The Department of Medical Service Administration under the Ministry of Health asked Yên Bái Province People’s Commitee to investigate an assault on doctors at the provincial maternity and pediatrics hospital.

Lương Ngọc Khuê, the department head, told the Vietnam News Agency that the department on Thursday had directed the provincial department of health and the hospital to collaborate with law-enforcement agencies to investigate the attack, tighten security at medical facilities and provide the victims with comprehensive care.

On the same day, Yên Bái Province Police announced a search for Lê Hồng Nam, 33, from Cốc Lếu District in Lào Cai City, Lào Cai Province, who was identified as leading the assault.

Any information on Nam can be reported to Yên Bái Province Police via 069-2509-375 or 0945-809-888 (investigator Trần Xuân Trường).

According to Nguyễn Văn Phong, the hospital director, Lê Hồng Nam took his wife to the hospital on February 20 for a caesarean section. After conducting a medical examination, the pregnant woman was transferred to the operating room.

“While the operation was being performed, Nam climbed on to the hospital’s balcony to record a video. When a midwife asked him to stop, Nam harassed her and threatened to beat anyone he met after the operation,” said Phong.

Phạm Hải Ninh and Hoàng Đức Trung, two doctors at the hospital, were attacked by Nam and 15 others when they stepped out of the operating room.

Upon investigation, the provincial police identified Nam as the main attacker and launched a nationwide search for him. 

Doctors save patient after firecracker accident

Doctors from the Thống Nhất General Hospital in the southern province of Đồng Nai have successfully saved a patient suffering from critical injuries caused by firecrackers.

By yesterday, the 21-year-old patient, who wished to remain anonymous, was in a stable condition.

The patient, from the southern province of Bình Dương, was hospitalised last Monday with injuries to their stomach, large intestine and small intestine. The patient lost their left hand and significant amounts of blood in the incident.

The doctors conducted emergency surgery and transfused three litres of blood for the patient.

The seven-hour surgery was successful.

Đỗ Đức Đình, one of the surgeons, said that if the surgery was conducted any later, the patient could have died.

Đình said that the doctors found a number of tiny metal pieces in the patient’s chest, belly and thighs, because the firecrackers were put in a can and then ignited.

One dies, two injured in motorbike accident

One died and two others were seriously injured in an accident on Saturday afternoon in Thắng Lợi Commune, Buôn Ma Thuột District in the Central Highlands province of Đắk Lắk.

Local residents who witnessed the accident said that Lê Thanh Tuấn, 20, from Ea Bar Commune, Buôn Đôn District, drove his motorbike and crashed into another motorbike carrying two women driving in the opposite direction.

Tuấn died on the spot whereas two women, whose identities were unknown, were injured. They were under treatment at the provincial general hospital.

The causes of the accident are under investigation.

Winter-spring rice yields big profits for farmers

Farmers in the south have begun harvesting their winter-spring rice crop, earning large profits because of high yields and prices.

So far 300,000ha out of the 1.9 million hectares planted have been harvested, with the average yield being 5.9 tonnes per hectares, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

In the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta, the country’s rice granary, farmers have 1.55 million hectares under the crop, 2.6 per cent higher than planned.

Paddy prices are up slightly from last month, according to the ministry.  

Low-quality IR50404, one of the main varieties grown in the delta, is now bought at VNĐ5,900 – 6,100 a kilogramme while high-quality grains such as OM 5451, OM 6976, OM 4218 fetch VNĐ6,400 – 6,600.

Trần Văn Hết, who has 1ha under high-quality rice in Vĩnh Long Province’s Tam Bình District, said he would harvest his paddy in the next few days but a trader has bought it all in advance.

Nguyễn Văn Đồng, director of the Hậu Giang Province Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said farmers would have a bumper harvest and get high prices.  

Traders offering to buy paddy in advance at high prices is a common practice now, he said.

With the current price of VNĐ6,000 for low-quality paddy and VNĐ7,400 for fragrant varieties, farmers would make a profit of more than 30 per cent, he said.

Rice harvested later is expected to have even higher yields, he said.

Nguyễn Văn Tốt, a member of the Bắc Xà No Co-operative in Hậu Giang’s Vị Thủy District, said: “Farmers here are very glad because companies have offered to buy Tài Thơm 8 rice in advance since they sowed 300ha.”

The co-operative is one of the province’s first to grow organic rice.

Hậu Giang is implementing a plan to improve the operation of co-operatives and co-operative teams and create links between farmers and companies to zone high-quality rice growing areas. 

It offers many incentives, including preferential loans and low land rents, to encourage companies to invest in agriculture.

In Hậu Giang’s Châu Thành District, local authorities have been supporting farmers who used advanced techniques to grow rice on 400ha for exports during this winter-spring crop.

Meanwhile, in the central and northern regions most farmers have finished sowing their nurseries for the winter-spring crop, according to the ministry.

By mid-February farmers from Thừa Thiên- Huế Province to the north had planted seeds for sowing 935,000ha.

They are expected to finish transplanting by the end of this month.

Chợ Rẫy Hospital to receive investment for second hospital

Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has confirmed that HCM City’s Chợ Rẫy Hospital will receive reciprocal capital from the Government for the construction of its second hospital. A US$25 million official development assistance (ODA) package from the Austrian government will also be provided for equipment and facilities.

Phúc made the pledge during his Saturday visit to Chợ Rẫy Hospital, one of the leading hospitals in the southern region, on the occasion of the 63rd celebration of Vietnamese Doctors’ Day, which falls on February 27.

He praised the hospital, located in District 5, for its efforts to apply technical advancements in medical check-ups and treatment, as well as its renovations in management, especially the self-finance mechanism, which increases its autonomy. The construction of its second hospital is underway in Bình Chánh District.

The PM said the 1.5 million people using Chợ Rẫy Hospital’s services in 2017 reflect its prestige, particularly in the southern region. 

He used the occasion to call on doctors and health workers nationwide to overcome difficulties and limitations in order to better meet public demands for health care. 

Greater efforts should be made to deal with shortcomings relating to medical ethics, overcrowding in hospitals, antibiotic abuse, administrative reform, medical equipment and medicine management and security and safety in hospitals, he stressed. 

Phúc urged the health sector to review, amend and supplement suitable mechanisms and policies to encourage different economic sectors to invest in health care, thus helping improve the quality of medical check-up and treatment. 

Established in 1900, Chợ Rẫy Hospital was one of the first public hospitals nationwide to establish a self-financing mechanism in 2010, allowing it to set its own financial course with less government oversight.

It was originally named Hôpital Municipal de Cholon as one of the very first medical units France established in Việt Nam, together with Pasteur Institute in HCM City (1891) and Pasteur Insitute in Nha Trang City (1895). It took the name Chợ Rẫy in 1957.

Chợ Rẫy Hospital is one of the four health centres recognised as a special hospital, together with Việt-Đức (Việt Nam-Germany) Hospital and Bạch Mai Hospital in Hà Nội and Huế Central Hospital in the central province of Thừa Thiên-Huế.

With 4,000 staff, the hospital admitted patients from 23 southern cities and provinces. During the recent Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday, which lasted from February 14-20, it received nearly 2,200 patients. 
Last year, the hospital recorded noted achievements, including the adoption of a robot-assisted system to perform complex minimally invasive surgery. 

This is the third hospital in Việt Nam that has applied the most advanced medical technology, according to Lương Ngọc Khuê, head of the Ministry of Health’s Medical Examination and Treatment Department. 

Doctors at Chợ Rẫy Hospital also successfully performed organ transplants for four patients from an 18-year-old girl rendered brain-dead by a traffic accident last year. 

That was the first time that Chợ Rẫy Hospital doctors have performed a heart transplant and the second time they were doing a liver transplant, thanks to technology transfer from the Việt-Đức Hospital in Hà Nội, a leading institution for surgery in Việt Nam, and the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s ASAN Medical Centre. 

On the same day, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc visited Tâm Đức Cardiology Hospital in HCM City.

Master plan to develop Tan Trao national tourism site unveiled

The People’s Committee of the northern province of Tuyen Quang has recently held a ceremony to announce the Prime Minister’s decision to approve a master plan for the development of Tan Trao national tourism site through 2030.

The February 24 event saw the presence of Politburo member Tran Quoc Vuong, permanent member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC) and head of the CPVCC’s Inspection Commission.

According to the plan, the site will cover five communes in Son Duong district and one in Yen Son district with a core area of 2,500 hectares.

Investment will be mobilised from all possible resources, including the State budget, tourism development support fund, organisations, businesses and other economic sectors to develop tourism infrastructure, restaurants, hotels and homestay services, especially in Tan Trao, Minh Thanh, Trung Yen communes of Son Duong district.

The site is expected to welcome 1.5 million visitors, including 2,000 foreigners, by 2025, and 2 million holidaymakers, including 35,000 international tourists, by 2030. Revenue from tourism at the site is hoped to exceed 600 billion VND (26.3 million USD) in 2025 and 1.65 trillion VND (72.4 million USD) five years later.

Speaking at the function, Vuong described Tan Trao as one of the most important revolutionary bases in the nation’s history in the 20th century.

The master plan aims to develop Tan Trao into a leading revolutionary, historical and cultural tourism centre in the northern mountainous region and the country as well, Vuong said.

He urged local authorities to build specific plans to implement the plan effectively and encourage investors to carry out projects at the site, ensuring the preservation of cultural and historical values.

On the occasion, the province launched a patriotic emulation campaign and a New Year tree planting festival.

Earlier, Vuong offered incense at Lan Na Nua, where late President Ho Chi Minh lived and worked from late May 1945 to August the same year. The official also presented gifts to families who contributed to the revolution in Tan Trao commune and planted a commemorative tree at Tan Trao communal house.

Tan Trao, known as Vietnam’s revolutionary cradle, was once the home of President Ho Chi Minh and Party central agencies in the period before the success of the August Revolution and in the resistance war against French colonialists. 

It was the venue for many historic events leading up to the August Revolution victory, including the Congress of People’s Representatives chaired by President Ho Chi Minh on August 16, 1945 to decide the destiny of the nation.

Bac Ninh honours 47 intangible cultural heritage artisans

A ceremony to honour 47 intangible cultural heritage artisans was held in the northern province of Bac Ninh on February 25.

The artisans honoured this time came from six traditional arts including quan ho (love duet singing), ca tru (ceremonial singing), tuong (classical drama), trong quan singing (a response folk singing between male and female groups), water puppetry and cheo (traditional opera).

Speaking at the ceremony, Vice Chairman of the Bac Ninh People’s Committee Nguyen Van Phong said the province is home to three intangible cultural heritages recognised by UNESCO, including the folk game of tug of war (in Huu Chap village, Hoa Long commune, Bac Ninh city), quan ho and ca tru. 

He described the artisans as living treasures who have a significant role in cultural heritage preservation.

As many as 41 local artisans were honoured in the first ceremony held in 2010, Phong added.

The same day, the province also organised a quan ho singing contest, which drew the participation of more than 300 artists from all localities of the province, together with a competition on ornamental plants and a spring newspaper festival.

Hanoi: Mass fish release to Red River on Tet festival

More than five tonnes of different fish species, the biggest volume ever, were released into the Hong (Red) River in the capital city of Hanoi on February 25, or 10th day of the Lunar New Year.

The annual event, which took place in Bat Trang commune, Gia Lam suburban district, aimed at promoting the protection and conservation of aquatic resources.

The release, the fourth of its kind, was reported to local authorities and relevant agencies to monitor and ensure fish species that are suitable to the river’s ecological condition and not harmful to indigenous aquatic species.

At the event, the head of Bat Trang pagoda, Buddhist followers and participants prayed for a new year of peace and prosperity.

Flow of tourists to Dak Lak surges 20 percent during Tet

The Central Highlands province of Dak Lak served nearly 140,000 visitors during the 2018 Lunar New Year (Tet) holidays, a rise of 20 percent year-on-year, according to the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Of the figure, 138,000 were domestic visitors and more than 1,800 were foreign tourists.

The province earned about 7.58 billion VND (333,000 USD) from tourism services.

Tourist destinations which drew the most number of visitors in the period include Buon Don tourist centre, Ko Tam Ecotourism, Ako Dhong village, Dray Nur and Dray Sap waterfalls, Troh Bur Orchid Reserve and Yok Don National Park.

Nguyen Duc, manager of the Buon Don tourist centre, said the surge in the number of visitors to the centre was attributable to favourable weather during the Tet holidays. The centre welcomed 30,000 holidaymakers between February 16 and 22 (the first and seventh day of the new lunar year).

Aside from annual activities, this year, the tourist centre also introduced a space of gong culture in the Central Highlands, as well as other traditional instruments and local cuisine to visitors, he added.

In early February 2018, the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism instructed all tourist destinations, restaurants and hotels to prepare tourism personnel and not to overcharge visitors.

Over 100 artisans join Gia Lai ethnic festival

A spring festival highlighting ethnic culture in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai took place at the provincial museum on February 23 with the participation of over 100 artisans.

The event featured performances of the Central Highlands Gong, Mong people’s khen (a type of bamboo pipe), Muong people’s Xoe dance and singing, and dances by the Tay, Nung, Muong and Thai ethnic groups. The know-how of the San Chi ethnics’ traditional weaving was also performed.

Visitors were treated to folk games, like tug of war and stilt walking, and local culinary delights, including rice cooked in bamboo tubes and grilled chicken.

The festival was to help promote Gia Lai tourism, preserve typical ethnic features, and consolidate the solidarity of the ethnic communities.

Thua Thien-Hue shifts to biodegradable seedling bags

The central province of Thua Thien – Hue has established a workshop that cultivate saplings using biodegradable seedling bags instead of polythene ones.

Located in Phu Loc district’s Loc Tien commune, the facility produces 30,000-40,000 biodegradable bags a day from byproducts such as sawdust and rice husk. 

Compared to traditional polythene bags, biodegradable seedling bags are about three times lighter and their production is about four times faster. The bio-bags do not need to be torn off before planting trees, thus tree roots are better protected.

The workshop has to date cultivated 500,000 acacia trees using green seedling bags for local afforestation, with survival rate reaching 95 percent. 

Every year, Thua Thien – Hue plants and replants approximately 6,000 hectares of forests, which need about 18 million saplings. If all of the trees are cultivated inside polythene bags, environmental pollution risks will be high.

The province is striving to plant 13,000 hectares of wood trees by 2020, of which 5,200 hectares fulfill standards set for Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification.

It now has 150 facilities cultivating saplings for afforestation, which are working to shift toward greener methods. 

Tay minority in Tuyen Quang celebrates Long Tong festival

The Long Tong (going to the field) Festival began in Chiem Hoa district of the northern mountainous province of Tuyen Quang on February 23.

The festival, celebrated annually by Tay ethnic minority people in the province on the eighth day of the new lunar year, is a religious ritual dedicated to the god of agriculture to win his blessing for verdant crops and prosperity for villagers throughout the year.

It consists of an offering ritual, a ploughing ceremony and folk games.

When the offerings are ready, a shaman deferentially recites prayers in Tay dialect, inviting gods and goddesses to the rite and asking for their blessing for the village to have bumper crops and growing herds of cattle and be freed from diseases and misfortune.

The offering ritual is followed by the tich dien (ploughing ceremony) in which the festival host leads a carefully selected male buffalo to make the first furrows of the year. In Tay belief, villagers will get good luck and yield bumper crops throughout the year if this buffalo makes straight furrows.

Then comes the most exciting part of the festival, folk games, central to which is nem con (throwing con through the ring on the top of the con pole). Other games in the festival include tug of war, blind man’s bluff and yen playing (a game similar to badminton, but played between a man and a woman).

Long Tong is the most typical festival of the Tay, a big ethnic minority group living in the northern mountain region with a population of over 1.6 million.

The festival was named national intangible cultural heritage in 2013.

Gia Lai focuses on socio-economic development in ethnic areas

The Central Highlands province of Gia Lai, home to 34 ethnic minority groups, has implemented effectively numerous policies on socio-economic and cultural development in areas inhabited by ethnic minority groups.
 
The provincial authorities have integrated resources of different socio-economic development schemes such as Programme 135 designed to help extremely disadvantaged communes; Programme 134 on providing housing and farming land for ethnic people; and the new-style rural area building programme, which provided ethnic people with capital and seedlings for farming, as well as support so that they can switch to advanced farming techniques.

Over the past years, the cultivation of high-value crops, such as coffee, pepper, rubber, and fruit trees has been expanded across the province.

In 2017, the province provided 25 tonnes of maize seeds, 26 tonnes of rice, 1,500 tonnes of fertilizer, and 2,000 breeding cows for over 200,000 local ethnic households.

The family of Luih in Dor 2 village, Glar commune, Dak Doa district used to live under the poverty line. In 2009, he received a 50 million VND (2,200 USD) preferential loan from the Vietnam Bank for Social Policy, which he spent on fertilizer and watering pipes to take care of his coffee garden.

As of the end of 2015, he was able to pay the debt after harvesting his coffee crop, and used the remaining money to expand his garden. In 2016, he afforded to build a new house.

“Many other households in the village did the same as me and escaped from poverty. This year, I paid the bank loan, bought some furniture, and enjoyed the traditional Lunar New Year (Tet) in a more sufficient way,” Luih said.

Meanwhile, Ro Cham Djuih in Blui village, IaKa commune, Chu Pah disitrict, said he received a breeding cow, fertilizer, a mower, and technical assistance to take care of his coffee garden, which helped improve the living condition of his family.

Ro Cham Phen in Kenh Chop village, la Nhin commune, Chu Pah district also received a breeding cow in 2015. His family escaped from the poverty list in 2017.

According to Kpa Do, head of the provincial Department for Ethnic Affairs, Gia Lai has 64 communes and 600 villages in especially difficult situation. In 2017, the province has 39,000 ethnic households living under the poverty line and 24,000 others just above the line.

The department will join hands with other relevant bodies to push forward efforts to reduce poverty among local ethnic minority communities, he said.

New hospital opens to serve IP workers in Vinh Long

The Health Department of the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long on February 23 inaugurated the Hoa Phu general hospital in Long Ho district to provide healthcare services for local people and workers at Hoa Phu Industrial Park.

According to the Health Department’s Director Tran Van Ut, construction on the 50-bed facility started in 2014 with a total investment of more than 76 billion VND (over 3.34 million USD). 

The 1.1-hectare hospital is equipped with armamentaria standardized for a third-class hospital in Vietnam, such as machines for digital radiography, ultrasound, endoscopy, biochemical tests, and blood tests.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Lu Quang Ngoi said the general hospital is a practical project that meets the medical needs of people living in Long Ho district and about 37,000 workers at Hoa Phu Industrial Park.

It is expected to reduce load on higher-level hospitals and help the locals cut medical costs, he noted.

He urged the hospital to continue providing training for its team of doctors and nurses and develop a set of code of conduct for them when communicating with patients to improve the service quality.-

Hai Duong: Khai but ceremony held to remember renowned teacher

Northern Hai Duong province on February 23 hosted a “khai but” ceremony, a Vietnamese tradition of starting a piece of calligraphy or drawing to celebrate the New Year, at a temple dedicated to the nation’s renowned teacher Chu Van An, in Chi Linh township.

The ceremony was attended by teachers and students from universities and schools in many northern provinces.

A book fair for the Year of the Dog (Xuan Mau Tuat) 2018 was also kicked off following the ceremony. It will run through March 3, or the 16th of Lunar January.

“Khai but”, literally translated as pen-opening, is practiced annually at the temple to promote the tradition “ton su trong dao” – piety to teacher, an important part of Vietnamese culture. 

Teacher Chu Van An was born in Thanh Liet commune, Thanh Tri district, Hanoi in 1292, during the reign of the Tran dynasty. In the early life, he passed the doctoral examination – “Thai hoc sinh” – but refused to become a mandarin. 

Instead, An opened a school and began his career as a Confucian teacher. His teaching played an important role in spreading Confucianism into a Buddhist Vietnam at the time.

Under the reign of Emperor Tran Minh Tong (1314 – 1329), he became a teacher at the imperial academy. Under the reign of Emperor Tran Du Tong, he was raised to a high-ranking mandarin. But he later resigned because the king refused his petition of beheading seven sycophant mandarins. He then retreated to Phuong Hoang Mountains in Hai Duong and led the life of a recluse.

Under the pseudonym of Tieu An, which means a secluded lumberjack in the forest, he spent the rest of his life teaching local students, compiling poetry, writing books and treating patients.

After he passed away in 1370, King Tran Nghe Tong ordered a statue of Chu Van An to be built for worship in the Temple of Literature, making him the only man in the country's history to be bestowed with such an honour.

Phuong Hoang (Phoenix), a cluster of 72 mountains, has become a shrine to both teachers and students nationwide. A temple complex dedicated to him in the mountains has been renovated, drawing thousands of visitors every year.

Hai Duong’s Mo Trach village of doctoral laureates honoured

Mo Trach village in the northern province of Hai Duong was honoured with Vietnam Records Cup for producing the largest number of doctoral laureates of Confucianism nationwide from the 14th-18th century during its traditional festival on February 23 (the eighth day of the Lunar New Year). 

Mo Trach is the only village of doctorate degree holders in the country with 36 ones from Tran dynasty to 18th century. It is also home to writer Vu Ngoc Phan, General Nguyen Son and maternal family of Professor and Labour Hero Nguyen Khieu

The two-day festival was also meant to commemorate the 1,214th birth anniversary of Vu Hon, ancestor of Vietnamese Vu – Vo family, attracting thousands of visitors across the country. 

Incense offering, palanquin procession, music performances and folk games were also held during the event.

Cao Dai Tay Ninh Church holds Duc Chi Ton ceremony

The Cao Dai Tay Ninh Church in the southern province of Tay Ninh held the grand ritual dedicated to the Duc Chi Ton (Supreme Being) or Great Father who they believe to be the ancestor of the world, on February 23.

The event, held annually on the eighth day of the first lunar month, is one of the two most important rituals of the sect in a year to pay respect for the Great Father and pray for good weather, bumper crops and peace. 

The ritual include a dance of Long Ma (a legendary creature which is half horse and half dragon) and Tu Linh (the four holy beasts) and a performance of Sac Toc music, followed by a worshipping ceremony for the Great Father. 

An exhibition of 30 models featuring national construction through periods as well as ancient heroes and legends was kicked off the same day. Those include su tich trau cau (the legend of betel and areca), Co Loa citadel and Lac Long Quan and Au Co. The models are on display until the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

The other important ritual of Cao Dai sect is “Hoi Yen Dieu Tri Cung”, a great religious banquet for the Great Mother and nine female immortals of the Dieu Tri Palace (Jasper Pond Palace). It is held annually on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month. Cao Dai followers believe that the banquet enables them to achieve the goal of liberating themselves from the cycle of birth and death.

Founded in 1926 in Tay Ninh province, the Cao Dai religion worships the Divine Eye, known as the eye of heaven and a symbol of its supreme being. Cao Dai’s doctrine honours the Divine and the miraculous quality of supreme spirits, and considers them as the means for human beings to unify with the God. It is now the third largest religion in Vietnam with millions of followers nationwide.

Spring festival kicks off Vietnamese culture year in Ukraine

The beauty of Vietnamese people and natural landscapes are under spotlight at the spring festival which is taking place in Odessa city, Ukraine, as part of activities to kick off the Vietnamese Culture Year in the East European nation.

The event is jointly held by the Vietnamese Embassy in Ukraine, Ho Chi Minh City, Odessa city and the Vietnamese community in Odessa.

At the opening ceremony on February 22, Vietnamese Ambassador to Ukraine Nguyen Anh Tuan noted that the festival is designed to help Ukrainian people understand more about Vietnam as well as the Vietnamese community in the country, who are integrating into and becoming a part of the host nation. They have served as a bridge for the friendship between Vietnam and Ukraine.

He also took the occasion to thank the Ukrainian government and Odessa authorities for creating favourable conditions for the embassy to organise the event.

Resnhikova Daroslava, a cultural official of Odessa city, expressed her delight over the organisation of the event, saying that it helps maintain and bolster the bilateral traditional relations and friendship between Ho Chi Minh City and Odessa city.

The Vietnamese community is an inseparable part of foreign communities in Odessa and the local authorities appreciated the contributions made by the Vietnamese community to social and cultural activities in the city, she underlined.

Other activities held in the framework of the Vietnamese Culture Year in Ukraine include a celebration to mark 128th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh in May, Vietnamese music nights in Kiev and Kharkov, a Vietnamese Sport Day in Kharkov, a Vietnamese cultural day in Lvop and a celebration of the 73rd anniversary of Vietnam’s August Revolution and National Day.

Binh Dinh: ceremony marks 46th anniversary of Tram Phau massacre

A ceremony was held at Tram Phau relic site in Hoai Nhon district of central Binh Dinh province on February 24 to commemorate the 46th anniversary of the Tram Phau massacre and receive a certificate recognising the site as a provincial historical relic site.

Tram Phau was a medical station built in Hoai Nhon in 1971 to treat wounded soldiers of the liberation forces during wartime. On February 24-25, 1972, troops of the US army and the US-backed government in South Vietnam conducted two raids of the site, looking for underground hideouts where medical workers and their patients were hiding and dropping grenades inside. A total of 17 Vietnamese medical workers and injured soldiers of the liberation forces were killed.

Local authorities built a memorial at the site in 2015 and preserved the underground hideouts.

Chairman of the People’s Committee of Hoai Nhon district Cao Thanh Huong said that the recognition of Tram Phau as a provincial historical site is an acknowledgement of the great sacrifice of martyrs and a pride of Hoai Nhon locals.

Traditional boat racing in Hanoi attracts crowds

A dragon boat racing festival was held for the first time in Hanoi’s well-known West Lake on February 24, attracting large crowds. 

The event brought together 400 athletes from 27 teams of Hanoi’s districts and Hai Duong, Hung Yen and Thai Nguyen provinces.

Thousands of locals and visitors began to gather at the West Lake in the early morning, long before the competition started at 10 am. 

The race took place on a distance of 600m from Tran Quoc Pagoda to Ly Tu Trong Park, with men’s, women’s and mixed categories. 

In the race for professionals, the Hai Duong team pocketed the gold medals in the men’s and mixed categories while the Hanoi team came first in the women’s category. 

 Among the amateur teams, the Chuong My team won in the men’s and mixed categories and the team from Hoang Mai district got the gold in the women’s category. 

Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports To Van Dong said Hanoi is striving to build the West Lake to into a key tourism area with the dragon boat racing festival as one of the most attractive activities.
 
The festival is also part of a cooperation deal between Hanoi People's Committee and the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on cultural, tourism and sport development.

Leaders congratulate general Dang Quan Thuy on 90th birthday

President Tran Dai Quang and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc have visited and offered congratulations to Lieutenant General Dang Quan Thuy on his 90th birthday and 71-year membership of the Communist Party of Vietnam. 

The President expressed his admiration of the general’s accomplishments and hailed him as an exemplary model for younger generations. 

The President stressed that the experiences and opinions of elder generations are very useful to the cause of national construction and defence, and pledged to do his best to fulfil the mission assigned to him by the Party, State and people, thus meeting the aspirations of older generations. 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said the example of Lt. Gen. Dang Quan Thuy is valuable in educating young generations about the heroic traditions of previous generations.  

Lt. Gen. Dang Quan Thuy directly participated in many military campaigns in some of the fiercest battle fields during the resistance wars for national liberation and re-unification, including the Dien Bien Phu Campaign and the Spring Offensive and Uprising in 1968, as well as in the fight to defend the country’s northern and southwest border lines. 

He was vice chairman of the National Assembly from 1992 to 1997.

Over 95 percent of workers return to work after Tet

As of February  22, the number of workers returning to work at industrial and processing zones in Hanoi following the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday reached 98-99 percent, VOV online newspaper reported.

In industrial zones, such as North Thang Long (Dong Anh district), Quang Minh (Me Linh district), and Hanel and Ninh Hiep (Long district), most workers returned to work by the 6th day of the Lunar New Year.
 
Dinh Quoc Toan, Chairman of the Hanoi Industrial and Processing Zones’ Trade Union, said that although this year the number of days celebrating Tet were fewer than last year, the percentage of workers returning to work after Tet was high due to workers’ stable salaries and preferential policies for employees.

Improved policies included increases in salaries and bonuses, along with free transportation for labourers before and after Tet. According to Toan, this encouraged workers and helped them feel secure and engaged in their work, resulting in their returning to work earlier, starting at the beginning of the new year.

In Ho Chi Minh City, on the 7th day of the Lunar New Year, the percentage of workers returning to processing and industrial parks reached 95 percent. HCM City has over 290,000 workers in processing and industrial zones, of which 65 percent come from other provinces.

In Da Nang City, more than 90 percent of the total 74,300 workers in the processing and industrial zones returned to work after the Tet holiday. However, some garment, seafood and steel enterprises have a later working calendar, not beginning until after the 10th day of the Lunar New Year. 

PM praises three students in Soc Trang for their honesty

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has praised three students in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang for their honesty to give back a sum of 40 million VND (about 1,760 USD) to its owner.

The three students are Do Thanh Bang, a 10th grader of Tran Van Bay High School, Tran Thanh Moi and Le Nhi Khang, residing in the province’s Thanh Tri district. On February 19, they discovered a lost wallet with the 40 million VND inside and reported to local police.

In his letter of commendation sent on February 24, the PM lauded the students’ honesty while voicing his hope that they will continue to study hard and become exemplary citizens and future masters of the country.

He instructed the provincial People’s Committee and education sector to reward the students and create optimal conditions for their study. 

Prime Minister hails Cho Ray Hospital’s achievements

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has applauded Ho Chi Minh City-based Cho Ray Hospital for its efforts to apply technical advancements in medical check-up and treatment, as well as its renovations in management, especially self-finance mechanism. 

He made the appraisal while visiting Cho Ray Hospital, one of the leading hospitals in the southern region, on February 24 on the occasion of the 63rd anniversary of Vietnamese Doctors’ Day (February 27).

The PM said the number of 1.5 million people using Cho Ray Hospital’s services in 2017 has reflected its prestige, particularly in the southern region. 

The leader used the occasion to call on doctors and health workers nationwide to overcome difficulties and limitations in order to better meet public demands for health care.

Greater efforts should be made to deal with shortcomings relating to medical ethics, patients overload in hospitals, antibiotic abuse, administrative reform, medical equipment and medicine management, and security and safety in hospitals, he stressed. 

PM Phuc urged the health sector to review, amend and supplement suitable mechanisms and policies to encourage different economic sectors to invest in health care, thus helping improve the quality of medical check-up and treatment. 

Established in 1900, Cho Ray Hospital was one of the first public hospitals nationwide to establish a self-mechanism in 2010.  Cho Ray Hospital is one of the four health centres recognised as special hospital, together with Vietnam-Germany Hospital and Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi, and Hue Central Hospital in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue. 

With 4,000 staff, the hospital admitted patients from 23 southern cities and provinces. During the recent Tet holiday, which lasted from February 14-20, it received nearly 2,200 patients. 

In 2017, Cho Ray Hospital recorded noted achievements, including the adoption of a robot-assisted system to perform complex minimally invasive surgery.
This is the third hospital in Vietnam that has applied the most advanced medical technology, according to Luong Ngoc Khue, head of the Ministry of Health’s Medical Examination and Treatment Department.

Doctors at Cho Ray Hospital also successfully performed organ transplants for four patients from an 18-year-old girl rendered brain-dead by a traffic accident.
It is the first time that Cho Ray Hospital doctors have performed a heart transplant and the second time they were doing a liver transplant, thanks to technology transfer from the Viet Duc Hospital in Hanoi, a leading institution for surgery in Vietnam, and the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s ASAN Medical Centre.

The same day, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc visited Tam Duc Cardiology Hospital in HCM City.

Vietnam joins Asia’s largest street festival in Singapore

An art delegation of Vietnam joined the 2018 Chingay Parade celebrating the Lunar New Year in Singapore, which drew the participation of more than 6,000 performers.

The annual festival, held at the Formula One Pit building near the Singapore Flyer Ferris wheel on February 23-24 and the China Town on February 25, is a highly-anticipated event and also the largest street performance and parade in Asia. 

Mai Ba Hung, Deputy Director of HCM City Department of Cultural, Sports and Tourism and head of the Vietnamese delegation to the 2018 Chingay Parade, said that this is the third time that Vietnam has joined the event.

The Vietnam’s delegation wants to foster cultural exchange with Singaporean and international artists, as well as learn more experience to organise large-scale street festival in HCM City in the future.

Started in 1973, the Chingay Parade has become one of the major cultural events of Singapore. 

This year, the event included a series of multi-ethnic cultural performances by local talents and international acts featuring decorated floats, along with a display of lights, lasers, pyrotechnic and firework display of host Singapore.

Quang Ninh’s land use plan adjusted

The Government has issued a resolution to adjust the land use planning of northern Quang Ninh province until 2020.

According to the planning, the province will have a total natural land area of 617,779ha, nearly 75 percent of which is agricultural land.

Among 461,951ha of agricultural land, forest land for production is the highest (37.95 percent), besides areas for paddy fields, perennial trees and aquatic production.

The resolution orders the provincial People’s Committee to review the planning of sectors in accordance with land planning adjustment. The adjustment must be relevant with and meet the requirements of socio-economic development as well as ensure local security and defence.

The province has been ordered to identify locations and publicise areas of rice planning, protective forest areas and forest areas with special use that need protection.

Local authorities must regulate the distribution of sources, especially State budget, between urban areas of industrial development and service and areas growing rice and having forest land protection.

They have been requested to launch policies and take measures to reduce production costs, increase income for farmers and attract investment in social and technical infrastructure.

The resolution also asks the province to kick off construction of local industrial parks following the Government’s project to develop industrial parks until 2015 with a vision to 2020. However, industrial parks are not allowed to be built on the current disputed area between Quang Ninh province and Hai Phong City.

The authorities are not allowed to switch the land use purpose of natural forests, except for security purposes or for projects serving socio-economic development, both of which will be determined by the Prime Minister.

The resolution says any efforts to switch forest use purposes, especially for mineral exploitation and tourism service projects, must be closely monitored.

The Government has also urged the province to hold auction for land use rights and closely monitor land funds used for urban development, industrial parks, industrial clusters and non-agricultural land used for production and businesses so that land is used effectively and economically.

Violations on land use and management, including using land for wrong purposes, must be fined strictly, the resolution says.

Local authorities are not allowed to hand over, lease or retrieve land or switch the land use purpose for areas not in the list of land use planning.

Thousands join Nghinh Ong Festival in Bac Lieu

More than 4,000 people took part in the annual Nghinh Ong (Whale Worship) Festival that fishermen in the Mekong province of Bac Lieu honour the giant marine mammals.

The three-day event ended on February 25 or the tenth day of the Lunar New Year at the Ong Duyen Hai Temple (Whale Temple) in Vinh Thinh commune, Hoa Binh district.

The festival featured many activities like parades on both land and sea in honour of the whale, rituals to pray for good weather and bumper catches, cultural events, dragon dances, and folk games. 

The ninth day of the first lunar month, the festival’s main day, attracted 30 fishing boats carrying locals, visitors, dragons used in the dances, gongs and drums out to sea.

According to the oganisation board, following a boat accident killing two in the previous festival, Bac Lieu has asked agencies and locals to abide by the festival’s regulations and closely controlled the number of boats going out to sea during the festival. 

Cau Ngu or Nghing Ong festival is a cultural identity of south central coastal localities, which has been preserved and passed down through generations. The festival is to pray for bumper hauls of fish, safe voyages and peace for the nation. 

The localities organise the festival at different times, from the first month to the sixth month of lunar calenda. 

HCM City authorities listen to children’s thoughts

The authorities in Ho Chi Minh City held a meeting on February 24 with more than 170 representatives of local children at the outset of the 2018 lunar year.

At the meeting, children voiced their concerns over education issues, such as unpractical textbook contents and school violence. 

They said they expect to have more time for practice in the school curriculum, more smart libraries, particularly in outskirt areas, and better nutrition sources and physical training programmes. 

Many of them asked the city’s leader to pay attention to special education so that every district would have at least one facility for the disabled, while others wanted life skills courses to be included on the school curriculum.

Environmental pollution also irritated the young participants, who recommended regular environmental cleaning activities and public-awareness-raising campaigns.

Taking into account the children’s comments, Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan ordered local agencies and sectors to care for child protection and education, and to create best conditions possible for the younger generation to live and study in a healthy environment. 

He tasked the education sector with improving teaching and learning quality for comprehensive development of children.

Nhan said meetings like this should be replicated at different level of authorities so that children’s concerns would be heard and promptly addressed.

HCM City leaders suggested local children join hands to protect the environment, ensure traffic safety, and promote leaning spirit and reading culture.

Vietjet Air’s flights affected due to bad weather on February 25

Flights of the budget airline Vietjet Air from/to the northern localities including Nghe An’s Vinh city, Thanh Hoa, Hai Phong and Hanoi capital city were affected by unfavourable weather on February 25.

The airline’s representative said the departure time of flights from/to those localities was delayed.

One flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Thanh Hoa had to be diverted to Da Nang and its passengers have to wait for favourable weather to fly to Thanh Hoa.

According to the airline, more than 30 flights are being affected by bad weather on February 25.

Information has been updated at the website www.vietjetair.com, which helps passengers to check their ticket code, flights and time to arrange their schedule. Passengers can use the hotline 1900 1886 to receive the latest information on their flights’ status. -

Mountain God festival becomes national heritage

A festival honouring the worship of Tan Vien (the God of the Mountain), one of the Four Immortals in the Vietnamese legend, has been officially listed as one of Vietnam’s national intangible cultural heritage.

Ba Vi district on the outskirts of Hanoi, received a certificate for the local Tan Vien festival’s new status from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism at a ceremony on February 25 or the 10th day of the lunar year’s first month, which is part of the festival.

The festival was organised at a complex of Ha (Low), Trung (Middle) and Thuong (Upper) temples in Ba Vi from February 23-25.

The annual event featured traditional rituals, an incense offering ceremony, folk games, sports and musical performances, attracting thousands of visitors. It also kicked off the year for Ba Vi Tourism under the theme of "Cultural Rendezvous".

According to the legend in the northern delta, Tan Vien, also called Son Tinh, was the God of the Mountain and governed all creatures on land. He taught people to grow crops, hunt animals, catch fish, practise martial arts and hold festivals. Opposite Son Tinh was Thuy Tinh, the God of the Sea, responsible for the rising water levels that damaged crops, destroyed animals and drowned people. Son Tinh beat Thuy Tinh in a competition to win the heart of Princess My Nuong who was the daughter of the King Hung XVIII.

Nguyen Duc Nghia, head of the Culture and Information Bureau (under the Ba Vi District People’s Committee) said Tan Vien is the god of the Vietnamese people that embodies the aspiration to triumph over natural disasters, especially floods.

“The God of the Mountain is worshipped in many localities in the northern region in general and in Ba Vi district in particular,” he said.

In Vietnamese folklore, Tan Vien is one of the four immortals, along with Chu Dong Tu, who taught the people to catch fish and grow crops; Saint Gion, who beat foreign invaders to protect his homeland; and Goddess Lieu Hanh, the deity of the Mother Goddess worship.

The same day, a similar national culture intangible heritage certificate was bestowed upon the Tro Chieng festival in the central province of Thanh Hoa.

The event is considered the most anticipated festival in Thanh Hoa, which is being held since the rule of the Ly Dynasty. The founder of the festival is General Trinh Quoc Bao, who served during the reign of King Ly Thanh Tong (1054-1072) and defeated the Chiem Thanh (Champa) invaders.

To prepare for the fight against the invaders, who used elephant troops, the general ordered his soldiers to build bamboo elephants to practice with. During the battle, bamboo elephants which were glued with fireworks attached to them were burned, helping to defeat the invaders’ troops.

A martial arts game with bamboo elephants was reproduced at the festival to welcome the coming of spring in 1068 and was held by villagers of Trinh Xa village, Yen Dinh district. 

Currently, the villagers hold the festival on the 10th-12th of the Lunar New Year. The festival is organised on a large scale with folk games and cultural activities, including a paper elephant fighting competition, in which groups of men hoisting paper elephants attempt to topple each other.

Police to investigate violence at BOT station

People’s Committee of Quảng Ninh has asked provincial police forces to urgently investigate the public disturbances at BOT Biên Cương Toll Station on National Highway No 18.

In the document sent to the provincial police agency, the committee has requested the agency to focus on cases causing security disorder and blocking traffic at Biên Cương Toll Station along the highway passing through the Hạ Long-Mông Dương route.

The request was made after local people gathered in Cẩm Phả City to obstruct traffic two days ago when Biên Cương Toll Station became operational.

The committee has assigned the director of the Department of Transport to mobilise traffic inspection forces to conduct inspection of vehicles passing through the toll station and to review and install traffic signs at BOT stations to ensure smooth flow of traffic.

Leaders of the province have instructed the Party secretaries and chairmen of the people’s committees of Cẩm Phả City and Vân Đồn District to coordinate with the functional agencies to classify and penalise those who deliberately obstruct traffic and cause security disorder.

The Chairman of the People’s Committee of Cẩm Phả City has been asked to come up with plans to clear traffic congestion at the station.

BOT Biên Cương JSC has been asked to coordinate with functional forces in collecting fees from vehicles passing through Hạ Long-Mông Dương route on the highway in accordance with the regulations.

The project of upgrading the Hạ Long-Mông Dương section of National Highway No 18 was implemented in September 2015 under the form of BOT (build-operate-transfer). The project had a total investment capital of some VNĐ2 trillion (US$88 million) by BOT Biên Cương JSC.

The company began collecting fees from February 13. It paused fee collection during the Tết (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) holiday season and resumed it on February 20, when public disturbances began, blocking traffic and causing security disorder at the toll station.

Hải Phòng city planting camphor trees

More than 1,000 camphor trees (also known as camphorwood, camphor laurel or cinnamomum camphora) are being planted on Phạm Văn Đồng Street.

The street is known for thousands of beautiful poinciana trees, which have long become the symbol of the northern coastal city of Hải Phòng.

The city People’s Committee recently approved the project of planting 1,045 camphor trees with an investment of VNĐ12.6 billion (US$554 million).

On Thursday, a representative of Hải Phòng City Department of Construction said the initiative to plant camphor trees on Phạm Văn Đồng Street, which connects the city centre with Đồ Sơn Beach Tourism Area, was taken by local authorities.

According to zing.vn, 919 camphor trees, measuring 4.2m in height, have been planted so far. The camphor tree was chosen as it is durable and resistant to storms. All the camphor trees are being imported from China at VNĐ8 million ($352) each.

Camphor is a highly invasive evergreen tree that has the tendency to form single species communities and exclude most other desirable native vegetation.

Kinh Bắc win Kinh Bắc women’s volleyball event

Kinh Bắc triumphed at the Kinh Bắc Women’s Volleyball Tournament, IMP Cup which concluded in the northern province of Bắc Ninh on Sunday.

The two-day event, which was organised for the first time in the province, drew four leading teams of the National Women’s Volleyball Championship 2017, namely Hải Dương, Vĩnh Phúc, Kinh Bắc and Tiến Nông Thanh Hóa.

The event gave athletes a chance to hone their skills and gain experience to prepare for upcoming international events.

The event’s organising board also gave the lifestyle award for Tiến Nông Thanh Hóa for their performance.

HAGL to play friendly with Bình Phước

V.League 1 Club Hoàng Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) will meet Bình Phước of the National First Division in a friendly on February 27.

According to HAGL manager Nguyễn Tấn Anh, his team will play with their best line-up in preparation for the league which starts in early March.

Anh said HAGL will include six players who competed in the AFC U23 Championship in China in January, such as Lương Xuân Trường, Nguyễn Công Phượng, Vũ Văn Thanh and Nguyễn Phong Hồng Duy.

HAGL have signed two foreigners for the coming season, namely midfielder Kim Jin-seo, from South Korea, and striker Gordon Rimario Allando from Jamaica.

Last year, HAGL finished in 10th position. They will meet Bình Dương in the first round of the top flight league at Pleiku Stadium on March 10.

U19 teams ready for national event’s final round

Teams are ready to take part in the final round of the National U19 Football Tournament which is scheduled to open at the Tự Do Stadium in Huế City on March 6.
Most of the teams had to practice over the Tết (Lunar New Year) holidays to prepare for the tournament.

Coach Vũ Hồng Việt of defending champions Hà Nội said his team nearly didn’t have a Tết holiday, as they aim to defend their title.

“It isn’t an easy mission as our rivals are very strong, but we are very confident of taking the title,” said Việt.

Viettel are also hungry for victory.

“Viettel haven’t won the National U19 Football Tournament for a long time. So this time we crave reaching the final,” said Viettel’s coach Đặng Phương Nam.

Sông Lam Nghệ An are also determined to make the final this year following a poor last year.

Đồng Tháp are expected to shine in Huế. Most of their players honed their skills via the National U17 Football Tournament two years ago which they won.

Meanwhile, Hoàng Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) are also a candidate for the title. They are well trained by coach Guillaume Graechen.

HAGL’s U21 team’s triumph at the National U21 Football Tournament last December will be drive the U19 team on.

The final round will feature seven teams who passed the qualifying round and the hosts Thừa Thiên Huế. It will run until March 15.

After this tournament, the best players will be selected for the Việt Nam U19 team to compete in the International U19 Football Tournament held in Pleiku City in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai on March 21-31.

Company in Ninh Bình fined for causing pollution

The People’s Committee of northern province of Ninh Bình has fined a company more than VNĐ100 million (US$4,400) for illegally discharging untreated waste water into the surrounding areas.

Silrang Electronics Co Ltd, located in Gia Viễn District’s Gián Khẩu Industrial Zone, was found to discharge untreated sewage, in which the amount of chemicals exceeded the permissible levels.

The amount of BOD5 and Amoni were 1.5-2 times higher than the limit.

It was also asked to repair the untreated waste water system within a month.

The company was granted the investment certificate by Ninh Bình Province’s Industrial Zone Management Board in July 2014. 

Fire engulfs VPBank office in north-central Vietnam

A trading office of Vietnam Prosperity Joint-Stock Commercial Bank (VPBank) in the north-central province of Quang Binh was engulfed in flames on February 25.

The fire broke out at around 7:30 pm at a VPBank office located at 59 To Huu Street in Quang Binh’s capital city of Dong Hoi, according to provincial police.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing the fire starting from the four-story building’s first floor, before it grew and spread to the second floor in minutes.

Four fire trucks and dozens of firemen accompanied by local police officers were dispatched to the scene to put out the raging fire and prevent it from catching on to adjacent houses.

​Firefighters managed to get the flames under control after nearly 30 minutes, though by that time the exterior of the office’s first and second floors had been completely burnt down.

No casualties were reported as it was outside of working hours, police said, adding that investigation was ongoing to determine what had caused the fire.

A spokesperson from VPBank later told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the fire had only caused major damage to the building’s exterior.

All cash and documents inside the office are intact, as they are always moved into a fireproof storage unit at the end of each working day for safety and security purposes, the representative said.

Da Nang restaurant overcharges diner with Chinese-language bill

A restaurant in Da Nang City has received complaints from a Vietnamese customer after it presented to the diner a bill written in Chinese in which the required payment far exceeded the correct cost.

A patron eating at the HD restaurant, located on Vo Nguyen Giap Street in Son Tra District, published her displeasure at its service on a Facebook page which has a membership of more than 58,000 on February 23.

The diner felt dissatisfied since the restaurant gave a Chinese-language bill showing the total cost of VND10 million (US$400), which was in actuality merely VND8 million (US$320) upon recalculation.

The restaurant agreed to charge the latter amount only after the customer’s angry reaction.

Local authorities worked with the place’s manager on February 23, said Nguyen Thanh Nam, deputy chairman of the People’s Committee in Son Tra District on February 24.

The restaurant admitted to issuing the foreign-language bill related to the case.

The official said the restaurateur will be asked to solve the problem early next week.

Printing a bill in Chinese for a Vietnamese customer is a sign of insufficient transparency and runs afoul of relevant regulations, according to Nguyen Nho Hau, vice director of the Da Nang market management department.

Tet a bonanza for GrabCar drivers in Saigon

The week-long Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday in Vietnam that ended in the middle of this week spelled a bonanza for GrabCar drivers in Ho Chi Minh City as people still preferred the ride-hailing app despite its skyrocketed fares.

Grab Vietnam only notified customers that its motorbike taxi (xe om) service, GrabBike, would collect a surcharge for bookings made during the holiday from mid-February. However, passengers were shocked to see the exorbitant fares listed for the private car service, GrabCar, during Tet.

Some complained the fares were increased “on a minute basis,” especially during noon time and late afternoon.

Hung, a resident in Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City, said he used to travel by Grab to District 1 for only VND100,000 (US$4.4) but the fare on February 17, the second day of the Lunar New Year, tripled to VND299,000 (US$13.2).

“So it was nearly VND38,000 [US$1.6] per km,” he said.

“I had to take a conventional cab, even though I had to wait longer, as such a three-fold increase was unacceptable.”

On the same day, Thanh, a District 12 resident, wanted to travel to Go Vap District and was quoted a price of VND210,000 (US$9.25) for the 11-km ride on her app.

“Even so, I failed to book that ride and in the next attempt, made a few minutes later, the fare jumped to VND270,000 but no driver accepted my booking,” she said.

Thanh then switched to Uber, and turned back to Grab and “finally, we managed to book the ride for VND285,000.”

“It was not easy to hail a taxi or Grab during Tet so we had to accept whatever the fare might be,” she added.

On the other side of the fence, GrabCar drivers were more than happy to work during Tet.

One of them, Tien, made no secret that he made nearly VND10 million (US$440) during the first three days of Tet and the morning of the fourth day.

“I was almost glued to my car all day and had no time to eat,” he said.

On the first day of Tet, Tien said he “would receive new booking immediately after dropping a customer off.”

“The icing on the cake is that streets were less crowded during Tet and there were no traffic jams,” he added.

The bonanza for GrabCar drivers like Tien came not only from the surge in the number of bookings, but also the skyrocketed fares.

No GrabCar rides during Tet were priced below VND50,000 (US$2.2), and short journeys cost anywhere between VND60,000 and VND80,000.

“A ride from District 9 to the nearby Dong Nai Province normally costs only VND200,000 but the Tet fare was more than VND500,000 [US$21],” Tien said happily.

With Tet proven to be a lucrative time, many GrabCar drivers have canceled or adjusted plans to return to their hometowns for family reunions and celebrations to stay in Ho Chi Minh City.

One driver named Viet said he had told his family he would be home on the second day of Tet, but eventually decided to work until the afternoon of the fourth day to enjoy the bonanza in Ho Chi Minh City.

Hien, who works for both Grab and Uber, celebrated Tet in the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre and returned to the southern metropolis on the third day of the holiday with big regrets that his chance of earning easy money was gone.

A Grab Vietnam representative told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the Tet fares were higher than normal rates as the app prices are calculated using a flexible real time pricing, based on the supply and demand basis.

Prices will rise when there is high demand against low availability of drivers, and the time and location of the bookings also matter, according to the company.

Lao drug trafficker arrested

Border guards of the Central Highland Kon Tum province in coordination with the police of Attapeu province in Laos have arrested a 39-year old man for allegedly transporting 10,000 methamphetamine pills from Laos to Vietnam.

Thoong Dy, residing in Attapeu Province, was apprehended on the afternoon of February 23 at Phuong Thang hotel in Se Nhay hamlet, Attapeu while in possession of 10,000 methamphetamine pills, a motorbike, and a mobile phone.

He confessed that he planned to smuggle the drugs into Vietnam for distribution.

Kon Tum border guards are working with Attapeu police to conduct further investigations and will hand over the drug trafficker and collected evidence to the Attapeu police for processing.

In recent times, they have performed many successful busts of border drug trafficking rings.

Festival promotes Thai Nguyen’s tea products

A tea festival was held in Thai Nguyen city in the northern province of the same name on February 26 to promote special tea products made in Tan Cuong commune.

Chairman of the Thai Nguyen City People’s Committee Le Quang Tien said the city is home to 1,200 hectares of tea with annual average revenue of VND250 million (US$11,000) per hectare. In Tan Cuong commune, the earnings from tea reach up to VND600-800 million per hectare.

Over the past years, the city has assisted tea farmers in seeking markets and attracting foreign investment to develop material production regions and processing industry as well as encouraged them to produce safe tea products.

According to Do Thi Hiep, Director of the Tan Huong tea cooperative in Phuc Xuan commune, the annual festival featured a wide range of activities such as old tea tree parade and tea-making contests.

The event also looks to promote community-based tourism in the region via introducing tea products to domestic and foreign visitors.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong said Thai Nguyen tea is famous both at home and abroad, adding that Tan Cuong is a region with special climate and soil for the development of tea trees.

He called on the locality to make the best use of its advantages to create clean and organic products.

Tan Cuong tea possesses an incredibly delicious taste that can mesmerize any tea drinkers including the pickiest ones. 

The tea-making process in Tan Cuong region is very complicated that depends much on the skills of workers to achieve the best quality. Fresh tea buds and leaves after being carefully picked will be dried naturally before wilting. Then people will roast the buds and leaves in a pan with fixed level of temperature until the buds begin to curl up and desiccated. After picking from the trees, green tea buds are stored carefully to ensure the perfect state before delivering to the factory for processing.