Vietnam, have overlooked this issue.

Research by CARE and other organizations and law firms show that sexual harassment in the workplace does exist and negatively affects workers’ mental health and income, which in turn damages employers’ productivity and profits as their employees have to take longer leaves or quit jobs. Even harassed employees who choose to keep silence and continue working are unable to put full effort into their works.

A recent research by CARE in Cambodia revealed that sexual harassment cost the country’s garment industry US$89 million, or an equivalent of 0.52% of Cambodia’s GDP in 2015. In Vietnam, the International Labor Organization disclosed that garment factories with less violence and harassment tend to earn higher profits than those with more.

There are quite a number of reasons leading to the overlook of sexual harassment by factories and firms. In Binh’s words, no matter how big the economic damage is (such as the case in Cambodia), it is likely that business owners will merely think it is not their problem, and not their damage. Another reason that many experts and others agreed upon is the public perception of social and cultural responsibilities. For example, some gesture deemed as sexual harassment in one place can be seen as a harmless joke elsewhere.

Another crucial factor is the lack of legal provisions. The 2012 Labor Code of Vietnam included four articles related to sexual harassment in the workplace, yet it has not provided a unified definition of sexual harassment nor does it point out behaviors considered as sexual harassment. It also falls short of a clear stipulation of obligations and responsibilities of employers, let alone providing a defined penalty frame for the harassers.

In addition, “the workplace” is only limited to the premise of the office or headquarters or factory, and does not include other work-related settings such as a company party at a restaurant, workers’ dormitory, online harassment among coworkers, etc.

To change the status quo, it is obvious that multiple measures should be introduced through joint efforts of lawmakers, policy makers, employers, workers’ union, international and local organizations as well as the media.

If Vietnam is to integrate itself further and successfully into the global economy, its factories have to be bolder in cutting costs and enhancing productivity. That is why the sooner the sexual harassment problem is addressed, the earlier the employers can earn benefits and Vietnam gets closer to fulfilling its global and domestic commitments on protecting basic human rights.

Photo exhibition unveils beauty of Kontum and Danang

A photo exhibition titled “March Talks” introducing the people’s life and landscapes of Kon Tum Province and Danang City has been held in Kon Plong District of Kon Tum Province.

The event was jointly organized by the Kon Tum Literature and Arts Association and the Danang Union of Literature and Arts Associations as part of the Kon Tum Culture, Tourism and Investment Promotion Week 2018 and the fifth Culture and Tourism Week of Kon Plong District.

Featuring 80 artworks by 32 photographers, March Talks unveils the beauty of nature and the people’s daily life in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum and the central coastal city of Danang, with an aim to contribute to reducing poverty for ethnic minority communities, and promoting investment and tourism in the localities.

Photos on display have won numerous national, regional and international awards, reflecting the socio-economic situation of Kon Tum and Danang which also includes their heritage sites, landscapes, traditional craft villages and tourism activities.

This was also a chance for photographers associations of the two localities to foster cooperation and partnership, introduce their artworks to each other, and share experience in the field.

Danang’s districts to hold monthly book fair

 

After the first book fair was held by the Danang General Science Library at the end of March as a quarterly event, a monthly book fair will be organized in rotation in some districts of the city.

The fair in total will be organized in six districts in the central city to raise public awareness of reading culture.

The first monthly edition of the event will be held by Hai Chau District between 19 and 23 of April on the western bank of the Han river near the Cham Museum and APEC Park.

Hoa Vang District will organize one at a school this month also. Son Tra District’s residents will see a book fair in June at the Dragon Bridge Park while Cam Le District is picked to hold the fair in July. The next two will be organized respectively in Ngu Hanh Son and Thanh Khe districts in August and September.

The most recent book fair featuring 22 booths took place on Bach Dang Street in end-March, with over 200,000 people visiting and more than 16,000 copies of books sold, according to data of the Danang General Science Library.

Prosecution proposed against former DongA Bank boss

The Ministry of Public Security has proposed formal charges against Tran Phuong Binh, former general director of DongA Bank Commercial Joint Stock Bank, for misappropriation of the bank’s assets, according to local news reports.

Binh was accused of deliberately violating State regulations on economic management and abusing trust for misappropriation of assets, causing losses of more than VND3.4 trillion (US$149 million).

Investigators found that Binh, who used to hold the posts of vice chairman of DongA Bank and chairman of the bank’s credit council, owned 10.25% of DongA Bank’s chartered capital and his family members 7.7%. Binh was in charge of the bank’s budget and investments at the time.

Binh’s violations caused accumulated losses of VND31 trillion for the bank as of the end of 2015.

According to Thanh Nien newspaper, Binh was also found to create favorable conditions, even direct his staff to falsify documents, to help Phan Van Anh Vu, alias Vu Nhom, to successfully buy 63 million shares of DongA Bank. Vu was later arrested in Hanoi for allegedly disclosing State secrets.

In 2013, DongA Bank incurred huge losses, so Binh had plans to raise the bank’s chartered capital from VND5 trillion to VND6 trillion and sell 60 million DongA Bank shares at VND600 billion to Vu Nhom.

To have enough money for the shares, Vu used 220 lots of land in Danang City as collateral to borrow VND400 billion from DongA Bank. Binh directed his staff to falsify documents to make it possible for Vu Nhom to borrow the remaining VND200 billion.

However, the capital increase plan faltered, so Binh ordered his subordinates to return VND600 billion to Vu Nhom who then used VND500 billion of this very amount to buy 50 million shares of DongA Bank.

In August 2015, Vu also acquired an additional 13 million shares of the bank at VND136 billion but he paid only VND46 billion.

Thus, Binh and Vu caused losses of VND200 billion for DongA Bank.

Besides, 20 others also face prosecution, including former DongA Bank deputy general directors Nguyen Thi Ngoc Van and Nguyen Thi Kim Xuyen, and former directors of DongA Bank’s transaction offices.

Particularly, Nguyen Hong Anh, a former HCMC police officer, borrowed 2,000 taels of gold from the bank and then caused losses of over VND53 billion. A tael equals to 1.2 troy ounces.

Of 21 defendants, eight people are now under house arrest while 13 others have been detained.

In related news, Nguyen Hoang Minh, deputy director of HCMC branch of the State Bank of Vietnam (SAV), said the prosecution against Binh will not affect the operation of DongA Bank as the central bank has sent the Government a plan to restructure the bank. DongA Bank will not file for bankruptcy or be acquired at zero Vietnam dong, he said.

After Binh and former executives of DongA Bank were detained, SBV has sent competent officials to the bank to oversee its day-to-day operations. Its performance has improved and customers still have confidence in it.

SBV will take measures to ensure the smooth operation of DongA Bank and safeguard the interests of customers and partners in line with the law. The central bank also pledged to completely restructure the bank so that it will operate safely and efficiently.

Ly Son Island’s new high-speed boat launched

The 139-seater boat is fitted with safety regulations for navigation and has an average speed of 30 knots per hour. (Photo: baodansinh.vn) 

A high-speed boat, Super Bien Dong, which will ferry passengers to Ly Son Island in Quang Ngai province was launched on April 11, shortening the travel time from the mainland to the island from 75 minutes to 35 minutes.

The boat was built by the Shipbuilding Company 189 under the Ministry of Defence at a cost of US$1 million.

The 139-seater boat is fitted with the latest safety regulations for navigation and has an average speed of 30 knots per hour. It will be officially put into operation at the end of April.

The construction of the Super Bien Dong was completed six months ahead of schedule, and it is the most state-of-the-art vessel on the sea route linking Ky Ha port with Ly Son Island.

According to Chairman of Ly Son district People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh, there are currently 11 boats bringing visitors to Ly Son Island. The launch of the new vessel aims to renovate the fleet and better serve visitors to the island.

Vitality of Truong Sa manifested through hundreds of photos

The exhibition aims to raise public awareness of Vietnam's sovereignty over its sea and islands. 

The vitality of life on Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago is being showcased through 100 artistic photos taken by reporters and photographers, both amateur and professional, at an exhibition in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong from April 6 to 8.

The photos on display feature three basic themes, including “Vietnam’s sea and island sovereignty”, “Truong Sa’s vitality”, and “youth for national sea and islands”.

The exhibits faithfully reflect the lives of the Vietnamese naval soldiers and people on the islands, while depicting the beauty of Truong Sa’s waters and national landscapes.

Together with the artistic photos, the exhibition is also showcasing 33 national flags transferred from 33 islands, 15 national flags from 15 DK1 platforms in the southern continental shelf, and four national flags from the ships performing duties in the Vietnamese sea, alongside the woodblocks from the Nguyen Dynasty which were used to print publications on Truong Sa.

The event, part of a series of exhibitions held at six venues in Hanoi, Hung Yen province and Lam Dong from March 9 to April 22, aims to raise public awareness and a sense of responsibility in younger generations and all social strata in protecting and affirming Vietnam's sovereignty over its sea and islands, as well as in managing the exploitation and use of marine resources in an effective and sustainable manner.

Meat stall with a unique food hygiene initiative

Đặng Thị Quyền, a butcher in a market in Kiến Thuỵ District’s Minh Tân Commune has decided to cover her meat stall with a white and pink princess-style curtain that would normally be seen on an eight-year-old girl’s bed to protect the meat from insects. — Photo vtc.vn

A meat stall in a market in northern Hải Phòng City’s suburban area has become famous in recent days for a unique food hygiene initiative.

Đặng Thị Quyền, a butcher in a market in Kiến Thuỵ District’s Minh Tân Commune has decided to cover her meat stall with a white and pink princess-style curtain that would normally be seen on an eight-year-old girl’s bed to protect the meat from insects.

Those who want pork unveil the curtain to find the friendly butcher waiting inside with her meat.

Quyền said that she has been selling pork for 25 years. In the mornings, she opens the meat stall at the front gate of the commune, and moves it to Minh Tân market in the afternoon.

The hot weather in the past several days brought flies, mosquitoes to her meat stall, annoying both traders and customers.

Quyền said her sister joked about using the curtain when she saw her trying to use a mosquito racket to fight off the insects flying around her stall.

Quyền took the joke as advice, and it turned out to be rewarding advice.

The photo of Quyền’s meat stall with the white curtain has went viral on social media, with most commenters praising the idea and promising to come and buy pork.

One just has to hope she remembers not to put the blanket on her daughter’s bed, or she’ll forever be nicknamed Miss Piggy.

UNDP launches new green chemical project

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Vietnam Chemicals Agency, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade on April 6 held the inception workshop of the project entitled "Application of Green Chemistry in Vietnam to support green growth and reduction in the use and release of POPs and hazardous chemicals."

According to Dao Xuan Lai, UNDP assistant country director, Head of Environment and Climate Change, this is the first green chemistry project to be implemented in Vietnam and Southeast Asia with the goal of minimising the use and emissions of chemicals that are not on the list of the Multilateral Environment Agreements.

"The project has three objectives: creating a legal environment, raising awareness, and piloting practices that will help reduce emissions and the use of POPs," said Lai.

He added, "Vietnam is one of the pioneers in POPs issues and has a lot of experience in dealing with POPs left over from the war to the present. Therefore, the UNDP and GEF expect that Vietnam will lay the foundations as well as give the first lessons and experiments in this field.”

At the workshop, Christine Wellington Moore, UNDP Programme Advisor Montreal Protocol Unit/Chemicals, Asia-Pacific Regional Centre, introduced the overall project activities, results framework, and the components to be implemented in Vietnam. "Green chemistry is not new, but it is not easy to do, so we want to get the opinions of the stakeholders in this workshop."

In Vietnam, while the chemical and manufacturing sectors play a very important role in the development of the national economy and in the industrialisation and modernisation of the country, certain chemicals which are potentially hazardous or toxic, their production processes, and products containing such chemicals are becoming of increasing concern because of their impact on human health, the environment, and ecosystems.

The project aims to create an enabling environment for the introduction of Green Chemistry in Vietnam and introduce Green Chemistry applications in production sectors with the purpose of reducing the use and release of chemicals controlled under the Stockholm and Minamata Conventions.

The project will reduce the use of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and release of Unintentional Persistent Organic Pollutants (U-POPs) through the introduction of green chemistry approach in six industrial sectors in Vietnam: chrome plating, pulp and paper manufacturing, plastic manufacturing, textile, pesticides, and solvents.

Specific guidance for each sector will be developed and the green chemistry approach will be streamlined into relevant legislation.

With the support of GEF and the UNDP, this three-year project will also promote awareness on green chemistry and the benefits of its application and its guiding principles. 

Erosion attacks yet another part of Mekong delta

Residents living along a river in Can Tho City in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta had to rush out of their houses on April 6 as erosion sank into the river bank, sweeping away the street at their front yards.

“People had to evacuate quickly, taking children, elders and furniture out of their houses,” a local named Nguyen Thi Le said.

She said the authorities started building an embankment to prevent erosion on this bank section of the O Mon River the other day and everything seemed to be just fine back then.

Now erosion took away an area that stretches 54 meters (177 feet) long, 12 meters wide, causing three houses and a parking garage in Thoi An Ward of O Mon District to subside and have cracked walls.

Can Tho irrigation authorities said they have built an embankment to prevent erosion along the O Mon River since August last year and the project has been half-finished.

They just started work at the eroded section in Thoi An by driving stakes into the river bed before the incident took place.

In April last year, Dong Thap Province in the delta declared a state of emergency as the Tien River, a tributary of the Mekong, was threatening to engulf more than 200 houses.

The declaration of Dong Thap came just one week after erosion spread 50 meters inland along more than 160 meters along the Vam Nao River in the nearby An Giang Province, sending 16 houses into the river.

According to Vietnam's agriculture ministry, the Mekong Delta, the country's fruit and rice basket, loses 500 hectares of land to sea and river erosion every year.

It is estimated that by 2050, the lives of one million people in the delta will be directly affected by the catastrophe.

The Ministry of Construction last year submitted a proposal to the central government to build concrete barriers to protect 44,800 families in the region from serious river erosion.

AOCC Vietnam relapses into environmental violation

Discharged wastewater has turned the water a deep blue colour in the area around AOCC Vietnam's factory

Hong Kong-invested AOCC Vietnam Co., Ltd. was found to have relapsed into discharging untreated wastewater into the environment despite being fined numerous times, according to newswires Moi Truong and Do Thi Vietnam.

According to the opinions of residents living around the factory located in the northern province of Hung Yen’s Yen My district, the water in the canals has turned a deep blue colour. They are afraid that the discharged wastewater will kill all flora and fauna living in the neighbouring area. An even greater concern is for the health of residents who rely on the polluted ground water for their daily living.

According to the observations of the reporters of Moi Truong and Do Thi Vietnam, it is difficult to find the wastewater pipeline because its outlet was carefully camouflaged and the deep blue water is covered by thick duckweed.

It is not the first time that the company was found to discharge untreated wastewater into the river. Notably, in 2016, the authorities of Hung Yen province issued a fine of VND50 million ($2,193) for the firm for discharging wastewater.

Besides, in 2017, the firm suffered a fine of VND100 million ($4,386) due to relapsing into its violations. The authorities asked the firm to resolve the issues.

Established in 2007 with the investment capital of $37 million, AOCC Vietnam specialises in garments for export.

City dwellers farm on children’s playground

Farming as an activity or hobby has become popular in recent years, but maybe the craze for living a day as a farmer has gone a bit too far.

For example, one playground in Hà Nội’s Hà Đông District has been a farm for 12 years, a long time to pretend.

The 100-square-metre playground was built in Vạn Phúc Ward in 2006 for local children. However, the playground soon became a dumping site after a short time of use.

The reason for this, according to locals, was that there were no toys for children inside and the area was surrounded by a fence, so no one wanted to go inside the area, even street cleaners.

Some households took advantage of the playground to build chicken cages and plant vegetables. A resident said that she planted vegetable on the area for three years for a hobby and promised to move when required.

But most residents, especially those with children, are unhappy. They claimed that their children had no place to play, and the ‘playground’ was smelly and polluted.

To improve the situation, the ward’s People’s Committee has proposed the city’s authority and Hà Đông District’s authority revoke the area and build an event centre.

The idea got short shrift, as the city replied the ward had to wait for funding for the construction of the centre.

Nguyễn Văn Thuỷ, chairman of the ward’s committee said the committee has asked the district’s authority to send environmental workers to clean up the area.

If it does get cleaned up, local residents will no longer have to suffer the smell from the playground. But the bad news is that children will still have no playground, and won’t be able to p0-lant turnips for fun either.

Shuttlecocks and shuttle flights

Employee benefits are important to many workers, but at the end of the day employers decided when and how they are doled out.

An airport in the central province of Đồng Hới was fined VNĐ35 million (US$1,500) last week for closing a terminal so staff could play badminton.

The terminal was closed from 7.55am to 9am, causing chaos for passengers of an aircraft coming from Khánh Hòa Province, who had to claim their baggage at a restricted area in another terminal.

Some passengers who arrived at the airport early for their flights were forced to wait for the games to end before checking in.

Kudos to the airport bosses for giving staff a chance to exercise. But perhaps shutting an entire terminal in the middle of the day was a step too far.

Never too late

Some say gender equality starts at home. Unfortunately, it certainly didn’t in the case of an elderly woman in Thái Bình Province, who divorced her husband at the age of 86 because “he never washes dishes.”

Dzung and her ex-husband married when she was in her twenties. The man never once helped with household chores during their 60 years of marriage, Dzung said.

“All these years all I asked of him was, for once, to help me to cook a meal or wash dishes when I was ill with a fever or had back pain,” she said. “But he never did.”

She wanted to get divorced twice, in 1985 and 1992, but her family talked her out of it. In September 2014, Dzung decided she was through and filed for divorce. She was officially freed from the marriage in 2016.

Having no children with her ex-husband, now at 88, Dzuing enjoys her time at a nursing home in Hà Nội, supported by her retirement pension and her relatives, with no husband in sight.

A friendly reminder to men who think household chores are a woman’s job: Don’t take anything for granted, even a person you may think belongs to you.

Only big breasted ladies need apply

Appearance doesn’t seem to be a requirement just for beauty pageants anymore, but also for getting work in the railway sector.

The Ministry of Health caused confusion last week with its announcement of health requirements for train drivers and assistants.

The proposal included a breast measurement requirement: men’s not smaller than 80cm and women’s not smaller than 75cm. People with upper jaw protrusions were also unfit for rail work, the proposal said.

The requirements hit the headlines, and after much debate from citizens, a health ministry official explained the breast size specifications.

“It is only a biological measure to ensure candidates have large lung expansion and good respiration and are able to meet the job’s requirements,” said Lê Lương Đống, head of the Rehabilitation Department under the health ministry’s Medical Services Administration, member of the proposal drafting group.

As for the jaw deformity, as if realising it has nothing to do with the job, Đổng said it will no longer be an issue for potential candidates.

Next time if they plan to keep on having odd job requirements, officials may want to consider including an appendix.

Thua Thien-Hue commends athletes with exceptional performance

Officials of Thua Thien-Hue and the local coaches and athletes at the commendation ceremony on April 10 

The central province of Thua Thien-Hue held an event on April 10 to commend the local coaches and athletes with outstanding achievements in recent regional and international tournaments.

In March, the province sent athletes to the Asian Youth Chess Championships and the Southeast Asian Cadet and Junior Open Wrestling Championships in Thailand, the World Taekwondo Malaysia Open Grade One Championship, and the World Taekwondo Junior Championships in Tunisia. Local athletes brought home 10 gold and five silver medals from those events.

At the Asian Youth Chess Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand, four athletes of Thua Thien-Hue pocketed four golds and three silvers. 

Notably, Nguyen Ha Khanh Linh obtained a gold medal in the girls’ U10 individual standard chess event and a silver in another individual event. She also contributed to the Vietnamese team’s one gold and one silver medal in the team category.

Another four athletes of the province earned four gold and two silver medals at the Southeast Asian Cadet and Junior Open Wrestling Championships in Thailand.

Nguyen Thi My Trang and Nguyen Thi My Linh pocketed four gold medals in the women’s freestyle and beach wrestling events. Le Thi Quynh Nhu and Nguyen Phuc Long gained two silver medals.

Addressing the ceremony, Director of the provincial Department of Culture and Sports Phan Tien Dung said Thua Thien-Hue has continually offered preferential policies for high-performance athletes and encouraged sportspersons to take part in domestic and foreign tournaments.

He particularly praised Nguyen Ha Khanh Linh’s excellent performance at the Asian tourney, which was only the first time she had competed at an international tournament.

WB helps Can Tho improve water supply services

A water factory 

Authorities of the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho and a World Bank delegation discussed a framework programme on improving local water supply services during a working session on April 10. 

Speaking at the event, WB’s senior expert on water and hygiene system Gerard Soppe said the programme is part of the third joint WB-Can Tho project on urban upgrade which was approved in January this year. 

Under the programme, the Can Tho Water Supply and Drainage Company will receive help to improve water supply at reasonable costs and in a sustainable way. 

This year, the WB will work with the global strategy consulting firm Castalia to collect quantitative data on the Can Tho Water Supply and Drainage Company’s operating mechanism, thereby seeking measures to renovate its operations. 

It aims to extend water supply to new urban clusters and remote areas, help local authorities choose water distribution plans for short and mid-term, upgrade wastewater treatment facilities and propose optimal solutions to wastewater treatment. 

In order to ensure fresh water for production and cultivation, WB experts will assist Can Tho in designing a monitor system to provide early forecast on drought and salinisation, as well as offer new farming technique transfer to farmers to help them switch to plants requiring less water than rice. 

The WB suggested launching a rainwater collecting model which has been successful in Southeast Asia in response to drought, saltwater intrusion and the shortage of fresh water for daily use as the dry season is coming. 

WB experts will take fact-finding trips to venues designated to supply water to a Mekong Delta water supply plant in Thoi An ward, O Mon district, Can Tho city. The plant is scheduled for construction in 2019 at a cost of 400 million USD funded by the WB. 

Vice Chairwoman of the Can Tho municipal People’s Committee Vo Thi Hong Anh committed all possible support to the programme and hoped to receive foreign experts’ support for the rainwater collecting model. 

The programme will be piloted in Can Tho, then spread across the southwestern region.