Road construction leaves tiny land lots unsold in Hanoi

Construction of a road extension in Hanoi’s Cau Giay District has isolated tiny plots of potentially valuable land, one owner asking VND1bn for a lot measuring just 1.7 square metres.

Nguyen Phuong Cham, in Quan Hoa Ward, lost 58.5 square metres, which was reclaimed for the road construction and moved his family elsewhere. He is left with 1.7 square metres of cut-off land.

Cham offered the lot for sale at VND400m, then decided he could build a 10m wall on it and is now offering it at VND1bn.

His offer would value the remaining land on the 570m long road at nearly VND1trn (USD46 million).

The chairman of the ward’s people’s committee, Nguyen Minh Tuyen, said, “Households have tiny land lots are trying to sell to their neighbours.”

Neighbouring Cham’s land, three families have 17.2 square metres left after the road construction, and have set up corrugated iron fences that block access to other plots.

“We’ve assigned cadres to negotiate with these families and encouraged them to sell the land to their neighbours, but at such high prices it does not make sense,” Tuyen said.

Local authorities said there are 25 tiny plots along the road, but the spaces are too small for any construction.

They said if owners fail to sell to their neighbours, their land could be claimed with compensation by the state for other uses, such as notice-boards, bus stops or leased to banks for ATM machines.

One held in Binh Phuoc's largest meth seizure

The southern Binh Phuoc Province's Hoa Lu International Border Gate authorities said on Monday they had arrested a man for possessing the largest quantity of amphetamine found in the province.

Tran Hoa Quang, 48, from HCM City, Tan Phu District, was taken into custody last Friday after he was found to possess six bags of meth pills, weighing about 1kg.

Quang was travelling in a bus going to HCM City from Vientiane (Laos), when the provincial border authorities arrested him. He later said he had been hired to smuggle the drugs into Viet Nam.

The case is under further investigation.

Coach hits divider, seriously injuring 12

A coach hit the central divider on Binh Duong Avenue in Thu Dau Mot City, Binh Duong District, around 1pm today, and turned turtle, seriously injuring 12 people.

The victims were rushed to the Binh Duong General Hospital for emergency treatment, Vietnam News Agency reported.

Eyewitnesses said they heard a loud crashing sound coming from the avenue and saw that a coach of the Thanh Cong Bus Services, travelling from Binh Phuoc to HCM City, had hit the central divider, before turning upside down.

It was raining hard when the accident occurred.

More than 20 passengers stuck in the bus were crying for help. Immediately, tens of people living nearby rushed to upturn the vehicle and carry the injured to the hospital.

According to doctors at the Binh Duong General Hospital, the majority of victims suffered injuries to the face, head and body due to the severe impact and broken glass. A child who suffered deep head injury underwent a CT scan to check for serious medical complications.

The news agency reported that a section of the barrier on the central reservation some 10m long was shattered due to the impact of the crash, and the vehicle's front was severely damaged and its glass doors and windows broken.

Provincial authorities arrived at the scene shortly after the accident and cleared the traffic jam on the road. Investigations into the case are under way.

Fishermen rescued off Ha Tinh Province

Four fishermen were rescued off the coast of central Ha Tinh Province on Monday after their boat sank in heavy seas.

Boats fishing nearby quickly came to the fishermen's rescue and brought them back to shore. Local authorities and provincial border patrol forces are working together to salvage the boat.

Local Chief of Police Dinh Ngoc Hung said the boat sank at about 2am after being battered by strong waves some 40 nautical miles from Cua Sot Estuary in Loc Ha District.

Suspects in bridge collapse face court

Three suspects in connection with the February 2014 collapse of Chu Va 6 Bridge in northern Lai Chau Province's Tam Duong District, which killed eight and injured 38 others, appeared at a court hearing yesterday.

Former director of Hoa Ky Private Construction Company Nguyen Van Ky, 36; former deputy head of Tam Duong District Project Management Board, Hoang Dinh Van, 36; and technical supervisor of the district Project Management Board Bui Hai Son, 34, are being prosecuted for violating construction regulations and reckless endangerment.

They faced likely sentences of eight-to-20 years' imprisonment, as recommended by the Provincial People's Prosecuracy, said Judge Nguyen Xuan Hoa, vice tribunal president of Lai Chau Province People's Court.

He said that as many as 50 witnesses had been subpoenaed.

In February 2014, the 58-metre long suspension bridge collapsed when an entire funeral procession bearing a coffin was making its way toward a cemetery on the other side.

The group fell 9m down into a ravine full of large, sharp rocks. Three people died on the spot, five others died while being treated at a nearby hospital and 38 were injured.

A criminal investigation into the accident began in June 2014 following a March report from the Ministry of Transport that cited a faulty turnbuckle and other technical errors for the collapse.

The prosecution argues that the collapse was caused by constructors' disregard for designs and technical protocols.

Defendant Hoang Dinh Van was in charge of selecting the construction team and its supervisor for Chu Va 6. The other two suspects, Ky and Son are charged for the shoddy construction.

The court is expected to close tomorrow.

Vietnam Register disciplines corrupt vehicle inspectors in Ho Chi Minh City

One inspector has been sacked and two others suspended, while some have received other forms of punishment for their wrongdoings at three vehicle registration and inspection centers in Ho Chi Minh City, the Vietnam Register (VR) has said.

The VR has levied such penalties following an article published byTuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on July 13, saying that a number of vehicle inspectors took bribes of up to US$250 from drivers in exchange for overlooking their technical violations, general director Tran Ky Hinh, told the paper on Monday.

The VR’s disciplinary council met on July 16 to review the offenses and responsibilities of all those involved in the corruption cases at the three centers and took disciplinary action against them, Hinh said.

Accordingly, Le Duc Linh, an inspector at the 50-03V Vehicle Registration and Inspection Center in Thu Duc District, has been dismissed and is banned from working as a vehicle inspector for good.

Linh was found taking bribes from drivers, as exposed in the said article.

The VR also gave warnings to Ta Xuan Thu and Bui Van Huu, two other inspectors at the center, and revoked their inspector’s cards.

Tran Huu Thai, director of the center, and his deputy, Trinh Ly An Phung, received a warning and a reprimand, respectively.

At the 50-05V Vehicle Registration and Inspection Center in District 12 two inspectors, Nguyen Huynh Phong and Le Mau Tuan, were suspended.

Tuan was also suspended from taking charge of a vehicle inspection line at the center.

Meanwhile, the VR suspended the operation of one vehicle inspector line at the 50-05V Vehicle Registration and Inspection Center.

One inspector there received a warning and another was reprimanded, while both had their inspector’s cards revoked.

The center’s director and his deputy were given a warning and a reprimand, respectively.

Since 2014, the VR has disciplined 103 senior executives and inspectors across the country and suspended the operation of three centers in the south-central province of Binh Thuan and the two southern provinces of Dong Nai and Binh Duong, general director Hinh said.

In addition, the VR also suspended three inspection lines at centers in Hanoi, the central province of Thanh Hoa and Binh Duong, he added.

Conference focuses on vein-related disease

Nearly 200 doctors and researchers from across the country discussed the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency at a medical education programme in HCM City last Saturday.

The programme featured live surgeries performed by Dr. Olivier Hartung from France's Assistance Publique – Hopitaux de Marseille together with doctors from the HCM City University Medical Centre.

Most people with CVI fail to be diagnosed or properly treated at an early enough stage since they usually ignore early symptoms like swelling in the lower legs and pain or tiredness in the legs, according to Assoc. Prof. Le Nu Thi Hoa Hiep of the HCM City University of Medicine and Pharmacy.

Ignored, it could cause pulmonary embolism that can often be fatal.

CVI affects retired people more and women are more susceptible than men, she said.

It is most treatable in the early stages, with the basic treatment protocol prohibiting prolonged sitting or standing and requiring regular exercise, losing weight and practising good skin hygiene.

Endovenous thermal ablation, a new technique that uses laser or high-frequency radio waves to create intense local heat in the affected vein, was among the topics discussed at the programme organised by the HCM City University Medical Centre.

New Gov't plan to simplify coach registration

Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang has ordered agencies to stop making coaches register their routes individually, following endless complaints from coach companies.

Coach carriers voiced their irritation in a meeting with the minister in Ha Noi on Monday, saying they were not allowed to park their buses at stations unless they asked the localities' Departments of Transport at their starting and ending points for permits.

Authorities used these procedures to control inter-provincial coach transport, but now it is seen as overlapping a recently issued national plan for trans-provincial bus routes. The plan will require bus companies to register the number of buses they'll run and their routes at the start of the year.

Dien Bien Automobile Transportation Association Chairman Nguyen Quoc Manh said the permit-granting procedure cost coach companies a lot of time and money.

"And even though the carriers wanted to increase the number of buses to meet passenger demand in the high season, they didn't get any help from the stations," Manh said. "They (the carriers) still had to come to the Department of Transport to register, which was a waste of time."

Nuoc Ngam Coach Terminal Director Nguyen Van Lap said if the Government was going ahead with the trans-provincial coach route plan, it needed to stop the local departments from enforcing the old permit regulations.

Yet local Departments of Transport didn't see eye-to-eye on the plan.

Ha Noi Transport Department Deputy Director Nguyen Hoang Linh said governmental control was still needed to supervise coach carriers' quotas and routes.

"A lot of the lengthy procedures have been cut out of the process now," Linh said. "Coach operators can even send their documents to the department via email, and will still receive their permits on time."

Transport Minister Dinh La Thang, however, said local departments were only trying to create barriers for coach operators, though the departments had already agreed with the new trans-provincial coach route plan.

"This is the ask-and-give mechanism, leaving the coach companies with no choice but to pay money under the table," Thang said.

Coach companies also asked the ministry to lower the amount of experience required for sleeper coach drivers from three years to one year.

"We suggest the Ministry focus more on training and licensing to ensure safety and stop operators from having to cheat at the same time," said Manh, chairman of the Dien Bien Automobile Transportation Association.

Ha Noi to act on dike infractions

Vexed municipal authorities are hoping much tougher actions in the coming two months against those weakening the city's dike system will make some headway against rampant violations.

Deputy mayor Tran Xuan Viet called for classification of violations into "less complicated" and "complicated" categories so that they can be addressed more efficiently by different local administrations.

The nation in general and the capital city in particular have suffered long-standing abuse of the dike system. People build houses, permanent and temporary, on dikes, steal sand from their base, causing erosion, and ply heavy trucks carrying sand stolen from the river bed, damaging dike roads.

Ha Duc Trung, deputy director of the municipal department of agriculture and rural development, which manages dikes, canals and rivers, told a conference last week that over the last five years,just one-third (555) out of the 1,690 dike breaches discovered were handled.

This only encouraged more people to break the rules, and in several cases, violators have even attacked officials of law enforcement agencies.

Nguyen Chi Vien, vice chairman of the Ung Hoa People's Committee, said his district shared the capital city's common woes.

Since 2010, district authorities had discovered more than 700 violations on the dyke, but just 290 cases had been dealt with so far, he said.

Worse, the cases dealt with were trivial, involving temporary houses or tents, while permanent houses continued to stand "somehow".

Doan Trung Kinh, general director of Song Day Irrigation Co. Ltd., asserted that local authorities were well aware of the violations, but were probably discouraged or half-hearted about taking strong action because the violators were "having connections."

He proposed that prohibition signs are planted along dikes or rivers to deter further violations.

A representative from the city Inspectorate suggested that the city sets up a "reward fund" for people who tip authorities off about neighbours or others beginning any illegal construction work on the dike or encroach into the river to "reclaim" it for housing.

Leaders of localities where many violations occur should be publicly identified and held to account, the inspector said.

Ha Noi has 626km of dikes running through 26 of its 30 districts. It has a total of 11,412 rivers and irrigation canals.

Residents, construction firms ignore dengue fever warnings

HCM City's risk of a dengue fever outbreak has increased as residents and construction companies have neglected to follow city warnings to remove indoor water containers, according to city officials.

"Water containers and flower vases or pots are an ideal place for mosquitoes to lay eggs," Nguyen Tri Dung, head of the City Preventive Health Centre, said at a recent meeting in the city.

Dung said that since June health officials had imposed fines on individuals and organisations that had not taken preventive measures against dengue fever, as stipulated in a regulation issued in 2013.

The minimum fine of VND1 million (US$45.8) will be strictly enforced, according to Dung.

Nguyen Huu Hung, deputy head of the city's Department of Health, said that many residents were not aware of the risk of having open containers of water in their homes.

To ensure compliance, city inspectors plan to hand out papers to each household, state office and company to evaluate dengue-fever risk elements, and will ask the involved parties to promise to take preventive measures.

Later, city officials will check again, and issue fines if the households or businesses have not carried out measures.

People's committees in all districts will also be asked to compile a list of unoccupied houses and construction works, Hung said.

According to a representative of Binh Chanh District's Preventive Health Division, many households, companies and construction sites contain risk elements and have been asked to take preventive measures. However, few have done so.

Asso. Prof and Dr Phan Trong Lan, head of the city's Pasteur's Institute, said that air conditioners could be potential larval habitats if they had not been cleaned regularly.

Lan said residents must take the initiative and destroy potential breeding areas inside their homes. They should also allow health officials to spray chemicals inside their homes that would prevent mosquitoes from entering.

According to Lan, dengue fever epidemics appear in three- to five- year cycles, and this year an increase in the number of cases is expected.

In June, 519 hospitalised patients in HCM City were diagnosed with dengue fever, an increase of 20 per cent compared to the previous month.

Since the beginning of this year, the city has recorded more than 5,000 cases, a rise of 39 per cent compared to the same period last year.

Of that number, two people died, Dung said.

A resident of District 3, Nguyen Thi Kim Lien, said she had taken precautionary measures at home, but her daughter had contracted dengue fever and was in the hospital.

"I have two young children so I keep my house clean and destroy water containers. I use mosquito spray and use nets," she said. "A house near mine is unoccupied, and there are too many mosquitoes, but officials don't spray there because they have no access."

Her daughter returned from an English-language centre one evening, saying she felt tired. She had a fever of 40-41 degrees Celsius and was vomiting. Blood tests confirmed that she had dengue fever, Lien said.

"My daughter said that maybe she was bitten by mosquitoes at the teaching centre. Too many mosquitoes fly under the tables," she said.

Quang Ninh to launch aquaculture project

The northern mountainous province of Quang Ninh yesterday chose the Cua Van fishing village in Ha Long Bay for a project to develop and conserve aquatic resources.

The project, which will be implemented from now until July 2017, is a part of the Ha Long Bay-Cat Ba joint initiative project.

It aims to develop sustainable aquaculture in Ha Long Bay and conserve aquatic resources. The organisations concerned will be instructed on how to coordinate on the project.

During a meeting held yesterday morning in Quang Ninh Province to approve the project, the standing deputy chairman of the Quang Ninh People's Committee, Dang Huy Hau, asked the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to join hands with the organisations concerned to approve the project by next month.

The approval must cover the aquaculture plan, the materials to make cages, different kinds of aquaculture products, the companies that will take part in the project and the plan of co-ordination between the companies and the local residents.

Hau asked the Ha Long City authorities to select some households to join the project and gave priority to 18 households in the Cua Van fishing village.

Hau also asked the Ha Long Bay Management Board to formulate regulations for those visiting the project site.

The provincial Department of Finance should act as an adviser to the Quang Ninh People's Committee on sourcing funds for the project, Hau said.

The Ha Long Bay-Cat Ba joint initiative project is being supported by the United States Agency for International Development with US$691,000 in funds, while funding from Viet Nam totals more than $68,000.

The project, which began at the start of this year, will end in June 2017.

It is aimed at creating good conditions for local, domestic and international organisations involved in managing and exploiting the resources of Ha Long Bay to join hands.

It will also raise public awareness about protecting and sustainably exploiting the bay's resources.

People brace for rainy season, floods

People in Tan Phu and U Minh districts of Ca Mau have been actively taking part in reinforcing sea dykes to prepare for the coming rainy season.

The 100km-long sea dyke in Khanh Binh Tay, Khanh Hai and Khanh Tien communes of the two districts has been severely damaged by sea waves, the local authority said.

Head of Ca Mau Province's irrigation department Nguyen Long Hoai said the dyke suffered damage and landslides regularly in the rainy season and stormy weather, causing environment pollution, saline intrusion and difficulties in transport and production.

The landslides affected the lives and production work of thousands of households.

This year, there were 30 cases of landslides in rivers and sea dykes in the province, causing losses of VND10 billion (US$480,000).

At present, simple measures such as use of sandbags against intrusion of seawater are being taken to prevent landslides and saline intrusion. But these are temporary and ineffective measures, a local resident said.

Building of embankments and planting of protective forests should be undertaken as long-term measures.

A VND1.3-trillion (US$59.5 million) project to upgrade the sea dyke in Ca Mau Province under the programme of adaption to climate change and rise of seawater levels has been approved. However, the capital will be allocated on a yearly basis.

Meanwhile, the people in An Giang, Dong Thap and Long An in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta region have been taking necessary measures as the season of river floods approaches.

According to the Central Hydro-Meteorology Centre, the water level of the River Tien at Tan Chau station measured 1.37m, while the level of the River Hau at Chau Doc station was 1.43m.

The centre has forecast that the water level in the two rivers will rise up to 1.47m by July 24.

The local governments have taken several measures to protect people, property and crops.

90 young volunteers to work in poor communes

Ninety members of a project, in which 500 young intellectual volunteers will be assigned to work in rural and mountainous communes in the 2013-20 period, completed their training yesterday afternoon.

The training course took place in the central province of Thanh Hoa.

The 90 volunteers will return to their hometown in Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, Ninh Binh and Ha Tinh, as well as Binh Dinh and Tra Vinh provinces and will work with commune authorities.

Vu Dang Minh, director of the department of youth affairs under the home affairs ministry, said during the training course, the 90 young intellectuals studied basic knowledge about state management at the commune level, poverty reduction and setting up of new rural areas.

They also participated in a four-week fact-finding tour of people's committees in communes to study their actual work.

Minh asked the departments of home affairs of the above-mentioned six provinces to complete necessary procedures to allow the 90 young intellectuals to work in communes.

Young Vietnamese expats land in Hue

A delegation of 160 Vietnamese expats arrived in Hue, an ASEAN City of Culture on July 21 as part of their 2015 Summer Camp Vietnam.

They explored Khai Dinh royal tomb, Thien Mu pagoda – the oldest in Hue, and the Imperial Citadel with over 100 unique sites within the Complex of Hue Monuments recognised as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1993.

The trip gave them insight into the local culture and history as well as the roots of Vietnamese culture.

Held annually by the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs, this year’s Vietnam Summer Camp themed “Proud of Vietnam” runs from July 13-31, taking participants to major landmarks from the north to the south of the nation.

Details on the journey can be found at vietnamsumercamp.vn.-

Cattle-feed factory put into operation in Dong Nai

A factory manufacturing foodstuff for cattle, poultry and aquatic animals was put into operation on July 21 in the Dau Giay industrial park in the Thong Nhat district of the southern province of Dong Nai.

Built at a cost of 294 billion VND (13.6 million USD) by the CJ Vina Agri Company, the factory covers 8.3 hectares and has an annual capacity of 390,000 tonnes.

The factory is expected to create jobs for about 300 locals.

According to Nguyen Phu Cuong, Deputy Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, the project will strengthen the feed market in the southern region.

Numerous activities to connect domestic, overseas youth

A series of sports, start-up and voluntary events are scheduled to take place in the next several days to connect domestic and overseas young Vietnamese people, said the Vietnam Youth Federation on July 21.

The Connecting VietYouth 2015 (CVY 2015) programme will begin with a charity run titled CVY Innovation Marathon on July 25 at the Hang Day Stadium in Hanoi. The run with prizes totalling over 500 million VND (23,200 USD) is expected to attract more than 1,500 people, including expatriate students from the UK, France, Switzerland, the US, Australia and Singapore.

The proceeds will be spent on presenting books and stationery to underprivileged students in northern mountainous provinces and organising an event celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival for child patients at the Hanoi-based Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion.

A start-up workshop (CVY Innovation Day) and another giving advice on overseas study (CVY Study Abroad Conference) will be held at the National Convention Centre in Hanoi one day later. Successful entrepreneurs and overseas students will share their experience to give the youth practical views of these topics.

CVY 2015 participants will also offer presents to child patients at the National Cancer Hospital and join disadvantaged children in exchanges and help their families in home repairs.

The CVY 2015 is organised by the Global Shapers Community, the Vietnamese Students Association in the UK and the Vietnamese Youth and Student Association in the US.

Oxfam Vietnam raises voice of Dak Nong ethnic minorities through music

A recent music performance night in Dak Glong, the Central Highlands province of Dak Nong started a seven-day tour of local remote communes by ethnic amateur singers.

The tour is part of a project initiated by Oxfam Vietnam to raise the voice of ethnic minorities in Dak Glong.

During the evening’s event, more than 60 amateur singers from M’Nong, M and H’mong ethnic groups performed songs praising the homeland and love.

An ethnic-inspired fashion show also attracted audiences.

According to the organising board, the activity will help raise local awareness of their cultural values.

Great efforts made to care for war invalids

Caring for war invalids and fallen soldiers’ families have been a central focus of efforts by the Party, State and people for decades with many important policies issued to improve their living conditions.

In 1947, just two years after President Ho Chi Minh delivered the declaration of independence, the first decree on preferential policies for war invalids and fallen soldiers was issued and then supplemented with another decree in 1948.

In 1947, July 27 was chosen as the national war invalids’ day, which was later named the War Invalids and Martyrs’ Day, to call on the entire community to assist war invalids and martyrs’ families.

The country currently has 8.8 million revolutionary contributors including 1.5 million receiving monthly allowances.

Besides the State’s policies, the campaign on taking care of those who made contributions to the nation has taken root in society and been growing on both scale and efficiency.

Over the past five years, a fund to help war invalids and martyrs’ families has raised 1.5 trillion VND (68.72 million USD), built 55,600 houses and repaired 39,000 others, costing hundreds of billions of VND.

Nearly 6,000 living Heroic Mothers have also been taken care of by agencies and organisations.

So far, as many as 98 percent of policy beneficiary households enjoy middle-range living standards and above compared to their neighbours, while 95 percent of communes and wards across the nation are showing strong performances in caring for war invalids, martyrs’ families and policy beneficiaries.

The search, gathering and repatriation of martyr remains have been enthusiastically implemented. The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Defence have coordinated with other ministries to build national projects in the field and encourage the engagement of the whole society.

Last year, a general review of preferential policies for revolutionary contributors was carried out nationwide to determine shortcomings in policy implementation for timely adjustment.

Thus far, all localities nationwide have completed the review and policy modifications have been enacted for Vietnam heroic mothers, war invalids, Agent Orange/Dioxin victims, revolutionary contributors and ex-youth volunteers.

Currently, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs is implementing a project to renovate policies for revolutionary contributors to ensure adequate living conditions.

This year, the ministry is focusing on continuing to improve policies for beneficiaries and calling for stronger engagement of society in the effort while educating the youth on their responsibility in the field.

Contest on Red Cross society launched

Vietnamese citizens over the age of eighteen are invited to join a contest online about the emblem and fundamental principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies through September 2.

The announcement was made by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRC) on July 21.

Contestants need to access the official website of the VRC and answer ten test questions about the emblem and fundamental principles of the Red Cross.

There will be hundreds of prizes which are scheduled to be handed out from September 10 to 15, including a prize worth 3 million VND (140 USD) for the most outstanding participant.

Detailed information is available on the website www.redcross.org.vn.

Exhibition on Agent Orange ordeal underway in Quang Ninh

An Agent Orange (AO) exhibition opened in northern Quang Ninh province on July 21 as the designated date for supporting dioxin victims (August 10) approaches, 54 years since the US first brought the chemical into Vietnam (1961-2015).

Running through August 14, the exhibition presents an overview of the chemical warfare disaster, activities of the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin (VAVA), examples of victims overcoming difficulties and the fight for justice for AO victims, among others.

Detoxification models and handicrafts made by affected communities are also on display.

VAVA President Nguyen Van Rinh said the event contributes to raising public awareness in Vietnam and abroad about a part of the US war aftermath and how the nation has handled it.

It may trigger greater international response in favour of the ongoing fight for justice, Rinh noted.

On the occasion, the VAVA presented 20 gifts and ten wheelchairs to victims as well as 100 million VND (4,580 USD) to a fund for production activities of the organisation’s chapter in Quang Ninh.

Vinh Long sets bright example in luring foreign NGO aid

The Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long is a bright spot in the region in attracting foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs), not only in terms of aid value but also in management.

The comment was made by a mission from the Committee for Foreign NGOs during a working session with the local authorities on July 20.

The mission called for better communication and cooperation among relevant bodies to enhance the effectiveness of aid in the locality, in addition to luring more enterprises to join the activities.

Local authorities suggested the committee work with the Ministry of Planning and Investment on including culture, sports and tourism in the international NGO funding coverage.

More favourable procedures should be executed in the approval and implementation process of NGO-funded projects in the localities.

They called for more active support from the committee and relevant bodies to promote international aid for the province.

According to the provincial Union of Friendship Organisations, there are 29 NGOs operating in Vinh Long. The province has received over 400 billion VND and 7 million USD from nearly 100 individuals, donors, international and domestic NGOs since 2003.

The proceeds have significantly contributed to local socio-economic development through social projects on poverty and hunger reduction, education, healthcare, rural traffic systems, clean water, environmental protection and climate change adaptation.-

Vietnamese-funded project inaugurated in Cambodia

Vietnam's Ministry of Defence and the Cambodian Royal Army inaugurated a complex comprising residential quarters, a three-storey workplace and a military store in Cambodia's Kandal province on July 20.

The complex built with funding from Vietnam Military Zone 7 is located in the headquarters of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF)'s Brigade 70.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the RCAF's Commander-in-Chief, General Pol Saroeun, expressed his sincere thanks for the whole-hearted assistance given by Military Zone 7 as well as the Vietnamese Ministry of Defence.

Considered the most elite unit of Cambodia's ground forces, Brigade 70's key task is to protect Phnom Penh and other essential targets. They have enjoyed strong cooperation and friendship with Vietnam's Military Zone 7 for many years.

The general said efforts and assistance from Military Zone 7 and the Vietnamese army had made significant contributions to Cambodia's security and defence, and to enhancing the RCAF's fighting capacity in the new era.

In accordance with a cooperation protocol signed by both countries, the Vietnamese army will continue to assist the Royal Cambodian Armed Force with about 4 million USD for basic construction activities in 2015.

Water project to benefit locals in Ha Giang

A Vietnam–Germany cooperation project is set to pump water from the Seo Ho hydropower plant’s reservoir in Ha Giang to serve local demand, as heard during a workshop held in the northernmost mountainous province on July 20.

Implemented since 2010, the KawaTech project will run through August 2016 in a bid to pilot sustainable use of water resources among the communities living in Dong Van town and areas surrounding the Dong Van Karst Plateau.

Water shortage is a pressing issue in the Dong Van Karst Plateau – which encompasses Dong Van, Meo Vac and Yen Minh districts – largely due to short concentrated rainfall and water bodies located between 600 and 800 metres underneath settlement areas. Rivers and ground water could be an effective solution if the conveying altitudes and distances could be managed.

After carefully exploring the localities, project scientists decided to install a system utilising water from the local Seo Ho hydropower plant’s reservoir. With help from advanced technology, the facility is capable of pumping water to higher areas – up to 700 metres. It is expected to provide an average of approximately 1,700 cubic metres per day once operational.

The source will supply residents with part of its water output during the rainy season and all throughout dry season when the plant is not operational.

The project has been coordinated by the Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources, the Water Resources University, the Ha Giang People’s Committee and five German partners.

Vietnam attends 2nd French Language World Forum

The 2nd edition of the French Language World Forum (FLWF) is taking place from July 20-23 in Liege (Brussels), bringing together more than 1,500 delegates worldwide including Vietnamese representatives to share their perspectives and projects regarding “creative Francophonie”.

The forum is jointly held by the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) and the authorities of the Wallonie-Brussels region.

Present at the opening ceremony on July 20 were OIF Secretary-General Michaelle Jean, Director of the 2015 FLWF Philippe Suinen, Governor of the Wallonie-Brussels region Rudy Demotte, Minister of Higher Education Jean-Claude Marcourt and Liege Mayor Willy Demeyer.

In her opening remarks, OIF Secretary-General Michaelle Jean highlighted the event as an opportunity to honour the French language through creativity and innovation, and called on the Francophone community all over the world to seek and foster creativity.

For his part, Philippe Suinen said the forum aims to encourage the younger generation to bring creativity into their humanistic projects.

This year’s FLWF introduces about 130 projects and almost 100 events in five major field such as education, economics, culture and cultural industries, the relationship between French language and creativity, and citizens’ rights. It also hosts a number of art performances and photo exhibitions.

The Vietnamese delegation to the event includes a number of young lecturers and students from universities in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Can Tho.

Students from Phan Chu Trinh and Hoang Hoa Tham high schools in Da Nang city brought the “Diem hen Phap ngu” (Francophone Rendezvous) project to the event which promotes the coastal resort city in French to international holidaymakers.

Governor Demotte told Brussels-based Vietnam News Agency reporters that he has been working to strengthen the relationship among French-speaking people in Vietnam and nurturing their passion for the French language.

Misuse of contraceptive methods due to lack of professional consultations

It was the fourth time in one year that 34-year-old Nguyen Trang Dung of Ho Chi Minh City had changed her contraceptive.

Four times and four different contraceptives, all discovered through one way: friends and internet searches.

"I've tried both hormonal and non-hormonal methods, which were all introduced to me by friends," Dung said. "I just searched Google for more information and decided on my own to choose a contraceptive method."

When asked why she hadn't visited the doctor, she said: "It's a waste of time."

However, she had gone to the doctor to seek advice for contraceptive implants, sterilisation, hormonal intrauterine devices and other methods.

"With oral or non-hormonal contraceptives, however, I will not go," she said.

Buying contraceptives without consulting healthcare professionals is common among women in Vietnam.

Nguyen Duy Hoang Minh Tam, an obstetrician from the Ho Chi Minh City Medicine and Pharmacy University, said patients must consult a doctor to find the optimal method for them as well as to ensure their safety before using pills.

"Very few women go to a doctor. Only about 5%-10% of my patients come to me for such a consultation," Tam told Vietnam News.

Many contraceptive methods are now available on the market, including the combined pill, emergency pill, mini pill, contraceptive patch and ring, and injections.

Each method has its own benefit-risk profile.

With a doctor's guidance, women can clearly understand which risks they are facing, especially women with a chronic medical condition or disease.

The lack of professional information could lead women to choose a method not suited to her health conditions or lifestyle, doctors said.

According to information from a media dialogue event organized by Bayer, a pharmaceutical manufacturer, women and their partners have a wide range of contraceptive methods from which to choose that can be suited to their particular needs.

Patients should talk to their physician to decide on the contraceptive method that is right for them.

Contraceptive pills' undesired effects can include headaches, breast tenderness, nausea, acne and irregular and intra-cycle bleeding.

Depending on the person's health, different methods should be selected for women to maximize benefits as well as to avoid risks.

Professor Johannes Bitzer of the European Society of Contraception and Reproductive Health told Viet Nam News: "It is really important to make women more aware about what they are taking and why they are taking it."

"It would be helpful if a woman has a basic consultation about how the pill works," he said. "The doctor can also discover whether the woman has certain risk factors and should not take hormonal methods."

Risk factors as well as benefits of different pills, for example, control of acne or bleeding, can also be taken into consideration.

"The woman needs to understand why she should take a certain pill," he said.

One doctor in Ho Chi Minh City, who declined to be named, said that visits to physicians were important because in emergency cases, the doctors can consult patients' medical records which contain history of pill use and health diagnoses.

"It's very important that women get advice and guidance from healthcare professionals who understand the benefits of different options," said Michael Devoy, chief medical officer of Bayer HealthCare.

"Together, they can decide which method is best," he said.

Hanoi to host “Connecting Viet Youth 2015” events

A July 21 press conference in Hanoi announced that the Vietnamese Student Association in the UK (SVUK), the Vietnamese Student Association in the US, and VEOXBRIDGE charitable organisation will launch a series of events themed “Connecting Viet Youth 2015”.

The event will begin with a charity run titled “CVY Innovation Marathon” on the morning of July 25 in Hang Day Stadium, expecting to attract more than 1,500 people, including Vietnamese and foreign students.

Young people will have an opportunity to showcase their talents  through sports activities.

During the event on July 26, there will be seminars like “Connecting VietYouth Innovation Day” and “Connecting VietYouth Study Abroad Conference” in Hanoi. Students and successful businesses will share valuable experiences with young people to give them further  detailed  insight into these topics.

The organising board will visit K Hospital and support children in  difficult circumstance. All the proceeds from the chairity run will be used to build a bookcase and organise an Mid- Autumn Festival for children at the National Institute of Haematology of Blood Transfusion.

Nha Be Dist. residents complain about air pollution

Many households in residential areas and condo buildings in HCMC’s outlying district of Nha Be have bemoaned odor pollution caused by a nearby dumpsite.

Nguyen Van Binh, deputy general director of Hung Loc Phat Co., said many people living in Hung Loc Phat condo building have complained about an unpleasant odor from garbage. The company has found that other condo buildings in the area are also affected in recent times.

Nearly 360 households are living in Hung Loc Phat condo building on Le Van Luong Street.

According to Binh, the higher the apartment units, the more unpleasant the smell is. The time when they often suffer from the awful smell, which might come from the dumpsite is from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Binh told the Daily last weekend that the company hoped the local authority would soon find out the cause and solve the problem soon.

Nguyen Van Thanh, a resident on the third floor of Hung Loc Phat condo building, said, “The odor is of garbage but I don’t know where it comes from.”

According to Thanh, such a foul odor began emitting in the middle of last month and has become more unpleasant, especially between 8 p.m. and 12 a.m.

Not only hundreds of households in Hung Loc Phat condo building but also families in many other residential areas in Nha Be like Phuoc Kien A and An Tien have reported the smell pollution.

A resident at An Tien condo building, around 1.5 kilometers from Hung Loc Phat condo building, said he started smelling the stink in mid-June.

Le Minh Tri, chairman of Phuoc Kien Commune, told the Daily that the commune has already reported the problem to the district’s sub-department of natural resources and environment to find coping ways. The odor might come from a big landfill near Nha Be District.

According to the sub-department, the exact cause of the odor has yet to be discovered. Therefore, the district will report it to the HCMC Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

Ministry to tighten training of sleeper bus drivers

The Ministry of Transport will consider reducing years of experience drivers of sleeper buses must have but tighten training requirements to increase service quality, Minister Dinh La Thang told a web conference with transport enterprises on July 20.

Nguyen Quoc Manh, chairman of the Dien Bien Transport Association, said at the conference that though many regulations have been issued to monitor drivers and ensure traffic safety but some regulations are inappropriate in reality.

For instance, drivers of sleeper buses are required to have at least three years of experience while in fact many experienced drivers do not drive big vehicles. Or, drivers must have medical checkups every six months and this span of time is too short.

Manh suggested sleeper bus drivers should only be required to get a driving license of type E, undergo stricter training and testing requirements, and do not necessarily have three years of experience.

Minister Thang said the ministry would consider relaxing the requirement for seniority. He stressed training requirements would be made stricter and the duration drivers must have medicals would be one year, instead of six months.

However, medicals must be conducted seriously, Thang insisted.

Thang said the ministry would amend circulars and decisions within its authority to support enterprises.

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