Agribank agency director commits suicide

The are around director Phạm Văn Thành’s house where he was found to have committed suicide on Sunday. — Photo thethaovanhoa.vn

The director of a banking agency in Đắk Mil District, Central Highlands Province of Đắk Nông, was found dead on Sunday morning having apparently committed suicide, according to police.

Phạm Văn Thành, 55, director of the Đức Lập agency at the Agriculture and Rural Development Bank (Agribank) is said to have hung himself at his house on Lý Thường Kiệt Street.

Trần Hữu Trinh, deputy director of the agency, has been promoted in his place. Operations at the bank would continue as normal, Phan Công Quế, director of Agribank’s provincial branch, told zing.vn.

The case is being investigated.

Vietnam makes great strides in promoting gender equality

Vietnam has made great achievements in promoting gender equality and narrowing the gender gap, especially in terms of employment, health care, and education. 

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs (MoLISA) launched an action month for gender equality and prevention of gender-based violence from November 15 to December 15, 2018. This is the third year the ministry has carried out this activity. 

Statistics show that the percentage of female-owned enterprises hit 27.8 percent in 2017, the highest in Southeast Asia and ranked 19th worldwide.

The percentage of female National Assembly deputies in the 2016-2021 tenure is 27.2 percent, higher than the Asian average of 19 percent and the global average of 21 percent. 

Vietnam was ranked 97th out of 144 countries in terms of the percentage of women participating in politics. It is one of the top 10 best performers worldwide in terms of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal No. 5 on gender equality, the empowerment of women and girls, increasing the literacy rate of girls, and promoting the participation of women in all aspects of the workforce.

However, Vietnam still faces many challenges in ensuring gender equality between men and women.

The gender pay gap still exists in many areas, while violence against and the abuse of women and children are still a regular occurrence in many regions across the country. 

The percentage of women working in low-income occupations with poor working conditions also remains high. 

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, the percentage of girls in primary and secondary schools is lower than that of boys, especially in poor rural and ethnic minority areas. 

Female access to reproductive healthcare services in rural and ethnic minority areas is limited, while maternal mortality is high compared to those in regional  countries. 

Statistics from the Ministry of Health show that Vietnam is witnessing an imbalance in the sex ratio at birth, as this ratio stood at 112.8 boys for every 100 girls in 2015, and has increased to 113.4 boys for every 100 girls at present.

If the sex ratio continues to increase and widen as it is, Vietnam will face a serious gender imbalance in the next 20-25 years, experts said. 

Other challenges of gender equality in Vietnam are also related to the growing population, such as family planning activities and reproductive health, the labour market, and social status.

Nguyen Thi Phuong Lan crowned Miss Student 2018

Miss Vietnamese Student 2018 Nguyen Thi Phuong Lan (2nd L), a student from College of Law-Hue University, on the coronation night in Danang City on December 16 

Nguyen Thi Phuong Lan, a student from College of Law-Hue University, bested 44 other finalists to be crowned Miss Vietnamese Student 2018 on the final night held in Danang City on December 16, VietnamPlus news site reported.

The winner was awarded VND200 million, while Lo Thi Huyen Trang from Vietnam Youth Academy and Nguyen Thao Vi from Vinh University as the first and second runners-up won VND100 million and VND50 million respectively. The pageant was co-organized by the Vietnam Youth Federation, the Vietnam National Union of Students and some organizations.

Hoang Tuan Viet, a representative of the organizers, said that the beauty contest, themed “The Beauty of Intelligence” was aimed at honoring beauty, intelligence and talent of Vietnamese students and creating a useful playground for participants to develop their skills and learn from others.

The final competition included performances of ao dai, the traditional Vietnamese long dress, and party gowns. Only five most excellent contestants underwent the question & answer round to win the title Miss Vietnamese Student 2018.

In addition, the organizers presented VND30 million, insignia and certificates to the winners of the titles “Talented Student,” “Most Graceful Student in Ao dai,” “Friendly Student,” “Student Excellent at English Speaking” and “Most Beloved Student on Social Media.”

This year’s Miss Vietnamese Student attracted over 1,100 contestants from more than 100 universities, academies and colleges across the country.

Danang introduces traditional arts to Qatar

Dancers from Danang are seen performing a graceful lotus dance during the Vietnamese cultural exchange night, held at Katara Cultural Village in Doha, Qatar on December 15 - PHOTO: DANANG TOURISM PROMOTION CENTER

Over 150 Qatar Airways’ passengers and international tourists on December 15 visited Katara Cultural Village in the capital of Doha, Qatar to join Vietnamese cultural exchange night, themed “Vietnam: Danang, an oriental charm”, where they enjoyed many Vietnamese traditional art performances.

The event was co-organized by the Tourism Department of Danang City and the Embassy of Vietnam in Qatar.

At the event, musician Truong Duy Huyen, general manager of the performance, along with seven artists from Charming Danang, told audiences lively and colorful stories through music and traditional dances.

In the stories, Vietnamese traditional cultural items such as national costume ao dai, non la (conical hat), silk hand fans, lotus flowers, and T’rung (folk-musical instrument made of bamboo tubes) would form a road leading to Danang in Central Vietnam as home to three world cultural heritages, namely Hue Imperial Citadel, Hoi An Ancient Town, and My Son Sanctuary.

Following the cultural night, the artists on December 17 joined in a march to promote the friendship between the two countries, wearing traditional costumes and holding national flags in their hands. They will perform at Hamad International Airport on the night of December 18 before returning to Danang on the first flight of Doha-Danang route, which is slated for taking off on December 19.

The event is among activities to promote Danang as a popular destination on the occasion Qatar Airways launches the first route linking Doha with Vietnam’s coastal central city.

Planning adjustments in HCMC aim to bolster sustainable growth

Adjustments to a master plan for HCMC will allow the city to develop in a fast yet sustainable manner, said vice chairman of the city Tran Vinh Tuyen at a conference here on December 14.

The HCMC Department of Planning and Architecture held the conference on directions and tasks for adjusting the city’s master plan until 2045, reported the Vietnam News Agency.

Addressing the event, the department’s director, Nguyen Thanh Nha, said the revised master plan is expected to transform HCMC into a smart city, develop a creative urban area in the eastern part of the city, and build a sea tourism area in the outlying coastal district of Can Gio.

Nha noted the highlights of the plan include combining zoning with human capital development, and devising an appropriate urban structure with the aim of addressing the issues of technical infrastructure development, climate change adaptation and flood mitigation, and minimizing population pressure in the central area through by developing  satellite cities.

The local government seeks to build a highly competitive environment; improve its infrastructure system; develop urban space which can minimize the impacts of climate change; boost the efficiency of land use; and renovate and develop existing urban centers, among others, by 2045.

Vice Chairman Tuyen told the department to create basic products and specific schemes by early 2020. He deemed this task to be vital, explaining that rapid and sustainable growth is dependent on planning issues.

The revised master plan should meet two fundamental requirements – being attractive to businesses and achieving a consensus in society, he said.

He added that the planning should be open; in other words, it is not based on set administrative boundaries for urban and suburban districts.

The local government will then introduce strict management regulations, in a bid to put the revised master plan into practice, according to Tuyen.

PM sets deadlines for transport projects in south

Vam Cong Bridge connecting Can Tho City and Dong Thap Province in a file photo 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc set the deadlines for major transport projects in the Mekong Delta region while attending the investment promotion conference in An Giang Province over the weekend.

At the Trung Luong-My Thuan expressway project, the prime minister pledged to urge the Ministry of Transport for a solution to make sure the entire expressway, stretching over 50 kilometers, will be opened to traffic late next year and fully completed two years later, despite problems with interest rates. The Ministry of Finance will also coordinate with the Government on the issue, Phuc noted.

As for the My Thuan 2 bridge project, according to the prime minister, it will be kicked off at the end of next year for completion in 2023.

Besides this, the 24-kilometer My Thuan-Can Tho expressway is facing difficulties due to changes in the State’s participation in the project. However, the Government has assigned the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Transport to allocate VND932 billion of the Government’s backup funds to ensure the project’s progress. After the capital is allocated, an investor will be picked through competitive bidding so that the project can start work next year and be completed in 2022, stated PM Phuc.

The prime minister also called for greater efforts to fix a crack in Vam Cong bridge as part of the Mekong Delta transport connectivity project and the completion of the remaining workload by next March. The project is expected to be put into use next June.

Cao Lanh Bridge and the road linking Cao Lanh with Vam Cong bridge, which are part of the same connectivity project, were put into operation earlier this year.

According to PM Phuc, the bypass project in Long Xuyen City has been added to the list of medium-term public investments in the 2016-2020 period, using capital from the Asian Development Bank. The Ministry of Transport has approved the project, which will begin construction in 2020 and be completed in 2022.

Construction of the 51-kilometer Lo Te-Rach Soi Road is underway and set for completion in early 2020. “The Mekong Delta transport connectivity project and Lo Te-Rach Soi Road, once completed, will form an 84-kilometer route with four lanes connecting Dong Thap and Kien Giang provinces,” remarked the government leader.

The Ministry of Transport is also carrying out investment procedures for four projects, using capital from the 2016-2020 medium-term public investment fund, with a combined investment of VND15 trillion already approved by the National Assembly. The four projects are upgrades of National Highway 57 in Ben Tre, National Highway 53 in Tra Vinh, National Highway 30 in Dong Thap and Quan Lo-Phung Hiep Road.

A report on the 20-kilometer section of National Highway 1, stretching from Nga Bay in Hau Giang to Chau Thanh in Soc Trang, will be delivered to the National Assembly so that it can be allocated capital from the medium-term public investment fund. Once the National Assembly Standing Committee gives approval, the Ministry of Transport will start work, according to the prime minister.

Đồng Tháp farmers encouraged to grow straw mushroom indoors

Lai Vung District, the largest straw mushroom producer in Đồng Tháp Province, is encouraging farmers to grow the mushroom indoors saying it offers better results.

In the Mekong Delta, where Đồng Tháp is situated, farmers who grow the mushroom indoors harvest twice the amount because it is no longer affected by the weather and farmers can control the temperature and moisture content.

This also ensures it is of higher quality and clean, according to farmers.

Ngô Tấn Dũng, who grows the mushroom in four houses in Lai Vung’s Hòa Thành Commune, earns VNĐ12 -15 million (US$510 - 640) per crop.

He pasteurises rolls of paddy straw and mixes mushroom spawn into the straw and waits for a week to 10 days to begin harvesting the mushrooms, he said.

The harvest lasts more than two weeks.

He harvests two to three kilogrammes in each paddy straw roll.

Hòa Thành Commune has 12 households that grow mushrooms in 40 houses.

Its indoor straw mushroom growing co-operative has signed a contract with a company to sell its produce in March last year.

The district has about 60 houses with an average size of 25sq.m.

The province’s Agriculture Extension Centre has helped farmers build the houses and taught them farming techniques.

Nguyễn Văn Cường of Hòa Thành Commune’s Tân Hòa hamlet was provided a subsidy of 30 per cent of the cost of the house he built measuring 20 metres by 5 metres at a cost of VNĐ100 million ($4,300).

It has become a place for other farmers to visit and learn the indoor mushroom farming model.

The district’s Agriculture and Rural Development Division organises training courses for local farmers.

In Lai Vung, straw mushrooms are farmed in rice fields, orchards, along roads, and inside houses. Hòa Thành and Vĩnh Thới communes and Lai Vung Town have the largest areas growing straw mushroom in the district.

The district estimates output to exceed 9,000 tonnes this year, 5,000 tonnes more than last year, according to the division.

The price of mushroom has been high and steady this year.

This year traders have been buying straw mushrooms grown outdoors at an average price of VNĐ45,000 ($1.9) a kilogramme and those grown indoors at VNĐ50,000 – 60,000 ($2.1 – 2.6).

The former fetches farmers an income of more than VNĐ10 million ($430) per 1,000sq.m per crop, and the latter, VNĐ10-15 million ($430 – 645).

After harvesting the mushrooms, farmers can sell the used straw to other farmers to use as fertilisers to grow flowers and vegetables. 

Top short film contest sees four winners

Four young Vietnamese directors have won top prizes at the CJ Short Film Project. Photo courtesy of the organisers

Four young Vietnamese directors have won top prizes at the CJ Short Film Project, one of the top short film contests in Việt Nam.

The winning films includes Một Khu Đất Tốt (Good Land) by Phạm Ngọc Lân, Hãy Thức Tỉnh và Sẵn Sàng (Wake Up and Ready) by Phạm Thiên Ân, Ngọt, Mặn (Sweet, Savoury) by Dương Diệu Linh, and Balô Hồng (Pink Backpack) by Chu Ánh Nguyệt.

Một Khu Đất Tốt by Lân includes two stories occurring at the same location 10 years apart.

It is about a mother and son who are looking for their husband and father at a cemetery. Ten years later, the land has been turned to a golf club where a talk between a rich man and his secret mistress occurs.

Lân, 32, was nominated in the shorts category with his film Another City at the 66th Berlinale International Film Festival in 2016.

His short films, including The Story of Ones and Culi Never Cries, have been screened at short film festivals in Switzerland, Denmark, Japan and South Korea.

Ân’s Hãy Thức Tỉnh và Sẵn Sàng features a motorcycle accident in front of a street pub. The incident unveils a secret story involving three young men.

Ân, 29, won a number of film awards in Việt Nam, including the 48 Hours Film Project in HCM City in 2014, before moving to the US in 2015.

His latest short film, The Mute, was screened as a World Premiere at Palm Springs International Shortfest in the US.

Linh and Nguyệt, who are emerging female directors in local film industry, focus on  women’s journey in seeking gender equality in today’s society.

All four winners received a cash prize of VNĐ200 million (US$8,590) each, and will have a chance to send their works to international film festivals.

Phan Đăng Di, a member of the jury consisting of the country’s leading directors and producers Hồng Ánh, Trịnh Đình Lê Minh, Nguyễn Hoàng Điệp and Leon Lê, said: “We had young excellent directors at the contest, who have shown their films at international film festivals.”

“We believe their films shown at this contest will continue to gain more achievements at film festivals around the world,” he added.

The 2018 CJ Short Film Project, organised by CJ Cultural Foundation and CGV Vietnam, began in June and attracted 252 entries.

During the contest, film talents and specialists from South Korea offered instructional workshops. 

Sports exchange programme helps tighten Vietnam-Cambodia friendship

A volleyball match at the sports exchange programme 

A sports exchange programme was held between Vietnam’s southern province of Dong Thap and Cambodia’s south-eastern province of Prey Veng on December 14 to tighten the two countries’ friendship and comprehensive cooperation.

The event, the 11th of its kind, took place in Dong Thap’s Hong Ngu border town with the participation of over 120 athletes from Prey Veng’s districts of Pear Chor, Preah Sdach, and Kampong Trabaek; and Dong Thap’s districts of Tan Hong and Hong Ngu; and Hong Ngu town.

The sports include football, volleyball, petanque, and tug of war.

The host teams won first prizes in tug of war and petanque, while visiting teams came out on top in volleyball and football.

Deputy Governor of Prey Veng Chanhtha said his province is located in the south-eastern region of Cambodia, sharing border lines with the Vietnamese provinces of Dong Thap, Long An, and Tay Ninh.

Implementing agreements between Vietnam and Cambodia, the two localities have strengthened cooperation in all fields; bolstered solidarity; ensured a border of peace, security, and friendship; and facilitated the trade activities of people living in the shared border areas, he added.

Vice Chairman of the Dong Thap provincial People’s Committee Doan Tan Buu affirmed that the solidarity and friendship between the Vietnamese and Cambodian governments and peoples, and particularly the two provinces, have been nurtured for a long time, developing with greater strength in all realms, including sports and culture.

Construction on Châu Đốc-Cần Thơ- Sóc Trăng expressway to start in 2024

An expressway linking Châu Đốc city in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang to Cần Thơ City and Sóc Trăng Province is expected to open by 2026.

Construction on an expressway linking Châu Đốc city in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang to Cần Thơ City and Sóc Trăng Province is expected to start in 2024 and will open to traffic in 2026, according to the Cửu Long Corporation for Investment, Development and Project Management of Infrastructure.

In 2024, contractors for the project will be selected, and in the project’s first phase, the nearly 200-kilometre four-lane expressway will be built. Each lane will be 3.5 metres wide.

The total investment capital for this phase is estimated at VNĐ29.6 trillion (US$1.3 billion).  

The project, which is under a public-private partnership, has 50 per cent of capital allocated from the Government and the rest from official development assistance and other sources.

It is one of planned expressways in the Mekong Delta region. The others include Hà Tiên-Rạch Giá (in Kiên Giang)- Bạc Liêu Province, Cần Thơ-Cà Mau Province, and the Eastern and Western North-South Expressway.

HCM City wholesale markets to ensure adequate supply of goods for Tết

Bình Điền wholesale market in HCM City will be one of city’s main suppliers of goods during Tết early next year. Photo courtesy of sggp.org.vn

It is important for wholesale markets in HCM City to ensure adequate supply of goods and monitor food safety during the Lunar New Year early next year, according to authorities.

According to the Bình Điền wholesale market’s management board, the volume of goods coming to the market during Tết is expected to increase by 20-25 per cent compared to normal days.

It could even rise by 50-60 per cent to almost 4,000 tonnes of goods per night for several days before Tết, it said.

Pork and vegetable volumes could double and fruits could quadruple while seafood is likely to reduce, it said.

With the enormous supply, prices are unlikely to fluctuate much, it said.

Thủ Đức wholesale market currently has 1,384 stalls and receives around 3,700 tonnes of products a day.

In addition to local goods, it also gets products imported from the US, China, Thailand, India, New Zealand, Canada, and other countries.

During the upcoming Tết holidays, the volume could go up to 7,000 -7,500 tonnes a day.

According to the Hóc Môn wholesale market, to ensure adequate supply of items like pork, bitter melon, cucumber, and fruits, many vendors in the market had been making preparations six months before Tết.

They had signed agreements with local farmers to ensure steady and safe supply of foods, it said.

More products from northern provinces would be introduced this year, it added.

Bình Điền wholesale market will begin to carry out more frequent checks for food hygiene and safety a month before the Lunar New Year, and collaborate with the city Food Safety Management Board to control food quality before and during the festival.

Besides checking the outside of products for freshness, it will also organise quick tests of various products for pesticide residues.

The management board will also check on origin and listed prices of many products.

Many of the wholesale markets said they would assign more workers to clear garbage and clean the drainage and market floors among other tasks to ensure hygiene.

The Lunar New Year falls on February 5 next year. 

Slow site clearance delays key bridge between downtown HCM City- Thủ Thiêm

Cars on Mai Chí Thọ Street in HCM City’s District 2. 

People living in Thủ Thiêm in HCM City’s District 2 have to brave severe traffic congestion when travelling to District 1 since the Thủ Thiêm Tunnel is overloaded and construction of Thủ Thiêm Bridge Nos 2, 3 and 4 has been progressing at a snail’s pace.

Construction of Thủ Thiêm Bridge No 2 began in February 2015 as a build-transfer project at a cost of nearly VNĐ4.3 trillion (US$190 million).

The 1.47km, six-lane bridge was scheduled to open to traffic on April 30 this year.

But only 16 per cent of the work has been completed so far, and its completion has been deferred to 2020.

Nguyễn Văn Tám, deputy director of the city Department of Transport, said tardy land acquisition and clearance is the reason for the sluggish progress.

“The Department of Transport has asked the People’s Committee to instruct relevant agencies and departments to speed up site clearance and relocation of households, and transfer the land to the builder.”

Thủ Thiêm Bridges No 3 and 4, to be built on PPP (public-private partnership) basis, remain on paper.

Dr Phạm Sanh, an urban transport planning expert, said building bridges to connect Districts 1 and 2 is a good idea.

But to resolve the traffic problems and avoid waste, these bridges must be linked with infrastructure in the area, he said.

In October the department had petitioned the People’s Committee to speed up handover of land for building the bridge to Đại Quang Minh Real Estate Investment Company.

The cable-stayed bridge will have a 113m tower and be the architectural highlight of the Sài Gòn River.

The four-lane main branch will be 437m and rise from the Tôn Đức Thắng – Lê Duẩn intersection in District 1. The 195m second branch will have two lanes for vehicles going from District 1 to District 2.

Vehicles can come from District 2 and turn left into Lê Thánh Tôn Street, turn right into Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh or turn back to go to Mê Linh Square. 

Health sector raises community awareness of non-communicable diseases

Representatives set off on a bike ride to raise community awareness of non-communicable diseases prevention. 

Minister of Health Nguyễn Thị Kim Tiến called for improved awareness of non-communicable diseases yesterday at a conference in Hà Nội.

The conference aimed to strengthen the prevention and control of chronicling diseases, bronchial asthma and non-communicable diseases.

Speaking at the conference, Tiến said that non-communicable, lung diseases such as bronchial asthma were an issue for health sectors around the world due to their economic burden and high risk of fatalities.

Non-communicable diseases are the main cause of fatalities globally.

In Việt Nam, fatalities caused by non-communicable diseases make up 70 per cent of total fatalities, and 43 per cent of victims die before the age of 70.

More than four per cent of over-40-year-olds suffer from lung chronic diseases and the number tends to increase due to smoking and environmental pollution.

In 2010, the Government approved a programme to prevent chronic lung diseases and bronchial asthma from 2011-15 across the country.That has been extended to 2016-20.

After the conference, Tiến, chairwoman of the National Assembly’s Social Affairs Committee Nguyễn Thúy Anh and the World Health Organisation Representative Kidong Park and other people took part in a bicycle ride to call for increased community awareness on disease prevention.