HCM City seeks development assistance from Japan

Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council Nguyen Thanh Phong asked for more financial and technical assistance from Japan for the city’s metro and water environment improvement projects in the time ahead.

At a meeting with visiting D eputy Managing Director of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Shinya Ejima on November 18, Phong thanked and appreciated Japan’s support for infrastructure development projects of Vietnam and HCM City in particular.

He called on JICA to continue helping the city implement projects using Japanese aid.

For his part, Shinya Ejima affirmed Japan will try to maintain non-refundable and technical assistance for development projects of Vietnam and HCM City in particular.

He said the city should enhance cooperation with private enterprises under the public-private partnership (PPP) form in order to mobilise all resources for its infrastructure projects.

The JICA will cooperate with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to continue supporting the third phase of HCM City’s water environmental improvement project, he stated, adding that the agency is willing to call on Japanese firms to work with the city in transferring technology, training human resources, and maintaining metro lines.

He also highlighted the importance of synchronous transport development, committing that the JICA will consider providing more support for the construction of metro routes 3A and 3B in the coming time.

UNICEF teams up with Vietnam Red Cross

UNICEF has signed a partnership agreement with the Vietnam Red Cross worth VND3 billion ($125,000) to improve safe drinking water and hygiene practices among 30,000 of the most vulnerable people in Vietnam, including 10,000 school children and 15,000 women in six provinces affected by drought and salt water intrusion: Ben Tre, Binh Thuan, Ninh Thuan, Soc Trang, Kon Tum and Gia Lai.

The signing marks an important milestone in providing support to children affected by the drought and salt water intrusion crisis, maximizing the role of both organizations in emergency response.

“UNICEF is delighted to enter for the first time into a partnership with the Vietnam Red Cross and its extensive network of staff and volunteers in provinces and communities, and we look forward to identifying opportunities to establish long-term cooperation in disaster risk reduction,” said Mr. Jesper Moller, UNICEF Deputy Representative in Vietnam.

UNICEF and the Vietnam Red Cross will partner to deliver an emergency response in a total of 24 schools and 12 communes over the next four months, in close collaboration with national partners.

“Children are among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, with potential risks to their health, so UNICEF has provided emergency support with the government in response to the drought and salt water intrusion since August,” said Mr. Moller.

President of the Vietnam Red Cross, Dr. Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu, said that UNICEF has worked with the government since reunification in 1975 but this is the first time it has collaborated directly with the Vietnam Red Cross to provide emergency response measures. She welcomed the development.

The partnership is possible thanks to the generous support of the Government of Japan, which provided to UNICEF a $2.5 million contribution for improving the well-being of children and women in affected areas.

UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything they do. Together with partners it works in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing on reaching the most vulnerable and marginalized children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.

Vietnam Register puts end to aging Saigon-Vung Tau hydrofoil fleet

Tourists will no longer be able to travel between Ho Chi Minh City and the coastal city of Vung Tau by hydrofoil at the end of 2016, as the entire fleet running the route has been asked to cease services.

In Vietnam, the government stipulates that hydrofoils have a service life of no more than 20 years.

All four hydrofoils currently deployed on the Ho Chi Minh City-Vung Tau route will pass that threshold by this year’s end, according to the Vietnam Register, a transport ministry-run agency in charge of vehicle registration.

The hydrofoil service departs from the Nha Rong Wharf in District 4, Ho Chi Minh City, and arrives at the hydrofoil station in Vung Tau, a popular beach city in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province.

Upon receiving the Vietnam Register’s order, two hydrofoil operators, Vina Express and Quang Hung Trans Co., have called on authorities in Ho Chi Minh City and Ba Ria-Vung Tau to petition the transport ministry for service life extensions on their boats.

Vina Express chairman Bui Cong Trung said a Russian-made 150-seat hydrofoil costs US$8 million and the service’s poor booking rates make recouping such a huge investment unlikely.

The Ho Chi Minh City-Vung Tau hydrofoil operation has been in dire straits for the last two years.

In January 2014, a hydrofoil carrying 85 passengers, including 37 foreigners, caught fire on the Saigon River, prompting the Ho Chi Minh City administration to suspend all hydrofoil operations.

When the companies were allowed to resume service in December that year, the fleet was cut from 14 boats to four and the number of operators declined from three to two.

The hardship was exacerbated in 2015, when the Ho Chi Minh City hydrofoil station was relocated from the wharf in Bach Dang Park near the city’s downtown area to Nha Rong Wharf in District 4.

Vina Express and Quang Hung Trans Co. said they have only been able to operate at 40% of their capacity since the station relocation.

Hydrofoil operators also attributed their poor business results to tough competition posed by passenger buses running the same route.

While a roundtrip hydrofoil ticket costs VND200,000-VND250,000 (US$8.9-11) for an adult with a travel time of 1 hour and 20 minutes, it costs no more than VND90,000 (US$4) to go by bus.

The passenger bus has emerged as a more attractive choice for tourists after the opening of the Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay expressway in February 2015 cut travel time from 2 hours and 30 minutes to only 1 hour and 45 minutes.

The Ho Chi Minh City-Vung Tau hydrofoil service has been in operation for over two decades since its February 1996 inauguration.

During its heyday, as many as 21 boats serviced the route’s 500,000 annual passengers.

Meet this volunteer tire repair team in southern Vietnam

With a passion for helping others, a group of volunteers have formed to help pick nails from the streets and fix punctures on motorbikes traveling on the highway that connects Ho Chi Minh City with the coastal city of Vung Tau.

Nguyen Huu Loi, a 25-year-old financial advisor and a passionate biker, decided to form the group out of his understanding of the difficulties bikers face when they suffer flat tires whilst traveling at night.

Calling the group “117,” its members also run a hotline at 0911 131 117, which anyone can call if they suffer a puncture.

Every group member is assigned different tasks. When there is a call for help, two members will come to the scene. One will check and fix the tire’s inner tube, while the other will hold the flashlight and give appropriate instructions.    

If the tube needs to be replaced, the group will charge VND50,000 (US$2.2), the exact market price.

The group starts its work every night from 8:00 pm, gathering near the toll station close to the Tam Phuoc Industrial Zone in the southern province of Dong Nai and stays alert, ready for help.

On average, the group provides help to one or two people per night. All fuel costs and other related expenses are shared by the volunteer members.

When the group was first established, there were only a few members and no uniform. Now they are a team of 15, with all members wearing uniforms and protective vests.

“I hope that people who get help can provide help to others, making it a better society,” Loi said.

Bikers in southern Vietnam going through this area have expressed their gratitude to the members of the 117 Group. They hope that the group can maintain their selfless activity.

One man named Binh, who has suffered multiple flat tires on the highway, said he used to push his motorbike for a few kilometers before being able to find a repair shop.

“I am so happy that we now have the 117 group there to help,” Binh said.

PM joins great national unity festival in Hanoi

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on November 17 joined residents in Dien Bien ward, Hanoi’s Ba Dinh district, at the great national unity festival, which was held on the occasion of the 86th anniversary of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) (November 18).  

Addressing the event, the PM praised the VFF chapter in Dien Bien, local authorities and officials for regularly organising the festival, which, he said, offers an opportunity to review the development of the Vietnam National United Front - the VFF’s predecessor. 

Applauding outcomes of unity movements launched in Hanoi and Dien Bien in particular, the leader noted his wish that the VFF chapter and locals will carry forward such achievements while contributing their opinions on Party building and State management.  

On this occasion, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung and leaders of ministries, agencies and the municipal People’s Committee presented gifts to disadvantaged households, individuals and students in Dien Bien ward.

The same day, Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Tong Thi Phong attended the great unity festival in residential area No. 10, Thuy Khue ward, Hanoi’s Tay Ho district. 

Founded by the Communist Party of Vietnam and then President Ho Chi Minh on November 18, 1930, the VFF, under different names, has brought into play Vietnam’s traditional unity and patriotism and gathered people from all strata to defeat invaders and retake national independence.

Hanoi hosts seminar on bicycles in city

A seminar, themed “The role of bicycle transportation in the city – International experiment exchange and how to apply it in Vietnam”, took place on November 17 in Hanoi as part of the ongoing international exhibition Vietnam Cycle 2016. 

The event showed the government’s interest in using bicycles in transportation development, said Vice Chairman of Vietnam cars, motorbikes and bicycles association Nguyen Huu Son. 

At the seminar, Lionel Bayard, Export and Marketing Manager of France’s Peugeot Cycles shared the experience of the French government in encouraging citizens to use bicycles. 

France reduced taxes for those who cycle to work, offered free bicycles or assistance on bicycle-used routes and required new buildings to provide parking for bicycles, he said. 

A pilot project on public bicycles in Hanoi, called BK-BIKE, was introduced at the event. 

Pham Tuan Hiep, Director of BK-BIKE project, said the project will pilot bicycle renting stations at the Hanoi University of Science and Technology in 2016. 

It is expected to test replacing with motorbikes in the next two years with 1,500 bicycles and 50 public transport stations. The project will be expanded to Hanoi’s central districts with 400 stations and 12,000 bicycles in 2019 and 2020. 

Nguyen Huy Tien, Deputy Head of Environment Department under the Ministry of Transport, suggested launching policies on upgrading infrastructure for bicycles and calling for investors. 

Meanwhile, programmes and campaigns on using bicycles among the public should be implemented with government institutes as pioneers.

HCM City to honour exemplary groups and individuals

The HCM City People’s Committee will honour 25 groups and 113 individuals whose good deeds have contributed to the city’s patriotic emulation movements, according to the city’s Award and Emulation Board.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Huỳnh Công Hùng, deputy director of the city’s Department of Interior Affairs, said the groups and individuals from all walks of life had shown exemplary behaviour.

An honours ceremony will be held at the city’s meeting hall in District 3 on November 26.

The patriotic emulation movement is to encourage city residents to have a volunteer spirit and contribute to the community.

Northcentral region seeks to restore tourism

Tourism enterprises, experts and managers yesterday discussed ways to promote tourism in the northcentral region after the massive fish death crisis that hit the coastal areas in April.

The conference attracted representatives from Thanh Hóa, Hà Tĩnh, Nghệ An, Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị and Thừa Thiên-Huế provinces.

Nguyễn Văn Tuấn, head of the National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), officially launched a campaign to revive the tourism industry, which suffered serious loss recently.

“The environmental trouble caused major losses for the local economy, including tourism,” he said.

“People are still afraid of travelling to the central region, as they doubt the safety of seafood and water. Many popular tours have been cancelled.”

By the end of this month, the VNAT will organise two familiarisation trips for the media and travel agents from Hà Nội and HCM City to the northcentral region to promote tourism products.

Next month, the VNAT will hold a road-show in Bangkok and Udonthani (Thailand) to introduce the region to the Thai market, which is close and accessible for overland travel.

Lê Trần Sáng, vice director of the Hà Tĩnh Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, suggested that apart from beach tourism, the northcentral region can lure tourists with cultural and spiritual products.

“Hà Tĩnh will promote tours to historical relics, pagodas and ecological sites in the near future,” he said.

“While we overcome the environmental disaster, we can also still promote local tourism with the rich and diverse traditional culture and cuisine.”

Also yesterday, the Institute for Tourism Development Research met with media and tourism agency representatives in the northcentral region.

“The tourism potential of the region is very big and we should find a strategy to promote and invest effectively,” said Nguyễn Anh Tuấn, director of the institute.

Solutions include creating specific products that can’t be found in other regions, opening new tours, and upgrading the regional Đồng Hới Airport.

Exploring the Mekong Delta in flood season

The flood season is not only a source of livelihood for people in the Mekong Delta but also offers its tourism industry a golden opportunity.

Although the flood season this year came later than usual, travel agencies took the opportunity to organise boat tours of the delta.

Suitable for those looking for weekend trips, the sites include natural landscapes such as green duckweed-covered Trà Sứ cajuput forest and Tràm Chim National Park, one of Việt Nam’s eight most important bird sanctuaries and impressive with its immense lotus fields.

Furthermore, there are many specialties found exclusively in the flooding season such as linh fish and điền điển flower hot pot.

Saigontourist continues to offer “Experiencing the Flooding Season” tours, which include a two-day trip to Châu Đốc, Trà Sứ cajuput forest and a floating fish-cage village or to Sa Đéc, Long Xuyên, Ông Hổ Islet and Long Xuyên floating market or Cao Lãnh, and Tam Nông bird sanctuary.

Chinese passenger caught stealing on Vietnam flight

A Chinese man was caught stealing from the luggage of another passenger on a flight to Hanoi on November 17, local media reported.

The man was on board flight VN164 from the central city of Danang.

Some fellow passengers saw him taking a bag from the overhead compartment and rummaging through it, before the plane took off. 

They immediately alerted the crew, who then notified security forces at Danang Airport.

He had stolen two Sony cameras and VND5 million (US$220) in cash, said Danang airport authorities.

The Chinese man was then charged with theft and fined VND7.5 million.

100 press works win great national unity award

A total of 100 press works were honoured with the twelfth “For the Cause of the Bloc of Great National Unity” award (2015-2016) by the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee at a ceremony in Hanoi on November 17.

Addressing the opening, VFF President Nguyen Thien Nhan expressed his pleasure at seeing such a warm response to this year’s awards, with the largest number ever of entries and press agencies joining the event.

The award programme saw 200 news agencies across the country send in around 1,354 press works, reflecting vivid aspects of daily life while outlining and encouraging the VFF’s activities from the central to the grassroots level, Politburo member Nhan said.

He also expressed his wish that in the coming years journalists and media agencies would continue to participate in the award programme to promote the press’s strength in raising public awareness of the necessity of the bloc of great national great and to replicate effective models of the VFF and other sociopolitical organisations in society.

According to VFF Vice President Le Ba Trinh, after twelve seasons, the award has helped cheer and encourage press agencies and media practitioners in the country to actively participate in spreading the policy of ideological unity and solidarity, as well as reflecting the operations of the VFF system at all levels to build a bloc of great national unity under the leadership of the Party with the aim of building a rich people, a strong country and an equitable, democratic and civilised society.

On behalf of the winners honoured at the ceremony, journalist Nguyen Thi Mai Hong from Radio the Voice of Vietnam, who won an A prize for a project with her colleagues, namely “Promoting Vietnamese Intellectual Strength in the New Era,” expressed her feeling of honour upon winning the prize.

She said that her team had strived their best to finalise their press work with the highest quality, that they had fulfilled their journalistic responsibility to the public and joined hands to consolidate and develop the bloc of great national unity.

At the ceremony, the organising board presented the award to a total of 100 works, including five A, 20 B, 33 C and 42 consolation prizes. Nhan Dan Newspaper won two B, two C and one consolation prizes.

The award programme is held jointly by the VFF Central Committee, the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Education and Communications, the Vietnam Journalists’ Association, Vietnam Television, Radio the Voice of Vietnam and Nhan Dan Newspaper.

Vietart Today 2016 seeks young Vietnamese artists

The Vietart Today 2016 competition aiming to seek for a professional art foundation for young Vietnamese artists who are living in Vietnam and were born during or after 1976has been launched by the V Art & HCMC Young Painters' Association. 

Participants can submit their one or two colections of 3-10 art works with minimum size of 60cm in each dimension, in various materials from now until 5 p.m. on December 6.

20 selected collections will be announced on December 10. The award ceremony will be held in Ho Chi Minh City in February, 2017.

Members of the jury are the world's fine art. Dr. Ildegarda E.Scheidegger, a respected Swiss fine arts expert; Director of Galerie K Moeller in Singapore, Vietnamese-Singaporean Thanh Kieu Moeller; collectors Julie Lam from Canada and Olivier Do Ngoc from Luxembourg; painter Tran Thanh Canh, head of the Young Painter Club under the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Association; and painter Uyen Huy, chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Association.

The first-prize winner will receive a cash prize of VND100 million (US$4,400), a trip to Singapore and has a chance to sign a five-year contract with the Galerie Nguyen.

Ha Trinh, Phung Yen won 2016 HTV Master of Ceremonies Contest

Lieu Ha Trinh and Ngo Dinh Phung Yen won highest titles at the annual Ho Chi Minh City Television's Master of Ceremonies Contest 2016. 

Ha Trinh got the ‘Golden Swallow’ award in the category of “Talent” worth VND100 million (US$4,400); Phung Yen received the ‘Golden Swallow’ award in the category of “Potential” valued at VND100 million.

Contestants Quang Bao and Phong Linh respectively were runners-up of the two groups.

The annual Ho Chi Minh City Television’s Master of Ceremonies Contest aims at creating a useful playing field for young people who have a passion for the MC (Master of Ceremonies) career and for discovering talents for the communication and TV industry in the country.

Winners of the previous competitions such as Quynh Tram, Kieu Hai Chuyen, Anh Quan, Hong Phuong, Quoc Binh, Tuan Anh and Nhu Quynh are now famous MCs.

HCM City's education sector honors 128 teachers

The Ho Chi Minh City Education Union yesterday held a meeting to honor 128 teachers and school managers  who are devoted to students’ progress on the occasion of the Vietnamese Teacher’s Day.

Teacher Hoang Thuy Bich thuy from Luong The Vinh Primary School in District 7 said that teachers not only deliver lesson in textbook but also teach students to do right things while teacher Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai shared teachers should help students develop their soft skills and direct students the true, the good, and the beauty and other values in life.

Director of the municipal Department of Education and Training  Le Hong Son said that teachers should try overcoming the difficulties to become exemplary models for students to follow; moreover, teachers should teach with all devotion and enthusiasm.

Water-improvement programme targets 30,000 drought-hit residents

The United Nations Fund for Children (UNICEF) and Việt Nam Red Cross signed a co-operation agreement to improve drinking water and hygiene for areas suffering severe drought and saltwater intrusion.

The agreement, signed this morning, is worth VNĐ3 billion (US$125,000).

Some 30,000 people including 10,000 students and 15,000 women are expected to benefit from the assistance, which is applicable from now until next February in six provinces of Bến Tre, Bình Thuận, Ninh Thuận and Sóc Trăng, as well as Kon Tum and Gia Lai.

The assistance programme will focus on strengthening the management of rehabilitation initiatives and building resilience against droughts and saline intrusion in the project areas. It will also help strengthen human resources for community-based disaster risk management and promote communication on clean water and environmental hygiene in schools, families and communities in the area.

“Children are among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, which carries a potential risk to their health, so UNICEF has provided emergency support in co-operation with the government in response to the drought and salt water intrusion in Việt Nam since August 2016,” said Jesper Moller, UNICEF Deputy Representative in Việt Nam.

President of Việt Nam Red Cross Nguyễn Thị Xuân Thu said this was the first time UNICEF and the organisation had directly signed an emergency response agreement, even though UNICEF has co-operated with Việt Nam’s government since 1975.

She said she welcomed this development.

The signing of the co-operation agreement marks an important milestone in providing support to the children affected by the drought and salt water intrusion crisis, maximising the role of both organisations in facilitating an emergency response. UNICEF and the Việt Nam Red Cross will partner to deliver emergency responses across a total of 24 schools and 12 communes over the next four months, in close collaboration with their national partners and local governments.

This partnership has been made possible thanks to the generous support of the government of Japan, which made a $2.5 million contribution to UNICEF for the emergency response to improve the well-being of women and children in the affected areas.

Saigon Hi-Tech Park holds int’l conference on applied nanotechnology, nanomaterials

Saigon Hi-tech Park (SHTP) on Thursday opened the 4th annual international conference 2016 with the theme Applied Nanotechnology & Nanomaterials in District 9.

The two-day conference includes three sessions themed Nanoelectronics and Devices; Nanosynthetics and Applications; and Nonomedicine and Nonobiotechnology.

The conference features 28 speakers from 12 countries including the US, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and the host country.

Among the delegates at the conference is Professor Munir Nahfey from University of Illinois in the US, one of the pioneers in this field. He spoke about the role of nanotechnology in development of hi-tech economies.

Professor Nguyễn Đức Chiến from the Hà Nội University of Science and Technology gave a presentation on the research of nanophysics and nanotechnology in Việt Nam.

Universities and enterprises will also give presentations on the application of nanotechnology in production. Among the presenters are Kova (Việt Nam), ZEON, Dynamic Co-Creation (Japan); Nanoglobe Pte (Singapore); Daegu University (South Korea), Việt Nam National University and Việt Nam Academy of Science and Technology.

“This annual conference will bring a comprehensive look on research and development trends in the world, and offer an opportunity for development of nanotechnology in Việt Nam,” said Lê Hoài Quốc, president of SHTP.

Experts suggest ways to develop rural workers’ vocational skills

VAn official from the EU Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has suggested several policies on health care and education to develop vocational skills for rural workers in Vietnam at a recent workshop in Hanoi.

The workshop was to introduce the outcomes of the Youth Inclusion project conducted by the Vietnam’s Ministry of Home Affairs and the OECD.

Special Assistant to the Chief Operating Officer at the OECD Development Centre Ji-Yeun Rim said that it is necessary to revise vocational training programmes in line with businesses’ requirements to expand job opportunities for youngsters and to develop the working environment in agricultural small-and medium-sized enterprises.

She recommended raising awareness among youths of building rural policies and creating venues for innovation exchange.

Meanwhile, Director of the Institute of Labour Science and Social Affairs Dao Quang Vinh suggested increasing cooperation with businesses to ensure jobs for graduates and implementing policies to attract and support youngsters with vocational training.

He also proposed developing career guidance activities and improving the quality of training programmes.

According to Ji-Yeun Rim, youngsters make up nearly 30 percent of Vietnam’s total population, 70 percent of whom live in rural areas.

The proportion of young people is decreasing and Vietnam is entering the aging population period, she said.

Around 10 percent of Vietnamese children quit primary and secondary schools. Those aged 5-17 never going to school is 2.6 percent, mainly from ethnic minority groups and poor households in the Mekong Delta.

Only 72 percent of youngsters in ethnic minority areas are literate, while the proportion in disadvantaged regions is 77 percent.

The Mekong Delta has the worst occupational index for young people. Meanwhile, the Red River Delta and the southeastern region are home to the biggest proportion of young salary earners, and the lowest is reported in the Central Highlands and the northern mountainous region.

Taiwan leads in hiring Vietnamese guest workers

More than 98,000 Vietnam guest workers went abroad during the first ten months of 2016, up 16.98% against last year’s same period and nearly reaching 100% of the entire calendar year 2016 target.

The reopening of the Republic of Korea (ROK) market was a major boon to helping Vietnam fulfil its target for the year, said Deputy Minister Diep of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.

Ministry figures showed that for just the month of October – 10,361 workers were working abroad broken down as follows: Taiwan (6,110), Japan (3,193), ROK (641), Malaysia (18), Saudi Arabia (267), Macau (27) and Algeria (105).

The total number of workers was comprised of 3,679 female and 2,431 male workers.

Mr Diep explained that though Taiwan leads in terms of sheer number of workers, those numbers have tapered off in the 10 months January-October despite the Ministry having implemented several measures aimed at buttressing them.

He said a contributing factor in the decline is that most Vietnamese workers say they prefer working conditions in other markets such as the ROK, over employment in Taiwan.

On average, he said, over the past few years Vietnam has sent more than 70,000 employees to Taiwan, more than twofold the number sent to Japan, which ranges from 30,000-35,000 annually.

At present, choosing appropriate candidates for the Japanese market is facing difficulties, said Mr Dien, expressing hope that obstacles will be overcome and conditions more favourable soon.

Mr Diep said Taiwan, Japan and the ROK barring any monumental unforeseen change in circumstances will most likely remain the three key markets throughout the remainder of the year.

In Japan, workers are primarily engaged in the medical fields as nurse practitioners, orderlies, medical assistants, cleaning staff and domestic workers. Currently, the Japan government is in the process of modifying the laws to allow Vietnamese workers to extend their stay in the country for up to five years.

Thailand began receiving Vietnamese workers in the offshore fishing and construction trades as of May, 2016. However, the market is not lucrative enough for workers because it offers a much lower salary than other markets such as Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Japan and the ROK.

In addition, working on Thai fishing vessels is very strenuous and physically demanding when compared to the work in other trades on offer from the majority of other foreign countries.

Although the Vietnam government has signed labour agreements with Australia and New Zealand, only a limited handful of guest workers have had the opportunity to work in these markets because of highly restrictive quotas.

The Ministry had negotiated with the Israeli Ambassador on quotas to send workers to the Middle Eastern country to work in construction and agriculture but, negotiations collapsed due to Israeli concerns regarding the reliability of Vietnamese workers.

Mr Diep noted there are many markets that pay high salaries in need of guest workers, but prior experience with too many Vietnamese workers illegally staying after their work permits expired has and continues to create needless problems.

This problem must be satisfactorily dealt with if Vietnam is to have any realistic hope of stimulating labour exports in the coming time, Mr Diep concluded.

ROK proposes to build Can Tho’s first smart bridge

An architectural firm from the Republic of Korea (ROK) submitted a proposal on November 18 to the city of Can Tho to construct its first smart bridge that would include technology never seen before in Vietnam.

Sensors built into the bridge would capture and analyse data such as the strain, movements and inclinations of the bridge, as well as the temperature, humidity and pressure from vehicles. 

Experts would then be able to tell the state of the bridge according to the data they receive, with the aim of discovering damage much sooner than regular tests performed with present technology.

The new bridge would be a proving ground for the technologies of the future in Vietnam and following its success the new smart bridge would become a nationwide model for future bridges to be constructed throughout the nation.

The aim, said Thomas Won, a business director of Planning Korea Company from the ROK, is to make driving faster, safer and reduce congestion. Another advantage of the project is that it could reduce the number of drivers who enter the road on an exit and drive against the flow of traffic.

By warning these people and other drivers of the mistake they are about to make, the system will increase safety for what is a recurrent problem on roadways throughout Vietnam— drivers driving the wrong direction of the roadway.

The digital bridge project would also involve introducing free Wi-Fi access.

Radar sensors have already formed an integral part of driver assistance systems for many years and can for example, ensure that a constant distance is maintained from the vehicle ahead, and initiate or automatically perform emergency braking.

Smart bridges such as that proposed would make it possible to guide vehicles to an emergency stop on the bridge if a vehicle’s sensor system fails, removing the need for emergency braking.

A second signal could simultaneously be sent out to warn other vehicles on the bridge to keep a safe distance away. Obviously, this would avoid any interruption to the flow of traffic, said Mr Won.

In addition, there is even technology available that makes it possible for a bridge to warn vehicles that cars in front of it are about to stop— even before the brake lights go on. Such capabilities are designed to provide drivers with alternative routes and warn them of impending dangers.

Ban Flower Festival 2017 opens in March next year

The Ban Flower Festival 2017 is scheduled to begin in March next year in the northern province of Dien Bien, together with the fifth Culture – Sports – Tourism Festival, according to the provincial People’s Committee. 

The two festivals will take place between March and May next year with main activities held from March 11-14. 

The events will include exhibitions of ethnic groups culture, ethnic groups’ traditional musical performances, the Miss Ban Flower contest, traditional rituals and sports challenges. 

Held in 2013 for the first time, the Ban Flower Festival 2017 and the fifth Culture-Sports-Tourism Festival aims to promote Ban flower, a feature of Dien Bien province and the northwestern region, and boost local tourism.

It is also part of activities for the Year of National Tourism 2017, themed “Colours of the Northwestern Region”. 

The white and purple Ban flower, scientifically known as Bauhinia Variegata, is typical to the northern mountainous region of Vietnam and often in blossom in spring.

Charitable art program raises money for the poor in city

A charitable art program raising fund for the poor will be organized at the Ho Chi Minh City Television’s Theater on November 25.

The event will be jointly held by the Vietnamese Fatherland front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and Ho Chi Minh City Television.

The program featuring the participation of many well-known artists will be broadcast live on HTV9 channel.

The organization board has called on sponsors to donate to the “Fund for the poor”, aiming at supporting disadvantaged people.

The event is part of the Vietnamese government’s national target program on sustainable poverty reduction from now until 2020.

All donations can be sent to the Vietnamese Fatherland front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City at No.57 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street in District 1, account number 1000000123456789 in the Social Policy Bank's HCM City branch.

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