Two Lao men caught with 200,000 synthetic drugs

Two Lao men captured with drug packs. — Photo baochinhphu.vn

Border guards in the central province of Quảng Trị on Tuesday captured two Lao men carrying 200,000 synthetic drug tablets across the border into Việt Nam.

Vietnamese and Lao border guards in Quảng Trị and Savannakhet on Monday afternoon discovered Lăm Phon, 42, and Thong Xay, 34, carrying the drugs and attempting to enter Việt Nam on a truck with a Lao registration plate.

Vietnamese border guards and an anti-drug trade unit are working with Lao counterparts to return the men and drugs to the Lao side for further investigation.

This is the second successful case thanks to collaboration between Vietnamese and Lao counterparts to combat the illegal drug trade in the border areas.

Earlier last week, the joint force intercepted 114,000 drug tablets near Lao Bảo Border Gate.

Unified road safety statistics would boost policy efforts

HCM City Traffic Police presented the city’s children with 1,000 helmets. The helmet regulation has helped to reduce traffic accident-related death since 2007. 

Differences in statistics released by various agencies have hindered road safety efforts, reported online traffic safety newspaper atgt.vn.

The Law on Statistics puts the Ministry of Public Security in charge of recording figures on traffic accidents across the country. For years, this has been handled by the ministry’s police department.

The National Committee for Traffic Safety and other relevant offices used the figures to propose traffic safety policies to the Government, the paper said.

But alternate figures are provided by the healthcare sector. The numbers of hospitalisations and deaths in hospitals from traffic accidents are tallied to come up with reports for the Ministry of Health.

According to the newspaper, the police reports always under-represent the actual number of traffic accidents.

For example, the police said traffic accidents killed 8,700 people in 2015, while the Ministry of Health put the number at 16,800.

On the Tết holiday in 2016, the police reported 380 people were injured and 300 killed in 400 accidents. But the health ministry said 43,000 people were hospitalised by traffic incidents.

Nguyễn Văn Thụy of the General Statistics Office of Việt Nam admitted there are discrepancies between the two agencies’ statistical reports.

Vice chairman of the National Committee of Traffic Safety Khuất Việt Hùng said the differing statistics made it impossible to gain an accurate view of traffic accidents throughout the country.

“If we had accurate numbers of deaths and injuries, we could institute much more appropriate policies,” Hùng said. “We could prevent accidents if we knew the exact numbers of incidents caused by speeding, infrastructure problems and drunk driving.”

Hùng said the police numbers come from reports written at the scene of accidents, while the health ministry bases its numbers on records of hospital visits.

The police reporting does not account for cases in which people were injured but the police were never involved.

In addition, the divergent numbers may be due in part to how the two agencies choose to define traffic accidents.

Hùng said he believes the health ministry numbers may be inflated because they are based on hospital visits. After being involved in an accident, one person could require multiple visits to different hospitals, each of which would be recorded as another incident.

Up to now, the police numbers have only counted victims of accidents who died within a day of crashing, but new international regulations say official statistics must include victims who die within 30 days of an accident.

“We should apply the new regulations soon,” Hùng said.

Hùng suggested setting up a national database to unify reporting standards and come to numbers both agencies can agree on.

It will be necessary to unify figures provided by the police, the health ministry and medical insurance agencies.

Đào Việt Long, head of the Transport Management Section of Hà Nội’s Department of Transport, said a shared database would also help manage driver and vehicle records.

Lê Văn Đạt, director of the Centre for Traffic Safety Database Analysis, said police in some countries assign a code number to each accident, allowing the victims’ treatment, insurance claims and other issues to be effectively tracked and handled.

“These code systems can help improve service after a crash, but most importantly they provide accurate reporting so we can set up good traffic safety policies,” Đạt said.

The Government seems to agree. According to Hùng, it has asked the Ministry of Public Security to issue a degree on sharing statistical date between the police and healthcare agencies.

The decree would unify how the agencies define traffic accidents, he said.

“The shared database would help authorities keep track of the causes of traffic injuries and deaths so we can take steps to improve road safety,” he said. 

Quang Ninh culture week in honours culture of ethnic groups

Performance at the first culture and sports week for ethnic groups held in Quang ninh in 2017 (Photo: qdnd.vn)

The second culture and sports week for ethnic groups, a platform for connecting different ethnic communities in the region, will take place from October 4-7 Tien Yen district, the northeastern province of Quang Ninh.

More than 500 artists and athletes from districts and cities inside and outside the province will participate in the week, according to the organising board.

The week will feature a wide range of events such as a folk and music festival, modern dance and sports dance performances, sports competitions of ethnic groups, local cuisine, an OCOP trade fair, a traditional boat race, and activities on the Tien Yen walking street.  

The event aims to honour cultural identities of ethnic people in the province, while promoting potential on folk culture and sports as well as traditional sports of ethnic communities, thus creating a chain of activities in the National Tourism Year 2018 in Quang Ninh province. 

The week is also expected to promote the image, people, landscapes and the unique cultural characteristics of different ethnic groups in Quang Ninh to both Vietnamese and foreigners, thereby attracting more tourists.

The first culture and sports week held last year attracted tens of thousands of visitors.

Tien Yen is often referred to as the second Hoi An because of its numerous French- and Chinese-style architectural structures built in the early 20th century. The district also maintains old houses built in traditional Vietnamese style, including Linh Quan house, which was constructed 150 years ago.

Workshop supports educational needs of autistic children

The National Fund for Vietnamese Children (NFVC) and the Hanoi National University of Education co-organised a workshop in Hanoi on September 18 in order to complete the outline for a programme to assist children with autism.

Speaking at the workshop, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha acknowledged efforts made by teachers and experts to compile the outline over the past five months.

Ha stressed that Vietnam has yet to have standardised documents guiding the education of autistic children, leaving families to clutch at different educational methods.

The set will help ease anxiety in seeking autism-related educational methods, she added, noting that the issue of the set should be aided by a communications campaign to raise public awareness and responsibility towards children with autism.

The freshly compiled documents consist of two sets, one for personnel working with children with autism and the other for parents or carers of autistic kids.

Its contents include writings, images, videos, and reference documents that help readers understand the child’s possible needs and offer up some potential solutions.

Responding to the outline, participants suggested the necessity of a common name for the autism spectrum disorder in Vietnamese and other foreign languages. They said the guide book for parents should introduce criteria for the selection of caregivers and support centres. 

The NFVC had previously raised the importance of the documents as part of its project to boost public awareness of autism at a conference last April.

The ongoing project, costing 10 billion VND (430,065 USD) and sponsored by the Phu Nhuan Jewellery company, will run for five years from 2018 to 2022. It is expected to issue a standardised set of documents assisting Vietnamese autistic kids, to train 100 autism support and communications personnel, and spread knowledge for 10,000 parents and caregivers. Around 4,000 autistic children are estimated to benefit from the project. 

Cuba wraps up activities marking Fidel’s historic visit to Vietnam

Cuban students visit a photo exhibition on Fidel Castro's historic trip to Vietnam 45 years ago 

The Cuban Institute for Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) and the Vietnamese Embassy in Cuba held a ceremony on September 17 to conclude a series of activities across the country to mark 45 years since Fidel Castro’s historic visit to Vietnam.

Head of the International Relations Commission of the Cuban National Assembly Yolanda Ferrer, who is also President of the Cuba-Vietnam Friendship Association, recalled the wholehearted fraternity of the Vietnamese people when they welcomed Fidel Castro during his visit from September 12 to 17, 1973.

With this trip, Fidel became the only foreign leader to visit the newly-liberated area in the south of Vietnam during the resistance war against the US, she said, adding that the then Commander-in-Chief of Cuba showed his sincere admiration for the Vietnamese people, laying a new solid foundation for reinforcing bilateral relations.

Ferrer said in the past two weeks, chapters of the Cuba-Vietnam Friendship Association across the country held many activities to celebrate this milestone and reviewed the priceless lessons left by late President Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnamese people.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba Nguyen Trung Thanh appreciated the concrete and practical actions that the Cuban people and the ICAP have taken to express and pass down the Vietnam-Cuba exemplary solidarity to future generations.

He said in the past, with the enormous support from international friends, especially Cuba, Vietnam weathered all difficulties to succeed in gaining independence and national reunification.

Nowadays, with their resolve to move ahead on the path to self-reliant development, the Cuban people will also overcome all challenges and groundless policies imposed by other countries to successfully build a prosperous and sustainable socialist Cuba, Thanh stressed, affirming that the Vietnamese people will continue supporting Cuba on this path.

Also on September 17, Thanh met with ICAP President Fernando Gonzalez Llort to discuss the two countries’ cooperation.

Earlier, the Organisation of Solidarity with the Peoples of Asia, Africa and Latin America (OSPAAAL) also held a meeting to look back on Fidel’s visit to Vietnam 45 years ago.

Oldest fire station in New South Wales to become “Vietnam House”

Stanmore fire house, the oldest fire station in New South Wales, Australia, will be turned into a “Vietnam House” 

The oldest fire station in New South Wales, Australia, will be turned into a “Vietnam House”, its new owner has said.

Andy Hoang, a Vietnamese expatriate in New South Wales who has bought the Stanmore fire station, said the building will be turned into a hotel and restaurant complex which will serve as a “Vietnam House” to connect Vietnamese businesses and Australian firms owned by Vietnamese.

The house will also help to promote Vietnam’s images in Australia, Hoang added.

Hoang is currently Director of Australia Asia Business Consulting Company (AABC), which provides consulting and promotion services to Vietnamese and Australian businesses. He is also the Co-Founder and President of Vietnamese Business Support Club (VBSC Incorporated).

Built in 1886, Stanmore is one of the two oldest fire stations in New South Wales. Covering an area of nearly 1,000 square metres with unique architectural structure, it is home to various historical items of the state’s firefighting force.

After its closure in 1990, the fire station was listed as a historical site in Marickville area and turned into a private villa of an Australian entrepreneur.

In March 2018, the building was offered for sale on Australia’s property market at a price of dozens of millions of Australian dollars.

HCM City picks up the litter for World Clean-up Day 2018

In response to World Clean-up Day 2018 on September 15, several organizations and units in HCM City have carried out clean-up activities to raise public awareness about environmental protection.

Vietnam Clean & Green organized a number of activities to collect rubbish along Nguyen Van Linh street and at the foot of Ong Lon bridge in district 7 with the participation of nearly 100 students and pupils.

In Thu Duc district, HCM City Youth Social Work Centre hosted clean-up activities at Song Than flyover with the participation of more than 50 youth union members and local youngsters. Apart from cleaning up a large quantity of rubbish in the area, the youths also helped out by delivering leaflets and calling on people to join hands in protecting the environment.

The HCM City Department of Natural Resources and Environment has held clean-up activities in residential areas and public places.

According to Ms Nguyen Thi Thanh My, deputy director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, these activities aim to disseminate information and raise public awareness about protecting the environment, changing behavior and encouraging environmentally friendly lifestyles as well as fighting pollution in the city.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment has also implemented two models to protect the environment in Thanh An commune in Can Gio district and Binh Chanh district. It also coordinated with the Vietnam Fatherland Front to deploy two publicity campaigns on environmental protection in religious communities, limit the use of nylon bags and encourage recycling and waste separation at grassroots levels.

In addition, districts in the city created lists of polluted locations due to the stagnancy of rubbish and are devising plans to clean up the locations in the near future.

In response to World clean-up day 2018, more than 16 million people in 150 nations around the world have participated in cleaning up waste in order to raise public awareness of the importance of protecting the earth’s environment.

VSS’s entry to ASSA brings about practical benefits

VSS General Director Nguyen Thi Minh

The Vietnam Social Security (VSS)’s entry to the ASEAN Social Security Association (ASSA) has brought about important and practical benefits, improving Vietnam’s social and health insurance systems via acquiring experience and lessons on management and policy enforcement.

VSS General Director Nguyen Thi Minh made the statement on the sidelines of the 35th ASSA Board Meeting in the beach city of Nha Trang, the central province of Khanh Hoa on September 18-19 on the occasion of the association’s 20th founding anniversary and the 20th anniversary of the VSS’s entry to ASSA. 

Minh said over the past two decades, VSS has joined activities of the association, contributing to building the socio-cultural pillar of the ASEAN Community.  

Minh said via ASSA meetings, the VSS had found opportunities to popularise its external activities and improve the sector’s stature and staff capacity. 

According to her, ASEAN’s social security system is entering a new development stage due to the fourth Industrial Revolution and free labour migration. 

In Vietnam, the workforce is forecast to grow by 1.28 percent annually on average, or 723,000 people per year. The number of workers is predicted to rise from 55.54 million in 2016 to 62 million in 2025. To meet demand, the economy needs to generate roughly 650,000 jobs a year. 

In the face of aging population, natural disasters, poverty, environmental pollution and impacts of the fourth industrial revolution, social welfare programmes need to be refined and services need to be made accessible to workers and residents, especially the vulnerable. 

The VSS and ASSA members aim to adjust policies, rearrange management using modern technology and sign bilateral and multilateral agreements to ensure workers’ rights. 

They will also share experience and learn from experts, partners and international organisations while paying attention to workforce training to adapt to a borderless economy.

Quang Tri border guard, Lao forces arrest drug dealers

The border guard force of the central province of Quang Tri, in cooperation with Lao authorised agencies, have arrested drug smugglers from Laos, seizing 200,000 methamphetamine pills.

On September 17, in a village in Muong Phin district of Laos’ Savannakhet province, the Quang Tri border guard and local security forces arrested two men, who were born in 1984 and 1976, for illegal possession and transportation of drugs. Both are residing in Khammouane province of Laos.

Aside from the pills, other items seized included a pickup truck and five removable licence plates. The case is under investigation.

Earlier on September 12, the forces caught a Lao national transporting methamphetamines to Vietnam. They seized 114,000 meth pills, a handgun, two bullets, one motorcycle, one mobile phone and related documents.

Colonel Le Van Phuong, chief of the Quang Tri border guard force, said the recent arrests of drug smugglers show the efforts and close collaboration between Quang Tri province and Laos’ authorised agencies.

66,000 glasses of milk offered to Vinh Phuc children

The “Stand Tall Vietnam” Milk Fund and Vietnam Dairy Products JSC (Vinamilk) on September 17 presented 66,000 glasses of milk worth VND430 million to 700 pupils in Tam Dao district, Vinh Phuc province on the occasion of Mid-Autumn Festival.

At the presentation ceremony, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affair Nguyen Thi Ha said she hopes that party committees, local authorities, socio-political organizations, schools, businesses, and each family and citizen further help Vietnamese children, especially those from disadvantaged villages improve their nutrition.

66,000 glasses of milk offered to vinh phuc children hinh 2 In addition to the milk, these pupils also received free medical check-ups by doctors from Vinamilk’s Nutrition Counseling Centre. 

The “Stand Tall Vietnam” Milk Fund was established in 2008 under the chairmanship of the National Fund for Children of Vietnam - Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs in collaboration with Vinamilk with a mission to ensure the right to drink milk every day of Vietnamese children.

66,000 glasses of milk offered to vinh phuc children hinh 4 Around 1,540,800 glasses of milk worth VND10 billion have been being provided for more than 17,000 children in 23 provinces and cities this year, bringing the total glasses of milk that the program has offered in 10 years to more than 33 million worth nearly VND140 billion.

Hanoi moving forward to smart city development

Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung giving a speech at the (ASOCIO) Smart City Summit 2018

A master plan to develop at least three smart urban areas in Vietnam are expected to be approved from now to 2020 under a project for sustainable and smart urban development for the 20180- 2015 period and orientations to 2030 adopted by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on August 1, 2018.

Accordingly, the capital city’s investment will be focused on infrastructure development and smart city utility applications, said Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung at the Asian-Oceanian Computing Industry organisation (ASOCIO) Smart City Summit 2018, opened in Hanoi on September 18.

Hanoi is one of the megacities in the world in terms of area and population density. Rapid urbanization and rapid population growth have posed numerous challenges in respect of planning, traffic congestion, security, health, education, energy, housing development, and environmental pollution.

The capital city is aiming to develop a smart city model that brings convenience, safety and eco-friendly development to all people based on the application of key Industrial Revolution 4.0 technologies.

"Hanoi is working toward its goal for a smart metropolis in the context of the fast growing industrial revolution 4.0 with cutting-edge technologies such as 3D printing, Virtual Reality, Cloud Computing, Robot, Big Data, Blockchain, and Artificial Intelligence that requires leaders, managers and technology experts to work together on building a smart city towards the improved quality of living environment for people and the promotion of growth and socio-economic development, "Chung stressed.

Vietnam is considered one of the fastest urbanized countries in the region and in the world. According to a report from the Ministry of Construction, by the end of 2017, Vietnam has had 813 urban areas with an urbanization rate of 37.5%.

The need to build a smart city to ensure sustainable development factors, thus bringing convenience, safety and eco-friendliness to people are becoming increasingly urgent. Therefore, the application of new Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies is seen as a viable solution to meet this demand, the municipal leader said.

The ASOCIO Smart City Summit from 18-19, themed “Creating Smarter and Securer Cities by Digital Solutions” is organised by the People’s Committee of Hanoi, the Asian-Oceanian Computing Industry organisation (ASOCIO) and the Vietnam Software and IT Services (Vinasa). 

During the summit, delegates share visions, strategies and experience in smart urban building, and collect opinions of managers and IT experts on smart urban management, planning and development based on new technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality (AR). 

The event also covers seminars on digital government and strategies to build smart cities, and smarter cities with less cash transactions; along with sections on infrastructure, platform – principles for smart city, data driven city – data analysis & urban planning and smart industries.

Sustainable Forest-and Bio-Economy project launched in Hanoi

“European-Vietnamese Higher Education Network for Sustainable Forest-and Bio-Economy” (BioEcoNet) project, under Eramus+ programme, was launched at Vietnam National University- University of Science- (VNU-HUS) in Hanoi on September 18.

The event saw the participation of representatives from EU delegation to Vietnam, embassies of partner countries and Vietnamese agencies.

In his opening speech, Vice Rector of VNU University of Science - Assoc. Prof. Sc. Dr. Vu Hoang Linh said the Erasmus Plus project promotes ecological and economical sustainability in the bio-economy sector at the interface of academic concepts, offered graduate programs and required skills and professional expertise.

He noted that it will support such value creation in the Bio-Economy sector as it equips universities and future graduates with the required skills, methodologies and innovation.

The project addresses the level of academic, methodology and institutional skills among all universities through the design and development of a new graduate blended or e-learning programme.

It also offers an opportunity to the lecturers and teaching staff as well as the current students to acquire knowledge and skills, on top of their regular curricula, in an international learning environment.

On the occasion,VNU-HUS representatives and foreign partners signed a number of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) regarding the implementation of the project.

The (BioEcoNet) project, under Eramus+ programme, which covers biobased economy, bioeconomy or biotechonomy, refers to all economic activity derived from scientific and research activity focused on biotechnology.

The term is widely used by regional development agencies, international organizations, biotechnology companies. It is closely linked to the evolution of the biotechnology industry.

The ability to study, understand and manipulate genetic material has been possible due to scientific breakthroughs and technological progress.

The evolution of the biotechnology industry and its application to agriculture, health, chemical or energy industries is a classic example of bioeconomic activity

In times of resource scarcity, a bio-economy based on renewable resources like forest products seems to be the solution to increasing consumption of materials and energy. Bio-Economy in itself cannot be considered as self-evidently sustainable. Viewing value creation in the Bio-Economy sector through the lens of sustainable forestry requires a multidisciplinary approach.

The economic demands need to be properly balanced, and targets have to be tackled simultaneously by young academics and next generation experts.

In Europe and in Vietnam, no multidisciplinary M.Sc. programme exists, focusing on the combination of sustainable forestry and Bio-Economy at an international level in spite of the long tradition of higher education for sustainable forest economy or forest management.

Universities face the challenge of producing 'fit-for-job' graduates in response to innovative and multidisciplinary sectors and technologies such as Bio-Economy, biomass-production, and environmental planning or nature and biodiversity conservation.

From this perspective, the Erasmus+ project named “European-Vietnamese Higher Education Network for Sustainable Forest- and Bio-Economy“ has been funded for three years from the end of 2017. This is one of several Erasmus+ projects running by VNU University of science.

This is a joint project co-hosted by VNU University of Science, Eberswalder University of Sustainable development from Germany, University of Valladolid from Spain, South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences from Finland, Vietnam National University of Forestry and Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry.

Also at the opening ceremony, an official link of the project was launched at http://bioecon.eu/

Hanoi fire forces evacuation at children’s hospital

A fire broke out at a house on the capital city’s La Thanh Street, near the Central Children Hospital, on September 17, forcing patients and their families in parts of the hospital to be evacuated.

Reportedly starting at around 6pm, the fire later spread to seven neighbouring houses and was approaching the hospital with smoke seen billowing from the area.

All patients being treated in the B and C sections of the hospital were evacuated.

Many fire engines were dispatched to the scene, while several nearby streets were cordoned off. Traffic through La Thanh Street was also diverted to other routes.

The fire was mostly contained by 8pm with no reports of human casualties. The cause of the fire is now under investigation.

12 turtles released in Phu Quoc

The management board of Phu Quoc Marine Park in the southern province of Kien Giang will release 12 rare turtles into the wild.

The turtles were recently found at Pham Van Tuan’s house at Tho Chau Commune. Tuan said that he bought them from local fishermen.

According to Tuan, he bought the animals to sell to another person who then would re-sell them for others to be set free at the price of VND10 million (USD454.45).

The turtles weigh a total 165.5 kilos. The biggest is 52 kilos and the smallest is eight kilos.

The turtles are now being temporarily kept at a farm near An Thoi Port. In some days to come when their health is better, they will be released back into the wild.

Road project connecting Phu Yen, Gia Lai ratified

The PM has approved the construction of a road transport connecting the central province of Phu Yen and the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai under the BT (Build-Transfer) investment form. 

With the length of 61.3 km, the project is meaningful to the ethnic minority in the mountainous areas and creates force for socio-economic development and prevents floods and storms as well as serves for search and rescue. 

In the upcoming time, the road will be upgrade into highway. 

The PM has asked Phu Yen Province’s People’s Committee to hold responsible for investment of the project and the use of Government bonds in the 2016-2020 phase for payment for investors.

Cho Ray Phnom Penh Hospital receives continued support from HCM City doctors

A doctor treats a patient at Chợ Rẫy Phnom Penh Hospital. — Photo courtesy of Chợ Rẫy Phnom Penh Hospital

Chợ Rẫy Hospital in HCM City will continue to deploy physicians and specialists for medical assistance at Chợ Rẫy Phnom Penh Hospital in Cambodia, according to Nguyễn Trường Sơn, director of Chợ Rẫy Hospital.

Since its inception in 2014, Chợ Rẫy Phnom Penh Hospital has received an average of 15 Vietnamese physicians every week who are sent temporarily to work at there.

The number of inpatients at Chợ Rẫy Phnom Penh Hospital rose sharply to 5,590 last year from 1,260 in 2014, an indication that patients now have more trust in their local doctors.

Thousands of physicians from Hùng Vương Hospital, Từ Dũ Hospital and Chợ Rẫy Hospital in Việt Nam have worked at Chợ Rẫy Phnom Penh Hospital and shared specialised medical knowledge and transferred medical technologies to their Cambodian peers.

With strong support from Vietnamese hospitals, Cambodians can more easily access medical services without travelling abroad and Cambodian doctors can improve their professional skills as well.

“This is evidence of a good neighbuorly friendship between the two countries,” he said.

Vietnamese doctors from Chợ Rẫy Hospital in HCM City will continue to support their Cambodian peers, using telemedicine and travel to the hospital in Phnom Penh to perform surgery and treat patients with serious diseases.

Trần Thanh Tùng, general director of Chợ Rẫy Phnom Penh Hospital, said many Cambodians often travelled to neighbouring countries, including Thailand, Singapore and Việt Nam, for check-ups and treatment because they did not trust local doctors.

With medical training and technology transfer from Vietnamese doctors, more and more Cambodian people trust doctors at Chợ Rẫy Phnom Penh Hospital, resulting in a rising volume of patients, according to Tùng.

The number of patients undergoing surgery was 955 last year compared to 236 in 2014.

In the first eight months of the year, the figure rose by 51 per cent compared to the same period last year.

The 500-bed Chợ Rẫy Phnom Penh Hospital, a joint venture between Việt Nam’s Saigon Medical Investment JSC and Cambodia’s Sokimex Co, has departments specialising in internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics, cardiology, trauma and orthopedics, diagnostic tests, and emergency aid. 

Legal proceedings launched after accident in Lai Châu

The investigation agency of Lai Châu Police has inspected eight tyres from the concrete mixer to determine the cause of the collision on National High No 4D crossing Tam Ðu?ng District, which left 13 dead on Saturday. — Photo vov.vn

Police from the northern province of Lai Châu on Monday decided to start legal proceeding after an accident between a concrete mixer and a coach on National High No 4D through Tam Ðu?ng District which left 13 dead on Saturday.

Both vehicles careened off a bridge, falling 10m into a stream.

The case was prosecuted on charges of violating road traffic regulations.

Although both drivers died in the accident, the prosecution was launched to clarify the responsibility of involved individuals and organisations, according to Colonel Bùi Xuân Phong, deputy director of Lai Châu Police Department.

"Currently, the investigation police agency have inspected eight tyres from the concrete mixer, while the engine and black box from the vehicle are being examined,” he said.

Initial enquiries showed that the truck was not being operated in accordance with technical regulations, affecting the braking system, he said, adding that the provincial police are instructing all units to urgently investigate the cause of the accident.

In related news, the Agriculture Bank Insurance Joint Stock Company’s Phú Th? Branch has cooperated with Hoành Son Co Ltd – the company managing the truck, to provide VNÐ120 million (US$5,150) for the families of those killed in the accident. Initially, each victim’s family will receive VNÐ10 million from the insurance payout. The Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs of Tam Ðu?ng District have received the payment which will be distributed to the families.

The branch has determined the level of liability in this accident is over VNÐ2 billion ($86,000).

An Giang develops giant river prawn farming area

Farmers harvest giant river prawns in An Giang Province.

Farmers in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang have bred giant river prawns on 74ha so far this year, up 40.6 per cent against the same period last year, according to the province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Most giant river prawn farming areas are in Tho?i Son, Châu Thành and Châu Phú districts, and Long Xuyên City.

The breeding of giant river prawns in An Giang has developed since 2000, mostly in ponds or under rice-shrimp rotation models in rice fields.

The breeding of the huge crustaceans in rice fields during the delta’s flooding season has offered farmers higher profits than rice cultivation.

Farmer Tr?nh Van Dinh, from An Phú District’s Vinh H?u Commune, catches giant river prawn fries in floodwaters and then breeds them in his rice field.

This year, Dinh is breeding more than 12,000 giant river prawn fries on a 3,000 sq.m field.  

He is expected to earn VNÐ100 million (US$4,300) from harvesting 300 kilos of giant river prawns compared to 200 kilos last year, as floodwaters have been higher than those of last year.

During the flooding season, farmers enclose flooded fields with  wooden stakes and nets to farm the prawns, which eat natural food in floodwaters. The higher the floodwaters, the faster the prawns grow.

The area for breeding the prawns increased from 5.5ha in 2000 to 650ha in 2007.

However, the province’s giant river prawn farming area shrank in size in recent years because of low quality prawn fries, low yield and losses.

The province is now using advanced farming techniques and breeding only male giant river prawns, according to the department.  

Giant male river prawns grow faster than female prawns and are strongly resistant to disease, and can be harvested within four to six months.

Profits from male giant river prawns have increased by 30 per cent compared to traditional farming, according to the province’s Fisheries Breeding Centre.

In recent years, the centre produced all male giant river prawn fries for breeding which helped to cut the number of deaths during the breeding process.

The centre has produced about 18.2 million giant river prawn post-larvae and more than 419 million of prawn larvae so far this year, meeting the demand of male prawn fries for breeding in An Giang and other provinces.

An Giang plans to have 300ha that breeds all male giant river prawn under Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices (VietGAP) standards by 2020.

Of the figure, 250ha is bred in Tho?i Son District and the rest in Châu Phú District.

The province has offered soft loans for farmers to breed giant river prawns and has provided them with farming techniques.

It also covers 50 per cent of the cost of prawn fries for farmers who breed giant river prawns under VietGAP standards. 

HCM City seeks investors for waste-burning power project

The HCM City Department of Natural Resources and Environment has submitted a proposal to the city’s People’s Committee seek domestic and foreign investors for a waste-burning power project.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Ministry of Planning and Investment, and Ministry of Construction provided the criteria to select investors for the project.

The project would treat 1,000 tonnes of waste per day, and produce 98MW per tonne by 2020, and 138MW per tonne by 2025. The investor would collect US$21 per tonne of waste after treatment.

Under the proposal, the investor must commit to buy all new equipment and machinery, and report serial numbers, product specs and production life of all equipment to the city’s department.

The city will give priority to those investors that have experience in operating electricity generation projects of the same capacity.

The city also will prioritize enterprises that have automation systems meeting the G7 standard, and classification systems for recycling waste before burning.

Priority will also be given to investors committed to training and using local human resources.

To attract investors, the city has offered land rental exemption for 11 years or a 70 per cent discount, import tax exemptions, and facilities support.

Enterprises and investors can submit their reports to the city’s department Natural Resources and Environment from September 28 to October 15.

The city collects 8,700 to 9,300 tonnes of waste per day, according to the HCM City’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

Vietnamese, Australian universities co-operate in training

HCM City Open University holds an opening ceremony for an International Credit Transfer Program with Flinders University in Australia on September 17.— Photo Courtesy of the Open University

HCM City Open University and Australia’s Flinders University are jointly providing an International Credit Transfer Programme that allows students to study 1.5 years at HCM City Open University and two years in Australia for a bachelor’s degree at Flinders.

Students will earn either a bachelor of business with majors in international business, innovation and enterprise or a bachelor of commerce with majors in finance and accounting.  

Student scholarships will include a 20 per cent deduction of tuition fees for two years at Flinders University, which guarantees student internships at Australian companies and organisations.

Students will be allowed to work 40 hours over two-week periods and can stay for two years in Australia after graduation.

An opening ceremony to kick off the programme was held yesterday (September 17) at HCM City Open University.

AmCham expands annual scholarships

The American Chamber of Commerce in Vi?t Nam will award 60 scholarships valued at VNÐ12 million (US$515) each to students from 18 leading universities in HCM City and Bình Duong Province.

All AmCham Scholarship candidates are expected to have good academic  performance, fluent communication in English, and active participation in extracurricular activities.

Aside from financial support, the annual AmCham scholars will also have a chance to be involved in certain AmCham activities, to join the AmCham Scholars Alumni Club and to be recognised by nearly 500 AmCham companies.

This year, application criteria has expanded to three new universities: University of Finance and Marketing, Tôn Ð?c Th?ng University, and HCM City University of Technology, bringing the total number of partner universities to 18.

Since its inception in 2001, the AmCham scholarship programme has awarded a total of 815 scholarships and 250 honourable mention awards to students from 15 universities in HCM City and Bình Duong Province. —VNS

Charity event raises $216,000 for disadvantaged children

Pianist Tuan Manh at the Saigon Summer Ball held on September 15 in HCM City by Saigon Children’s Charity CIO, raising $216,224 for disadvantaged children. Photo Courtesy of saigonchildren

Saigon Children’s Charity CIO raised US$216,224 for disadvantaged children through the Saigon Summer Ball it held last Saturday (September 15) in HCM City.

Since its inception in 2009, the annual ball has been known as a major charity event, featuring fine dining and wine parings, phenomenal artworks, impressive live music performances, and several exclusive auctions.

It has so far raised around $1 million.

The event supports the charity’s work like building schools, child development scholarships, vocational training, and special needs education programmes.

Saigon Children’s Charity CIO was founded in 1992 to help disadvantaged Vietnamese children get an education and a fairer start in life.

Primary students draw their Green Dreams

Hundreds of primary students took part in a painting contest launch ceremony at the Western Hanoi School on September 14.

Denmark in Your Eyes, an annual painting contest for Vietnamese school children, is  co-hosted  by  the  Danish  Embassy  in  Vi?t Nam and the Vi?t Nam  –  Denmark  Friendship Association  (VIDAFA)  with  support  from  Kim  Ð?ng  Publishing  House,  Nhi  Ð?ng Newspaper and My Kingdom – Lego Vietnam.

This year, the theme is Green Dreams to encourage young participants to share their messages and visions for current environmental issues via colourful and imaginative drawings.

“The aim of the  contest is to enable children to portray environmental issues as seen through their young eyes,  reflecting  their unique sensitivity  as  issues are perceived by children as they expressed," said Louise Holmsgaard, the Danish Embassy’s Deputy Head of Mission at the contest launching ceremony.

"It  is  our  sincere  hope  that  the  contest  will  bring  many  adults  to  experience  how  global  environmental  issues  are  perceived  by  children  as  they  express their  feelings  through  art. Denmark  is  globally  well-known  and respected  as  a  green  nation,  and  we  wish to strengthen  our  co-operation  with  Vi?t Nam  further within the green area and to help raise public awareness on the importance of a green and cleaner world,” she said.

The contest was first launched in 2016 on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vi?t Nam and Denmark by the Danish embassy and VIDAFA.

Since then, Denmark in Your Eyes has become an annual competition for children, with a different theme every year.

"Our students are excited to participate in the painting contest," said Nguy?n Th? Thùy Dung, art teacher at the Western Hanoi School. "Although we have two painting contests each year for our students, Denmark in Your Eyes is also meaningful for them. It is a chance for the students to get to know more about the culture of a foreign country."

The contest is open to all Vietnamese primary school-children. Entries should be made on A3-size art paper. Any medium, including pastel, oil pastels, pen, pencil, charcoal, acrylics, watercolor, oils and mixed media can be used.

There are no limits on the number of entries per participant and every child is welcomed  to submit as many paintings that depicting their  green dreams as they wish.

All entries should  be sent to VIDAFA’s office located on the 7th floor, 105A Quán Thánh Street, Ba Ðình,  Hà N?i  no  later  than  October  5th , 2018.  All  paintings  should  be  accompanied  with  the children’s name, age,  school, class,  email,  phone number  and full mailing address of either the parents or the school.  Please make sure the envelope is clearly labeled with Denmark in Your Eyes 2018.

The contest’s award ceremony will be held by the end of this year. A special prize winner will be awarded  with  a  camera  and  a  set  of  LEGO  toys.  The  1st,  2nd  and  3rd  prize  winners  will  be awarded  with  LEGO  toys.  In  addition,  there  are  also  50  consolation  prizes  and  two groups  will receive the organizers’ awards.  

Viet Nam to compete in U17 Jenesys 2018

Việt Nam’s U17 football team will compete in the Jenesys 2018 international tournament from October 3-10 in J-Village, Fukushima, Japan.

The team, led by head coach Đinh Thế Nam, will play alongside other U17 teams from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and the host, Japan.

The event is a youth sport exchange programme with the aim of promoting mutual understanding between Japan and Asian-Pacific countries. The programme aims to provide a good chance for young players to gain playing experience in preparation for key upcoming tournaments.

Coach Nam highly appreciated the significance of the tournament for Vietnamese U17 players, who received great assistance from the Việt Nam Football Federation (VFF) ahead of the 2019 AFF U18 Youth Championship and the 2020 AFC U19 Championship qualification.

At present, the Việt Nam squad are training at the Promotion Fund for Vietnamese Football Talent (PVF) Football Training Centre in the northern province of Hưng Yên to prepare for the upcoming international event.

Volunteers hit HCM City street for World Cleanup Day

Young people line up to register for World Cleanup Day in HCM City on Saturday (Sept 15). 

Around 80 volunteers took part in World Cleanup Day organised by Việt Nam Sạch và Xanh (Việt Nam Clean and Green), cleaning streets in HCM City’s District 7 of trash on Saturday.

Nguyễn Hữu Nhân, one of the founders of Việt Nam Sạch và Xanh, said the voluntary organisation worked to raise awareness of littering in Việt Nam and its consequences for the environment.

"Events like these are good for changing people’s mindsets and motivating them to take action, but educating them about the importance of environmental protection is still critical," he said.

The organisation has carried out a number of similar campaigns for Earth Day and others. 

Hanoi suspends music fests after drug overdose deaths

All music festivals in Hanoi have been suspended until further notice, authorities announced on September 17.

The announcement followed the deaths of seven people of suspected drug overdose at a local music festival on September 16.

Truong Minh Tien, deputy director of Hanoi's Department of Culture and Sport, announced the decision at a press conference.

The tragic incident took place at the Vietnam Electronic Weekend (VEW) Festival at the West Lake Water Park in Tay Ho District.

Five died in E Hospital, a general public hospital seven kilometers away, two died at the Hanoi Heart Hospital and five others are currently comatose, said a representative from the Ministry of Health. 

All the twelve people, between 18 and 29 years old, tested positive for narcotics.

Whether the victims were in the same group and which drugs were used have not been ascertained. Numerous balloons containing nitrous oxide, more commonly known as laughing gas, along with pills of unknown origin were found at the scene, Hanoi police reported. 

"The incident is especially serious," an officer said.

The festival was organized by Vietnamese event planning firm A Chau, said Tien. He also affirmed that all procedures necessary to authorize the event were processed in accordance with the law.

Do Anh Tuan, president of Tay Ho District's People's Committee, said that the district had deployed local police to maintain order during the festival and carried out a "dry run" beforehand. 

The West Lake Water Park was supposed to ensure security and order during the festival, said Nguyen Van Vien, deputy head of Hanoi's police department.

The department is working with relevant authorities to conduct forensic tests and identify those responsible for the incident, he added.

Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh has ordered the People's Committee of Hanoi to submit a report on the incident by Thursday.

The VEW, dubbed the biggest electronic music event ever in Vietnam, was joined by top DJs including Ben Nicky, Yellow Claw and Headhunterz, drawing thousands of fans.

The Hanoi incident is almost unprecedented in Vietnam, although drug overdose has been a threat at music festivals around the world.

Foreigners cash in on teaching English in Vietnam

With average monthly earnings of US$2,000, teaching English as a second language is a lucrative deal for many foreigners.

A survey done by Go Overseas, a US-based listing and reviews site for programs abroad, reveals that Vietnam is among the world's nine countries that pay the highest salaries for ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers.

With data updated until May this year, the survey found that a foreign English teacher can earn from VND22.7 million to VND45.5 million (US$1,000 to US$2,000) a month in Vietnam, where the average annual income last year was US$2,385.

English is an obligatory subject from sixth grade across Vietnam and in large cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, many primary schools opt for English programs for students and demand high proficiency. 

Therefore, the ESL industry has been thriving in Vietnam in recent years, with jobs offering high salaries available all year round.

Candidates only need to hold a bachelor’s degree and a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificate; and previous experience in teaching is highly preferred.

The report, based on ESL teacher’s salaries collected across Asia and the Middle East, reveals that the UAE tops the list with ESL teaching wage range at around US$3,500-US$5,500 per month, followed by Japan, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, the Republic of Korea and mainland China. 

The report with survey results also noted Vietnam offers beautiful beaches, mountains, rice terraces, world heritage sites, plus low of cost living from transportation to accomodation, making it dream destinations for expats. 

TEFL Exchange, a community for teachers of English as a foreign language, last year ranked Vietnam the second best place in the world to teach English.

Meanwhile, Vietnam only came in 31st among 72 countries in the world and seventh among 19 Asian countries in English proficiency, according to the annual English Proficiency Index released in 2016 by the Swiss Education First (EF), a global language training company.

Fire engulfs cake shop on Bui Vien pedestrian street

On September 14, a large fire broke out in a cake shop on Bui Vien pedestrian street in Pham Ngu Lao ward of district 1 in HCM City.

As the shop had no escape route, two elderly people became trapped inside the house by the fire but were luckily saved from peril.

According to local witnesses, at 2pm plumes of black smokecould be seen billowing from the kitchen area of the Burger King on Bui Vien street and they raised the alarm.

The blaze caused residents and visitors to flee the area in panic and a crowd of people flocked to the streets. When the fire was detected, almost all staff ran out of the shop but two elderly people were trapped on the upper storey and were unable to escape as the shop had only one exit which was blocked with smoke and flames.

District 1 firefighters rushed to the scene to rescue the two elderly people. The fire was brought under control within 15 minutes.

The cause of the incident is still under investigation.

11 hospitalized after truck crashes into motorcycles

Eleven people were injured on September 14 after a truck collided with eight motorbikes waiting at a red light on national highway 91 in Binh Khanh ward of Long Xuyen city in the southern province of An Giang.

The accident occurred at the entry to Nguyen Trung Truc bridge. The eleven casualties were immediately transferred to An Giang province’s polyclinic by local residents.

According to initial information, the truck was travelling on national highway 91 from Long Xuyen to Chau Doc and crashed into six motorbikes stopped at a red light. The truck ran over two other motorbikes that got stuck underneath the vehicle.

The incident took place at peak traffic hours, causing severe congestion on national highway 91. Police arrived at the scene to direct traffic and ease the jam.

 The cause of the accident is still under investigation.

Fidel Castro’s trip to Quang Tri: Symbol of Vietnam-Cuba solidarity

Cuban leader Fidel Castro’s visit to the newly-liberated region in central Quang Tri province in mid-September 1973 has become a symbol of fraternity between Vietnam and Cuba. 

Cuban leader Fidel Castro’s visit to the newly-liberated region in central Quang Tri province in mid-September 1973 has become a symbol of fraternity between Vietnam and Cuba.

Then First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and Prime Minister Fidel Castro was the first foreign leader to visit the liberated zone in southern Vietnam, despite geographical distance and the dangers of the war at that time. 

Journalist Nguyen Duy Cuong, Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association, said the Cuban leader’s trip helped encourage the Vietnamese army and people during the resistance war against the US, towards the victory on April 30, 1975. 

Cuong, who had studied and worked in Cuba for more than 15 years and once met Fidel, noted that through the visit, the Cuban leader sent a message of solidarity with Vietnam to the world, and that Cuba became the pioneer in this regard. 

Fidel always had special sentiments to Vietnam and backed Vietnam’s just cause, he said, citing Fidel’s words “For Vietnam, Cuba is willing to shed its blood”. 

Cuba’s support for Vietnam has also been reflected through socio-economic establishments such as Thang Loi Hotel in Hanoi, the 50-km Son Tay-Xuan Mai road, Moc Chau Dairy Farm in the northern mountainous province of Son La, a chicken farm in the northern mountainous province of Hoa Binh and Dong Hoi Hospital in central Quang Binh province. 

Between 1961 and 1975, Cuba presented about 50,000 tonnes of sugar to Vietnam each year and sent doctors to the country to care for war invalids and sick soldiers, Cuong said. 

Nearly 1 million Vietnamese students who studied in Cuba during the period have contributed significantly to national construction and defence after returning home, he added. 

Associate Prof. Dr. Nguyen Viet Thao, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and President of the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association of Hanoi, said bilateral cooperation has expanded in various areas, ranging from agriculture to industry, construction, trade, investment, culture, education and science-technology. 

He said the development of Vietnam-Cuba ties has helped protect and develop socialism in the two countries over the years. 

The time-tested relationship is the pride of the Vietnamese and Cuban people, Thao said. 

Echoing Thao’s views, Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Lianys Torres Rivera said Cuban leader Fidel Castro and President Ho Chi Minh of Vietnam represent the fraternity between the two peoples, and their spirit has been carried forward by the two countries. 

Vietnam and Cuba should reinforce their friendship, she suggested, highlighting Cuba’s efforts to enhance economic, trade and investment ties as well as medical cooperation with Vietnam. 

To promote the bilateral solidarity, Cuong also stressed the need to intensify communication work to raise public awareness, especially among youngsters, about the long-standing relations.