Railway sector to install cameras at crossings

The Việt Nam Railway is planning to run a pilot programme, installing cameras at road-railway crossings to catch violations and reduce number of accidents when trains pass.

Several accidents have occurred at road-railway crossings recently due to careless automobile drivers with poor observation skills.

Typically, the five-kilometre railway section in Hà Nội’s Thường Tín District sees heavy traffic every day from goods-transporting vehicles. When a train passes, warning signals and safeguards work effectively to stop vehicles, but many of them intentionally bypass these, especially at night.

With this in mind, the railway decided that installing cameras was a necessary precaution.

Trương Bình, deputy director of the Technology and Safety Division of the Hà Nội Railway Signal and Telecom Joint-stock Company, said many road vehicles, especially cars, were driven carelessly, crashing into and damaging railway equipment, including warning signals and barriers, causing heavy losses for the railway.

When monitoring the cameras, if the railway managers notice a problem, they can assign workers to visit the scene and quickly resolve the situation, he said.

HCMC speeds up building road link Vo Van Kiet boulevard to expressway

Contractors are speeding up construction of a road connecting Vo Van Kiet boulevard and HCMC-Trung Luong expressway, of which the first phase is expected to complete after 20 months of construction with the total capital of VND1.5 trillion (US$66 million).
 
During the first phase, a 2.7 kilometer stretch will be built, comprising four lanes, two intersections with flyovers at the beginning and the end of the route.

On Thursday, HCMC-Trung Luong BOT Investment Company said that contractors are drilling load test piles and will start work on a flyover across Tan Tao-Cho Dem street to link up to the expressway in September.

According to Binh Chanh district’s Site Clearance Committee, the road’s construction affects 250 households who need a compensation of VND560 billion ($25 million) for resettlement. So far, over 60 percent of the area has been cleared for the project. It is expected that the entire premise will be handled over to contractors by the end of April, 2018.

After being built, the road will open a new travel direction from Vo Van Kiet boulevard to the expressway to reach the center of the city, easing traffic at the Western gate to the city. At present, vehicles must travel from Nguyen Van Linh street or Tan Tao-Cho Dem street to enter the expressway.

Legal forum on promoting access to justice for the poor and vulnerable groups

With support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Ministry of Justice today (September 15) hosted a forum in Hanoi to share key improvements in the legal system aimed at promoting access to justice for the poor and for vulnerable groups.

Prominent leaders in attendance included Vice Minister of Justice Nguyen Khanh Ngoc and Mission Director of USAID in Vietnam Michael Greene.

The forum is a key activity of the Legal Partnership Group, which was established on 21/7/2016 under Decision No 1553 from the Minister of Justice.

The forum serves as a formal mechanism for discussions on the development and implementation of laws and regulations, as well as on legal and judicial reform. It also serves as a platform for the promotion of international cooperation.

The Ministry of Justice is responsible for international cooperation in the judicial and legal fields. During the past 10 years, the Ministry has successfully organized a number of legal forums, drawing the interest and attention of various government agencies, international stakeholders, and the public.

Building on previous years’ successful cooperation, USAID, through its Governance for Inclusive Growth Program, has now supported the Ministry of Justice to organize two legal forums. The first forum was organized in December 2016 focusing on personal rights and property rights under the new 2015 Civil Code.

Today’s forum centered on the 2017 Law on Legal Aid and internal mediation, which is an important mechanism for promoting access to justice for the poor and for vulnerable groups. The forum also brought in practical experience in ensuring justice for victims of gender based violence from the perspective of the Supreme People’s Court.

The Government of Vietnam is working with USAID through its Governance for Inclusive Growth (GIG) Program, in cooperation with Vietnam’s business community and organizations to support sustainable, inclusive economic growth in the country.

Essential commodities urgently brought to areas forcast hit by storm

The Vietnam Red Cross Society prepared VND1 billion ($44,002) and essential commodities to transport to the central provinces that were predicted hit by storm Doksurin.
 
The society convened a meeting to discuss measures to aid residents in the storm-hit districts yesterday. As per the plan, the society is ready to give cash and bring essential goods to support people in the central provinces where the storm is being forecast to make landfall.

The Society said it has set up an rescue team in the central province of Quang Binh to provide aid in districts Quang Trach, Tuyen Hoa, Minh Hoa, Bo Trach, Ba Don Town which are predicted to be hit by storm to evacuate more than 20,000 households to safer shelters and fix houses in poor repair.

Containers of essential goods for each family and 1,290 water disinfectant boxes are distributed to residents in districts and towns for emergency aid. In addition, the society prepared two rural water filter systems to provide clean water for many household in affected areas.

On the same day the Ministry of Health sent its document to its sub-divisions in coastal cities and provinces from the northern province of Quang Ninh to the central province of Khanh Hoa, ordering implementing measures to cope with the storm.

As per the guideline, health departments were asked to keep tracks on storm development and join with related agencies to help local inhabitants. Moreover, the Ministry requested medical centers to prepare enough medications and chemicals for treating people.

Medical workers must work around the clock to provide treatment to people. Hospitals must have plan to evacuate patients and equipment to safer shelters.

Workshop assesses solar photovoltaic development

Experts shared the methodology and preliminary calculation of the national potential of ground-mounted solar photovoltaic in Vietnam at a workshop held in Hanoi on September 14.

The workshop “National assessment of development potential of grid-connected solar photovoltaic projects in Vietnam until 2020 with a vision to 2030” attracted 50 representatives from 12 provincial administrations, investors and other stakeholders.

The workshop has been organised within the framework of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (4E) Project, which is jointly implemented by the Power and Renewable Energy Agency, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Preliminary results were calculated using geographical information system software, applying different criteria such as solar radiation, land use, road and grid networks.

“The national assessment of development potential of solar energy in Vietnam is crucial as it will not only enable us to have a better understanding of the potential, but also help us to know where solar project developers are working,” Sonia Lioret, head of GIZ’s 4E project, said.

At the same time, it will facilitate the work for investors and provide inputs for the government to develop the national solar development plan, she said.

During the workshop, experts shared experiences on solar energy planning and the booming solar industry.

According to the government’s targets, solar photovoltaic is expected to be the main renewable energy source with installed capacity to be increased from some 6-7MW by the end of 2015 to 850MW by 2020 – equivalent to 1.6 percent of the country’s power generation – and 12,000GW by 2030 – equivalent to 3.3 percent of the country’s power generation.

Since April this year, with the publication of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s Decision 11/2017, solar power projects have been allowed to sell electricity at a fixed price of 9.35 US cents/kWh.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade on September 12 published the circular required to begin implementing the decision.

More children develop respiratory illness in HCM City

The emergency room of Paediatrics Hospital 2’s Respiratory Department 1 in HCM City is overcrowded in recent days due to the constant increase in the number of patients with pneumonia, doctors said.

Dr. Nguyễn Hoàng Phong, director of the hospital’s respiratory department, revealed that nearly 10,000 children had to consult doctors due to respiratory illnesses and lung diseases, of which over 4,500 children hospitalised, so far, since the beginning of August with serious infection, including pneumonia and bronchitis, and many of them had to undergo mechanical ventilation.

The number of children hospitalised with respiratory illness in August increased by 2-3 times over the previous month, with 60 per cent of the children coming from other provinces.

Infants with respiratory distress were assigned to undergo mechanical ventilation but had to wait their turn.

"Children with respiratory distress will likely suffer from complications. They cannot breathe, thus have to use machines to support breathing during treatment,” Phong said.

Those infected with severe pneumonia could develop complications of pleural effusion, pulmonary abscess, or more serious, they could suffer from necrotising pneumonia, which could severely damage their lungs, according to Phong.

Although the emergency room has only 20 beds, sometimes there were more than 30 patients, many of whom were less than a year old  and were in such serious condition that they had to undergo mechanical ventilation, according to another doctor at the department.

The weather in the south, with its erratic sunshine and rain at the same time, is one of the reasons why children with respiratory diseases are more likely to require hospitalisation, according to the doctor.

Smuggled animal fangs, claws seized at HCM City airport

Custom officials at HCM City’s Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport have taken a man into custody for allegedly trying to smuggle in dozens of cheetah and leopard fangs and African lion claws.

After arriving from Dubai, the man, who has not been identified, tried to leave through the green channel.

However, noticing suspicious signs, custom officials inspected his luggage to find the contraband.

The city People’s Procuracy has been handed the case for investigation. 

The cheetahs, leopard and African lion are classified as “vulnerable” in the IUCN Red List.

According to statistics provided by customs, only 5 per cent of passengers go through the red channel and declare goods.

Shooters take aim at national championship in Hanoi

The National Shooting Championship opened today, September 14, at the Sports Training Centre in Hanoi with more than 150 participating sharpshooters from across the country.

With 39 members, the Hanoi team is by far the largest, followed by those from Hai Duong Province and Ho Chi Minh City with teams of 18 and 17 sharpshooters, respectively.

During the seven day championship, athletes will compete in 10 metre rifle, 25 metre air pistol and 50 metre air pistol for both men and women.

Nguyen Thi Nhung, general secretary of Vietnam Shooting Federation, said the championship aims to select the best athletes to represent Vietnam at world tournaments.

Winners of contest for best new lyrics for old folk songs awarded

Winners of a unique contest that required contestants to write new lyrics for popular folk songs received awards from the HCM City Department of Culture and Sports at a ceremony on Wednesday.

There was one first prize, two second prizes, five third prizes, 14 consolation prizes, and three other prizes for the best works on President Hồ Chí Minh, HCM City and New Rural Areas.

Most of songs were about the country, its people, soldiers, and good behaviour besides the Party and Hồ Chí Minh.

A CD of 11 prize-winning songs and a book listing the 39 best songs will be released, according to the department.

Hoàng Thành, a writer from the southern province of Hải Dương, won the first prize with the song "A classroom in Trường Sa Island" and a second prize with "Proud of the city named after late President Hồ Chí Minh" and for the best work on HCM City with "Beautiful spring".

The contest, held in March to preserve and promote folk music, had attracted 50 professionals and amateurs authors from around the country.

Composer Nguyễn Văn Sanh, a member of the jury, said, “Almost all the entries met the organisers’ criteria.”

Ly Son island expected to become geomorphological tourism site

The central province of Quang Ngai should turn its Ly Son island district into a distinctive geomorphological tourism site, said Associate Professor Dr. Vu Cao Minh from the Institute of Geological Sciences under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology.

Located in the north-east of Quang Ngai province, about 27 kilometres from the mainland, Ly Son island boasts unique geographic conditions which are highly valued by researchers.

Among nearly ten kinds of geological formations, bizarre volcanic craters fascinate researchers most.  A thick layer of sediment containing argillite, siltstone, sandstone and breccias was discovered at the eastern area of Thoi Loi Mountain. 

In addition, a range of 50-metre high rocks, stretching hundreds of metres like a giant carpet, coupled with turquoise sea water, have made the island landscape even more gorgeous.

Lava also formed choppy basaltic cliffs along Tien beach on Be (small) island. Experts said that the structure is rather rare and it only appears on Be island and some other places in the world.

Minh said that construction carried out under the island district’s master plan must not be a blot on the original landscape and it should dignify the height of the volcanic craters. Explosive architecture, or volcano-inspired architecture, should be applied to draw the attention of tourists.

The district should invest in entertainment facilities and shopping malls to serve visitors’ demands, he added.

In addition, special tourism products should be created, including discovery tours to link Lon (big) island with Be island or scuba diving to see submarine volcanoes and coral reefs, the expert suggested.

The province is seeking UNESCO regognition of Ly Son island as a global geopark. Thus, it is necessary for the district to raise public awareness of environmental protection and management.

President urges thorough preparations for APEC Economic Leaders’ Week

President Tran Dai Quang has stressed the need to ensure security and safety for the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week, slated for November 6-11 in the central city of Da Nang, describing it as a decisive factor to the success of the event. 

The President made the request at a working session with representatives of the APEC 2017 National Committee, the Government Office, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, and Culture, Sports and Tourism, and relevant agencies.

In that spirit, the ministries of National Defence and Public Security, and other concerned ministries, agencies and localities were asked to complete security plans and continue to conduct exercises.

Due attention also should be paid to preventive medicine, medical human resources and facilities, as well as food hygiene, he said. 

Of note, the content and organisation of the event should be based on objectives, requirements and mottos set earlier, the President said. 

He requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to host and closely coordinate with other relevant ministries, agencies and localities to make thorough preparations in terms of the agenda and activities of leaders of APEC economies. 

The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) was urged to team up with the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Planning and Investment, and Industry and Trade to prepare pragmatic and concrete cooperation contents in order to attract the participation of firms and localities in the APEC Enterprise Summit and the Vietnam Business Summit. 

The President highlighted the importance of information and communications work in an effort to raise public awareness of APEC Year 2017 and the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week, encouraging them to contribute to promoting the land and people of Vietnam to international friends. 

The leader stressed that APEC Year 2017 is the centre of Vietnam’s external activities as well as the country’s strategy to integrate more intensively and extensively into the world while improving the efficiency of multilateral diplomacy. 

He hailed efforts of the ministries, agencies and localities in successfully organising four ministerial-level meetings and four senior officials’ meetings (SOM) with nearly 200 meetings over the past time.

These good results create an important foundation for the organisation of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week, he said.

Mozambican Ambassador makes working visit to Can Tho

Mozambican Ambassador to Vietnam Gamiliel S. J. Munguambe paid a working visit to the Mekong delta city of Can Tho on September 14 seeking for stronger cooperation in agriculture, fishery and personnel training. 

In a working session with Vice Chairman of the Can Tho city People’s Committee Dao Anh Dung, he said Mozambique’s economy greatly depends on agriculture. 

Can Tho, the economic hub of the Mekong Delta region, and Mozambique have similarities in climate conditions as well as common concerns in agricultural production, he said, seeking the city’s experience in the production and processing of rice and other farm produce. 

The diplomat also suggested the two sides seek cooperation opportunities in personnel training in the farming sector. 

Munguambe suggested the Vietnamese and Mozambican Governments step up the implementation of bilateral cooperation programmes with the participation of leading agricultural experts in order to exchange experience and improve productivity and quality of agro-fishery products. 

Mozambique highly values the efficiency of high-tech agriculture models in Can Tho and wants to learn from the locality’s experience in this field, he said. 

The ambassador expressed his hope that Can Tho will work as a bridge between Mozambique and agricultural powers in Asia like Japan, Thailand and the Republic of Korea. 

He proposed the Can Tho authorities consider setting up an investment network between the city and Mozambique, explaining that the two sides boast substantial potential suitable for international cooperation. 

The host also suggested establishing twin relationship between Can Tho and Mozambique’s Moatize city, which has been developed into an economic area exclusively for agricultural businesses, with corporate tax decreasing to zero percent during 2016-2020. 

The locality is home to many prestigious universities and agricultural research institutes of Mozambique, along with fields piloted with high technologies, he said. 

For his part, Dung described agriculture as a spearhead of Can Tho thanks to high-tech applications in production, adding that the locality earns about 1.2 billion USD from agro-fishery exports annually. 

Can Tho is ready to share experience in production and processing with Mozambique, he said.

The official told his guest that Can Tho plans to organise visits of the municipal authorities to Mozambique, especially Moatize city, to discuss more with the Mozambican Government about their agricultural cooperation. 

At the same time, Can Tho will pay heed to cooperation programmes between universities of the two sides, he said.

Steering committee congratulates Khmer people on Sene Dolta festival

Officials of the Steering Committee for the Southwestern Region congratulated Khmer ethnic people on their traditional Sene Dolta festival while visiting Theravada Buddhist pagodas in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long on September 14.

The delegation visited the pagodas of Toa Sen in Dong Thanh commune, Dai Tho in Loan My commune, Go Xoai in Tan My commune and Hanh Phuc Tang in Trung Thanh commune, along with the Vinh Long Association for Solidarity of Patriotic Buddhist Monks.

Offering congratulations, the officials hailed the solidarity of the monks, the association and Khmer people in joining local authorities in implementing the Party’s guidelines and policies and the State’s laws, which has helped boost local socio-economic development, ensure political security and social order and safety.

They also expressed their hope that the Buddhist dignitaries and monks and the solidarity association will continue encouraging locals to comply with the Party and State’s policies and laws, step up economic activities and uphold Khmer traditions.

Most Venerable Son Ngoc Huynh, head of the Vinh Long Association for Solidarity of Patriotic Buddhist Monks, said they will continue to guide local Buddhist followers in economic activities, participating in movements launched by the Party, the State and local authorities, and adhering to the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s directions and law.

The Sene Dolta Festival in the late eighth lunar month, lasting from September 19 to 21 this year, is one of the three biggest traditional festivals of Khmer people, along with Chol Chnam Thmay (New Year) and Ok Om Bok (a festival to thank the Moon for good harvests).

During this festival, Khmer people pay tribute to their ancestors and take part in community celebration activities with traditional songs and dances after a hard working year.

Vietnamese firms assist Cuba’s post-Irma re-building efforts

Some Vietnamese companies, via the Cuba Embassy in Vietnam, have offered material support to Cuban people with a view to helping them to overcome consequences caused by hurricane Irma.

On September 14, the Thai Binh Investment Trading Corporation presented the embassy with essential goods and building materials worth 150,000 USD in total.

Chairman and CEO of the firm Tran Thanh Tu said he hopes the aid will help reduce the hardships facing Cuba at present. He noted it’s time for Vietnamese businesses and people to assist Cuban people, showing the traditional friendship between the two countries.

Cuban Ambassador Herminio Lopez Diaz appreciated the Thai Binh company’s support, noting that Irma was the strongest hurricane ever hit Cuba in a century. There haven’t been full statistics, but the storm killed at least 10 people and caused heavy economic losses in his country.

The Government and people of Cuba are striving to stabilise their life. Therefore, assistance from around the world, especially from Vietnam, is extremely precious, illustrating the unbreakable solidarity between Vietnam and Cuba.

On this occasion, the Rang Dong Light Source and Vacuum Flask Join Stock Company donated 80,000 light bulbs to Cuba. Some other enterprises have also pledged to support Cuban people to address storm consequences.

Hurricane Irma hit Cuba on late September 8. Preliminary data show that as of September 12, it had killed 10 people, unroofed a number of houses and seriously flooded many coastal towns in Cuba. The hurricane also caused blackouts for days, resulting in losses worth billions of USD.

Bac Lieu, Mozambique’s Gaza to set up twin relationship

Mozambican Ambassador to Vietnam Gamiliel S. J. Munguambe visited Bac Lieu province on September 14 to discuss the establishment of cooperative ties between Mozambique’s Gaza and the Mekong Delta locality. 

At a meeting with Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Duong ThanhTrung the same day, the ambassador spoke highly of BacLieu’s economic strengths and potential as well as its development orientations. 

He said Gaza province is strong in agricultural production and aquaculture and is home to many tourist attractions, noting that Gaza and Bac Lieu share similarities in culture and economy.

For his part, Trung said BacLieu’s agricultural scientists can help Gaza with shrimp breeding and rice farming techniques. He also highlighted the locality’s promising tourism sector. 

Host and guest talked about the schedule for the signing ceremony of a cooperation document between Gaza and Bac Lieu provinces. 

Trung pledged that Bac Lieu will support the Mozambican province in all fields, in the spirit of mutual development, for a more fruitful relationship between the two countries.

Vietnamese, Lao ambassadors to Australia praise bilateral ties

Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Ngo Huong Nam (left) and Lao Ambassador Phomma Khammanichanh at the event. (Photo: Embassy of Vietnam in Australia)

The embassies of Vietnam and Laos in Australia held a gathering to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties and the 40th year of the Vietnam-Laos Treaty on Amity and Cooperation on September 14.

The event was attended by Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Ngo Huong Nam, Lao Ambassador Phomma Khammanichanh and expats and students from the two countries, bringing both nations’ cultural performances and traditional foods to the event.

Speaking at the event, Nam said 2017 is a significant year for Vietnam-Laos relations and an occasion to take a look back the history of friendship between their parties, states and peoples.

The friendship was also reflected by the solidarity and cooperation between the two embassies, Nam added.

Phomma Khammanichanh reiterated the long-standing relations between the two nations, saying he hopes the two embassies will continue strengthening support for each other in external affairs activities in Australia and promote the central role of ASEAN at global and regional forums.

VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT/TN/Dantri/VNE