Boat with 17 fishermen on board rescued

A boat with 17 fishermen on board was rescued after being stranded at sea for a day, according to the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre.

The fishing boat, captained by Trần Trí Long, a resident of Thanh Hóa Province’s Sầm Sơn City, broke down due to the fierce waves and strong winds.

Marine officials said they received a call for help from fishing boat TH 90867 TS on Monday evening. At 1am on Tuesday, the rescue ship approached the stranded boat some 96 nautical miles of Nam Định Province’s Lạch Giang Estuary.

Officials provided medical care to the fishermen, who were in low spirits after being at sea for some 10 days.

The boat was successfully towed to the province’s Lạch Hới Fishing Port on Tuesday afternoon.

Nordic embassies hold Hanoi Pride Parade

The Embassies of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden in Hanoi will hold the Hanoi Pride Parade in Hanoi on September 24 to advocate the universal values of equality, diversity and tolerance.

The embassies said in a joint press statement that Ambassadors, diplomats, local staff, family members - in total 45 people from these embassies – will bike and walk together in the event, which the statement describes as an opportunity to team up and to celebrate diversity, tolerance and equal rights for all.

“Everyone should be able to love who they want. Be who they are. We all have the same universal rights and we all want to feel the same respect for our integrity and choices,” the embassies stated.

They stressed that Nordic countries are strong supporters of international human rights, including the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people (LGBTI).

This is the second year in a row that the Nordic countries hold the Hanoi Pride to express values of Equality, Diversity and Tolerance.

HCM City Party leader visits Sài Gòn High-Tech Park

The Sài Gòn High-Tech Park (SHTP) should tie up with investment companies for funding for technology and research projects, Politburo member and HCM City Party Secretary Nguyễn Thiện Nhân said during a visit to the park on Tuesday.

“I’ve recognised a good trend of many scientific and technology enterprises starting their businesses in SHTP.”

“The SHTP’s Enterprise Incubation should work closely with the city Science and Technology Department and HCM City Communist Youth Union to set up a website for business start-ups with information about the city’s support programmes, potential projects and investment companies.”

The 15-year-old SHTP has attracted many global technology companies like Samsung and Intel, which have plants here.

It has domestic enterprises researching and developing modern semiconductor, nano and bio technologies.

Nhân said: “The SHTP’s project deployment experience has greatly contributed to the creation of a legal framework for developing high-tech parks in the city and around the country.

“It has also created a support chain for high-tech parks in nearby industrial parks.”

Hailing the SHTP management for the park’s achievements, he exhorted it to accomplish even more, keep abreast of the construction plans of the Scientific and Technology Park, closely work with relevant authorities and promote training and research at universities.

According to the management, as of June the park had 36,719 workers, 376 of them foreign nationals.

On the same day Nhân also visited the Sài Gòn Silicon City and Minh Nguyên Enterprises, which produces components for Samsung and the smart anti-flooding pumping system installed on Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh Street in Bình Thạnh District.

APEC media centre to open soon

The International Media Centre for the 2017 Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) Summit has been completed for official launching in mid October after one year decoration.

The central city’s Department of Information and Communication said the media centre, which covers 1.3ha, will provide working space for nearly 3,000 journalists during the APEC meeting from November 5-11.

The department said the centre will offer the best facilities for domestic and foreign media working through the week of APEC.

Four press conference halls offer 400-seat for different press conferences. A main hall has been set aside for the President’s final press conference.

According to the department, the media centre cost a total of VNĐ178 billion (US$7.8 million).

As planned, the city will host a heads-of-state summit with CEOs from 21 APEC member nations as well as 15,000 visitors.

The city also said the Ariyana Đà Nẵng Exhibition and Convention Centre – a major location for the APEC CEO Summit – will be ready for hosting more than 1,000 CEOs at a business forum.

The city has also launched the Smile of Đà Nẵng campaign to raise awareness of APEC among local residents, civil servants and tourists.

Defence industry asked to create exportable products

The defense industry should apply the latest scientific and technological advances to design and manufacture competitive products that are eligible for export, said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

While chairing a meeting of the state steering committee for building and developing the defence-security industry in Hanoi on September 20, PM Phuc said developing the defence-security industry will become a heavier task in the coming years given rapid changes in the region and the world as well as the fourth industrial revolution.

Therefore, it is necessary to enhance the capacity of research, designing, manufacturing, repairing, upgrading and modernising weapons, technical equipment  and professional tools, in a bid to gradually modernise the People’s Army and Public Security forces, he said.

The PM asked the steering committee, relevant ministries and departments to promote their role, responsibility and coordination to speed up the implementation of programmes and plans to fulfill targets in line with the Politburo’s direction on developing the defence-security industry in the new period.

At the meeting, PM Phuc also noted that the Government along with the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Public Security has paid attention to stepping up the development of the defence-security industry over the past time.

The industry has successfully manufactured and repaired new high-tech products, thus partly meeting the demand for weapons and technical equipment of the armed forces, reducing imports and saving the State budget, he added.

Saigon market vendors protest stalled upgrade work after handing over US$9.8 mln

It's been four years since the market's 2,000-plus vendors managed to cobble the money together, but all they've seen is customers walking away.

Vendors at one of the biggest traditional markets in Saigon shut up shops on Tuesday to protest against extensive delays to upgrade work on the facility.

The vendors say they have been waiting for four years for work to start on An Dong Market after they handed over a combined VND217 billion (US$9.5 million) to local authorities.

All 2,305 vendors from the market were joined by hundreds of supporters from early September 19, holding banners and wearing red t-shirts emblazoned with the market's name on them, local media reported.

Revenues have fallen by half in the dilapidated market, which was built more than 25 years ago. 

The market, which is known for its wide collection of goods that range from fabrics and clothing to dried foods and handicrafts, leaks when it rains and is suffocatingly hot on sunny days, keeping customers away.

Vendors estimate they could have earned VND48 billion (US$2 million) in interest if they had deposited the money at a bank.

Instead, many are paying interest on loans they took out to pay for the upgrade work.

The vendors also disagree with a government rule that states they have to renew their contracts regularly to lease stands in the market. They believe that wet market vendors own indefinite leasehold rights.

Officials from District 5, which manages the market, met with the vendors later September 19 but failed to hash out a satisfactory answer or solution to the issue.

Charity art program raises funds for children with congenital heart defects

Tam Long Viet Fund (Vietnam Heart Fund), Vietnam Television and the Italian Embassy in Vietnam held a press conference in Hanoi on September 19 to promote a charity art program called ‘Qui E Ora Trai Tim Cho Em’ (Qui E Ora Operation Healthy Heart).

The art program will take place on September 22 at the Vietnam National Museum of History. A fashion show will be held for the collections Nep Nep by Vu Tran Duc Hai, Nam Cao Silk by Duy Nguyen and Silky Vietnam, with the performance of 30 VTV staff members.  

The collection draws inspiration from ideas and forms of ancient Rome and Renaissance Art. 

Artists and singers including Khanh Linh, Mai Trang, Dong Hung, violinist Trinh Minh Hien, guitarist Kenjah David and the Oplus music band will perform classical music works of Italy and other European countries and works of contemporary Vietnam. 

Organizers said proceeds from the program will be donated for the surgery of disadvantaged children under 16 with congenital heart defects throughout the country.

During the event, journalist Truong Anh Ngoc will display 30 photos on Italy with the aim of introducing the beautiful country to Vietnam. 

Vietnam says steel company violates environmental rules

A steel company has been found to have violated the country’s environmental rules during a recent investigation, the People’s Committee of northern Lao Cai Province said on Tuesday, September 19.

The Committee said it fined Viet Trung Metallurgy and Mineral Ltd US$14,350 and set up dedicated inspection teams to determine whether all members of the steel segment in the province were meeting technology and emission standards.

In addition, Vuong Trinh Quoc of the Committee said the Company did not have an appropriated certificate as required by law to operate its plant and issued a stern warning to get in compliance or face yet tougher penalties.

He noted the Company now has three months to get in full compliance with the law or face permanent suspension of operations in Lao Cai Province.

Earlier, a series of plants and production lines at the Tang Loong IZ in the district of Bao Thang, northern Lao Cai Province were fined and operations halted due to violations of environment protection laws.

Notably, Duc Giang Lao Cai Chemical JSC, Bao Thang Chemical JSC and Phuc Lam Chemical JSC each were required to pay US$80,700 in penalties and damages for their violations of the rules.

Hanoi, Vientiane share experience in propaganda work

Officials from Hanoi and Vientiane’s commissions for information and education shared experience at a workshop in Hanoi on September 19.

They discussed political thought education and professional experiences as well as the promotion of youth cooperation and the role of press agencies in communication activities.

Head of the Hanoi Party Committee’s Commission for Informational and Education Nguyen Van Phong asked the two sides to increase exchanges and raise public awareness of ties between Vietnam and Laos.

Head of the Vientiane Party Committee’s Commission for Propaganda and Training Khemphet Phengduongchan said Hanoi and Vientiane share many similarities in development. 

She noted that with a population of about 800,000 people from 46 ethnic groups, Vientiane faces some difficulties in educating political thought, adding that the city has no experts in the field.

The Hanoi official underlined major challenges for the capital city, including how to reinforce trust in the Party leadership and prevent hostile forces from hindering development.

He said the most urgent task is reforming information and education work while making effective use of social networks.

Earlier the same day, Vice Secretary of Hanoi’s Party Committee Dao Duc Toan hosted a reception for delegates from Vientiane’s Party Committee’s Commission for Propaganda and Training, during which he reiterated Hanoi’s support for stronger bilateral cooperation.

Social Security seeks int’l mentors

The Việt Nam Social Security agency said it would continue to strengthen ties with other organisations in countries and territories to establish a more modern and efficient social security system.

Speaking at a meeting held on Tuesday in HCM City, Đào Việt Ánh, the agency’s deputy director, said that co-operation had helped policy-making and implementation that followed international standards and agreements.

Việt Nam Social Security maintains relations with more than 40 international social security organisations and donors, including German International Co-operation, Expertise France, the European Union, the World Bank and the International Labour Organisation.

It is a member of the International Social Security Association and ASEAN Social Security Association, he said.

Nguyễn Tiến Thành, head of Việt Nam Social Security’s International Co-operation Department, said the agency had periodically published bilingual books and booklets to provide information about policies and benefits of health insurance, unemployment, old age, and work injury and occupational diseases.

An English portal www.vss.gov.vn/english was set up under a trial basis last month, Thành said, adding that it is expected to officially operate by the end of the year.

It will provide information to foreign organisations and individuals working in Việt Nam as well as Vietnamese living overseas.

By 2020, Việt Nam Social Security said it would issue electronic integrated social security cards which will replace the existing printed health insurance cards and social insurance books, he said.

Practical training on level-2 field hospital equipment concludes

The Vietnam Peacekeeping Centre and the HCM City-based Military Hospital 175 wrapped up a programme on level-2 field hospital equipment practical training on September 19.

The practical training on equipment of Vietnam’s first field hospital model, set to join the United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan in 2018, began on September 6. 

It saw the direct engagement of 69 officers and soldiers of the field hospital, along with eight British and seven US experts who have a pool of field experience in peacekeeping operations in South Sudan.

At the closing ceremony held at Division 317 of the Military Region 7 High Command, Sen. Lt. Gen. Pham Ngoc Minh, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, underscored that the participation in UN peacekeeping forces aims to realise Vietnam’s foreign policy of peace, cooperation, development, and multilateralisation and diversification of foreign relations.

It is also meant to affirm that Vietnam is a trustworthy partner and a responsible member in the global community with active and proactive international integration and practical contribution to peace, stability and security in the region and the world, he added.

Minh, who is also deputy head of the Defence Ministry’s steering committee for Vietnam’s participation in UN peacekeeping operations, said the practical training is critical since it helps to comprehensively assess Vietnamese peacekeepers’ capacity of deploying, operating, managing, commanding and dealing with medical situations and field hospital withdrawal. It was also a step to prepare for the UN’s pre-deployment examination before the field hospital is sent to the mission in South Sudan in early 2018.

He also appreciated British and US experts’ assistance for the practical training programme.

US Consul General in HCM City Mary Tarnowka said her country always strongly supports Vietnam, helping it to be more confident, active and influential in assisting the international community to address challenges. Vietnam’s engagement in the UN peacekeeping force reflects not only the growing security partnership but also its determination to realise the commitment to global peace and stability.

Meanwhile, UK Ambassador to Vietnam Giles Lever said the UK pledges to continue assisting Vietnam by providing information, sharing solutions to challenges during the peacekeeping force deployment in South Sudan, sponsoring the foreign language skills improvement programme, and promoting military engineers’ specialised capacity.

Since 2014, the country has sent 19 officers to the UN peacekeeping missions in South Sudan and the Central African Republic.

Vietnam Front calls for post-storm relief donation

The Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee launched a donation campaign in aid of people in the central region, who have borne the brunt of storm Doksuri, in Hanoi on September 19.

Doksuri, the 10th storm arising in the East Sea and the strongest one hitting Vietnam in many years, has caused severe damage to Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien – Hue provinces.

It left over 10 people dead and missing and more than 200 injured.

The typhoon destroyed over 200,000 houses, inundated 4,473ha of rice and 8,277ha of other crops, affected 16,108ha of aquatic farming, and ruined 10km of national highways and 17.9km of local roads.

Total damage has to date amounted to 11 trillion VND (484 million USD).

In response to the campaign, the Finance Ministry donated 500 million VND (22,000 USD), Duc Giang textile company 50 million VND (2,200 USD), while VFF personnel each donated one day of his salary.

The same day, the VFF issued a decision to allocate 4 billion VND (176,000 USD) to assist flood victims in the central provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Nghe An. The sum was sourced from funding by the national committee for emergency aid.

Ha Tinh and Quang Binh, which were most affected by the typhoon, will each receive 1.5 billion VND (66,000 USD), while Quang Tri and Nghe An will get 500 million VND (22,000 USD) each.

Good farmers should be considered production core: Deputy PM

Outstanding farmers should be put in the centre of production models, looking towards large-scale production, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh said at a congress of the Vietnam Farmers’ Union (VFU) in Hanoi on September 19.

The Deputy PM asked the VFU to focus resources on building production models, shift from the small household economy model to the form of connectivity and cooperation in chains, and pay more heed to quality and added values instead of productivity in order to meet integration requirements and improve farmers’ living standards. 

Applauding achievements the VFU recorded over the past five years, Binh said the union has affirmed its role and position as the centre of farmers’ movements and new-style rural area building. 

The union has contributed to developing agriculture, building new-style rural areas, ensuring social welfare, reducing poverty, improving material and spiritual life of its members, promoting socio-economic development, and guaranteeing political security and social order and safety in rural areas. 

According to VFU Chairman Lai Xuan Mon, launched in 1989, the “Good farmers in production and business” emulation movement has become a momentum of rural socio-economic development with the participation of millions of households. 

During 2012-2017, the association’s chapters have employed a range of measures to implement major policies in the farm sector, he said, noting that thanks to such efforts, the number of households earning over 1 billion VND (44,000 USD) per year increased five times as compared with the 2007-2012 period.

Good farming households have created jobs for more than 11 million labourers, he added. 

On this occasion, 300 farmers were hournoued for their outstanding performance in production and business.-

Consultation spotlights policies on youth’s voluntary activities

The Ministry of Home Affairs and the United Nations Volunteers Programme held a consultation in Hanoi on September 19 to discuss policies on youth’s voluntary activities.

Participants shared the view that the youth volunteering movement has continually developed since 2012 with activities geared towards local demand. It has been carried out in more widespread areas by diversified members. The movement has paid attention to voluntary activities by local youth while attracting the participation of other social forces.

Voluntary activities have educated young people on ethical and humane values along with the volunteer spirit, thus contributing to local and national development.

However, delegates at the workshop also pointed that there remains a gap between local demand for voluntary activities and local youth unions’ organisation capacity. The youth unions at different levels have failed to devise effective solutions to gather all persons able to engage in voluntary activities.

The frequent change of leaders of youth union chapters has also hindered the maintenance of the movement. Meanwhile, financial, costume and insurance support for youth volunteers hasn’t been stipulated.

Participants said Vietnam is going to integrate into the world in an increasingly intensive and substantive fashion between 2017 and 2022. Hence, it is important to continue overhauling youth-relevant documents so that the Party and State can issue necessary programmes, resolutions and policies to open up opportunities to optimise the young generation’s potential.

Meanwhile, young people and youth unions should improve the awareness of their role and the sense of responsibility towards the fight against poverty and backwardness, they added.

‘Miracle’ rescue for 10 fishermen adrift at sea 4 days

Ten fishermen feared dead after four days adrift in the East Sea were found safe and sound Tuesday, September 19, in what one official spoke of as a ‘miracle’ rescue, reported Vnexpress.

The fishermen failed to return home from a trip that left the Quy Nhon Port in central Binh Dinh Province on September 9 and sailed to waters offshore Nha Trang. The vessel was last heard from on September 14.

After the alarm was raised, search teams for the men, all of whom were from the district of Hau Loc in Thanh Hoa Province, were scrambled but to no avail.

 ‘miracle’ rescue for 10 fishermen adrift at sea 4 days hinh 1 As hopes of finding the men alive faded the crew of the fishing vessel unexpectedly sailed into the Quy Nhon Port in central Binh Dinh Province, an official from the district of Hau Loc, Mr Ngu reported.

All the fishermen are reportedly in good health and are now getting repairs done to their vessel that resulted from Typhoon Doksuri and will return to Hau Loc within the next few days, said Mr Ngu.

Winners of Vietnam Fine Arts Association Awards honoured

The Vietnam Fine Arts Association Awards 2017 were presented to four outstanding works of fine art at a ceremony held in Hanoi, on September 18.

First prize went to the work entitled ‘ ‘Chuong’ (Bell) by artist Ku Kao Khai from Ninh Binh province. One second prize was presented to ‘Le Cau Mua Cua Toi’ (My rain praying ceremony) by Nguyen Cong Van from Ninh Thuan.

Two third prizes were presented to Tran Giang Nam from Bac Kạn for the work ‘Trang Kim Hy’ (Kim Hy Moon) and Dang Xuan Hiep from Hanoi for the work ‘Nang chieu’ (sunshine).

In 2017, the fine art exhibitions were held in eight areas across the country, with 1,322 works being submitted by 1,228 artists. Arts councils at the fine art exhibitions honoured 92 outstanding works from the eight areas, including four A prizes, seventeen B prizes, twenty C prizes, and fifty-one consolation prizes, including five prizes for Art Criticism.

On the occasion of the event, the 2017 “For the Cause of the Fine Arts in Vietnam” medals were presented to organisations and individuals for their contributions made to fine arts in Vietnam.

Smart city must better serve residents’ lives: seminar

Institute for Computational Science and Technology under the HCMC Department of Science and Technology yesterday organized a scientific seminar on overall solutions for smart city with the attendance of leaders from ministries, provinces and cities.

At the seminar, delegates agreed that the key goal of smart city is to better serve residents’ lives.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Ky Phung, deputy director of the institute, smart city applies technologies to connect, collect and analyze information from residents and agencies to improve living quality for residents and ensure sustainable development.

HCMC is now facing many challenges including population increase, fast but unsustainable economic development, inefficient operations to encourage residents to attend in urban supervision and development.

Therefore developing smart city is necessary to make HCMC a livable place with smart authorities, residents, busineses and services.

The city should give priority to ten key fields when building smart city project. They comprise education, health, traffic, food safety, security, administrative reform, urban planning, human resource and environment.

Deputy director of the Department of Information and Communications Le Quoc Cuong said that HCMC would focus on building electronic government and smart plans to boost economic development and create utilities to serve residents.

The city also heads toward proposing specific projects for businesses to implement the smart city project. Of these, it will focus on mobilizing non-budget resources, encouraging investment and letting out information technology services.

The fact of building smart city in Da Nang shows that information technology is the key foundation. However it is unfounded to say that technologies and urban management will automatically bring a better city.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Thanh, director of Da Nang city’s Department of Information and Communications, said that access to smart city through technologies is not enough as it needs to improve the value of other factors such as social capital, human resource, businesses’ knowledge and agencies’ management.

Woman with Thalassemia has a healthy son

Couple with Thalassemia delivered a healthy baby after undergoing in vitro fertilization in the National Obstertrics and Genecology Hospital in Hanoi

For the first time in Vietnam, doctors succeeded in preventing Thalassemia thanks to vitro fertilization.

A β-thalassemia carrier couple comprising a 38-year-old female and a 36-year-old male partner hailing from the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai came to the hospital in 2016 for vitro fertilization

After carrying out tests, doctors discovered the couple are β-thalassemia carriers; accordingly, doctors selected the healthy fetus amongst seven ones.

The wife gave birth to a healthy child not β-thalassemia carrier on Sep. 15. The baby weighed 3.2 kg.

in Vietnam, around 10 million people are β-thalassemia carriers including 2,000 kids. 

Relatives of renal dialysis victims ask for compensation of $87,999

Families of eight victims of a renal dialysis in the General Hospital in the northern province of Hoa Binh required a compensations of VND2 billion ($87,999) at a dialogue with leaders of the hospital.

The meeting was convened after the incident took place four months ago.

Deputy Head of the hospital Quach Thien Tuong sent his sympathy to the bereaved, confirming the hospital will be responsible for the incident.

Relatives of dead patients proposed a compensation of VND250 million for each. Dr. Tuong said that as this is the first incident happening in the hospital; consequently, managers are confused in solving it.

Therefore, he thought the two side will discuss compensation in the end of September in the second meeting.

Before, on May 29, eighteen patients undergoing renal dialysis at the hospital suffered a mass anaphylactic shock, resulting in the death of eight of them.

Ten others were transfered to Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi for emergency treatment and they are in stable condition later.

Can Tho hosts Phong Dien Ecotourism Festival 2017

The Phong Dien Ecotourism Festival 2017 will take place on September 22-25, announced the People’s Committee of the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho.

The event aims to promote Phong Dien district’s ecological tourist sites and orchards that have attracted a large number of local and international visitors to Can Tho City over the recent years.

The festival will include a series of activities, such as fruit arrangement performance, releasing lanterns into the river, Vietnamese High-Quality Goods Fair, boat racing, reviving floating market, folk and sport games.

There will be a seminar on sustainable tourism development and a launch of the club of Phong Dien’s fruit gardens.

Visitors will have also a chance to enjoy local dishes at food fair and Don Ca Tai Tu Nam Bo (southern amateur traditional music) which was recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013.

High flood warned on Mekong River

The National Hydrology Meteorology Forecast Center yesterday warned the upcoming high flood- tide in the southern region and flood level increase on Mekong River.

In the next few days, water level on Mekong River will continue rising rapidly because of an influence of combination of flash flood with high flood tide. 

By September 22- 23, water level on Tien River at Tan Chau station will reach 3.5 meters, and 3.1 meters on Hau River at Chau Doc station. 

On Saigon River, water level at Phu An station is predicted to be alarm level 3 and flooding is warned to appear in the lowlands.

HCMC-Can Gio-Vung Tau high-speed boat service ready next month

A high-speed boat service connecting HCMC’s Bach Dang Wharf and Can Gio District, and neighboring Vung Tau City will be launched in October, said the HCMC Department of Transport.

On September 14, the department and other relevant agencies conducted a technical operation of the boat to see whether it meets safety requirements.

Greenlines DP Technology Co Ltd, the operator of the new boat service, plans to operate four daily services from Bach Dang Wharf in District 1 to the outlying coastal district of Can Gio and eight daily services from Can Gio to Vung Tau.

The Bach Dang-Can Gio trip will last an hour and 15 minutes while it will take 30 minutes to travel from Can Gio to Vung Tau.

The ticket price is VND200,000 (US$8.78) for the Bach Dang-Can Gio trip. Especially, Can Gio District residents just pay half the price to commute between their district and downtown HCMC and those disabled people holding a free public bus pass in HCMC are exempt from the Bach Dang-Can Gio boat service charge.

The boats are equipped with air-conditioners, televisions, wifi and life-jackets.

HCMC is promoting passenger transport by water to ease pressure on the roads which are increasingly crowded.

HCMC makes Hoang Hoa Tham overpass one-way for certain hours

The HCMC Department of Transport on September 16 began a trial project to make the steel overpass at Cong Hoa-Hoang Hoa Tham Intersection, Tan Binh District a one-way road for certain hours per day.

In specifics, the overpass is made one-way from Ap Bac Street to Ut Tich Street from 6:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., and one-way in the opposite direction from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The 30-day trial is aimed at gauging how traffic would be on the overpass at rush hour. According to the HCMC Department of Transport, traffic from Ap Bac Street to Ut Tich Street is often heavy in the morning when people commute from outlying districts to the city center for work.

When they come back home in the afternoon, the overpass is often crowded in the opposite direction.

Experts also proposed using moveable median barriers on Cong Hoa Street to flexibly regulate traffic at rush hour.

Vietnam, Bosch company cooperate in traffic, vehicle safety research

The National Committee on Traffic Safety and the Bosch Vietnam company on September 20 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in traffic accident and vehicle safety studies and in proposing measures to improve traffic safety in Vietnam.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Khuat Viet Hung, Vice President of the committee, said that the number of traffic accidents in Vietnam is decreasing significantly, but unstably. 

To achieve a stable decline, it needs joint efforts and determination of State management offices and the mobilisation of resources from society.

Therefore, the MoU is expected to open up opportunities to apply technologies and initiatives intensifying traffic safety in Vietnam, while helping strengthen the two sides’ cooperation in putting forward regulations and standards related to vehicle safety, Hung added.

Bosch Vietnam Director General Guru Mallikarjuna, stated that Bosch has coordinated with many organisations and partners in studying traffic accidents in numerous countries with the aim to find out main reasons for these accidents so as to propose more safety measures.

In Vietnam, Bosch Vietnam has two research and development centres in Ho Chi Minh City focusing on researching automobile and vehicle safety technologies. Therefore, the company can collaborate with Vietnamese localities in improving traffic safety in the country, he added.

In the first eight months of 2017, 12,755 traffic accidents occurred in Vietnam, killing 5,422 people and injuring 10,543 others. Compared with the same period last year, decreases were seen in the numbers of cases, fatalities and injuries.