Saigon Railway Transport Joint Stock Company yesterday announced that a new generation train of Saigon- Nha Trang route was officially put into service from February 22.

The company said tickets are being discounted 15 percent in the opening day, costing VND 265,000- 423,000 per ticket.

The new generation train has modern designs such as steel carriages and white- composite seats, beds and special decorations.

Nghe An’s Vinh city recognized to complete new-style rural area building

Deputy PM Vuong Dinh Hue has signed Decision No. 239/QĐ-TTg in recognition of Nghe An province’s Vinh city for having completed the task of building new-style rural areas in 2016.

Accordingly, the city had all of its nine suburban communes meeting the entire 19 criteria for new-style rural areas, with 10 criteria exceeding the standard, including the criterion on income (average income per capita at VND33.8 million annually), and the remaining nine criteria meeting the standard as stipulated.

The deputy PM assigned the Nghe An provincial People’s Committee to announce and organize the commendation in line with the PM’s Decision No. 1730/QĐ-TTg dated September 5, 2016 on issuing plans to implement the emulation movement “The entire nation join hands to build new-style rural areas” for the 2016-2020 period.

Over the past years, Vinh city has maintained a rapid and sustainable economic growth and worked to ensure political security and improve the living environment for local residents on a large scale.  

The local authorities have issued preferential policies and mechanisms to encourage communes to actively join the building of new-style rural areas. The city mobilised over VND2.96 trillion (US$130.24 million) for the mission, including roughly VND25 billion from the state budget (0.85%), VND72.8 billion from the provincial budget, approximately VND312.8 billion from the municipal budget, VND366.4 million from the communal-level budget and VND1.88 trillion donated by local people.

France’s winemakers head to Hanoi for Bordeaux Rendezvous 2017

The Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi will host Bordeaux Rendezvous 2017, Southeast Asia’s largest Bordeaux wine event, on March 9.

Part of the Metropole’s Les Arômes Festival, an annual culinary which is in its 11th edition, Bordeaux Rendezvous will see 19 Château’s and their ambassadors travel to Hanoi to share their passion and knowledge with wine enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike. The one-day wine extravaganza will showcase more than 45 of the best Bordeaux wines imported especially for the occasion.

Participating wineries for Bordeaux Rendezvous 2017 include first-growth château Guiraud, second-growth château Rauzan-Ségla, third-growth château d’Issan as well as a number of fourth and fifth-growth wineries. Guests will have the opportunity to savor red and white wines of vintages ranging from 1996 to 2014. As France’s largest wine growing region, Bordeaux is home to an estimated 10,000 wineries.

Currently in its sixth year, Bordeaux Rendezvous 2017 is organized by French wine merchants Barriere Freres. Over the past few years, the annual wine tasting series has journeyed across Southeast Asia to introduce select wineries to the region. This year’s festival will run from March 2-10, with events scheduled in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Hanoi.

The Hanoi leg of Bordeaux Rendezvous will take place at the Metropole’s La Veranda restaurant and outdoor patios from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on March 9. The evening will be capped off with a private auction featuring special rare vintages of Bordeaux.

Tickets to the spirited event are priced at VND1.2 million per person, inclusive of wine tasting and specialty foods from the hotel’s French chef Olivier Genique.

For more information, call (04) 3826 6919 ext. 8200 or email to h1555-fb3@sofitel.com.

Vietnam Idol Kids calls for contestants for 2nd season

Vietnam Idol Kids, organized by VTV and HCMC-based BHD Company, last week kicked off its second season in Hanoi and HCMC to search for young music talents.

Ho Van Cuong, a 13-year-old boy from the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang, winner of the first season of the Vietnam Idol Kids competition in 2016, and two other finalists Linh Hoa and Khanh Linh, attended the event in HCMC to show encouragement to this year’s contestants.

The contest is open for Vietnamese candidates aged between 5 and 13 living in the country or overseas and to all kids who have a foreign parent. For registrations, access www.thantuongamnhacnhi.vtv.vn. Updated information about the contest will be posted at the Facebook page of thantuongamnhacnhi.

Auditions will take place in Danang on March 12, Hanoi on March 18-19 and HCMC on March 25-26.

Vietnam short on food safety control budget

A limited budget has rendered food safety control activities ineffective, said Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien in a report on execution of food safety policies and regulations in 2011-2016.

According to the Ministry of Health’s data from 2011 to 2016, more than 1,000 food poisoning cases were reported throughout the country, with 164 people killed. The risk of food poisoning is especially high at industrial zones and factory canteens.

In 2001-2005, the budget for food safety control in Vietnam equaled to one-25th of Thailand (VND780 per capita per year compared to US$1 (over VND22,000)). In 2011-2015, Vietnam’s budget for food safety control is VND2,800 per capita per year, well below VND100,000 in Beijing, China.

Food safety control funds allocated to the Ministry of Industry and Trade in 2011-2016 totaled VND101 billion, representing 20% of the total approved for the national food safety program. Similarly, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development received VND192 billion in the same period and was allowed to retain another VND959 billion from other sources of revenue to finance food safety control activities. The total amount met 30% of what was needed.

Food safety in Vietnam is an increasingly big public issue as the abuse of forbidden substances, chemicals, antibiotics, preservatives and additives is prevalent in the food processing sector.

HCMC to replace 196,000 energy-guzzling bulbs

The HCMC Department of Industry and Trade has proposed replacing nearly 196,000 energy-guzzling street light bulbs in residential areas with LED ones in a bid to cut electricity consumption. 

According to a written proposal sent to the city government for use of LED lights in residential areas in the 2016-2020 period, the department said the city has 195,803 privately-funded lights, including fluorescent or compact lamps, and high pressure sodium (HPS) lights of 70-100W, thus leading to a waste of electricity.

A majority of the current privately financed lamps in residential areas have been installed haphazardly, which can easily lead to short circuits and power losses.

Therefore, the department suggested replacing all these lamps with LED bulbs of 40W or below.

According to the Department of Transport, the plan to replace all public HPS lamps with LED lights in 2016-2020 is estimated to cost some VND1.3 trillion (US$57 million).

According to the HCMC Energy Conservation Center (ECC), the city’s street lighting systems consume more than 162 million kWh a year worth over VND130 billion (US$5.7 million) a year.

Replacing the current systems with LED lights could save more than 55.3 million kWh per year, equivalent to some VND88 billion and an annual reduction of 31 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

Ben Tre to build dams to cope with drought and salinity intrusion

Ben Tre, one of the Mekong Delta’s provinces most affected by drought and salinity intrusion, will spend VND1,600 billion building irrigation works and dams in 2017-2020 to cushion impacts of drought and salination.

Cao Van Trong, chairman of Ben Tre, said the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development had approved a VND1,400 billion allocation for the province to carry out the project and that the province would raise the remaining VND200 million from other sources.

The province will also develop eight other water drainage systems using aid from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in 2018-2022. With a total length of 55 kilometers, the drainage systems will enclose Ba Lai River to create a freshwater lake in the province, Trong added.

Ben Tre’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said around 19,000 hectares of rice in the 2015-2016 winter-spring crop and thousands of hectares of fruit were damaged by drought and salinity intrusion.

The province has sought Dong Nai Province’s help to build a freshwater reservoir with a holding capacity of nearly 900,000 cubic meters in Ba Tri District.

The project is nearly complete and Ben Tre has permitted an enterprise to process water and provide clean water for residents of Ba Tri and neighboring districts at 15,000 cubic meters a day.
     
Ho Chi Minh City proactive against return of avian flu

Ho Chi Minh City has launched measures against the possible return of avian flu outbreaks, especially in quarantine stations and fowl slaughter and trade facilities. 

Permanent Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Thanh Liem said several localities pay little attention to epidemic monitoring and supervision while illegal fowl trading has increased. 

The municipal Animal Health Sub-Department reported that as of January 17, the city recorded 103 illegal live fowl trade locations in 14 districts and communes, posing risks of avian flu outbreaks. 

Municipal authorities asked districts and communes to crack down on illegal fowl trading. 

Phan Xuan Thao, head of the Veterinary Sub-Department, said amid outbreaks of avian flu in China and Cambodia, the department directed vet stations to partner with inter-sectoral delegations to deal with fowl of unclear origin at gateways to the city and take more samples of fowl brought to the city for slaughter. 

The city’s vet units will also test for avian flu viruses in entertainment areas. 

According to the Department of Animal Health, there were four avian flu hotspots nationwide existing for less than 21 days as of February 20. 

The avian flu hotspot recently discovered in Vinh Phu Dong commune, Phuoc Long district in the Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu left 2,785 chicken sick and 400 others dead, with the disease likely to spread across the region.

HCM City implements phase 2 of environmental sanitation project

HCM City has begun implementing phase two of an environmental sanitation project by constructing a wastewater drainage system, according to the management board of the HCM City Environmental Sanitation Project.

The drainage system is the first component of the second phase of the project, with a value of 85 million USD and is set to be completed within 36 months.

Phase two of the project has a total investment capital of 524 million USD, 450 million USD of which comes from World Bank loans, with the remaining 74 million USD from the city.

The project has two major components: building a drainage system to move wastewater from Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe canal’s basin and District 2 to a wastewater treatment factory in Thach My Loi ward, District 2, which is the second component.

Director of the management board of the project Vuong Hai Long said the project aims to complete a system collecting and treating wastewater for the Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe canal and District 2.

Phase one of the project, with total investment of 8.6 trillion VND (386 million USD), was completed in August, 2012, helping reduce flooding and pollution and improve living conditions for 1.2 million people in Districts 1, 3, 10 and Phu Nhuan, Tan Binh, Binh Thanh and Go Vap districts.

Vietnam far from target of 15,000 new style cooperatives: Deputy PM

Cooperative economics has posted some positive changes for the last recent years but still been weak, mall and scattered making the country far from the target of 15,000 new style cooperatives operating effectively, said deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue at an January regular cabinet meeting recently.
 
Cooperatives’ organization and management ability has been weak. In operation, they have not connected together and with business community.

Cooperatives have been an important subject of the market economy, supplying services and connecting production for tens of million of households to create high productivity and quality products and attaching to businesses in consumption and processing.

According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, after the Cooperative Law 2012 took effect in the following year, the number of cooperatives has increased by 165 nationwide but cooperative members reduced over 286,000 and workers reduced over 200,000.
 
So far, the country has 19,216 cooperatives with six million members. The transfer of existing cooperatives into new style model by the 2012 Law has been asynchronous nationwide. At present, about 25 percent of total cooperatives have yet to reregister or change into the new model.
 
Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue asked ministries and agencies to fully report the situation of cooperative models in all fields from agriculture, industry and trade, construction, transport, people’s credit and tourism and spot loopholes in policy implementation, summarize and expand advanced cooperative models.
 
In addition, they should specifically estimate the scope of cooperatives and their technology application in management, production and trading; prevent formalism in reports to impact the society’s awareness of cooperatives, improve economic institutions and repair limitations and problems in the implementation of the new cooperative law, he said.

The Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and Vietnam Cooperative Alliance have conducted many surveys on new style cooperatives.
 
Chairman of the committee Nguyen Thien Nhan said that new rural development must prevent the situation in which most citizens refuse to join cooperatives. They should become cooperative members for higher and sustainable income.
 
At present, a commune has 1-2 cooperatives attracting only 15-20 percent farmers. He prompted the new rural development program to set a target in which a new rural commune must have at least a cooperative and those where have had cooperatives should establish more to lure the attendance of most locals.
 
The improvement of new rural quality and production as well as economic stabilization must attach to new style cooperatives.
 
In many places, provincial government, party committee and Vietnam Fatherland Front committees have not been fully aware of the necessity of cooperative economics in the country’s development and socialist oriented market economy, causing them not drastic to develop new style cooperatives.
 
So far, the Cooperative Law has taken effect for three years but set targets have been unobtainable. Hence, the awareness should be unanimous to develop cooperative economics to assist the great majority of farmers and handicraft workers.
 
The new style model is an inevitable way of Vietnam’s agriculture and the foundation to link cooperatives up to businesses to improve export competitiveness and integrate, he stated. Private production households in trade villages should connect together to form cooperatives in order to compete with big businesses and meet consumers’ requirements in international integration.
 
Provinces and cities taking drastic actions have seen positive changes, said Mr. Nhan citing many provincial party, people’s committee and agency leaders attended cooperative conferences to popularize the policy of developing new style cooperatives, learn the new model and determine to practice it.
  
Traditional Handicrafts honored in 2017 Hue traditional craft village festival

The People's Committee of Hue City said yesterday that 41 craft villages have registered to participate in the 2017 Hue Traditional Craft Village festival.
 
The festival is scheduled to take place from April 28 to May 2 in Hue City of the central province of Thua Thien Hue.

This is an important cultural event honoring and promoting Vietnamese traditional cultural values, enhancing efficient businesses in traditional villages.

The highlight of the 2017 festival will be to honor Vietnamese traditional handcraft villages.

Many cultural and cuisine activities will be launched during the festival.

Roundabout in front of Ben Thanh Market will be demolished

The HCMC Management Authority for Urban Railways will start on February 18 to demolish Quach Thi Trang Roundabout and the central bus station in front of Ben Thanh Market to make room for building Ben Thanh Central Station as a key component of the first metro line.

From February 18, work will start on a massive scale on the central station project, said a representative of Project 1 Management Unit, which is building Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien metro line. The area in front of Ben Thanh Market will be off limits to vehicle traffic.

Ben Thanh Station will include four basements at a depth of 30 meters. The first basement will house a ticket lobby, an office and a control room. The second one will be used as the platform of the metro line, while the third one will be used as a transship ticket lobby afterwards. The last basement will be the platform of the second metro line to be constructed later.

The underground station will stretch from the area in front of Ben Thanh Market to September 23 Park.

During the construction process, the HCMC Department of Transport will have some traffic adjustments to prevent congestion.

Vehicles will be banned on Pham Ngu Lao Street from Yersin to Tran Hung Dao Street. Yersin Street will become one-way in the direction from Tran Hung Dao Street to Pham Ngu Lao Street and Le Thi Hong Gam Street. Similarly, Ky Con Street will be one-way from Le Thi Hong Gam to Tran Hung Dao.

Vehicles are not allowed to stop over or park from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Calmette Street from Le Thi Hong Gam to Tran Hung Dao, Tran Hung Dao Street from Quach Thi Trang Roundabout to Yersin Street, Ky Con Street and Yersin Street from Le Thi Hong Gam to Pham Ngu Lao.

A strong, controversial start

Within just two hours at two road sections this Wednesday, authorities of District 1 in HCMC and traffic police handled over 100 cases of motorcycle users riding on the sidewalk, and imposed an administrative fine of VND350,000 each on violators. Such sanctions are seen heavy-handed, as most road users see riding on the sidewalk not an abnormal behavior, but a work-a-day practice, and few had been punished for such infringement of the law before. The big number of violators in just a short length of time on one hand sheds light on the low public awareness of legal compliance, and the poor performance of management agencies in securing urban order in as many years on the other hand.

A fortnight before District 1 authorities took to the street to ward off rampant traffic violations, as covered in local media, numerous barriers had been installed on the sidewalks on major streets in the district to prevent bike riders, but with little effect. Vietnamnet in a photo essay shows how many riders still manage to zigzag their way through the barriers on the sidewalk, posing risks to pedestrians. The news website reports that many barriers have been damaged after being hit by motorcycles. The barriers themselves are also tumbling blocks for many people, especially the disabled on wheelchairs or the blind.

With heavy fines this time, authorities look determined to fight violators, and send out a strong message that pedestrians will be protected, and urban order safeguarded.

At two provisional “checkpoints”, one on Nguyen Binh Khiem Street and the other at the junction between Ly Tu Trong and Nguyen Trung Truc streets, authorities and police have stopped all riders running on the sidewalks, imposing fines and stunning many violators.

Doan Ngoc Hai, vice chairman of District 1, says in Tuoi Tre newspaper that the district government is determined to restore public order. “Riding on the pavement poses serious dangers to pedestrians, and such images are also weird to foreign visitors to the city,” he is quoted as saying in Tuoi Tre, adding the people should improve their awareness if the city is to become more civilized.

Hai asserts that he himself will lead the effort to restore order. “I will directly be taking part in this move to punish violators. If District 1 wants to become another Singapore, urban order must be restored,” he says in Vnexpress.

The district government’s message seems to be accepted despite concerns to some extent.

In local media, many readers say the heavy sanctions are necessary. “If the law is not strict, those people with poor awareness will continue violating the law,” says a reader named Nguyen Cong Thanh in Thanh Nien. He suggests that cameras be fitted along the street to provide evidence for strict sanctions.

Meanwhile, another reader says it is all correct to get tough on violators. “I think heavy-handed measures by authorities to gain back the sidewalk for pedestrians are completely right,” says Tran Van Hung in Tuoi Tre.

There are, however, some opinions showing sympathy and understanding for violators.

As many people have for long seen riding on the sidewalk not a serious breach of law, it is unfair to point the accusing finger at road users only, since authorities are also to blame for their incompetence, according to Tuoi Tre.

In fact, many people have to move onto the pavement when facing severe traffic congestion, says the paper, citing a city resident named Tran Van Hung in District 12. When stuck in a traffic jam, many people urgent on business, such as rushing to airport or to hospital, have no choice but to ride on the sidewalk and “In reality, congestion on many streets is eased as bike riders move on the sidewalk to get ahead of traffic.” Therefore, while heavy sanctions against violators are needed, State agencies must also quickly find solutions to traffic congestion in the city.

Lao Dong refers to several cases of violators protesting the punishment, saying they had to move onto the pavement because the street was congested. However, Vice Chairman Hai responded that they should accept the fines for their wrongdoing, as a lesson to be learned to help make the city civilized and modern.

Ngo Viet Nam Son, an architect well knowledgeable about traffic and urban planning, points out that authorities should also assume responsibility when people ride on the sidewalk. The architect reasons that authorities instead of limiting population density in long-established urban areas have allowed for developing high-rise buildings, and thus, traffic infrastructure fails to meet the demand of road users. “Therefore, the phenomenon of people riding on the pavement is more widespread in old urban quarters, while in new urban centers, such a behavior is rarely seen,” he says in Tuoi Tre.

He stresses that while punitive sanctions are imperative, it is not the sole responsibility of unaware riders.

Restoring traffic safety as well as urban order is a must to help the city a more livable urban center. However, while punitive sanctions are taken, authorities must also look for solutions to ease the agony of road users when traffic congestion has become a nightmare.

The campaign to restore public order in HCMC, seen from the efforts of District 1 authorities, has apparently got off to a strong start and should be spread throughout the city, but it is also a controversial one.

Thanh Hoa armed units told to up vigilance

President Tran Dai Quang asked all armed units in Thanh Hoa province to strengthen their regular  drills and spare no effort in building up the capacity to tackle all emergencies for maintaining national security. 

Meeting with representatives of the police, border security forces, militia and other armed units during a visit to the north-central province on February 19, he asked them to work on community-based defence and security, turning districts and provinces into strong defensive bases. 

Quang also asked the province to continue innovation in defence activities focusing in improving the qualification, training and education of members of the armed units so that they are able to discharge their national defence tasks well and alongside participating in socio-economic development. 

He advised armed units at all levels to closely cooperate with local people and other sectors to keep a close watch on happenings related to defence and security so as to help relevant agencies take proper and prompt countermeasures for settling local and national security issues. 

To protect national sovereignty, the police, military and other armed units in Thanh Hoa should increase their leadership capacity and build pure and strong Party organisations, Quang said. 

He asked officers and soldiers to thoroughly grasp Party and State guidelines on external affairs and external defence relations, as  well as the task of building borders of peace, friendship, cooperation and development with neighbouring countries. 

Handling border issues requires high resolve, patience, prudence, and flexibility, and the province should also cooperate closely with neighbouring Laos to ensure completely safe border areas, he said.

Forest fire rages on in Quảng Ninh

A fire broke out at the casuarina forest and quickly spread to the special-use pine forest nearby at noon Sunday, resulting in the destruction of 2ha of forest land.
 
Fortunately, no casualty was reported.
 
According to The Voice of Việt Nam online newspaper, a tourist visiting the Lôi Âm temple, situated in Đại Yên Ward, Quảng Yên Town, detected the fire in the forest area behind the temple.
 
Đinh Xuân Bền, vice chairman of Đại Yên Ward People’s Committee, said some 150 personnel from firefighting police units, Naval Brigade 17 and the local militia, were mobilised to the site.
 
The fire occurred on the hillside far away from the city, making it difficult for fire trucks to access the site. Firefighters had to resort to using handheld devices such as blowers and were forced to clear out the vegetation surrounding the site to keep the fire in check.
 
Until 7pm, the fire had been partly controlled but was still not completely contained despite the best efforts of the personnel.
 
A week ago, provincial rangers had raised the risks of wildfire in the northern province to Level V – signifying elevated risks – including the Quảng Yên area. 

Phương wins hole-in-one award at FLC golf event

Trần Phương of HCM City won the hole-in-one award at the FLC Golf Championships, which concluded in FLC Quy Nhơn Golf Links on Sunday.

The 58-year-old golfer made a hole-in-one on the iconic par-3 16th hole and won prizes worth nearly VNĐ7 billion (US$304,300), including three cars and an apartment.

Phương said he was very lucky and thanked the event’s planners for organising a tournament for Vietnamese and international golfers to exchange experiences.

The three-day event attracted the participation of 1,500 golfers. 

Experts share experience in nuclear medicine

Experts from Vietnam and 17 Asian-Pacific countries gathered in Hanoi on February 20 for a five-day conference to share experience in applying nuclear medicine in cancer diagnose and treatment.

The event, organised by Bach Mai Hospital, attracted the participation of officials from the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute, the Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety, the International Atomic Energy Agency and Regional Co-operative Agreement Regional Office.

The attendants will also evaluate the efficiency of a technical cooperation project on fine-tuning healthcare services and improving governmental agencies’ capacity in the Regional Co-operative Agreement.

Speaking at the conference, Associate Professor Nguyen Quoc Anh, Director of Bach Mai Hospital, highlighted that the project will help develop medical competence in treating non-infectious diseases like cancers and cardiovascular disease.

Bach Mai hospital is a pioneer in applying nuclear medicine in giving diagnoses and treatment to cancer patients. Using advanced nuclear medicine techniques and radiation technology, the hospital has given effective treatment to its patients.

Vietnam receives visit from Jiangsu Association

On February 20, delegates from the Jiangsu Provincial Association for Science and Technology paid a visit to the southern province of Dong Nai and held discussions with colleagues.

The delegation was comprised of scientists, engineers and technicians from Jiangsu Province in China, located in the Yangtze River Delta bordering the East Sea. 

The main purpose of their visit was to learn about the latest ideas and issues in science and technology in the Province in an informal setting, said representatives of Jiangsu Association.

Since its founding in 1985, the Jiangsu Association’s goal has been to facilitate friendly exchanges between Jiangsu with foreign countries to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between people and furthering Jiangsu’s economic collaboration with foreign countries.

During the visit, the delegation met informally with representatives of the Province and business community to discuss issues about sustainable development in Vietnam and to share thoughts about promoting joint research and academic communication between China and Vietnam.

Members of the delegation were especially interested in expanding cooperation between universities in Vietnam and universities in Jiangsu province in areas such as information technology.

Tien Giang reinforces Go Cong sea dike to protect farm land

The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang is reinforcing the Go Cong sea dike to protect thousands of hectares of coastal agricultural land, according to a local official.

The 530 metre-long section in Tan Dien commune, Go Cong Dong district is seriously vulnerable to strong winds and wave, said Nguyen Thien Phap, head of the water resource management and flood and storm prevention division under the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The construction of wave-proof structure and concrete-surface dike has been accelerated to be completed and put into use by stormy season in 2017, Phap said, noting it cost nearly VND20 billion.

The Go Cong sea dike is over 21,000 metres long, protecting over 28,000 hectares of cultivation land in the coastal districts of Go Cong Dong, Go Cong Tay, Go Cong town, and Cho Gao.

Over the past years, landslides triggered by climate change and strong winds have damaged the protection forest outside the dike, putting the dike at the risk of collapse, particularly the 12-km section in Tan Dien and Tan Thanh communes in Go Cong Dong district.

The locality has also piloted making sand dike outside the sea to plant protection forests, thus reinforcing the local sea dike.

Italian Communist Party hosts workshop on Vietnam’s revolution

The Italian Communist Party’s (PCI) chapter in the northeastern region of Veneto has organised a national workshop on Vietnam’s revolution with the participation PCI members and Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Cao Chinh Thien.

Participants praised the significant role of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and late President Ho Chi Minh in leading Vietnam to independence, unification and development.

They also underlined the remarkable contributions of late General Vo Nguyen Giap to the cause of national liberation and defence.

PCI members said Vietnam has stable politics, high economic growth, and close-knit relations with countries around the world.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Cao Chinh Thien attributed the achievements to the solidarity and assistance from international friends, including those in Italy.

He noted that the friendship between Vietnam and Italy have been thriving over the past time. Particularly, the relations between the two communist parties have been increasingly reinforced and tightened.

On the sidelines of the workshop, PCI Secretary Mauro Alboresi told reporters from the Vietnam News Agency that Vietnam’s revolution is of importance to the PCI, adding that the PCI wants to study Vietnam’s path to socialism and apply it in Italy.

The PCI is also keen to strengthen ties with the CPV and other communist parties in the globe, he said.

He added that the PCI is scheduled to host a workshop on the future of socialism with the participation of all communist parties in Europe.

New training courses designed for Samsung Vietnam

Vietnam’s Nguyen Tat Thanh University and Yeungjin University of the Republic of Korea (RoK) have coordinated to open a training course designed to meet requirements of Samsung Vietnam Company.

Two majors provided in the one–year course are Mould Manufacturing and Programming Applied Electronics, with 20 students holding undergraduate degree on Mechanics and Electronics recruited for each major.

During the first six months, students will receive theoretical lessons given by lecturers from Yeungjin University. They will take internship at Samsung Vietnam Company during the last six months.

After graduation, students will be granted certificates by Yeungjin University and given chances to work at Samsung Vietnam without being re-trained.

Those who are not eligible to work in Samsung Vietnam will be introduced to other RoK enterprises in Vietnam.

Conference highlights tourism roles in global integration

The roles of culture and tourism in global integration were discussed at an international conference taking place in Tuy Hoa city, the central province of Phu Yen on February 18.

Tourism today makes great contributions to economic development while boosting global and regional linkages, Pham Tu, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Vietnam Economic Times affirmed, highlighting that culture provides a base to promote tourism.

Vietnam has enormous strengths in cultural tourism such as heritage tourism, festival tourism, cuisine tourism and museum tourism, he added.

According to Le Quoc Hung, former Vietnamese General Consul in California, the US, competitive products coupled with national culture and professional services are the pillars of a sustainable tourism industry.

Werner R. Murhadi from Indonesia’s University of Surabaya laid stress on Vietnam’s cultural and natural heritages, core factors to boost tourism growth.

There is increasing number of foreign tourists to ASEAN nations, he said, highlighting that intriguing experiences will lure more visitors to the region.

On the occasion, Vice Chairman of the Phu Yen provincial People’s Committee Phan Dinh Phung called on businesses to draw investment and invite domestic and foreign tourists to visit the locality.

Vietnam has huge potential to develop tourism with seven World Heritage Sites recognised by UNESCO, more than 44,000 tourist attractions and historic sites as well as 8,000 festivals. Last year, the country welcomed more than 10 million foreign visitors.

JW Marriott Hanoi to open Jazz Club

JW Marriott Hanoi has opened the Cool Cats Jazz Club after many months of planning, renovating and transforming the former Antidote Bar.
The Grand Opening will be over four nights, from February 22 to 25, with notable figures in Hanoi invited. The club will open four nights a week from Wednesday to Saturday, from 7pm until late, with live jazz music.
In addition to exclusive performances by local artists, Cool Cats will welcome on stage Joshua Lebofsky, the talented Canadian composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist who has performed at numerous international music and jazz festivals. From jazz to Broadway showtunes, R&B and beyond, Joshua’s knowledge of piano-bar repertoire is vast and his sense of rhythm brings him success wherever he goes.
The venue, which allows guests to lose themselves in fresh seafood towers, French pate and generous sharing boards perfectly matched with signature cocktails and other beverage offers, will transport music lovers back in time to the 1920s, which is known for its jazz.
The JW Marriott is part of Marriott International’s luxury portfolio that consists of beautiful properties and distinctive resort locations around the world. Its elegant hotels cater to sophisticated, self-assured travelers seeking The JW Treatment™ - the brand’s philosophy that true luxury is created by people who are passionate about what they do.
JW hotels offer crafted experiences that bring to life the brand’s commitment to highly choreographed, anticipatory service and modern residential design, allowing guests to pursue their passions and to leave even more fulfilled than when they arrived. Today there are more than 75 JW Marriott hotels in over 25 countries.
JW Marriott Hanoi is proud to participate in the industry’s award-winning loyalty program, Marriott Rewards®, in which members can link accounts with Starwood Preferred Guest® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® for instant elite status matching and unlimited points transfer.

Party leader urges Ca Mau to develop sea-, forest-based economy

The southernmost province of Ca Mau should develop agriculture, forestry and fisheries with a focus on shrimp farming and processing, and sea- and forest-based economic activities, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has said.

At a working session with provincial officials on February 21, he highlighted local potential and advantages, including fertile soil and a climate with the wet season and the dry season, which are favourable for agriculture, forestry and aquaculture.

Two decades since the province’s re-establishment, Ca Mau has made encouraging strides when its urban and rural areas have gained a facelift and the systems of roads, schools and clinics have been built, together with strong shifts seen in the economic structure, a sharp fall in the poverty rate and increasing budget collection.

However, the province is still facing an array of challenges as a result of poor transport infrastructure, heavy climate change impacts, freshwater shortage, serious coastal erosion, and limited capital sources.

The Party leader asked Ca Mau officials to align development plans with the local situation to capitalise on the province’s advantages.

In the short term, Ca Mau should apply itself to developing sea-based economic activities, including offshore fishing which needs to be associated with national sovereignty safeguarding. It also needs to develop wind and solar power while stepping up environmental protection, afforestation, and climate change response, he said.

To ensure resources for development, he told provincial authorities to encourage the participation of residents, businesses and the political system, and make use of assistance from ministries and central agencies.

They should provide favourable mechanisms, policies and conditions for attracting development resources, improve civil servants’ capacity, and enhance manpower training, the Party General Secretary noted.

At the working session, he asked Ca Mau to pay heed to the reinforcement of the Party and the political system, which must be done in a regular, constant and drastic manner.

Local officials reported that in 2016, the prolonged drought and saltwater intrusion greatly affected production activities and people’s life in Ca Mau. However, the authorities and residents made efforts to overcome those difficulties and realise 16 of the 20 set targets.

The aquaculture area expanded to more than 300,000ha, including over 278,000ha of shrimp farming. The total aquatic output surpassed 490,000 tonnes. The areas of harvested summer-autumn rice, sugar cane and crops, along with the numbers of farmed livestock and poultry, in 2016 increased from the previous year. The rate of low-income households under the multidimensional poverty approach dropped to 7.96 percent.

On this occasion, General Secretary Trong offered incense and planted a tree at a commemorative site dedicated to late President Ho Chi Minh in Ca Mau.

On February 20, he visited the culture park of Ca Mau Cape and inspected an embankment in Dat Mui commune of Ngoc Hien district.

The visit to Ca Mau was part of his tour of some Mekong Delta provinces to examine the implementation of socio-economic development and Party building tasks.

Fire destroys home in HCM City

A late morning fire has destroyed a house in Ho Chi Minh City.

The seven-alarm blaze was reported around 9:00am today (Feb. 21) in Alley 97 on Pham Phu Thu Street in the Tan Binh District.

No injuries were reported. The 10 workers that shared the house were not home at the time, said fire chief Major Le Minh Hieu.

It took fire crews about 40 minutes to douse the blaze. The cause remains under investigation.

HCM City, Lao province boost cooperation

Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Dinh La Thang had a meeting on February 21 with a delegation from Laos’ Champassak province led by Governor and Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Bounthong Divixay.

At the meeting, Thang hailed the implementation of cooperation agreements between the two localities set for the 2016 – 2020 period, particularly in delegation exchanges, trade promotion, education, and people-to-people diplomacy.

He asked Champasak authorities to create conditions for investors from Ho Chi Minh City, adding that his city is willing to support the Lao locality in biotechnological development.

For his part, Bounthong Divixay thanked Ho Chi Minh City for its assistance to his province in Paksong town planning, human resources training, and infrastructure development.

Committing to fulfilling signed bilateral pacts, he requested the municipal leaders to increase delegation exchanges and business links, boost trade, as well as share experience in building human capacity for hi-tech agriculture.

Both sides agreed to coordinate activities celebrating 55 years of the two nations’ diplomatic relations (September 5, 1962-2017) and 40 years of the signing of the treaty of bilateral friendship and cooperation (July 18, 1977-2017).

Dien Bien, Thailand’s Chiang Rai province step up relations

The northern mountainous province of Dien Bien and Thailand’s northernmost province of Chiang Rai will make a beeline for forming a cross-border tourism route from Thailand to Dien Bien via Laos while enlarging cooperation in the fields of education, trade, investment and export-import.

The information was heard during a meeting between Vice Chairman of the Dien Bien provincial People’s Committee Le Thanh Do and a Chiang Rai delegation led by Deputy Governor Boonyavet Sripuangchai in Dien Bien on February 21.

Chiang Rai is ready to receive Dien Bien students for short-term vocational courses and tourism professional training, the Thai locality’s representative said, recommending that the Vietnamese Government set up a direct flight between Dien Bien and Chiang Rai to facilitate travelling.

The guests also laid stress on Chiang Rai province’s favourable policies to further tourism cooperation between the two sides. They suggested signing agreements and memoranda of understanding in the field to promote collaboration activities.

Do said that the provincial authorities will entrusted relevant departments and agencies to sign cooperation agreements with Chiang Rai.

Microbial contamination poisons over 200 students

Microbial contamination was responsible for the mass food poisoning of over 200 students 10 days ago in the southern province’s capital city of Vĩnh Long, the provincial department of food safety announced Monday.

According to test results of collected samples by the Institute of HCM City Hygiene and Public Health, fried rice and minced meat soup that the victims consumed contain an inordinate amount of E-coli, coliforms and staphylococcus aureus.

Some 210 students and three teachers from three primary schools in the province were affected by the contamination, showing typical signs of food poisoning after consuming the dishes, such as stomachache, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Fortunately, thanks to early hospitalisation, most of the the victims recovered well and were discharged the day after, while a handful of more serious cases must remain at the hospitals for a few days but "nothing too dangerous," according to doctors at the Vĩnh Long General Hospital.

The dishes were prepared by local food caterer named Vĩnh Xương, owned by Đinh Thuỵ Lan Phương, based in Vĩnh Long City.

Relevant agencies found that the caterer had not been granted a food hygiene licence. It was also found to be guilty of a number of food safety violations, such as improper storage of food samples and other regulations on kitchen design and functions. The caterer’s operation was thus suspended.

The local authorities said, based on these findings, the students’ hospital fees and the sample testing fees would be paid by the caterer, in addition to a fine of VNĐ22-28 million (US$964 - 1,226) according to Decree No.178/2013 issued by the government on administrative sanctions for food safety violations. 

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