Binh Thanh Police nab murder suspect

The Binh Thanh District Police today arrested Vu Duc Tai, 18, who is suspected of killing two people at a coffee shop on Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Road last night.

According to initial investigations, Tai met with his former girlfriend Nguyen Anh Thu, 19, and new girlfriend Tran, at the coffee shop in District 13, Binh Thanh District, HCM City.

Soon, Thu and Tran got into a fight and Tai stabbed two of Thu's friends, Nguyen Binh An, 17, and Pham Thai Minh, 19, both from Binh Thach District.

Although An and Minh were immediately taken to Gia Dinh Hospital, they died of serious injuries and loss of blood.

Tai was caught early this morning from Mien Dong Coach Station when he was trying to get away.

Highways need inspection: Minister

Damage to the surfaces of the Ho Chi Minh Highway and National Highway 1 has prompted Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang to order the strict inspection of these highways.

Accordingly, the Directorate for Roads of Viet Nam, management boards and investors yesterday were asked to check the surfaces of the roads.

Due to the extremely hot weather, the surfaces of the two highways are sometime measured at over 60 degree Celsius. Officials said such heat could damage the surfaces, which must be strong enough to allow for the passage of heavy trucks.

Thang also said that solutions need to be developed to end the caving in of the road surface.

Thanh Hoa to promote co-ops

Chairman of the Central Committee of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, Nguyen Thien Nhan, praised recent efforts by the central province of Thanh Hoa to improve the effectiveness of local co-operatives.

However, he pushed for a thorough assessment on their operations in order to prepare for further development plans.

Nhan was speaking during a field trip to the province on Wednesday.

Athough provincial authorities last year issued a five-year co-operative development plan towards 2020, nearly 1,000 co-operatives were still facing problems.

Those co-operatives ran business in various sectors, including agriculture, industry, commerce and fisheries and transport services.

Small size and a lack of infrastructure resulted in the low effectiveness of most co-operatives in the province, representatives said at a meeting with Nhan.

Difficulties in borrowing loans from banks to expand operations was also another obstacle, said Hoang Kim Trung, chairman of the Trung Nghia Co-operative.

"Many co-operatives did not even have sufficient documents to borrow loans as required under the amended Law on Co-operatives 2012," he said.

Some farmers in the Huang Phong Co-operative said that they had to chip in in order to keep the services from collapsing due to the limited budget.

"We (co-operatives) suggest that the authorities allow banks to accept our current situation for easier loan processing," Trung said.

Nhan acknowledged the importance of the co-operative sector in the socio-eco growth of Thanh Hoa and asked the authorities for a better management at co-operatives to gain higher profits and raise farmers' incomes.

"The co-operatives should research the market, give farmers advices about which plants and animals to grow, and help make their products accessible to consumers," Nhan said.

Hot spell raises risk of strokes

The recent hot weather has increased the risk of stroke, especially among older people, as many hospitals in HCM City have seen more patients admitted for heart problems.

Nguoi Lao Dong (The Labourer) Newspaper reported that the city's People Hospital No 115 admitted nearly 170 patients who had suffered a stroke in the beginning of this week. The hospital has only 130 beds.

In April, 775 patients were hospitalised due to stroke. Most of them were from the provinces of Tay Ninh, Long An, Binh Duong and Dong Nai.

Dr Nguyen Huy Thang, the head of the People's Hospital No. 115's ward for cerebral-vascular diseases, told the newspaper that the number of young patients with stroke accounted for 10 -15 per cent of the total. Many of them smoke and drink beer.

At the Nursing, Rehabilitation and Occupational Diseases Treatment Hospital in District 8, 32 patients who had a stroke have been admitted since April. Of those, 57 per cent were from the city. In March and April, the rate of hospitalised patients with stroke at the age of 50 accounted for 75 per cent while in the same period this year, the rate increased to 91.2 per cent.

According to health experts, hot weather leads to water loss and decrease in the volume of blood so there is less blood supply for the brain. At that time, people are more susceptible to a stroke.

Patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes and lipid disorders should be even more careful as they are at high risk.

Signs of a stroke are headaches, dizziness or paralysis of one side of the body.

Thang said that when having these symptoms, patients should be brought to the nearest hospital.

They should be given emergency aid within 10 or 15 minutes, after they notice these symptoms. The time is considered as a "golden one" for saving someone's life.

Stroke is the third leading cause of death, following cardiac disease and cancer.

Seedless limes profit Hau Giang orchard owner

Nguyen Van That, 30, created an orchard co-operative with an annual revenue of VND1 billion (US$ 47,600 ) in the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang.

He received the "Creative Young" award from the Central Youth Union in 2012 for his accomplishments.

Last year, Chau Thanh District's Thanh Phuoc Agricultural Co-operative provided more than 200,000 seedless lemon seedlings to local farmers and bought 60 tonnes of fruit. The seedless breed of lime has become increasingly popular. It employed 20 local labourers, paying salaries of VND3 million ($140) a month. Thanh Phuoc buys about a tonne of fruit per day at VND30,000 per kilo to sell to supermarkets and wholesale markets in the south. It also exports to Middle Eastern and European countries through local ex-import enterprises.

Last year, That invested a large portion of his own money into the co-op to install an international-standard cold storage system and drying room.

He said seedless lemon trees were ideal because they were easy to grow, difficult to destroy and could be harvested year-round. The co-op harvests an average of 30 to 40 tonnes per hectare.

The price fluctuates between VND20,000 and VND30,000 per kg, earning a net profit of VND400 million ($19,000) per hectare. The co-op has 84 member farmers with a total of 97 hectares, all of whom have met VietGAP and GlobalGAP fruit-planting standards since 2012.

To reach the standards, member farmers take technical training courses on fertiliser and pesticide use. The co-operative supplies farmers with high-quality seedlings and subsidises to keep their fruit at the same value as the local markets'. There is a lot of demand abroad for bearss lime fruit, but the co-op can't keep up with import-export enterprise demand. So it suggested Hau Giang southern province's People's Committee open a 200ha pilot field to grow more.

The co-op would assist with seedlings, the production process and purchasing fruit.

This year the co-op plans to order 400 bearss lime trees from the Southern Fruit Research Institute, aiming at expanding high-quality seedling production.

In 1999, That's father purchased 11 bearss lime trees imported from California by a local enterprise. His father decided to grow the trees on his family's land. During the first few years they harvested beautiful fruit, but couldn't find a market for it.

"This kind of fruit is still strange to local people," That said.

In 2005, That graduated high school and had to decide between attending university and helping his family with their farm.

"After I spent a month thinking about what would be best for my family financially, I decided to stop school and help my family," he said. "My parents gave me advice about different ways I could do the best in the future. I got encouragement from family and friends to develop bearss lime trees."

That and his father visited supermarkets and whole-sale agricultural enterprises to introduce them to seedless limes. They paid to take part in the South's agricultural exhibitions, because they found it was the best way to bring fruits directly to consumers.

That and his father also gave seedlings and guidance on technology to several neighbours also growing lime trees.

"Sometime we want to give up, but we see the potential the orchard has," That said. "We encourage each other and that brings success."

Nguyen Thanh Tung, secretary of Doan Dong Phuoc Commune, said That had helped many young people find success caring for local land.

"That is hardworking and has a passion for developing fruit trees," Tung said.

Hanoi curbs crane operations

Hanoi authorities will suspend crane operations at local construction sites during daylight hours after a series of accidents on the city’s urban railway projects.

The municipal People’s Committee has restricted crane operations to the hours of 10:00pm to 6:00am, with warning systems and traffic safety measures.

The Department of Construction and the Department of Transport wants fences and better safety levels at construction sites.

Authorities were critical of management and supervision of work on the Nhon-Hanoi Station urban railway project.

Two contractors, Posco and Daelim, admitted responsibly for accidents, in which cranes dropped heavy steel girders and sheeting, and were fined. They will be barred from future state-funded city projects if there are any further safety violations.

Municipal police will set up a taskforce to inspect construction at the Cat Linh-Ha Dong and Nhon-Hanoi station urban railway projects.

On May 12, a half-tonne steel girder fell from a crane at the Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway project, crushing a Honda Civic. No one was injured. At the Nhon-Hanoi station project, there were two accidents, on May 10 and 12, when a crane toppled over, and another dropped steel sheeting.

Ho Chi Minh Highway, Highway 1 to be repaired

Damage to the surfaces of the Ho Chi Minh Highway and National Highway 1 has prompted Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang to order the strict inspection of these highways.

Accordingly, the Directorate for Roads of Viet Nam, management boards and investors yesterday were asked to check the surfaces of the roads.

Due to the extremely hot weather, the surfaces of the two highways are sometime measured at over 60 degree Celsius. Officials said such heat could damage the surfaces, which must be strong enough to allow for the passage of heavy trucks.

Thang also said that solutions need to be developed to end the caving in of the road surface.

Further, repair work must be carried out when damage to the road is discovered to ensure it is safe for vehicles.

The upgrading of National Highway 1 and Ho Chi Minh Highway is scheduled to be completed this year.

Earlier, the minister asked the Directorate for Roads of Viet Nam to increase inspections and repair problems on all roads throughout the country.

Viet Nam-Belgium Master Programme marks 20th anniversary

A co-operative educational programme between Viet Nam and Belgium marked its 20th anniversary in Ha Noi yesterday.

Speaking at the celebration of the 20th year of operating the Viet Nam-Belgium Master Programme, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam stressed that the programme was one of the country's first and oldest international co-operation efforts.

The programme has created a practical and effective relationship between Viet Nam and Belgium, he said, expressing his hope that in the coming years there would be more educational co-operation models put into practice.

Meanwhile, Belgian Ambassador to Viet Nam Bruno Angelet said that co-operation in education and training would continue to be a priority between the two countries in the future.

Begun in 1995 with the support of the Vietnamese Government and the French-speaking Belgian community, the programme has sponsored 58 classes with more than 2,200 graduates. It is run through the co-operative efforts of Belgium's Solvey Brussels School of Economics and Management and Viet Nam's National Economics University, along with the HCM City Open University.

On the occasion of its 20th anniversary, the Viet Nam-Belgium Master Programme will hold a conference, entitled "Green growth-How to best implement it in Viet Nam" in HCM City tomorrow.

Northern provinces enhance invasive foreign species control

A training conference to enhance the management of harmful invasive foreign species in Vietnam was held by the Biodiversity Conservation Agency (BCA) at the Vietnam Environmental Administration (VEA) in northernmost Ha Giang province on May 14.

Attendees included representatives from the Departments of Natural Resources and Environment, Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development, nature reserves and several relevant bodies in northern Ha Giang and Tuyen Quang provinces.

Invasive non-native species have been a major cause of biodiversity loss across the globe, BCA Deputy Head Hoang Thi Thanh Nhan said, adding that the management of such species was part of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and in the interest of many state governments.

During the conference, the BCA gave participants a brief introduction to invasive foreign species and possible measures to control them coupled with policies, legal frameworks and responsibilities of each agency and body in managing invasive foreign species.

The participants also shared their practical experience and recommended solutions to strengthen management.

According to Hoang Van Nhu, Director of the Ha Giang provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the department will advise the provincial People’s Committee to devise policies and legal frameworks on exotic species control and ensure sufficient capable local level personnel to address the matter.

The province will work to raise public awareness of the issue, particularly among local ethnic minority groups, and open doors to international cooperation on biodiversity, he pledged.

2015 blood donation campaign to go through 25 localities

The blood donation campaign “2015 Red Journey” will travel to 25 provinces and cities across the country from June 25 to August 1, aiming to collect about 17,000 units of blood.

During his recent working session with the People’s Committee of the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, Director of the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion Nguyen Anh Tri said the programme is expected to help solve the scarcity of blood during summer months.

The annual journey hopes to gather about 800 units of blood in Can Tho on July 6-7.

According to the municipal Steering Committee on blood donation, all districts and communes in the city established subcommittees, aimed at encouraging the activity among local residents.

Can Tho has received over 13,000 units of blood from volunteers so far this year, equivalent to nearly 62 percent of the goal set for the year. Last year, its blood donation surpassed the year’s target by 41 percent, contributed by 2.01 percent of local population.

The municipal authorities made all necessary preparations for the journey, said the Steering Committee.

According to the World Health Organisation, Vietnam needs nearly 2 million units of blood each year.

Last year, the Red Journey attracted 120 volunteers in a trip through 25 localities to call on locals to donate blood, collecting nearly 48,000 units of blood.

Argentina holds workshop on late President Ho Chi Minh

The Vietnamese Embassy in Argentina and the Argentinean Resumen Latinoamericano magazine held a workshop to celebrate the 125 th birth anniversary of the late President Ho Chi Minh (May 19, 1890) on May 13.

Director of the magazine Carlos Aznares said the President devoted his life to Vietnam ’s national liberation and contributed to global peace, independence, democracy and social progress.

Argentinean expert Atilio Boron said the President is an eminent figure of international communist and worker movements, adding that his name has entered the world’s revolutionary history as an initiator of the struggle for national liberation of colonial countries in the 20 th century.

Poldi Sossa, President of the Argentina-Vietnam cultural association, said the United Nations Organisation for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) honoured President Ho Chi Minh as hero of national liberation and great man of culture in 1990.

Repeating his words “Nothing is more precious than independence and liberty”, Poldi said his ideology guides both Vietnam and other nations in the world.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Argentina Nguyen Dinh Thao said under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) led by President Ho Chi Minh, the Vietnamese people have promoted their patriotism and heroic spirit to emerge victorious over foreign invaders.

The country has also witnessed a number of socio-economic achievements while actively integrating into the world, raising its position in the global arena.

A documentary on the biography and revolutionary cause of the late President Ho Chi Minh was also screened at the workshop.

Earlier, the training and education supplement of the magazine released a special issue on the late Vietnamese President on his centenary birthday celebration.

The 12-page edition includes articles hailing the heroic struggle of Vietnamese people against colonialism and imperialism under the leadership of the late President.-

WB-funded Sustainable Agriculture Transformation project approved

The Prime Minister has approved the Sustainable Agriculture Transformation Project funded by the World Bank (WB).

The project aims to contribute to the implementation of the agricultural restructuring plan by building capacity, stimulating organisational development of the sector and re-organising production to increase value added and sustainability of rice and coffee sub-sectors in the Mekong Delta and Central Highlands region.

It contains four components: i) building capacity and stimulating organisational development in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and its selected provincial departments, project participating provinces and value chain players (including banks); ii) enhancing sustainable development in rice production; iii) enhancing sustainable development of coffee production; and iv) providing necessary tools and training to monitor and manage the project.

Project provinces include five Central Highlands provinces and eight Mekong Delta provinces.

The project will run through 2020 at a total cost of 301 million USD, including a 250 million loan from the WB, 38.7 million USD sponsored by the private sector and the remaining balance from the State budget.

Ly Son island district to have four-star hotel

The construction of a four-star hotel on the Ly Son Island district in the central province of Quang Ngai has given a green light.

According to the provincial People’s Committee Office, the Muong Thanh Group has been licenced to build a four-star hotel on the 10-square kilometre island, which is approximately 30 kilometres off the coast.

The hotel, which is estimated to cost 250 billion VND (11.5 million USD), will have from five to seven storeys and a range of 80 to 120 rooms.

Muong Thanh, the owner of dozens of hotels all over Vietnam, also has a plan to build a commercial complex in Quang Ngai city, at 450 billion VND (20.64 million USD).

In its approved socio-economic development plan until 2020 with a vision to 2025, the Ly Son island district will focus on improving infrastructure and boosting tourism to spur local economic growth and ensure the island district’s security and defence.

The plan is to cost over 2.83 trillion VND (133.01 million USD), expected to come mostly from society.

It looks to diversify Ly Son’s tourism products that could help reel in more visitors to the island, which is now connected with the national power grid.

The island district hopes to welcome 40,300 visitors in 2015, earning over 41 billion VND (1.92 million USD). Tourism revenue of the locality is predicted to rise to nearly 99 billion VND (4.65 million USD) in 2020 and 178 billion VND (8.36 million USD) in 2025.

The plan is expected to generate jobs for 900 people in 2015, over 1,500 in 2020 and 2,400 in 2025.

Ethnic group growth amid ASEAN integration discussed

Socio-economic development of ethnic minority communities in the context of ASEAN integration was the focus of a workshop co-organised by Thai Nguyen University and the Philippines’ Kalinga-Apayao University in northern Thai Nguyen province on May 15.

The workshop gathered 100 scientific reports from Vietnamese and Filipinos experts and officials in the culture, education, environment and health sectors.

Their research studies revolved around the subjects of state policies, livelihoods, social and cultural issues, natural resource management, and response to climate change related to the vulnerable groups.

A number of practical measures and suggestions were put forth at the function, contributing to the sustainable development of ethnic minority communities in the two Southeast Asian nations.

The workshop is coordinated by the Thai Nguyen University and the Philippines’ Kalinga – Apayao University and expected to pave the way for their deeper cooperation in the future.

Conference talks opportunities from ASEAN Community

Representatives from 22 universities in nine ASEAN countries gathered at an international conference in the central city of Da Nang on May 15 to discuss opportunities and challenges created by the formation of the ASEAN Community after 2015.

Participants highlighted a number of matters related to ASEAN Economic Community’s post-2015 vision, as well as the process and initial outcomes in the building of the association’s identity.

They talked the preparation of university-graduated human resources for the ASEAN Community, as well as the prospect of the community in the future.

The ASEAN Community is expected to make debut on December 31 this year. Currently, the grouping’s 10 members are focusing on finalising the preparations for the community.

At the same time, ASEAN leaders are working together to draw out post-2015 orientations for the community.

Ethnic policies encourage self-development

Chairman of the National Assembly’s Council of Ethnic Affairs Ksor Phuoc suggested building policies that encourage self-development among ethnic groups at the council’s 11th plenary session in Hanoi on May 15.

The event, running through May 19, will put forward a number of important contents in preparation for the ninth sitting of the 13th legislature, including important draft laws such as the revised Civil Code, Penal Code and Law on Referendum.

Vice Chairman of the council Son Phuoc Hoan noted that some ethnic policies in 2015 have yet to fulfil their targets due to lack of time and financial sources.

Council member Chu Le Chinh raised the fact that there are many policies specifically designed for the ethnic groups but have been implemented inefficiently, citing poorly trained working staff as the main reason.

Delegates suggested reviewing the ethnic policy system, scrapping overlapping programmes and projects while urging more attention to preserving ethnic characters.

Vietnam is home to 54 different ethnic groups inhabiting mainly mountainous, border, sea and island areas which hold strategic positions in the country’s politics, economics, security and defence.

Therefore, the Vietnamese Party and State consider ethnic policy a strategic issue and major task of the entire political system.

Vietnam now has 130 policies targeting ethnic communities, according to the Government’s Committee for Ethnic Affairs.-

Journeys mark late President’s 125th birthday

A delegation from the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) led by its Chairman Vu Xuan Hong will tour destinations that the late President Ho Chi Minh once travelled through across Guangxi, China from May 17-22.

The trip is made at the invitation of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries as part of activities marking the late President Ho Chi Minh’s 125th birthday and the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and China.

The meaningful journey aims to cement the nations’ traditional relations and enhance mutual understanding between their peoples.

On the occasion, the Vietnam-Thailand and Vietnam-Laos Friendship Associations will also hold similar activities in Laos and Thailand from May 17-21.

President Ho Chi Minh’s 125th birthday marked in Algeria

The late President Ho Chi Minh’s contributions to Vietnam’s struggle for national liberation and national construction were once again highlighted at a ceremony to mark his 125th birth anniversary (May 19) held by the Vietnamese Embassy in Algeria on May 14.

At the ceremony, Ambassador Vu The Hiep highlighted the late President’s thoughts on independence and freedom, saying they continue to inform nation-building, industrialisation and modernisation in Vietnam.

He also called on the Vietnamese community in Algeria to study and follow President Ho Chi Minh’s moral example and promote the country’s tradition to help build a peaceful, stable and prosperous Vietnam.

A documentary on the late President was screened on the occasion.

Earlier, the diplomat and the Vietnamese community in Algeria paid respect to the leader at the Ho Chi Minh Boulevard in Algiers.

Workshop discusses computer usage, internet access project result

A workshop was held in Hanoi on May 15 to review the outcomes of the “Improving Computer Usage and Public Internet Access in Vietnam” project and discuss ways to maintain its sustainability.

The project, launched by the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) in collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is being carried out from 2011-2015 in 1,900 access points including cultural post offices and provincial and district libraries in 40 provinces across the country.

Since then, the project has enabled community members, including those in poor and remote areas, to improve their lives through the use of computers and Internet access.

It has also contributed to developing the Government’s national target programme on building new rural areas by establishing a commune-level library network.

However, the project is still facing difficulties and challenges, such as geographically disadvantaged locations, poor infrastructure and unqualified management staff.

At the workshop, the MIC and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation agreed to extend the project through June 2017.

Participants also suggested ways to maintain the sustainability of the project, including those to raise community awareness of the profit brought by the project and to ensure financial and infrastructure resources.

Over 11 million USD given to Central Highlands’ welfare work

Provinces in the Central Highlands have received over 240 billion VND (11.4 million USD) in assistance for the implementation of social security work since 2013, according to the region’s Steering Committee.

The money has been used to build new schools and health centres in remote areas.

The funds have also been used to build thousands of new houses for ethnic minority members, a centre for children with disability to integrate into society, and present thousands of breeding cows to impoverished households.

The grants have been sourced from banks, enterprises and charity organisations.

Fallen volunteer soldiers in Laos reburied in Quang Tri

The Central province of Quang Tri held a solemn memorial service on May 15 for the remains of 15 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who lost their lives during wartime in Laos.

The sets of remains, which were found in Laos’ Savanakhet after months of searching by the Martyrs Collection Team 584 of the Quang Tri Military Command, were reburied at the national martyrs’ cemetery on National Road No. 9.

Millions of Vietnamese soldiers laid down their lives for national liberation during the two resistance wars against French and US forces as well as in international missions in Laos and Cambodia.

Thousands of fallen soldiers are still unaccounted for across Vietnam and the two neighbouring countries.

The search for, gathering, repatriation and re-interment of the martyrs is conducted annually, receiving due attention from the Party and the State.

The antiretroviral (ARV) treatment for HIV/AIDS patients has been a focused investment in numerous countries thanks to its efficiency.

Statistics showed that in 2010, Thailand provided ARV treatment for 70 percent of over 350,000 patients with HIV. A year later, the country allocated 330 million USD from its State budget for HIV/AIDS prevention and control, 73 percent of which was spent on ARV medication.

Meanwhile, in 2012, Malaysia enabled 38.5 percent of 80,000 HIV carriers to have access to ARV treatment, which cost 20.4 million USD, mainly sourced from its State budget. Since 2011, assistance from the Global Fund accounted for less than five percent of the country’s treatment costs.

Indonesia, whose average per capita income falls below 1,000 USD, much lower than that of Vietnam, has provided free check-ups and treatment for HIV carriers. Since 2005, the country has offered free services through increasing allocations from the state budget to meet the demand.

In Vietnam, in 2010-2014, the cost for HIV/AIDS prevention and control was financed mainly by international donors, with the biggest ones being the Global Fund and the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The State budget accounted for about five percent of the total sum.

However, donor funding has been transitioning to other areas in the region, leaving substantial gaps in intervention programming resources. For 2015, government funded resources have been raised to 85 billion VND (4 million USD), but it remains insufficient to cover the gap left by international funding departures.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the use of ARV therapy, particularly in the early stage of the disease, can lead to substantial reductions in the rates of death and suffering.

ARV treatment has also been proven to reduce the rate of new infections to below 2-4 percent while easing the financial burden for families with HIV/AIDS patients.

Since 2013, the WHO has recommended the treatment for preventing HIV infection, particularly for pregnant women, young children, and at-risk populations exposed to HIV.

As of September, 2014, Vietnam had 220,000 HIV cases and nearly 70,000 fatalities.

Vietnam inbound tourist arrivals dip 12.2%

Inbound tourism for the four months leading up to May dipped 12.2% on-year to 2.7 million the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) announced on May 15 at a press conference in Hanoi.

Nguyen Van Tuan, general director of VNAT, attributed the decline to a variety of factors specifically pointing out the sharp drop in Chinese and Russian tourists of 27% and 40% respectively.

Meanwhile the domestic tourism numbers were more positive, jumping 10% on-year to 25 million.

Vehicles, except trucks, may use sides of Saigon pedestrian street at max of 20 kph

All vehicles will likely be banned from using the inner part of Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1, but they, except trucks, may use the two lanes along the sides of the street, the local transport authorities have proposed.

The city Department of Transport made the proposal in its recent report to the city People’s Committee about the operations of the walking street since it was put into use on April 28.

Accordingly, the department wants to prohibit all vehicles from the inner pedestrian street, but allow them, except trucks, to travel at a maximum of 20 kph on the two lanes along the sides of the facility.

Operators of trucks wanting to use these two lanes must apply to the department for a permit to use them, the department said, adding the permit grant will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Meanwhile, on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, or days when events are organized in the pedestrian street under the city’s authorization, all vehicles will be banned from using the entire Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street from 7 am to 11 pm.

On such days, all vehicles are also banned from stopping or parking on the street, the department proposed.

The department suggested that the city’s volunteer youth force be assigned to set up parking lots for motorbikes on streets near the walking street, such as Le Thanh Ton, Ton Duc Thang, Pasteur and Ham Nghi.  

The Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street spans 670 meters from the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee edifice to Bach Dang Wharf in District 1 and measures 64 meters in width.

PM approves electronic toll collection system on national highways

The Prime Minister has permitted the Ministry of Transport to implement an electronic toll collection system and automatic weighbridge project used on all tollways throughout the National Highway 1A and Ho Chi Minh City Highway in the Central Highlands.

The Ministry is allowed to choose project’s investors under BOO form (Build-Own-Operate) and instructed to notice the possibility of applying the e-toll collection technology on wide scale.

With this technology, drivers will have e-tags or identity tags on vehicle windscreens and accounts to make toll payment.

When vehicles enter a tollbooth, a laser technology identity system will activate cameras to capture their registration numbers. Images and information will be transferred to a data processing center and the toll will be deducted from the accounts.

Co Chien Bridge opens for traffic in Mekong Delta

Co Chien Bridge linking Ben Tre with Tra Vinh provinces was opened for traffic this morning at a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, National Assembly Deputy Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang and leaders of the two provinces.

PM Dung appreciated construction units and workers who had worked day and night to complete the bridge one year before schedule.

Co Chien Bridge plays a significant role in the coastal corridor’s traffic development strategy, security and national defense of the Mekong Delta.

The bridge will reduce traffic pressure on National Highway 1A, facilitate vehicular traffic on Highway 60, and shorten the distance between Ho Chi Minh City and provinces Tra Vinh and Soc Trang.

Co Chien Bridge together with under investment traffic infrastructure in the Mekong Delta will be an important condition for the Mekong Delta to boost socio-economic development and improve local people’s lives.

The bridge broke ground on August 2, 2013 at a total costs of VND2,308 billion (US$106.19 million).

The main bridge, 1,599m long and 16m wide, comprises four 80km per hour lanes. Approach roads in both sides of the bridge have a total length of 9.39 kilometers.

Co Chien Bridge is located about 3.6 kilometers from the ferry landing in Mo Cay Nam district, Ben Tre province.

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