Deputy PM tours drought-hit Central Highlands localities

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has agreed to allocate 2,000 tonnes of rice to people, especially ethnic minority groups, in the four Central Highlands provinces of Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Kon Tum which have been hit hard by drought.

During his tour of Gia Lai province on March 24, the official requested the Central Highlands localities to minimise losses caused by the natural disaster and exert all-out efforts to help locals stay away from hunger, water shortages and disease.

Hydropower stations in the localities should discharge water at the maximum level in order to meet people’s demands, he said, stressing that the immediate task is to protect areas of commercial forestry.

The localities need to focus on afforestation, especially in the upper reaches of rivers and other important areas, in a bid to cope with natural disasters in the long-term, the Deputy PM noted.

The same day, the official made a fact-finding trip to Chu Don commune in Chu Puh district where many hectares of rice fields have been destroyed due to drought.

Vising H’Bong commune, one of the localities in Chu Se district suffering the worst water shortage, Deputy PM Phuc promised that the Government and local authorities will not let hunger, water shortages and diseases afflict locals.

He suggested local farmers and authorities study to cultivate other crops more resistant to drought.

Statistics show that up to 95,000 hectares of trees in the Central Highlands region are facing water shortages. Water levels in most of the local irrigation facilities has shrunk by more than half.

According to the regional Meteorological and Hydrological Station, nearly 170,000 hectares of plants will be affected by drought if the heat wave lasts until June.

In Gia Lai province alone, drought has caused a lack of food to nearly 15,000 households, forced 7,000 others to face water shortages, and affected 13,500 hectares of trees.

Mekong Delta localities supported in searching fresh water

A family in Kien Giang province has to buy clean water for their dalily use.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has provided maps of underground fresh water distribution for all thirteen Mekong Delta localities, aiming to facilitate their search for fresh water resources to deal with the ongoing drought.

The ministry also asked the Department of Water Resources Management and the National Centre for Water Resources Planning and Survey to give technical and personnel support, as well as equipment to aid them in their search.

The provincial departments of natural resources and environment are required to focus on drilling wells, towards ensuring a steady supply of water to regional residents, especially those living in areas hit hardest by water shortages due to the prolonged drought and saline intrusion.

The provinces of Vinh Long, Tra Vinh, Ben Tre, Kien Giang, Long An, Tien Giang, Soc Trang and Ca Mau recieved a grant of 500 million VND (22,500 USD) each for the work.

The ministry is keeping close watch on the development of El Nino and meteorological predictions to give an advanced forecast of water flow in rivers and saltwater intrusion, in order to help the stricken provinces take timely adaptation measures.

According to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, El Nino will continue to cause negative impacts in Vietnam until the middle of this year.

Average temperatures in the Mekong Delta region in the remaining months of this year’s dry season will be 0.5-1.5 degrees Celsius higher than previous years, with temperatures typically between 33-37 Celcius. The rainy season is expected to arrive late, with average rainfall predicted to be 30-50 percent lower than average.

The centre said saltwater intrusion has already reached alarming rates in Ca Mau, Kien Giang, Ben Tre and Tra Vinh provinces.

Centre for Indochina Studies opens in Romania

The Centre for Indochina Studies (CIS) has been opened in Romania recently, aiming to bolster relations among Romania and Indochina countries, including Vietnam.

Participants to the event included Vietnamese Ambassador to Romania Tran Thanh Cong, Former Romanian Ambassador to Vietnam Olariu, Senator Tudor Chiuariu, Professor Liviu Muresan from the European Institute for Risk, Security and Communication Management (EURISC), among others.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Romania Tran Thanh Cong asserted Vietnam will keep a close watch and actively contribute to the development of the centre.

The ambassador hoped the centre will become a venue for scholars and enterprises in the European country to share experience and ideas to promote political, economic, investment and trade exchanges among Romania and Indochinese countries.

Participants at the event highly valuated the establishment of the centre which could create opportunities and speed up collaboration in the fields of industry, energy, education and training.

A presentation on the strengths, investment opportunities and bilateral economics between Vietnam and Romania over the years was given at the event.

Tay Ninh: Chang Riec upgraded to main border gate

The Chang Riec auxiliary border gate in Tan Bien district of southern Tay Ninh province, which borders Cambodia, was upgraded to a main border gate on March 24.

The Chang Riec main border gate is contiguous to the Da border gate in Tboung Khmum province of Cambodia. The convenient location and upgraded infrastructure of the gate will facilitate more trade connectivity between the two localities.

According to the Tay Ninh provincial customs sector, the flow of goods and import-export turnover through the Chang Riec border gate increase constantly. Last year, the gate served 98,588 people and 71,063 vehicles with total import-export turnover reaching 560 million USD.

Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Pham Van Tan said that over the past years, the Chang Riec border gate has served the demands of travel and trading for both localities’ people and businesses, contributing to socio-economic development and trade cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia.

He asked Tboung Khmum province and relevant offices to maintain close management of the Chang Riec – Da border gate to facilitate the two sides’ trade exchange and socio-economic development, thus helping build a border line of peace, friendship, cooperation and development.

Tay Ninh shares a 240-km border with Cambodia’s Svay Rieng, Prey Vieng and Tboung Khmum provinces. It now has Moc Bai and Xa Mat international border gates, Ka Tum and Chang Riec main border gates, and 12 auxiliary gates.

Tough measures needed to fight social insurance law violations

Politburo member and Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) President Nguyen Thien Nhan has asked for more stringent punishments for companies dodging social insurance premiums for workers as the evasion is now at an alarming rate.

He requested drastic actions be made by Vietnam Social Insurance, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL), the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA), and relevant agencies, while officiating at a meeting in Hanoi on March 23.

The event was to review their coordination in monitoring businesses’ adherence to legal regulations on social insurance.

In 2015, a joint delegation of the VFF Central Committee, the Government Inspectorate, the MoLISA and the VGCL inspected 16 enterprises in the provinces of Ha Nam, Nam Dinh, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Dong Thap and An Giang. Fifteen companies were found to pay social insurance premiums at least one month late, but seven of the 16 businesses did not sufficiently register and pay social, health and unemployment insurance premiums for their employees.

The 16 firms owed a combined premium sum of over 31 billion VND (nearly 1.39 million USD), a report at the meeting revealed.

The total social insurance premium debt in the six provinces amounted to 433.5 billion VND (almost 19.4 million USD).

The inspection showed that while only 40 percent of the operational companies register to buy social insurance for their workers, 44.9 percent of them owe premiums. That means only 40 out of every 100 operational businesses register to pay social insurance premiums, and up to 18 of these companies make late or insufficient premium payments.

The social insurance coverage in the surveyed provinces averaged 13 percent of the local workforce, or 6.9 percent of the local population.

The figures are far below the targets set in the Politburo’s Resolution No. 21-NQ/TW dated November 22, 2012, on enhancing the Party’s leadership over social and health insurance work between 2012 and 2020. The resolution aims at 50 percent of the workforce covered by social insurance, 35 percent covered by unemployment insurance and 80 percent covered by health insurance by 2020.

At the meeting, VFF President Nhan said the data on enterprises neglecting to buy social insurance shows it is at an alarming rate. He required urgent measures to be made to promote firms’ sense of responsibility towards their employees.

Competent agencies can sue violating companies once they collect sufficient evidence of infringements, he added.

In 2016, inspection will be focused on big industrial hubs like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Ha Tinh, Binh Duong and Dong Nai provinces, he noted, asking the VGCL and local authorities to strengthen supervision to protect labourers’ benefits.

Thuong temple in Tuyen Quang honoured as national relic site

Authorities of northern Tuyen Quang province received a certificate recognising Thuong (Upper) temple as a national relic site during a local ceremony on March 24.

Built in 1801 in Trang Da commune, Tuyen Quang city, the temple is dedicated to Princess Ngoc Lan living in the later Le dynasty.

Throughout its history, it suffered wear and tear and underwent restoration many times.

It also keeps five royal ordinances issued by different dynasties, with the most ancient one by King Canh Hung in 1743.

Thuong temple is one of the most sacred places of worship in the province. It attracts a large number of visitors per year.

On the occasion, the provincial authorities also received a certificate honouring the traditional tug of war games as a national intangible cultural heritage.

Mekong Delta supported

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment provided maps of underground fresh water for all thirteen Mekong Delta localities, aiming to facilitate their search for fresh water resources.

The ministry also asked the Department of Water Resources Management and the National Centre for Water Resources Planning and Surveys to give technical and personnel support, as well as equipment to aid them in their search.

The provinces’ departments are required to focus on drilling wells to ensure a steady supply of water to the region’s residents, especially those living in areas hit hardest by water shortages.

The provinces of Vĩnh Long, Trà Vinh, Bến Tre, Kiên Giang, Long An, Tiền Giang, Sóc Trăng and Cà Mau received grants of VNĐ500 million (US$22,500) for the work.

The ministry is keeping a close eye on the development of El Nino and meteorological predictions to give advanced warnings about water flow in rivers and saltwater intrusion.

According to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting, El Nino will continue to cause negative impacts in Việt Nam until the middle of this year.

Average temperatures in the Mekong Delta in the remaining months of this year’s dry season will be 0.5 to 1.5 degrees Celsius higher than in previous years, with temperatures typically between 33 and 37 degrees Celsius. The rainy season is expected to arrive late, with average rainfall predicted to be 30 to 50 per cent lower than average.

The centre said saltwater intrusion has already reached alarming rates in Cà Mau, Kiên Giang, Bến Tre and Trà Vinh provinces.

VN had 5,000 road accidents in three months

Việt Nam recorded nearly 5,000 road accidents in the first three months of the year, the National Traffic Safety Committee said, in which 2,193 people died and 4,522 were injured.

Chief of the Committee’s Secretariat Nguyễn Trọng Thái said the number of accidents, deaths and injuries have decreased year-on-year.

The number of road accidents fell by 866 cases, or 14.8 per cent. The number of deaths fell by 152 (6.4 per cent) and there were 969 fewer injuries (17.6 per cent) against the March 2015 figures.

In March 2016 alone, there were 1,367 road accidents in the country, killing 603 people and injuring 1,155. Regarding traffic law violations during the first three months, the traffic police dealt with 909,245 cases, imposed administrative fines worth a total VNĐ608.4 billion (US$27.2 million) and revoked the driving licences of more than 78,600 violators.

Job fair for workers returning from South Korea

More than 1,000 jobs will be available at a job fair for Vietnamese workers who have returned home after the end of their work contracts in South Korea, officials said.

The job fair would be held on April 24 at the Hanoi Job Service Centre under the labour, invalids and social affairs ministry (MoLISA), Nguyễn Toàn Phong, director of the centre, said.

The fair aimed to support Vietnamese labourers in the employment permit system (ESP) to get jobs and lead stable lives after they returned from South Korea, helping to reduce the number of illegal Vietnamese workers living in that country, Phong said.

Some 35 to 40 South Korean investment firms and foreign direct investment firms, as well as those in the country will participate in the job fair.

The jobs are free and of various kinds, such as for South Korean interpreters, managers and staff at hotels and restaurants, those with technical and electronic skills and general workers.

MoLISA had earlier said South Korea would recruit 3,500 Vietnamese labourers who are exemplary and loyal in their work this year.

Good benefits are the key driver of employee engagement as well as a major attractor of talented staff, according to human resource professionals working in Việt Nam.

“Benefits help increase employee engagement with their work and forge bonds with their colleagues,” said Nguyễn Tâm Trang, deputy human resources director of Unilever Vietnam. “Increased engagement leads to a lower turnover rate.”

“Investment in benefits to retain employees is cost-effective compared to recruitment costs for new employees,” she added.

She said last week that companies should keep up to date with benefit trends and review their policies regularly to meet employee expectations.

Huỳnh Thụy Mai Phương, human resources director of Sanofi Vietnam, said that benefits should be tailored to specific groups.

“Different ages want different things, so benefit packages should suit different age segments,” Phương said.

Financial security benefits have greater importance for younger workers, whereas older workers care more about pension benefits, she said.

Nguyễn Thị Xuân Hương, human resources director of Akzo Nobel Paints Vietnam, said more job opportunities were available for experienced personnel, which puts pressure on companies to be competitive in their benefits packages.

She said that companies were facing more difficulties to meet the diverse expectations of workers.

Apart from benefits, the quality and competency of the company’s leaders is also a key driver of employee engagement, she said.

“Good benefits, not salary, are the critical attractor across all talent groups," according to Thanh Nguyễn, CEO of Anphabe, the career network of management professionals.

“The top desired driver when choosing an employer now is good benefits,” Thanh said.

According to Anphabe’s Benefit Trend Survey, good benefits outweigh competitive salaries for workers who are choosing an employer.

The survey was conducted online between September and December last year with nearly 22,700 experienced workers from 24 industries nationwide.

More than 62 per cent of polled employees said that good benefits were the most important driver when choosing a company.

A strong management team ranked second in talent attractors with 54 per cent of respondents, followed by fairness & respect (52.8 per cent), professional training and coaching (50.4 per cent), inspiring vision and clear strategy (49.9 per cent) and good health and wellness programmes (48.7 per cent).

Competitive base salary ranked seventh in the top 10 talent attractors, at 42.7 per cent.

Professionalism, successful brands and quality products, and a safe and secure environment followed in the top 10.

In the category of specific benefits, employees ranked health insurance the top priority and for their family second, with 77.6 per cent and 64.6 per cent of polled employees.

This was followed by more than 57 per cent who said they wanted to have flexible working time and 53.7 per cent, short course sponsorship. Company trips (53 per cent) and awards (46 per cent) were ranked next.  

The average number of benefits that employees want is 11, but companies offer only an average of four, the survey found.

“There is still a significant gap between expectations and actual offerings,” Thanh said.

The five top factors driving employee engagement are employee stock ownership plan, retention scheme, team building and recreation reimbursement, pension scheme and paid vacation. However, these benefits have not been widely applied, she said.

Agent Orange/Dioxin consequence relief discussed

Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh met with Tim Rieser from the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on the bilateral cooperation in handling Agent Orange/dioxin consequences in Vietnam in Hanoi on March 24.

Senior Lieutenant General Vinh hailed the goodwill and efforts of the US side, expressing his hope that the US will continue to support Vietnam in the field, reported Quan Doi Nhan Dan newspaper.

The officials agreed that Vietnam and the US have achieved positive results in cooperation in overcoming war consequences.

Regarding the Environmental Remediation of Dioxin Contamination at Da Nang Airport project, they agreed that the project has opened up an effective cooperation mechanism between the two countries.

The two sides also discussed the possibility that the US will assist Vietnam to decontaminate toxic chemical in Bien Hoa airport, which was an air base airport during the Vietnam war, in the southern province of Dong Nai.

Vietnam to keep apartment residents polite with new regulations

The construction ministry has issued a set of rules banning people living in apartments from swearing in public, fighting or being too loud.

The rules that take effect April 2 also prohibit residents from hindering public security, littering or disposing waste at public places, and using common areas for personal purposes.

Residents should not make loud noises that affect neighbors or put clothes on the balcony or window to dry.

Security guards and receptionists can keep visitors’ personal papers for security reasons.

Residents of apartment buildings in Hanoi and managers have dismissed the new rules as “impractical.”

They said many buildings already have similar rules, but they are not easy to enforce.

Do Manh, a man living at Co Nhue, a luxury apartment complex in downtown Hanoi, said his apartment building bans swearing but there is no one to enforce the rule.

Many people also have no problem dumping garbage at wrong places or making noise, he told news website VnExpress.

A manager of My Dinh urban complex in the city said the ministry had enacted rules in 2008 banning people from burning votive paper and organizing funerals in apartment buildings, but did not stipulate specific penalties and no one was ever punished.

There cannot be managers everywhere to catch people swearing, he said.

HCM City to uproot, axe 300 trees for major projects

Three hundred trees on a riverside avenue in Ho Chi Minh City are to be uprooted and chopped down to make way for a metro station and new bridge, authorities have announced.

The clearance plan was unveiled in a press conference by Hoang Nhu Cuong, deputy chief of the city’s Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR).

Cuong said around 300 trees on Ton Duc Thang Avenue, which runs along the Saigon River in District 1, will either be uprooted and replanted elsewhere or felled to clear the area for the construction of the Thu Thiem 2 Bridge, which will connect District 1 and District 2, and Ba Son Station which will be part of Ho Chi Minh City’s first metro line.

According to Cuong, only 16 of the 300 trees are to be cleared in the next two months to give way to Ba Son Station while the remaining plants will be handled at a later date for the building of the Thu Thiem 2 Bridge.

The clearance plan for those 284 trees will be drafted by a procuring agency and submitted to the municipal People’s Committee by the end of April, Cuong said.

Only four out of the 16 trees cleared in this phase will be relocated, while the other 12 are to be chopped down from March 26 to May 7, said Chu Son Binh, deputy director of the Management Authority for the First Project under MAUR.

The cleared area will be reserved for the entrance and exit of the upcoming metro station, Binh said.

He explained that only straight, proportional, and healthy trees with trunk diameters measured at 1.3m from the ground no greater than 50cm will be uprooted for replanting elsewhere, in answering questions regarding the reason for not saving all 16 trees.

Ho Chi Minh City Parks and Greenery One Member Co. Ltd. said at the press conference that the company had conducted thorough evaluation on the condition of each tree and had reached an agreement with the procuring agency of the first metro line on the handling plans for those 16 trees.

Dong Van Khiem, vice chairman of the Reviewers Council for the plan, said all trees on Ton Duc Thang Avenue are African mahoganies (khaya senegalensis) mostly planted about 100 years ago during the French colonial.

The species has been listed by the People’s Committee among the trees banned from being grown on public streets due the unique feature that their root system grows just as large as their canopy and can potentially damage nearby buildings and roads, Khiem added.

African mahoganies have already been cleared off the streets of Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, he said.

The contractor of Ba Son Station said the expense for felling the trees is estimated at around VND3-VND5 million (US$134-US$223) per tree depending on its size, while the cost for uprooting the plants increases fourfold to approximately VND20 million (US$900) per tree.

Khiem noted that in reality the cost of uprooting and replanting each tree could reach VND40 million (US$1,800) apiece due to the fact that only half of the uprooted trees are expected to survive and thrive.

At such a high cost, Khiem said, many people would now prefer growing trees with trunk diameters of 10cm or less to lower the expense.

However, the People’s Committee demanded every effort be taken to save as many trees as possible, as is the wish of most citizens.

According to Hoang Nhu Cuong, the uprooted trees will be replanted in parks across the city, while the wood collected from chopping the trees will be used as building materials for future public constructions.

The Reviewers Council agreed that clearing the trees is necessary for the greater good of the city and its people but requested that new and more beautiful trees be planted in the area after the construction on each project is completed.

Police rescue 16 stuck in elevator in HCM City

Police officers in Ho Chi Minh City have managed to rescue a group of 16 people who were trapped in an elevator of an apartment building.

At around 5:45 pm on March 23, the group of people got into the elevator in Block D of the apartment building on Luy Ban Bich Street, Tan Phu District.

The lift suddenly stopped moving after it had gone up by about 0.2 meters, leading to everyone inside panicking and screaming for help.

Several residents living there heard their voice and attempted to save them but subsequently failed to do so.

Tens of firefighting police officers in Tan Phu were dispatched to the location after being notified to assist the victims, carrying specialized equipment to pull the elevator doors open.

The rescuers succeeded in setting the 16 free after about half an hour, of whom two had already passed out due to the lack of oxygen and were therefore given the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Nguyen Thi Huyen Thanh, one of the 16 people, recounted that everybody inside the elevator was terrified since the machine broke down only a few seconds after running.

She ruled out the possibility of any overload, as the elevator had already moved up anyway.

Local authorities arrived at the building to gather statements from the victims shortly after.

The exact cause of the incident is being investigated.

Photo and painting contest depicts daily life in Vietnam

A photograph and painting contest and exhibition focusing on landscapes and slices of daily life in Vietnam was launched in Hanoi on March 23.

The contest entitled ‘Beauty of Daily Life’ is being held jointly by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Party Central Committee's Education and Communications Commission, the National Assembly Committee for Culture, Education, Youth, Adolescents and Children, the Ministry of Education and Training, and the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee.

The contest is open to all Vietnamese students ages 15-25 who are studying at schools and universities across the country.

Participants can submit entries in two categories - fine arts and photography - no later than October 20. Each participant can submit no more than five paintings and five photos.

The entries will be divided into four groups. One first-place prize, two second-place, three third-place and six consolation prizes will be awarded in each group.

An awards presentation ceremony is scheduled to be held on the occasion of Vietnamese Teachers' Day (November 20).

Major roads in Thu Thiem to be completed next year

Dai Quang Minh Real Estate Investment Joint Stock Company (JSC) expects to complete four key roads in the Thu Thiem New Urban Area in HCMC’s District 2 in February next year.

The company reported to HCMC chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong during his field trip to the urban area Tuesday that construction of the four streets is 65% complete and the roads will be opened to traffic next year.

Contractors are hurriedly building the streets with a total length of about 12 kilometers as well as rainwater and wastewater drainage, telecommunications, electricity, and water supply systems along the roads.

The road project costs nearly VND12.2 trillion (US$544 million) and the city government will pay nearly VND8.3 trillion (US$370 million) worth of land to Dai Quang Minh.

Dai Quang Minh said over VND3.5 billion (US$156 million) has been spent on the project. Bridges and road sections in cleared areas will be put into use before December 30, 2016.

The company reported that nearly 1.9 hectares of 15 households have not been cleared while the relocation of medium- and low-voltage power lines and plumbing systems remains undone.

Once completed, the roads will synchronously connect to the roads and bridges in Thu Thiem including Thu Thiem 1 Bridge and East-West Highway as well as future bridges over the Saigon River such as Thu Thiem 2, Thu Thiem 3 and Thu Thiem 4.

Thu Thiem New Urban Area consists of eight functional sections, with Section No. 1 for commercial and multifunctional services; Section No. 2 for commercial, residential, sporting and entertainment facilities; Section No. 3 and No. 4 for residences; Section No. 5 for public works; Section No. 6 for a software outsourcing park and an international hospital; Section No. 7 for buildings and hotels; and Section No. 8 for biodiversity development.

Heinz Hermanns presents short filmmaking to students

Heinz Hermanns, director of the Berlin International Short Film Festival, organized by interfilm Berlin, had an exchange with students of Phan Chau Trinh University and film enthusiasts in the ancient town of Hoi An Quang Nam Province on Monday.

Participants had a chance to learn about the structures, concepts, advantages and techniques of short filmmaking, and watch some cartoons and experimental movies from different editions of the short film festival, selected by Hermanns.

According to Hermanns, a good short film is about its content, creativity and technique. Short films are gaining increasing popularity as their low cost allows young filmmakers to translate their ideas into reality.

However, he said short filmmakers have been struggling in Asian countries, including Vietnam. He encourages young talent to challenge themselves with short films and send their entries to international festivals.

La Residence launches Hue Festival package

As plans gear up for the biennial Hue Festival from April 29 to May 5, La Residence Hotel & Spa is holding the line against outsized pricing with a Memorable Hue Festival package at VND3.5 million (US$160) per night.

The package includes two-night accommodation, daily breakfast for two, a one-way airport transfer, a 45-minute back-and-shoulder or foot massage, and one ticket per person to one of the festival events.

Held every other year since 2002, the Hue Festival is Vietnam’s most ambitious cultural extravaganza. It celebrates the cultural heritage of Vietnam with ceremonies that illuminate the imperial splendors of Vietnam, that trumpet the music of the country’s most renowned pop musicians, and that explore the charm of the country’s traditional villages.

Artists from at least 10 foreign countries will complement traditional Vietnamese arts with dances from Korea and Russia and pop music from Britain and Australia, among others. About 200,000 visitors attended the festival in 2014. Tickets range from VND50,000 (US$2.5) to VND2 million (US$100) each.

The Memorable Hue package is available for all stays between April 15 and May 15.

Deputy PM orders strict implementation of expressway traffic laws

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has ordered strict punishment for violations affecting road safety along the Nội Bài-Lào Cai Expressway.

The order comes in the wake of recent violations of traffic rules by both drivers and pedestrians on the highway, threatening road safety.

The most common violations are of coaches illegally collecting and drop off passengers on the highway, the local people breaking barriers to cross the higahway or standing on the roadside to wait for buses, and people deliberately riding motorbikes on expressways meant only for cars.

These violations have led to a number of serious accidents on the expressway, such as the collision of two coaches, travelling in the same direction, which killed two passengers and injured 22 on a stretch in the northern Vĩnh Phúc Province late last December.

Phúc has asked the public security ministry to order the traffic police of Hà Nội, Vĩnh Phúc, Phú Thọ and Lào Cai, as well as Yên Bái, through which the highway passes, to increase inspections along the highway and to strictly punish those violating traffic rules.

The Việt Nam Expressway Corporation has been asked to work with local authorities to detect and repair highway sections that are damaged and run down, particularly barriers along the expressway. The corporation plans to install cameras along the expressway this year to ensure that people obey traffic rules.

The traffic safety committees in localities have been instructed to spread awareness to encourage the local people to comply with traffic regulations.

The 245km Nội Bài-Lào Cai Expressway, the longest of its kind in Việt Nam, opened to traffic in September 2014. Built with an investment of nearly US$1.5 billion, the expressway helps to shorten the time required to travel between Hà Nội and Lào Cai from the current seven hours to 3.5 hours, in addition to reducing the time it takes to drive from Hà Nội to Tuyên Quang and Hà Giang.

Student photo and painting contest opens

A photo and painting contest launched yesterday in Hà Nội is urging students from 15 to 25 years old to send in their artwork.

The Beauty of Daily Life contest aims to reflect beautiful behaviours and civilised acts at school, home and in public. It also encourages young people to engage in creative activities like photography and fine arts, according to Vương Duy Biên, vice minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Entries should be sent to the organising board at the Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition before September 20.

The award ceremony and exhibition of excellent works will take place on November 20 on the occasion of Vietnamese Teachers’ Day.

Professional and amateur entrants will join separate groups. Contestants will also be divided into categories depending on if their entries are paintings or photos.

Hoi An to host Vietnam – Asia Silk Culture Festival

Vietnam-Asia Silk Culture Festival, the first of its kind is set to take place in Hoi An silk village, central Quang Nam province on March 28.

The event will  include a seminar themed “Silk in modern life” and the fashion show “'Night of Oriental Silk Fashion” by young designers.

Other activities include an offering incense ceremony to Tam Tang Princess (Princess of silkworm), introducing and performing traditional silk weaving techniques of the Tan Chau silk craft village, the Cham traditional patterns making techniques and the Catu traditional brocade weaving.

Vietnam-Asia Silk Culture Festival 2016 is the official event of International Silk Union and Asia Silk Alliance in World’s Culture Heritage Hoi An to promote silk trade and preserve the historical “Maritime Silk Route”.

The festival is expected to attract representatives from numerous Asian and European countries.

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