Route connecting Ky Sa Port and Ly Son Island opened

The Ministry of Transport announced its plan to open a mixed river-sea route connecting the Ky Sa port and Ly Son Island in central Quang Ngai province on February 26.

Vessels operating on the route must be river-sea compatible ships (VR-SB) under the National Technical Regulation on the Rule of Inland-Waterway Ships Classification and Construction.

In addition, vessel crew members are required to have professional competence qualifications.

Ly Son district lies 18 nautical miles off the Vietnamese coast and covers an area of 10km2. It includes three communes: An Hai, An Vinh and An Binh.

The island district has a population of approximately 2,100. The majority of residents earn a living from fishing and farming garlics and spring onions.

Ly Son is striving to become a maritime economic centre by 2025, with a focus on tourism and aquaculture.

Archaeologists found relics of Sa Huynh culture on the island dating back to 3,000 years ago. Starting in the 16th century, a number of ethnic groups migrated to Ly Son from the mainland and have inhabited the island ever since.

The island boasts numerous forms of intangible cultural heritage, such as traditional boat races and the Hoang Sa Soldier Feast and Commemoration Festival, which was recognised as a national heritage in April, 2013.

Investment to health infrastructure effective: minister

Investment in health care infrastructure has proven effective, positively changing the face of the hospital system at central and local levels, stated Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien.

Looking forward, five new central hospitals are scheduled to become operational while a number of health care facilities are to be constructed. A project to transfer technology and send doctors to local hospitals will also be accelerated and implemented widely, she revealed.

The minister noted that capital for the construction and upgrades of the health care system have been sourced from the State budget, with 600 district hospitals across the country built through government bond capital.

Socialised capital is also an important source for the heath sector, along with loans from banks and other sources, she said.

Meanwhile, the minister also pointed to the need for stronger investment in infrastructure and modern equipment as well as advanced technology in provincial and district hospitals.

She stressed the focus on easing overload in central hospitals as well as strengthening the application of cutting-edge technology in treating a number of serious diseases, including cancer.

She expressed her belief that with strong investment from the government coupled with active integration in science and technology, Vietnam will become a high-tech health care centre.

Regarding the Millennium Development Goals, Vietnam is one of seven leading middle-income countries recording strong progress in reducing the maternal and infant mortality rate as well as that of malnourished children, said the minister.

Vietnam has also been lauded by the international community for its broad health care network providing easy access to medical services, the application of medical advances and its expanded immunisation programme, she said.

Vietnamese doctors have also successfully mastered advanced technologies in endoscopic surgery, viscera transplantation and stem cell use, she added.

In the future, the ministry targets the application of advanced technologies in local hospitals, she said, adding that the technologies are currently being transferred to provincial hospitals to elevate their standard of care.

HCM City working to supply safe water

The Ho Chi Minh City authorities is making efforts to supply safe water to all city residents this year.

To realise this target, the municipal People’s Committee has directed the Transport Department to coordinate with the relevant offices to conduct surveys and make lists for households that do not have access to safe water in the city.

The clean water supply will be monitored publicly in every district monthly.

According to the plan, the city will provide safe water to more than 7,000 households in District 9 and the districts of Tan Binh and Thu Duc by the end of September.

Health Ministry urges to prevent food poisons

The Ministry of Health February 26 sent its documents to chairpersons of municipal and provincial people’s committees, asking to enhance control over food safety and hygiene during festival season in the first  month of the lunar year.

As per its document, the Ministry ordered local governments where festivals have been held to liaise with related agencies to handle food violations and paid regular checks to food stores. The names of violating businesses will be publicized in the media so that customers may boycott unsafe food products.

Local governments must be strict in handling violations. Violating business will not be allowed to sell food in sections around festivals. Medical workers will  be ready to provide treatment to food poison cases.

Deputy PM Phuc urges strengthening anti-smuggling work

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on February 26 held a working session with the Office of the National Steering Committee on Combating Smuggling, Commercial Fraud and Counterfeit Goods (Steering Committee 389).

Deputy PM Phuc, who is also Head of the Committee 389, praised efforts by the Office in advising and co-ordinating with related agencies at all levels to handle smuggling.

Under direction from the Government, relevant ministries, branches and localities have taken drastic steps to prevent and combat smuggling with many major cases discovered, the deputy PM said.

He appreciated the Ministry of Finance and the General Department of Vietnam Customs efforts in creating favourable conditions for the Office’s staff to fufill their tasks, contributing to preventing smuggling, commercial fraud and counterfeit goods across the nation.

He asked the Steering Committee in 2015 to focus on administrative reforms related to anti-smuggling, trade fraud, and tax evasion.

Members under the Committee should strengthen forces while disseminating adequate information to social organisations, businesses and individuals in joining hands in anti-smuggling work.

Social network members reject false rumors

Members of social networks all at once rejected the rumor that eggs were contaminated with HIV virus.

Couple days ago the information on HIV virus contaminated eggs was unanimously released  on social networks and internet forums.

Attached with the information was a picture of peeled boiled eggs with strange signs which caused suspection of HIV virus injected eggs.

 However, many other members of the social networks rejected the rumor as HIV virus is transmitted through blood, semen, breast milk, and other body fluids.

In a talk with reporters from Sai Gon Giai Phong newspaper, deputy head of the Department of Animal Health  Nguyen Van Trong said that recently groundless rumor badly affected farmers’ profits; accordingly he advised customers to keep one's wits about false rumors.

Traditional house inaugurated to honour healthcare staff

Vietnam’s healthcare sector history has been chronicled and featured in a respected space established within the Hanoi University of Pharmacy, which was inaugurated on February 27, marking the 60th ceremony of the Vietnamese Doctors’ Day (February 27, 1955-2015).

Speaking at the ceremony, Health Deputy Minister Nguyen Thanh Long stressed the importance for generations of healthcare staffers to learn about the tradition and history of their career.

In the traditional house, there are intact items related to the late President Ho Chi Minh and the ex and former Health Ministers, as well as a number of historic documents and images recording the sector’s growth through various historical stages.

The place is set to become a museum of Vietnam medicines and pharmacy, Long said.

According to Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, Vietnam has been lauded by the international community for its broad health care network providing easy access to medical services, the application of medical advances and its expanded immunisation programme.

Vietnamese doctors have also successfully mastered advanced technologies in endoscopic surgery, viscera transplantation and stem cell use.

In the future, the health sector targets the application of advanced technologies in local hospitals. Those technologies are currently being transferred to provincial hospitals to elevate their standard of care.

Ca Mau strives to improve vocational education

This year, the southernmost province of Ca Mau plans to provide vocational education for 38,000 locals and offer jobs for other 36,000 who received training in the previous years, said the provincial Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.

The plan focuses on improving training programme, trainers’ capability and teaching facilities.

Accordingly, priority will be given to training workers in fishery, agriculture and forestry, the province’s key economic sectors. Besides, the locality will invite competent trainers to teach its vocational programmes and invest in modern training equipment.

The province provides vocational training for over 35,000 people every year; however the outcomes still fell short of expectation as training programmes failed to meet the actual need of employers.

Le Van Quang, Director of a local seafood export company, said that his company needs additional 3,000 employees each year for shrimp peeling work which only requires 30 days of training. The manual skill is, however, yet offered by any vocational training centres so that the company has to do it itself.

Vietnam-China border gate shows increasing use

The Thanh Thuy International Border Gate in northern mountainous Ha Giang province, which shares a border with China, is bustling during the first days of the lunar new year.

According to Head of the Thanh Thuy border guard station Nguyen Xuan Hoang, total import-export revenue through the border gate exceeded 300,000 USD during the first eight days of the first lunar month (February 19-26), mainly from the export of fresh fruits, including dragon fruits (200 tonnes) and chillies (20 tonnes).

Meanwhile, hundreds of people went through entry-exit procedures daily for travelling or visiting relatives.

Since the Thanh Thuy and Tianbao border gates at the shared border line between Vietnam’s Ha Giang province and China’s Yunnan province officially became international border gates in late 2014, many foreigners have used the pair to enter China through Vietnam.

Thanks to joint efforts by customs officials, border guards and police forces, procedures for product export have been simplified, contributing to reducing the process duration and unexpected costs for enterprises.

Border patrol discovers marijuana plants in Ha Giang

Roughly 1,000 marijuana plants were found growing near the Yen Minh District in the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang on Thursday.

The plants were discovered during a routine patrol in a farm cultivated by a H'mong family, said chief of the local border patrol force Col Huynh Van Sau.

The H'mong family was requested to remove the marijuana plants, which were later incinerated under the local authority's supervision.

Healthcare to reform for patients’ satisfaction-Health Minister:

Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien yesterday confirmed that the health sector will continue reducing overload in hospitals and conducting administrative reform and raising treatment quality in order to improve patients’ satisfaction.

She was quoted as saying to the press on the occasion of the Vietnamese Doctor's Day (February 27th).

In 2014, the health sector has made concerted efforts to carry out its mission and achieved good results. Highlight of the achievements is amendments in Health Insurance Law approved by the National Assembly which expand the insurance buyers’ interest, said Ms Tien.

The health sector also offered more opportunity to insurance participants to access high quality technique by improving more medical services in the health insurance program.

In addition, public applauded the establishment of the Ministry’s hot line which receive complaints of patients on the medical workers’ behaviors, services and treatment quality in hospital. Through the hot line, the Ministry has directed hospital managers to handle violations and appraise good doctors and nurses who are devoted to their careers.

The health sector is striving to solve overloaded hospitals with two or more patients in a bed by expanding and upgrading hospitals , building new hospitals, reforming administrative and treatment procedure to cut waiting time. It has initially brought out good results as patient’s waiting time to see doctors has reduced 50 minutes. 15 big hospitals pledged to solve the overcrowded and two or more patients in a bed, said Health Minister.

Ms. Tien said that the sector mission of 2014 is the continuance of raising treatment quality and cut administrative to meet patients’ satisfaction as well as focusing on improving district medical clinics to raise primary health care. In addition, the sector will be more active in fighting pandemic, food safety and hygiene and environment cleanliness.

Especially, the sector will increase information of healthcare to residents in a bid to improve people’s awareness of healthcare and protecting their health condition and families’ as well as strengthen education to medical workers to improve their negative behaviors.

Districts told to speed up red book process

The municipal administration of the capital city has urged its districts to expedite the granting of land titles (also known as "red books") so that it can begin operating a land administration database in the second quarter of this year.

A Ha Noi Moi (New Ha Noi) report said the database proposal has been prepared by the city's Department of Natural Resources and Environment and submitted to the Ha Noi People's Committee for approval.

Another project that is awaiting approval from the municipal administration is one that will measure and place boundary markers on land currently being used by State-owned plantations and forestland in the city.

The report said the database is sponsored by the US$100-million World Bank (WB)-funded Viet Nam Land Administration Project, which, besides Ha Noi, covers eight provinces: Thai Binh, Hung Yen, Binh Dinh, Khanh Hoa, Quang Ngai, Tien Giang, Vinh Long and Ben Tre.

Originally, the WB project was to be implemented from 2008 to 2013, but the bank extended the time to June 2015 in order to facilitate the provision of providing everyone with access to full, precise information related to land.

Hanoi leader extends New Year wishes to Catholic followers

Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen The Thao extended New Year wishes to Catholic dignitaries and followers in the capital city during his post-Tet visit to the Hanoi Archbishop Office on February 26.

The Chairman lauded the significant achievements and contributions of Cardinal Nguyen Van Nhon and all Catholic followers to the city over the past year.

The Chairman said he hopes the Catholic community will work collectively to develop a civilised and modern Hanoi and reduce poverty.

In return, the Cardinal thanked the municipal authorities for creating favourable conditions for local Catholics.

He said he is honoured to be one of 20 Cardinals around the world appointed by Pope Francis in 2014, saying he will do his utmost to serve the Vietnamese Catholic community.-

Science and technology crucial for national development: Official

Science and technology play an important part in a country's development and modernisation, especially a developing country, such as Viet Nam, said Dr. Tran Chi Thanh.

Thanh is the head of the Viet Nam Atomic Energy Institute (VINATOM) under the Ministry of Science and Technology.

He added that the institute intends to step up efforts in research and development, as well as science and application in the field of atomic energy in 2015.

During previous years, VINATOM had established various priority research groups and human resource development programmes, despite the numerous limitations it faced in terms of lack of equipment and funding.

The institute's research and development efforts will focus on realising strategic aims during the 2015 to 2020 period.

Projects should therefore have clear objectives and a timeline for completion, as well as secure sources of funding, Thanh noted.

Human resource development will continue to remain the institute's primary mission, while measures will be taken to attract leading experts.

Thanh stressed on the importance of building a network of Vietnamese consultant experts and knowledge transfer in the field of atomic energy.

"No country in the world can afford to skip the development of science and technology on its way to achieve prosperity," he pointed out.

Some of the institute's key objectives for this year include developing medical applications for atomic forces, along with other uses of atomic energy in agricultural and industrial production.

Tuan wins mountaineering competition

Dong Nai's Le Van Tuan won the "King of Mountain" title at the Ta Cu Mountain-Climbing Open in the southern province of Binh Thuan yesterday.

Tuan's teammate Le Huu Loc and Tran Van Cong of Binh Thuan finished second and third respectively.

In the women's race, Dang Thi Cam Tu from Binh Phuoc Province became the "Queen of Mountain". The runners-up were Nguyen Thi Quynh Tram and Nguyen Thi Hong Van of Binh Phuoc.

The annual event was held by the province's department of culture, sports and tourism. Thirty-seven teams, comprising 294 female and male sportspersons, competed over a 5,300m and a 6,300m course respectively.

Both races included a 2,300m climb up the 694m-high Ta Cu Mountain, with the race ending at the hilltop Linh Son Truong Tho Pagoda.

VN celebrates health sector on Doctors' Day

Doctors' Day, today, February 27, is a day to acknowledge the nation's doctors and an occasion to measure the progress the health sector has achieved over the past 60 years.

Fulfilling the United Nations Millennial Goals on health care; expanding the network of medical stations equipped with state-of-the-art technologies; developing a contingent of qualified staff in line with regional and international standards; and improving access to health services are among its most recognized achievements.

Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien said to Politburo member Dinh The Huynh, who was at the Ministry of Health in Ha Noi on Wednesday to celebrate the sector's 60th anniversary of Viet Nam Doctors' Day.

Huynh asked the health ministry to work with the Party Central Committee's Commission for Popularisation and Education, which is headed by him, to write reports reviewing the 10-year implementation of Party Central Committee resolutions on public health care.

Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam recognised the Doctors' Day by visiting health workers in Vinh Phuc Province.

He told people at the Herbalist Society in the province's Tam Dao District to be innovative in using herbal remedies passed down generation to generation.

He stressed that herbalists societies in Tam Dao and the greater Vinh Phuc Province, an area featuring an abundance of precious medicinal herbs, are well positioned to make good use of these resources.

He also made stops at the Thai Hoa Commune clinic and the healthcare centre of Lap Thach District, urging local health staff to keep up their good work in preventive health services, especially vaccinations and educational campaigns about homegrown ways to promote health.

Dam called upon the Health Ministry and provincial authorities to use investment resources to equip health institutions at local levels with modern equipment and to improve health workers' skills.

Ahead of the health sector's big day, President of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan visited Military Central Hospital 108, Viet Duc Hospital, Health Ministry and the Military Medical Department in Ha Noi to congratulate them on Wednesday.

At Hospital 108, he greeted over 600 senior officers and health experts, expressing his hope that they will continue living up to their reputation as the most trust-worthy military hospital in the country.

At Viet Duc Hospital, Nhan hailed the last decades' achievements as outstanding, including raising the capacity of the hospital from 430 beds to 1,450.

Director General of the Military Medical department, Major General Vu Quoc Binh, informed Nhan that the sector had helped upgrade 1,098 medical clinics in communes over the last decade.

Each year, local army medical clinics offer health check-ups to over 2.6 million individuals and treat more than 969,000 patients. Military hospitals examine 8.6 million people and treat 1.5 million yearly, he said.

Ninh Thuan Province honoured Doctors' Day yesterday by granting the Medal of Memory "For People's Health" to 17 distinguished health workers.

The province of Thanh Hoa began the health sector's 60th anniversary by welcoming the Order of Independence, First Class granted by the State in recognition of the provincial health sector's recent achievements. Between 2005 and 2014, the province's health sector increased its staff by 54 per cent and its facilities expanded to a total if 38 public and 680 private hospitals.

Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province will mark the day by launching a new hospital – Ba Ria Hospital – with 700 beds and new state-of-the-art technology.

After five years of construction, the VN2 trillion (US$94 million) hospital aims to conduct health checks for 1,600 to 1,800 outpatients and treat 500 to 600 inpatients daily.

An Giang association benefits thousands of needy people

The Association for the Protection of the Disabled, Orphans, and Poor Patients of the Mekong Delta province of An Giang has benefitted thousands of disadvantaged locals through various activities over the last two decades.

An Giang is now home to roughly 15,200 disadvantaged individuals, including roughly 7,470 persons with disabilities, 2,650 poor patients, 1,300 orphans, and 1,900 other needy children under 16-years-old. Most reside in rural areas and are depending on their relatives or community for their livelihoods.

Chairman of the association Tran Minh Tan said although the provincial Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs has been providing regular aids to these groups, it is far from sufficient in meeting their needs.

Working as a social charity since 1993, the association has coordinated with philanthropists to support beneficiaries through numerous fundraising activities, like art performances. Financial and other material support has so far amounted to over 198.81 billion VND (9.46 million USD), he said.

The association has benefited nearly 954,530 people, 12,390 of whom received free cataract lens operations and 2,540 others with disabilities received wheelchairs.

The organisation has repaired and built 2,330 houses and given bicycles to 470 children from impoverished families. It has also regularly visited rural areas to provide free medical check-ups to the target groups, Tan added.

The association has also helped improve people’s livelihoods in localities implementing the Government’s new-style rural area building programme, such as presenting cows to low-income households in mountainous Tri Ton and Tinh Bien districts, he noted.

The Chairman continued to say that his charity succeeded in mobilising support from domestic and foreign benefactors like VinaCapital, the Mekong Delta healthcare assistance fund, and hundreds of other businesses.

In 2015, it will focus on providing targeted beneficiaries with free eye and rehabilitation surgeries, wheelchairs, and vocational training. Priority will be given to those living in 30 communes building new-style rural areas, he said.

Cao Dai Church holds exhibition on Supreme Being day

The Church of Cao Dai in the southern province of Tay Ninh on February 26 opened an exhibition on its origin, history of development and legends on the Supreme Being Grand Ritual day (the 8th day of the first month of the lunar year).

Monsignor Thuong Tam Thanh, Chief of the Cao Dai Tay Ninh Church’s Executive Council , expressed his thanks to the Party, the State and the local government for creating favourable conditions for the church to organise religious activities.

The dignitary took the occasion to introduce the content and significance of the 29 booths at the exhibition, which were run by 29 parishes from all over the country. He said the display demonstrates the followers’ heart to God and Goddess, promoting the morally right actions to contribute to building a life of prosperity and happiness.

The church, also called Dai Dao Tam Ky Pho Do (The Great Faith of the Third Universal Redemption) , was founded in 1924 in Tay Ninh and it has to date attracted millions of followers.

Communication disseminated for the search of martyr remains

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, Head of the Steering Committee on the Search and Repatriation of Remains of Fallen Soldiers has urged relevant agencies to promote the use of mass media communication for the search of martyrs’ remains nationwide to create an integrated campaign in the society.

The Ministry of Information and Communication was asked to direct press agencies, portals of the ministries, and localities to upgrade their information quality and open specialised pages to share their experience in searching and gathering the remains of fallen soldiers.

Meanwhile, central and local radio and television stations were requested to increase length and number of broadcast programmes informing residents about the “Di tim dong doi” (looking for comrades) show.

According to reports made by the Committee, which is also known as the Steering Committee 1237, as many as 1,108 sets of soldiers’ remains were gathered both at home and abroad in 2014, of which 329 sets were collected in Laos and 945 sets came from Cambodia.

Reports also revealed that the Ministry of Defence transferred over 208,000 pieces of information about military units and received 36,959 other provisions about martyrs to use in the search for the remains of fallen soldiers.

Since 2012, 6,093 sets of remains have been gathered, fulfilling the hopes of martyrs’ families and contributing to ensuring political and social order in localities.

Dak Nong improves heath care services for ethnic minorities

The Central Highlands province of Dak Nong has launched two general hospitals with a combined cost of 231 billion VND (10.9 million USD) in the border districts of Cu Jut and Dak Mil in a bid to improve health care services for locals.

According to Ngo Minh Truc, Head of the provincial Health Department, construction of Cu Jut general hospital commenced in 2010 with an investment of 116 billion VND (5.45 million VND) from government bond sources.

The hospital has a capacity of 150 beds, replacing its 50-bed predecessor to provide enhanced care for ethnic minority groups, he said.

Construction on the other hospital, located in Thuan An commune, Dak Mil district, began in 2012 at a cost of 115 billion USD (5.40 million USD).

It also has 150 beds and modern equipment. Notably, the hospital boasts a 53.46 square-meter solid waste treatment facility.

New medical facilities open in Hanoi

The Vietnam-Germany Hospital, one of the country’s largest surgical centres, inaugurated an 11-storey building equipped with advanced technology in Hanoi on February 26.

Featuring seven clinical departments, 22 operating rooms and 365 beds, the building required a total investment of 394 billion VND (18.4 million USD), a third of which was sourced from the State budget.

The hospital now boasts a total of 1,450 beds and 52 operation rooms.

Hospital Director Nguyen Tien Quyet said the establishment of the high-tech medical facility is designed to better serve patients and address the issue of locals travelling overseas for treatment.

The same day, the National Paediatric Hospital inaugurated a new medical centre as part of a project to expand and upgrade the hospital itself.

The 75,000-square-metre facility is capable of handling a thousand patients simultaneously.

In 2014, the paediatric hospital treated more than 700,000 inpatients and over 80,000 outpatients.

Activities marks Vietnamese Physicians’ Day

Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee President Nguyen Thien Nhan congratulated the Central Healthcare Committee and the Vietnam Medical Association on the 60th anniversary of Vietnamese Physicians’ Day during his visit on February 26.

He asked the Military Medical Department to promote its strength and enhance affiliation with domestic and foreign healthcare units. Health workers there were asked to better themselves to provide higher quality services for soldiers and civilians and improve Vietnam’s healthcare services at all levels.

The same day, Ho Chi Minh city hosted an art program highlighting contributions of Vietnamese physicians. Films about the development of the healthcare sector in the south and honoring outstanding physicians were screened as part of the program.

Da Nang city organized a meeting to mark Vietnamese Physicians’ Day and award outstanding doctors during 2014. More than 1,000 People’s and Emeritus doctors, as well as representatives from health facilities in the city attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, Ba Ria-Vung Tau province has inaugurated the Ba Ria hospital with 700 beds and modern equipment.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam visited several health clinics in Vinh Phuc province on the occasion of Vietnam Physicians’ Day on February 27.

Transport minister fires entire project management unit for tardy progress

The Vietnamese Transport Minister has decided to replace the entire management project unit that is in charge of road upgrade projects in south-central Vietnam after finding it should be held responsible for the projects’ tardy progress.

Minister Dinh La Thang made the decision at a meeting of his ministry in Hanoi on Tuesday.

Accordingly, the entire project management unit (PMU2) that is in charge of projects to upgrade and expand the National Highway 1 sections that run through Binh Dinh and Phu Yen provinces in south central Vietnam will be replaced with the PMU for the Ho Chi Minh Road project.

The replacement came after Minister Thang took a trip to oversee the project, which will enlarge the national highway through Binh Dinh, on February 21.

At the above meeting, Thang said the PMU2 failed to maintain control over the projects under its authority, while the projects’ contractors showed poor performance and the investors exposed weak capabilities.

The minister also commented that the ministry’s relevant management agencies have not been decisive in giving directions for the implementation of the projects in question.

He requested that the ministry’s concerned agencies re-assess the capabilities of the projects’ investors and contractors and replace unqualified ones with qualified ones.

During the above Binh Dinh trip, the minister urged the project’s investor and contractor to make the best use of their resources to step up progress, according to  Phap Luat Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh (Ho Chi Minh City Law) newspaper.

“In March I will inspect the project’s development again and any shortcomings will be strictly handled,” the newspaper quoted the minister as saying.

Jetstar Pacific offers discounted tickets for numerous routes

Customers of the low-cost carrier Jetstar Pacific will be offered special discounts for international and domestic flights departing between March and April, 2015, announced the airline on February 26.

Specifically, tickets for Hanoi-Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City-Tuy Hoa (central Phu Yen province), which are scheduled to begin in March, cost 199,000 VND (9.3 USD), and tickets for other domestic routes will have a 50 percent discount.

Under the promotion programme, fare prices for Ho Chi Minh City-Singapore routes start from 199,000 VND (9.3 USD) and other domestic flights, including Ho Chi Minh City-Hanoi/ Dong Hoi/ Thanh Hoa and Buon Ma Thuot-Thanh Hoa/Hai Phong, will be available from 499,000 VND (23.4 USD).

Tickets are available on www.jetstar.com from 11am on February 27 through March 1, 2015. Online payment is required at the time of purchase to be eligible for promotional fares.

Jetstar Pacific currently has a ten-airplane fleet with eight Airbus A320 and two Airbus A321 aircraft, covering 12 domestic destinations as well as Singapore, Thailand and Macau (China).

More traffic control, public transport needed to cut accidents in Vietnam's rural areas

As most of the traffic accidents over the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday occurred in rural areas in Vietnam, a senior traffic official has suggested that traffic control be tightened and public transport be provided to these areas to improve road safety.

Khuat Viet Hung, deputy chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee, offered the suggestion in a recent interview with Tuoi Tre(Youth) newspaper about what should be done to strengthen traffic safety and reduce the number of accidents and the resulting deaths and injuries.

According to the committee’s statistics, 536 traffic accidents occurred nationwide over the nine-day Tet holiday, from February 15 to 23, causing 317 deaths and 509 injuries.

Notably, most of these accidents occurred in rural areas and on national highways outside urban areas, the committee said.

The causes of these accidents are varied, including driving under the influence of alcohol, encroaching on the wrong lane or driving the wrong way, and speeding, the committee said.    

Some rural residents do not wear helmets while driving motorbikes, leaving themselves vulnerable to brain injuries when a collision occurs, the agency added.

Meanwhile, the traffic patrol and control forces in rural areas are below strength to fulfill their duty of detecting and handling violators of traffic rules.

Rural traffic infrastructure has been improved in a number of localities, but many rural roads still lack necessary signs or do not meet standards on radius of curves or vision, making them unsafe for travel, especially on crowded routes.

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