Transport Ministry asks for airfare reduction on short-haul routes

Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang has recently issued a directive on reducing airfares on short-haul domestic routes, aiming to promote socio-economic development in disadvantage areas.

Thang asked the airlines operating in Vietnam to promptly study and offer fare incentive policies for short-haul flights under 500 kilometres, and conduct price registration and listing in accordance with regulations.

The airfare cuts will enable the people living in the remote, isolated, border and island areas to use air traffic and make contributions to boosting local socio-economic development.

Earlier, Minister Thang signed a directive adding national revolutionary contributors to the list of passengers enjoying preferential services at the airports.

Nearly VND100 billion raised for Hoang Sa, Truong Sa

More than VND100 billion has been raised so far from the programmes organised by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) to raise public interest and support for local islanders, fishermen and armed forces on the waters of Truong Sa (Spratly) and Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelagos.

The programmes call for trade union members across Vietnam, and other organisations and individuals, to join hands in supporting Vietnam’s law enforcement forces and fishermen, helping them to feel secure in safeguarding national sovereignty.

The VGCL presented nearly VND4.8 billion to the Vietnam Coast Guard, Fisheries Surveillance force and Vietnam Fisheries Trade Union, and fishermen.

After three years since its launch, the programme “Fishing Net of Love for Hoang Sa, Truong Sa Fishermen” received VND45 billion and granted a total of VND39 billion to hundreds of fishermen in central provinces to help them buy new ships and continue fishing at sea.

In addition, nearly 100 sets of fishing equipment were handed over to fishermen to assist them in continuing their work.

VND 200 million donated to orphans and child victims of Agent Orange

Amway Vietnam donated VND 200 million to Can Tho city Social Work Centre, home to 78 orphans and children affected by Agent Orange.

The donation is part of the Amway One by One Campaign which aims to help disadvantaged children all over the world. Since its debut in Vietnam, Amway Vietnam has donated VND 18.4 billion to help orphans, disabled children and child victims of Agent Orange nationwide.

The donation is considered a New Year gift for the underprivileged children in the locality.

Also on December 26, AmwayVietnam officially inaugurated its new office in Xuan Khanh ward, Ninh Kieu district, Can Tho city. The office marks the development of Amway in the Mekong River Delta region, after its first office in Can Tho in 2010.

Four transportation facilities in Hanoi to be inaugurated

The Ministry of Transportation has announced that four premier transportation facilities in Hanoi—the Nhat Tan bridge and its access lanes, the route connecting Nhat Tan and Noi Bai International Airport, T2 Terminal, and A VIP Guest House of the airport— will be put into operation on January 4, 2015.

The facilities, which are key national projects funded by the Japanese Government’s official development assistance (ODA) and the country’s counterpart funds, are significant to the socio-economic development of the capital and the country.

The T2 Terminal was built in three years on a 139,216 square metre area with four floors. It is expected to serve up to 30,000 customers with 230 daily arrivals and departures, 10 million customers per year in the 2015-2020 period, and 15 million customers per year in the 2020-2030 period.

The terminal was put into pilot operation on December 25 and will officially serve arriving and departing international flights on December 31, while the T1 Terminal continues to serve domestic flights.

VIP A Guest House, which was financed by the Airports Corporation of Vietnam with a total of VND300 billion (US$14 million) in capital, was built on a 26,100 square metre area. The 5,000 square metre main house is well equipped to receive high-level leaders from the country departing for trips abroad, and those from other countries visiting Vietnam, in accordance with international protocol.

Nhat Tan bridge, also called the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Bridge, is 8,930 metres long. It was funded by the Japanese Government’s ODA, the Government’s counterpart funds and capital of the Hanoi Municipal People’s Committee for site clearance, approximately JPY89.9 billion (US$640 million).

The VND6,742 billion (US$317 million) route connecting Noi Bai International Airport and Nhat Tan bridge helps link the capital’s central area to the airport and the route connecting Nhat Tan-Noi Bai to North Thang Long-Noi Bai, contributing to addressing transportation loads on the North Thang Long-Noi Bai route.

VNA domestic news section granted medal

Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan presented the Independent Order, Second class, to the Domestic News section of the Vietnam News Agency yesterday in recognition of its achievements during the 2009-2013 period.

Party Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Sinh Hung sent flowers to the unit on the occasion.

Speaking at the granting ceremony, Vietnam News Agency General Director Nguyen Duc Loi said the section was one of the agency's major units and always completed its assigned tasks.

The unit produced timely, accurate reports of ongoing events in all fields, from politics, international relations and business to culture, science and technology, he said.

Also, the news section has properly righted wrong information and refuted slanders regarding religious issues, democracy, human rights and the country's land and island ownership.

The news section has been granted a number of other medals for its outstanding achievements.

Breast cancer patients attend forum in capital

Hundreds of breast cancer patients shared their experiences and difficulties with the disease during a forum yesterday in Ha Noi.

The participants came from different clubs for survivors and people currently battling breast cancer in Ha Noi, HCM City, Da Nang, Hue and Can Tho. The forum is part of the 2013-2015 project We Care for Her, which uses the slogan "Together we care for women and prevent breast cancer."

The project was developed by the Ministry of Health, the Supportive Fund for Cancer Patients-Bright Future Fund and the Roche Company. It was conducted in Ha Noi, HCM City, Da Nang, Hue and Can Tho.

During the forum, women discussed eating properly, post-treatment exercises and integrating back into the community. They also talked with medical workers about creating better treatment conditions in hospitals across the country.

Professor Nguyen Ba Duc, deputy chairman of the Supportive Fund for Cancer Patients-Bright Future Fund, said people lack information about the disease, and organisations don't have enough resources to campaign for more awareness.

"Patients often get treatment at a late stage, which leads to less than desirable results," he said.

In fact, as many as 50 per cent of breast cancer patients could be cured with treatment and surgery, but the work was not easy in an average-income country like Viet Nam, he said.

Pham Hong Anh, a member of the HCM City Breast Cancer Club, said encouragement from family, doctors and the community was very important for cancer patients, so they could have hope during treatment.

Anh said information on disease prevention and detection should be spread through media so women could get treated as early as possible. Screenings and examinations were important, and should be organised more often, she said. Medical professionals also needed more training to treat patients more effectively, she said.

Every year about 150,000 new cancer patients are registered in Viet Nam, and more than 75,000 patients die from the disease, according to the Ministry of Health. About 7,000 breast cancer cases are diagnosed annually, with 35 per cent of people dieing from the disease.

Japan funds social welfare projects

Japanese envoy Hiroshi Fukada yesterday signed a document will provide non-refundable aid worth nearly US$500,000 for five social welfare projects in northern Viet Nam.

One of the projects will upgrade the Birla Children's Village in Ha Noi, two will build elementary schools in Thai Nguyen Province, and the other two will expand commune-level clinics in Phu Tho Province.

Ambassador Fukada said he believed the projects will significantly improve living conditions for local residents.

Drug traffickers arrested near Laos

Border guards in the northern mountainous province of Son La have arrested three people, including a Lao woman, suspected of trafficking nearly 800 ecstasy pills via the border between Viet Nam and Laos.

Under investigation, the woman admitted that she was hired by two Vietnamese men to transport the ecstasy pills from Laos to Viet Nam. Both of the men, who live in the province's Pung Cha Commune, said they planned to sell the ecstasy pills.

The trio have been handed over to local police for further investigation.

Vietnamese children receive free surgery

More than 40 doctors from the Japanese Cleft Palate Foundation provided free surgery to 60 children born with cleft lip and palate in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Ben Tre from December 19-26.

The surgery programme, begun in 1993, is led this year by Prof. Nagato Natsume, director of the foundation.

Surgeries were be carried out in Ninh Binh and Quang Nam provinces and HCM City, and in the northern port city of Hai Phong next year.

The foundation has offered free surgery to more than 2,000 Vietnamese children with cleft lip and palate over the last 20 years.

There are more than 200,000 cases of cleft lip and palate in Viet Nam, with about 300 cases added each year.

Baby dies after finger surgery

A baby died in Hai Phong on Thursday after undergoing surgery to separate two attached fingers.

The 21-month-old baby, Nguyen Minh Nhat, underwent surgery at Hai Phong Pediatrics Hospital on December 12 to separate two fingers on his right hand. A second surgery took place on Thursday to separate two fingers on his left hand.

After the surgery, he appeared to be in normal condition and was able to sit up and play. Around 3pm, some blood was found in his diaper. He was taken to the emergency unit but died at 4pm.

The case is now under investigation.

Esperanto speakers gather in HCM City

Representatives of Esperanto speakers from countries are gathering in Ho Chi Minh City on December 26 for the 33rd symposium of Asia’s Esperanto speakers.

Addressing the opening session on December 26, Le Hung Quoc, Chairman of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisation’s HCM City chapter, stressed through Esperanto, a constructed international auxiliary language, nations continue closely working together for peace and friendship among peoples.

Apart from the two-day event, a number of activities will be held on December 27-28 such as a cuisine programme, a traditional costume show, a Miss Esperanto contest, a tour of the Cu Chi tunnel historical relic site and a film screening on the late President Ho Chi Minh.

Developed in 1887 by Doctor L.L. Zamenhof, Esperanto was brought to Vietnam in 1905.

2014 – busy year of voluntary activities

A range of practical voluntary activities were carried out nationwide during 2014, contributing to ensuring social security and improving the community life, according to the Steering Committee of the Year of Youth Volunteers 2014.

The activities covered numerous aspects, including sea and island protection, new-style rural area building, environmental protection, public health care, and blood donation, among others.

Notably, the public health care recorded remarkable results, with many young doctors and nurses volunteering to provide free check-ups, treatment and medicine for poor people as well as work in remote areas.

Youth unions at all levels intensified communication campaigns on traffic safety and young volunteers actively joined traffic police in ensuring order at intersections where traffic jams and accident often occur.

In addition, the programme “2014 Give Strength in Exam Season” drew the participation of nearly 97,700 young volunteers who provided assistance for over 1 million of examinees.

Plan gives a needed boost to Ly Son’s growth

The central province of Quang Ngai has approved a socio-economic development plan for its Ly Son island district until 2020 with a vision to 2025 with a total investment of over 2.83 trillion VND (133.01 million USD).

The investment, sourced mostly from society, will focus on improving infrastructure and boosting tourism to spur local economic growth and ensure the island district’s security and defence.

The 2015-2020 phase of the plan, which was passed on December 26, will be invested by 1.33 billion VND, while the second phase in 2015-2025 will use 1.5 trillion VND.

Le Quang Thich, Vice Chairman of the Ly Son People’s Committee, said the plan is crucial for the island district to achieve stronger socio-economic development.

He required ensuring the protection of the environment and water resources.

The plan is expected to diversify Ly Son’s tourism products that could help reel in more visitors to the island, which is now connected with the national power grid.

The island hopes to welcome 40,300 visitors in 2015, earning over 41 billion VND (1.92 million USD). Tourism revenue of the locality is predicted to rise to nearly 99 billion VND (4.65 million USD) in 2020 and 178 billion VND (8.36 million USD) in 2025.

The plan is expected to generate jobs for 900 people in 2015, over 1,500 in 2020 and 2,400 in 2025.

Vietnamese, Lao officers trained in “one-stop-shop” customs model

A training course on the “one-stop-shop” model for Vietnamese and Lao officers working at Lao Bao and Densavan international border gates began on December 26.

Some 50 Vietnamese and 30 Lao officers will learn about customs process, procedures and management of the new border control system during their five-day course.

The new system allows people and goods to undergo one customs check only in the entry border gate. Besides, if any breach is found, it will be handled by the law of the entry country.

The “one-stop-shop” model is considered as a breakthrough in the reform of customs administrative procedures by remarkably shortening customs clearance time and reducing costs.

The model ran on a trial basis at the Densavan border gate of Laos from December 25 and is to undergo a test run on the Quang Tri side in January, 2015.

Son La runs anti-terrorism drill at key hydroelectricity plant

The People’s Committee of northern mountainous Son La province organised a drill as a precaution for future possible acts of terrorism in Son La hydropower plant in Muong Thanh District, on December 26.

Son La plant, which was inaugurated in 2012, has a capacity of 2,400 MW, the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia.

The facility has been named in the list of major works associated with national security by the Prime Minister.

At the mock incident, a group of local people, who disagreed with the plant’s compensation for their land, caused a riot, held hostages, and some of them planted a bomb near the oil storage area.

Provincial police co-working with relevant agencies timely tackled the mayhem, safely dispersing the disordered crowd and disarming the bomb.

The management board said the practical drill went smoothly as planned.

HCM City speeds up social housing construction

More than 10,000 low-income earners in Ho Chi Minh City are expected to have a flat of their own in 2015 thanks to the city’s plan to accelerate the implementation of social housing projects.

According to Do Phi Hung, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Construction, the city strives to complete 13 resettlement projects, five social housing projects and campuses for workers and students.

In 2014, the city zoned off an additional 8.3 million sq.m of land for housing construction, raising the total area allocated for the purpose between 2011-2014 to 32.8 million sq.m.

In the reviewed period, the city completed 15 social housing projects, offering more than 2.440 apartments, and turned three commercial projects into social housing ones with 880 apartments.

It also built houses for 12,800 workers and 59,000 students on a total area of nearly 10,000 sq.m.

Can Tho spends big on developing rural areas

The Mekong Delta City of Can Tho plans to invest nearly 8 trillion VND (380 million USD) to develop its rural areas between 2010 and 2020, according to Pham Van Quynh, deputy head of the city’s Steering Committee for new-style rural area building programme.

The official was speaking at a December 26 ceremony to recognise Thanh Thang, the third commune meeting all 19 criteria of the programme in the city. The remaining 33 communes have met from nine to 18 criteria.

Under the programme, the investment is spent on improving local infrastructure, including inter-communal roads, irrigation works, health care facilities and schools as well as electricity and water supply. A major portion is also used for expanding effective agricultural and industrial production models and for personnel training.

The city aims to have 17 more communes meet all 19 criteria by 2020, of which seven will be recognised by 2015, and 10 others in between 2015-2020.

In 2014, the city’s poor household rate reduced to 2.8 percent, from 8 percent in 2009, while its per-capita income hit 58 million VND (2,700 USD), the highest level of the region.-

Thai Binh province leads new-style rural area building programme

The northern province of Thai Binh is leading the national programme on new-style rural area building with 85 communes satisfying all 19 criteria so far.

On December 26, Thai Binh authorities recognised 71 communes meeting all 19 new-style rural area criteria in 2014 and rewarded them with 71.5 billion VND (3.4 million USD).

In 2014, total investment mobilized from all sources for the drive amounted to more than 6.3 trillion VND (301.09 million USD), of which 3.5 trillion VND came from local communities’ contribution.

The national target programme on building new-style rural areas, initiated by the Vietnamese Government in 2010, includes 19 criteria on socio-economic development, politics, and defence, aiming to boost rural regions of Vietnam.

The list of criteria includes the development of infrastructure, the improvement of production capacities, environmental protection, and the promotion of cultural values.

As many as 185 communes across Vietnam achieved all 19 criteria, and nearly 600 others met between 15-18 criteria. On average, each commune fulfilled 8.47 criteria compared to 4.7 in 2011, according to a report issued at a May 16 conference of the steering committee for the national target programme.

The country aims to have 20 percent and 50 percent of all communes nationwide meet all the requirements by the end of 2015 and 2020, respectively.

Farmers in Hoi An reap good harvest from tourists

Farmers in Hoi An Town, in the central province of Quang Nam, are reaping a bountiful harvest from foreign tourists wanting to experience farming work in Vietnam.

A farmer, Pham Nhi, in Cam Thanh Commune said farm work was hard, but many foreigners are interested in the experience and are willing to pay to work.

Over the past 10 years, Nhi says he has earned thousands of US dollars teaching foreigners to do farming work in his fields. He houses them in a small, comfortable cottage on his land and supplies them with farming implements and hearty food.

He said hosting foreign tourists was earning his family VND5-7m (USD238-USD333.3) a month, which he admits is 10 times what he could earn farming the land himself.

“We can only earn some VND4m a year from what is grown on my 1,000-square metre field. But now we make about VND60m teaching foreigners to be farmers,” Nhi said.

Dozen of other households in Cam Thanh Commune have also benefited from foreign tourists, with a farm training programme attracting tourists seeking a unique experience.

Farmers in the Tra Que vegetable village said that, at the peak of the tourist season, come foreign travellers jumps to VND3-5m a month. He teaches foreigner travellers how to husk pound rice by hand and grind the rice to make cakes.

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