Tay Ninh police discover smuggled goods worth VND1.5billion

Customs officers in the southern province of Tay Ninh have proposed prosecuting those responsible for the smuggling of functional food and electronics from Cambodia worth VND1.5billion (US$66,700).

Customs staffs at Moc Bai International Border Gate in Tay Ninh seized the smuggled goods, consisting of 127 cartons storing more than 780 cans of functional food, branded Carnebolic, ISO Sensation, Amino, and others, and electronics that included 20 laptop computers, 10 desktop CPUs and a Panasonic second-hand washing machine.

They discovered the goods while checking a truck traveling across the border from Cambodia to Viet Nam. The driver could not produce legal certifications or custom declaration forms for the goods.

The smuggling of functional food and cosmetics within the country and across the province's border has seen an increase, according to the provincial's steering committee for fighting smuggling, commercial fraud and counterfeit goods.

Provincial authorities in the first 20 days of August seized nearly 7,000 unverified cans, more than 640 bottles and nearly 8,900 tablets of functional food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, with a total value of VND1.6 billion (US$71,200).

Man held for extortion

The Tan Phu District Police in HCM City yesterday started further investigation into a case of extortion of property by a man.

Initial investigation showed that the suspect, 24-year-old Nguyen Van Trong, who is a resident of Tan Phu District, took control of two websites of a company in order to extort money from it.

Trong earlier worked for a granite company in HCM City. His work involved management of the company's two websites.

Trong recently resigned from his job, and changed the passwords of the websites so that the company's employees could not access them.

Trong told the company that if it wanted the passwords, it would have to pay him VND70 million (US$3,200). He said if his demand was not met, he would sell the two websites to other companies.

The company then registered a complaint with the HCM City Police.

Police caught Trong on Tuesday in the act of taking the money that a representative of the company had brought to a place in Tan Phu District.

Riverside landslides to hit Saigon & Dong Nai rivers

Serious landslides on Saigon River banks will threaten dyke systems along the river in rainy and flood season if urgent measures are not conducted, reported HCMC Irrigation Service Exploitation Management Company.

Initial surveys showed that recent landslides along the dyke systems had caused by illegal dredging sand in the river and constructions of embankment on Binh Duong province bank side.

Landslides have been found along Binh Duong section of Dong Nai River. Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Binh Duong province said that most of serious landslides had occurred in the area of Tan Uyen and North- Tan Uyen Town.

Currently, there are 174 households locating in landslide vulnerable are in risk of lives and farm production. Of these, 73 houses needed to move into safer places.

Flow change and illegal dredging sand from the banks of Dong Nai River  caused the landslide on Dong Nai River banks.

Accident inside Hai Van tunnel kills one

One person died and another was critically injured this morning as their truck slammed into the wall of Hai Van Tunnel which connects the central localities of Thua Thien - Hue and Da Nang.

The truck entered the tunnel from Thua Thien - Hue Province side and met with the accident just 100m down from the tunnel entrance. A person sitting in the passenger seat died on the spot.

The driver was rushed to a hospital in Da Nang City with critical head and chest injuries. Fortunately, the doctors managed to save his life, according to an announcement made this afternoon.

Police said trucks braking system snapped accidentally and they believed that the driver intentionally slammed the vehicle into the wall to avoid a collision with other vehicles in the tunnel.

Minimum speed in the tunnel is 60km per hour. At the time the accident occurred, sensors and cameras along the tunnels were active and the tunnel managers are working to ensure that no explosion occurs inside. However, the accident led to hours-long traffic congestion. The tunnel, the longest in the country, goes through the Hai Van Pass.

Man killed in flash floods after heavy rain in Son La

Flooding caused by more than 100 millimetres of rain yesterday in mountainous Son La Province killed one man and caused hundred thousands of dollars worth of damage.

Three hours of heavy rain from 2am led to a flash flood in the Don and Muoi creeks in Thuan Chau District.

Lo Van Hieu, 40, from Chieng Pac Commune, was killed in the torrent.

The floods covered more than 200ha of newly planted paddy fields. Nearly 40ha of fish farms and six bridges were also damaged.

"We managed to evacuate in time due to experience gained from the last flooding," Doan Thi Sen from Tong Lanh, one of the affected villages, told the Voice of Viet Nam (VOV) radio station.

The previous flooding hit Son La in June, killing 11, six of whom came from Tong Lanh village.

More than 200 police officers and soldiers were immediately deployed to the affected areas yesterday morning to move families whose houses were at risk of landslides.

Report on farmer cooperation and linkages in agricultural production

Oxfam in Vietnam launched its report titled “Understanding farmer cooperation and linkages in agricultural production to promote farmers’ rights, voices and choices: Findings and Policy recommendations” in Hanoi on August 20.

The study was conducted by Oxfam and the Institute of Research and Consultancy on Development (RCD) in the provinces of Ninh Binh, Lam Dong and Dong Thap.

Oxfam’s study confirmed that developing a cooperative economy is a major and sensible strategy. However, enactment and enforcement of policies has encountered many obstacles and difficulties.

Collaborative group models have significantly increased in quantity and become a popular choice for many farmers.

The model is more suited to the capacity and demands of farmers because it helps ensure the fundamental principles of voluntary membership, autonomy, independence and transparency.

Nearly 75 percent of farmers supported the principles of democratic control and transparency in cooperation and linkages that allow farmers to give their opinions.

According to Nguyen Thi Le Hoa from Oxfam in Vietnam, promoting cooperation and linkages needs to stem from practical circumstances, demands, expectations as well as diverse cooperation and linkage capacities of farmers.

Farmers are interested sharing benefits and risks and playing an active role in developing and operating cooperation and linkages rather than being imposed on by fixed models and cooperative methods. They need to be trusted and given opportunities to showcase their potential and support to participate in new partnerships

Statistics show that since the introduction of the 2003 Cooperative Act, there have been at least 143 policies and legal documents enacted on the collective economy.

However, understandings on the nature of collective economies remains limited and are unable to catch-up with development practices, said Nguyen Van Thuc from the RCD.

Many enacted policies have not yet promoted the proper nature and role of farmer organisations as an independent partner in development, he added.

Capacity of management teams, operating mechanisms and information and communication transparency are the three most important factors. The market-oriented mindset of participating farmers is the guiding factor in product quality, flexibility and the adaptability of linkages, said Thuc.

Wild animals found in Hue passenger van

Police in the central province of Quang Binh yesterday stopped a van and discovered wild animals on board, including small Indian civets (Viverricula indica) and soft shell turtles, all being transported illegally.

Traffic police ordered the stop for a safety check when they encountered the passenger van, which had departed from Hue and was travelling on the national highway in the province's Quan Hau Township section.

The van driver, a Hue resident, failed to present police permits for transporting the 13 civets and 7 turtles.

Police seized the animals, and further investigations are underway.

Civets and soft shell turtles are used as expensive food specialities in restaurants around Viet Nam.

Hunting, capturing, transporting, trading and killing these animals for food are prohibited under Vietnamese laws. However, there is no raiding campaign in place to stop the consumption of these animals. Diners can order dishes that include meat from these animals at almost any high-end restaurant.

Tobacco company in Bac Ninh catches fire

A fire broke out in the early hours of the morning at the finished product and raw materials stores of the Ngan Son Tobacco Joint Stock Company here.

Initial investigations revealed that the fire had started at the finished product store, spanning 6,500sq.m and containing 400 tonnes of products, and spread to the 2,000sq.m raw materials store in this northern province's Tien Son Industrial Zone.

Losses were estimated at more than VND300 billion (US$13.7 million).

Fourteen fire engines and more than 400 firemen were dispatched by the Bac Ninh Police to the scene. The Department of Fire Prevention and Control assigned five additional fire engines, while the Ha Noi and Bac Giang Province dispatched six more fire engines and nearly 70 additional firemen to put out the blaze.

The fire was extinguished at 10am today.

No casualties were reported.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

The Ngan Son Tobacco Joint Stock Company started operations in 2002 and currently employs some 200 workers.

More Da River water pipeline breaches likely: experts

The Da River water pipeline is likely to be breached again, affecting water supply, experts from the Ha Noi Department of Construction said.

In a meeting in Ha Noi yesterday afternoon, Le Hong Quan, head of the Water Drainage Management Division under the department, said after the water pipeline was breached for the 13th time last Thursday, the Ha Noi People's Committee asked the Viet Nam Construction and Import-Export Corporation (Vinaconex) to fix it.

The pipeline breach affected about 55,000 households in Thanh Xuan, Hoang Mai, Dong Da and Cau Giay, as well as Nam Tu Liem and Bac Tu Liem districts.

About 100 workers joined the repair work, and the broken pipeline was fixed the next day.

Quan said the company temporarily transported clean water from some nearby water plants to residential quarters in Cau Giay, Dong Da, Ba Dinh and Hoang Mai districts, which did not receive water from the Da River system after the broken pipeline was fixed.

While repairing the water pipeline this time, the company discovered that there was a high risk of breakage at two points in the system.

The department proposed that Vinaconex could build a second water pipeline system to ensure water supply, in case the first pipeline broke.

Director of the department Le Van Duc said if Vinaconex did not begin construction on the second water pipeline in October this year, the Ha Noi Clean Water Plant would do it.

Duc said water supply companies could set up hotlines to receive information related to water shortage. If a water pipeline is breached, companies should find other ways of supplying water to residents such as tankers or by pumping water to different areas in turns.

Ha Noi's demand for clean water has increased by 10 per cent annually.

The construction work on the 300,000cu.m-per-day Hong River Water Plant will begin soon.

Tonnes of sugar seized

Can Tho City Police yesterday found a large quantity of sugar during a search of the Tu Hau sugar firm's premises in Cai Rang District.

The owner of the firm Le Van Thich could not show any certificates showing the place of origin and legal papers of the merchandise.

Earlier, the city's police searched a truck driven by Ho Van Trang, 35, a resident of An Giang Province, and discovered 62 sacks of sugar, equivalent to 3.1 tonnes.

The police also found 200 packets of smuggled cigarettes.

The driver said he was transporting the sugar to the Tu Hau sugar firm in Cai Rang District. The authorities then inspected the establishment and found another 152 sacks of sugar for which Thich could not show any legal documents.

Can Tho City Police seized and sealed the goods for further investigation.

People burying illegal cosmetics to be fined

Residents in Tra Cu District of southern Tra Vinh Province who are found burying illegal cosmetics in their gardens will face penal action, the province's police said yesterday.

People involved in such cases will also have to dig up the cosmetics and store them in big plastic containers to avoid environmental pollution, Lieutenant-Colonel Huynh Van Khoi, spokesperson of Tra Vinh's police said.

Earlier, the Lao Dong (Labour) newspaper reported that residents in Tra Cu District found bottles of thick liquid cosmetics buried in three holes in the garden of a house belonging to a man named Tram Thui.

About 40 empty chemical boxes and dozens of cosmetics boxes, weighing about 28 tonnes, were also recovered.

The name of the manufacturer, Ly Hoang Long Company in Ward 4, Tan Binh District, HCM City, was on the bottles.

The cosmetics, which gave off a foul smell, annoyed the neighbours, and a month ago they reported the case to the local authorities.

They were worried that the liquid would be absorbed in the ground and pollute the underground water.

A member of Thui's family, who works for the Ly Hoang Long Company, said the bottles were brought home to be sold to bottle collectors.

Quang Ninh urges greater safety for mining workers

Chairman of the People’s Committee of northern Quang Ninh province Nguyen Duc Long sent an emergency message to organisations and agencies at the local level on August 20, urging them to be proactive in post-flood recovery and ensure mining safety.

The local coal industry has suffered an estimated loss of 55 million USD after the historic downpour – the worst in four decades – battered the province from July 25 to early August.

Floods triggered by the rainstorm have made mines and tunnels vulnerable, causing many coal production risks.

The People’s Committee and the provincial Steering Committee on Disaster Prevention and Search-and-Rescue requested management officials of the Vietnam National Coal-Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin) and Dong Bac Corporation as well as chairmen of the People’s Committee of Ha Long, Cam Pha and Uong Bi cities, Hoanh Bo district , and Dong Trieu town undertake necessary measures to ensure safety for their coal workers.

Vinacomin was asked to closely examine and reinforce its mines and tunnels to prevent landslides and breaches.

Long also requested relevant bodies to urgently search for and rescue missing workers after an accident at a Thanh Cong Coal Factory work site early on August 20 and support victims. The incident has killed one person and injured ten others.

The same day, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Uong Chu Luu visited and presented gifts to the victims and their families.

He urged Quang Ninh authorities to promptly identify the cause of the accident and handle its aftermath.

Intelligent transportation system to be applied in the north

Applying an intelligent transportation system (ITS) into the highway network in north Vietnam was discussed during a seminar in Hanoi on August 20.

Vietnam plans to build 2,500 kilometres of highways by 2020 and 6,400 kilometres by 2030, 700 kilometres of which have already been put into use. However, underdeveloped public transportation and infrastructure as well as limited awareness of vehicle users are making it harder for traffic management, said Head of the Directorate for Roads of Vietnam’s Highway Management Department Nguyen Quoc Tung.

A representative from the Ministry of Transport said a plan is in the pipeline to adopt the ITS model in several highways, including National Highway 1, which aims to lay out a common standard for nationwide highway management.

Representatives from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) said there should be a common ITS in Vietnam given its numerous highways across the country.

JICA will help Vietnam build an integrated ITS control centre for the north, they said.

In its ITS feasibility study, JICA will also thoroughly evaluate the design and quality of existing equipment such as cameras, data transmitting and toll collection systems, and cable and cable pipeline networks.

The preliminary ITS plan will cover traffic operations and management mechanisms, road patrol teams, emergency response, data provision and toll collection stations.

The seminar was co-hosted by the Directorate for Roads of Vietnam’s Highway Management Department and JICA.

Leader orders swift actions to respond to coal mine accident

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has demanded prompt actions to settle consequences of a recent coal mining accident in northern Quang Ninh province.

On early August 20, an accident following a water breakout at a Thanh Cong Coal Factory work site of the Hon Gai Coal Company, an affiliate of the Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin), killed one worker and injured many others. One person is still missing.

The PM ordered Vinacomin in coordination with the Quang Ninh People’s Committee to mobilise all available forces to search for the missing, treat the injured, hold a proper funeral for the deceased and visit the families of the victims.

Vinacomin in particular was told to examine all of its coal mines to prevent similar incidents from occurring elsewhere.

The National Committee for Search and Rescue, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Industry and Trade were also asked to join search and rescue and ensure security at the accident site.

The local coal industry, a key sector in Quang Ninh, has suffered an estimated loss of 55 million USD after the historic downpour – the worst in four decades – battered the province from July 25 to early August.

Floods triggered by the rainstorm have made mines and tunnels vulnerable, causing many coal production risks.

Agriculture, rural area development urged

The agriculture sector needs to mobilise domestic and international resources to boost the industrialisation and modernisation of the agricultural and rural economic sectors.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh made the statement during a workshop on August 20 in Hanoi, co-organised by the Party Central Committee’s (PCC) Economic Commission, the Communist Review magazine and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Deputy PM Ninh urged the sector to review its existing development blueprints while designing specific plans for developing key and highly competitive products as well as large-scale and concentrated agricultural production areas.

Head of the PCC Economic Commission Vuong Dinh Hue reiterated that the Party and State have continuously attached importance to agriculture and rural development, as reflected in a number of policies issued over the past 30 years.

He hailed the sector’s achievements, saying that these have contributed significantly to the socio-economic and political stability of the country as well as poverty reduction.

However, industrialisation and modernisation of the sector remains slow and failed to fulfil targets, Hue said, attributing it to the inadequate knowledge about the need to reform growth model and restructure the economy, a lack of breakthrough institutional changes to effectively mobilise and use social resources in line with the market economy and the failure of the national industrial development policy in identifying and focusing on key fields for each period.

Meanwhile, the Communist Review’s Editor-in-chief Vu Van Phuc stressed the need for the modernisation and industrialisation of the sector, saying it will be the shortest way to boost agricultural production, enhance productivity and improve living conditions for rural residents.

Reports heard at the workshop revealed that the agro-fishery and forestry sector saw a year-on-year GDP growth of 3.7 percent from 1986 to 2013.

In 2014, the sector contributed 18 percent to the GDP with rural workers accounting for only 47 percent of the national workforce, down from 70 percent in 1990.

It also earned more than 30 billion USD from exports in 2014.

Books honour country’s big anniversaries

The National Political Publishing House has published a series of books on the Vietnamese Revolution and late President Ho Chi Minh to honour the 70th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19) and National Day (September 2).

The books include a concise Vietnamese history; Vietnam’s Revolution on the “international chessboard” – history and agendas; the Declaration of Independence in 1945 and Vietnam’s constitutions in 1946, 1959, 1980, 1992, and 2013, among others.

The books on Vietnam’s Revolution focus on the country’s foreign relations including the links between Vietnam and outside forces, both allies and enemies, while books on Ho Chi Minh feature the irreplaceable role of the country’s founding father in the nation’s revolutionary process.

“Bac Ho o Tan Trao” (Uncle Ho in Tan Trao) and “Nhung ky niem Bac Ho voi bo doi phong khong- khong quan” (Uncle Ho memories with air force soldiers) bring together writings from national and international authors and depict real life stories of the President as well as his revolutionary cause.

There are also books on outstanding revolutionaries, such as Nguyen Luong Bang, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Colonel Le Anh Duc.

Books on the history of the country’s foreign relations (1940-2010; 1945-2000) highlighted milestones, historic events, the development of Vietnam’s diplomatic relations and its significant role in today’s international integration and development.

The publisher said the books are precious materials on the country’s history, fostering a more profound understanding of the country’s revolution and President Ho as well as promoting patriotism among young generations.

Front work course opened for Lao staff

The Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee launched a short-term training course for officials from the Lao Front for National Construction (NFNC) Central Committee in Hanoi on August 20.

In his opening speech, Vice President and General Secretary of the VFF Central Committee Vu Trong Kim praised the two bodies for their links and joint effort to organise such courses and other relevant activities, saying it helps concretise coordination programmes set by the two countries.

Vice President of NFNC Central Committee Khambay Damlath thanked the VFF Central Committee for its fervent assistance, expressing his desire that the course will contribute to strengthening connections between the two agencies and deepening Vietnam-Laos relations.

At the event, President of the VFF Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan briefed participants on Vietnam’s socio-economic development achievements after 30 years of its reform (Doi Moi) process as well as the country’s orientations for 2016-2030.

As part of the cooperation programme agreed by leaders from the two bodies from 2012-2016, the course will focus on seven subjects and two extra-curricular reports among fact-finding studies in Hanoi and the central province of Nghe An.-

Government to purchase more seeds for national reserve

The Government will ask the National Assembly Standing Committee for permission to spend an additional 128 billion VND (5.9 million USD) on buying seeds for the national reserve.

The money will be used to buy 1,470 tonnes of rice seeds, 388 tonnes of corn seeds and 28.7 tonnes of vegetable seeds to compensate for the volume of seeds granted to localities across the country which were seriously affected by floods and droughts in 2014 and earlier this year.

Last year, the northern mountainous province of Lang Son was among the worst hit by Storm Rammasun in July, while Storm Sinlaku swept through the central region in November, causing serious damage to Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa provinces. Many central provinces also suffered from severe droughts in 2014 and in the first half of this year.-

Central bank urges more loans for farmers

The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has requested commercial banks to strictly implement a Government support credit lending programme which aims to help famers and businesses operating in agriculture minimise their post-harvest losses.

The programme is being carried out under the Prime Minister's Decision 68/2013/QD-TTg dated November 14, 2013 on support policies to reduce post-harvest losses in agriculture.

Accordingly, commercial banks were asked to provide information related to procedures and conditions for borrowers, facilitating their access to loans.

Decision 68 was issued as part of efforts to realise Resolution 48/NQ-CP on mechanisms and policies to reduce post-harvest farm produce and aquatic product losses, contributing to promoting agricultural restructuring.

Thanks to support policies, farmers have purchased machines and equipment serving production, processing and storing of agro-forestry and fishery products.

A report by the SBV showed that by July 30, total lending capital in the programme had reached 3.47 trillion VND (159 million USD) with outstanding loans of 2.44 trillion VND (111 million USD), up 32 percent from December 31 last year.

Hanoi spreads health screening for pregnant women, infants

Hanoi has carried out a project on health screening for pregnant women and infants since the beginning of the year in a bid to mitigate the number of children born with deformities and give timely treatment for congenital abnormalities from their early stage.

As a result, 44.74 percent of local pregnant women and 61.89 percent of newborn babies have thus far received the medical tests.

Statistics from the General Department of Population and Family Planning show that among about one million children born each year nationwide, between 22,000 and 30,000 suffer from congenital defects.

In the period from 2016-2020, Vietnam will prioritise health care services for women of child-bearing age, pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers and children under five living in disadvantaged areas.

The People’s Council of Quang Binh has collaborated with Oxfam Ha Noi Office to conduct M-Score service project.

M-Score service is used to enhance transparency and accountability in services provided by local administrative agencies in several districts in the province.

In the short term, Minh Hoa, Tuyen Hoa, Quang Trach, Bo Trach, Quang Ninh, Le Thuy, Ba Don and Dong Hoi City will be the first districts to deploy the project scheduled from July 2015 and April 2018.

Under the project, local residents who accomplish transactions at one-stop-shop units will get a message/call from telephone operator asking about the service quality and attitude. They can send their feedbacks about the quality of public service and the attitude of the staff.

The feedbacks will help local authorities to see through and take measures to overcome shortcomings and improve the quality of administrative services.

In addition, local residents can also use a hotline to comment on staff attitude and service.

Last year, the central province of Quang Tri also launched a pilot project on gathering public opinions on the quality of public services at one-stop-shop units via mobile phones.

New regulations on aircraft registration

The Government has issued a decree which stipulates registration of nationality and rights of aircraft in Vietnam.

The newly decree, scheduled to take effect since October 1, 2015, covers the aircraft nationality/rights registration and renunciation, granting of codes for registration and abolishment of registration for international rights for aircraft of Vietnamese nationality.  

The decree shall not be applicable to military aircraft, special aircraft of customs and public security forces.

Under the decree, aircraft possessed or hired by organizations, individuals for use in Viet Nam for over 24 months shall be required for registration of Vietnamese nationality.

Within six months from the date of import, the aircraft must be registered for Vietnamese nationality.

Island districts to be connected to national grid

Kien Giang authorities and Electricity of Viet Nam  (EVN) will coordinate to implement a plan to connect seven island districts in the southwestern province with the national power grid in September.

The project is estimated to cost about VND1.5 trillion (US$68.1 million).

It comprises the construction of a 44km-long sea crossing, two 110kV substations in Lai Son Ward, a 53km-long medium voltage grid and a 38km-long underground cable system, as well as other electrical facilities.

The seven island districts that will benefit from the project are Hon Heo and Hon Nghe Islands of Kien Luong District, Hon Doc of Ha Tien Commune, Lai Son and An Son Wards, as well as Nam Du Island of Kien Hai District and Hon Thom of Phu Quoc Island.

The project will serve more than 6,800 households in these islands, helping to stabilise their lives and contribute to developing the marine economy.

The project is expected to help the island districts of Kien Giang Province promote sustainable fisheries, boost tourism and attract investment, thus improving the residents' living standards.

Between 2014 and 2015, EVN completed two projects to connect Phu Quoc Island and Hon Tre Island – the administrative centre of Kien Hai District -- with the national power grid.

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