Fire rips apart nearly 2,000sq.m factory in HCM City

Firefighters try to put out the blaze.

A fire broke out at a wet wipes manufacturing company in Quang Trung industrial cluster in HCM City early Monday morning.

It quickly spread to a nearby printing and packages company destroying more than half of both properties.

As firefighters battled the 4am blaze, locals desperately tried to remove flammable materials from the storage facilities.

At its height, 130 firefighters fought to control the flames and it was eventually extinguished after about three hours.

Although no one was injured during the blaze, the fire did destroy around 1,700sq.m of the total 2,600sq.m of factory.

The cause is currently under investigation.

VWU launches contest to promote food safety, hygiene

A safe food fair organised in the framework of the campaign on promoting the production and trade of safe food and agricultural products. — Photo courtesy of the VWU

A national competition to create photos, writing, videos and screenplays to raise awareness of food safety and hygiene has kicked off.

The competition is open for Vietnamese people at home and abroad as well as foreigners living in Việt Nam.

The contest was organised by Việt Nam Women’s Union (VWU). Entrants can send their work to the organising board from now to July 26.

Nguyễn Thị Tuyết, vice chairwoman of the VWU, said the contest looks for ideas to communicate food safety and hygiene to the public. She expects that the contest will help people produce and sell safe food, and instruct consumers to identify safe and unsafe food.

It’s a part of a campaign on promoting the production and trade of safe food and agricultural products, which was held in Hà Nội on Sunday. Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam attended the event and stressed that the Government appreciates co-ordination in ensuring food hygiene and safety.

He noted with pleasure that over the past two years, co-ordination among the Government, ministries, sectors, localities and social organisations has brought positive developments for food safety.

He stressed that in addition to strengthening State management of food safety, it is necessary to raise public awareness and knowledge regarding the harms of unsafe food, which threaten people’s health.

With improved knowledge, customers can distinguish between safe and unsafe food while producers can apply and develop safe production chain models and food supply chains, he explained.

Every producer and business must be made aware of their legal and ethical responsibilities in ensuring food safety, he said. He also asked for the strict inspection and handling of violations in cases related to food safety. 

Fee at Tiên Cựu toll booth to reduce

Under 12-seater cars, under two-tonne trucks and city public buses will enjoy the fee exemption policy while passing through the Tiên Cựu Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) toll booth in Tiên Lãng District.

The Ministry of Transport (MoT) recently sent an official document to the Directorate for Roads of Việt Nam and Tasco Company, the project’s investor, on fee reduction for vehicles driving through Tiên Cựu BOT toll booth located on National Highway No.10 in the northern coastal city of Hải Phòng, following the directorate’s earlier request.

The ministry sought the collaboration of related agencies, including the directorate, investor, people’s committees of Hải Phòng City and Hải Dương Province as well as banks granting loans to reduce fee, ensure safety and prevent congestion at the toll booth.

Besides the mentioned vehicles, the fee will be cut to half for cars having 12-30 seats and trucks weighing two to four tonnes travelling within 5km around the toll booth, including the communes of Quang Trung, Quốc Tuấn (An Lão District), Đại Thắng, Tiên Cường, Tự Cường, Tiên Tiến, Quyết Tiến, Khởi Nghĩa (Tiên Lãng District), Giang Biên and Dũng Tiến (Vĩnh Bảo District).

Tiên Cựu BOT toll booth is part of the project of reinforcing and upgrading a part of National Highway No.10 connecting Quán Toan bridge to Nghìn bridge in Hải Phòng city under the form of BOT.

According to MoT, there are 88 BOT toll booths in Việt Nam. Among them, 74 are managed by the ministry, while 14 are controlled by provincial People’s Committees.

Nghệ An police seize over 600kg of firecrackers

Đoàn Văn Tý, Nguyễn Trường Khánh and the seized firecrackers at Nghi Lộc Police Station. 

Police in central Nghệ An province seized 600kg of illegal firecrackers in Nghi Xuân Commune, Nghi Lộc District.

Following a tip-off, the provincial traffic police on Sunday stopped a suspicious truck passing through the commune. Upon inspection, police found firecrackers hidden under boxes of fruits.

The 26-year-old truck driver, Đoàn Văn Tý, was a resident of Hướng Hóa District in the central province of Quảng Trị. He said he was hired by Nguyễn Trường Khánh, who owned the firecrackers, to transport them from Quảng Trị to Nghệ An for VNĐ8 million (US$350).

Khánh was later arrested in Nghệ An Province’s Cửa Lò Township.

The police are further investigating the case.

The production, trade and use of firecrackers were banned in Việt Nam in 1994 for safety reasons. However, violations have become more rampants in recent years. 

Kien Giang households escape poverty by harvesting forest products

Many poor households that were given cajeput forests to protect and harvest as part of a local programme in Kiên Giang Province have escaped poverty.

Many households in Forest Unit Area No 34 in Kiên Giang Province’s An Minh District have higher incomes now because of the rising prices of cajeput trees they are tasked to protect by local authorities.

Located in Cán Giáo Hamlet in An Minh District’s Đông Hưng B Commune, the Forest Unit Area No 34 has more than 1,290ha of cajeput forests which have been allocated to poor households to protect since 2009.    

Võ Văn Thạch, one of the first farmers given a forested area, said that, besides money from selling cajeput trees, his family now earns an average additional income of VNĐ60 million (US$2,600) a year from selling honey, fish and vegetables.

Households who protect forests are allowed to harvest 10 per cent of allocated forests a year and have to replant new forests in the harvested area, he said.

When forest-allocated households moved in the area, they were all poor and lived in temporarily thatch-roofed houses, he said.

The area did not have electricity or roads at the time, and there were plenty of mosquitoes.

The low prices of cajeput yielded little income, but the price has increased significantly since 2016.

The price is now VNĐ15-20 million ($660 -880) per 1,000sq.m compared to VNĐ3 million per 1,000sq.m in 2009. Traders come directly to forests to buy the trees.  

After harvest, more households are planting new cajeput forests.

No fires have broken out as farmers were also asked to ensure protection for the area from fire. 

Besides planting forests, the households breed fish, plant vegetables and lure bees to build hives in their forests to collect honey.

With the income, many household have built houses and bought enough house facilities for their daily lives in recent years.  

Trần Phi Hải, deputy director of the Forest Protection Board of An Biên and An Minh districts, said under the policy of the provincial People’s Committee on allocating cajeput forests for poor households to protect, 142 poor households who lived near the Forest Unit Area No 34 and did not have farmland for production were allocated forests for protection in 2009.  

Each household was allocated an average of 5ha and allowed to harvest 10 per cent of allocated cajeput forests a year, he said.

The allocated forests were 10 years old at that time.

Quách Thị Diệp, one of the forest-allocated households, said previously she was very poor and had to work as a daily hired labourer or a peddler to earn a living. 

Thanks to the policy, she now has a stable life, and has built a new house in the area.

Similarly, Tôn Văn Rỏi, one of the households in the programme, now has a house and stable income.

Besides harvesting cajeput forests and replanting new forests every year according to regulations, Rỏi breeds fish, plants vegetables and collects honey to improve income, he said.

He also works an additional job as a cajeput trader to earn more income.  

Since 2017, the Forest Unit Area No 34 has had access to the national power grid.

Nguyễn Thành Công, a secretary for Cán Giáo Hamlet, said the lives of the households in Forest Unit Area No 34 had improved significantly.

Only 60 households in the area are still considered poor, he said.

Ministry responds to World No Tobacco Day

The Ministry of Health has called on the public to support World No Tobacco Day.    

The Ministry of Health hosts the meeting on May 27 in Danang City to celebrate World No Tobacco Day on May 31 and the National No Tobacco Week from May 25 to 31.

Nguyen Viet Tien, Deputy Minister of Health and Head of the Fund for Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control hosted the meeting on May 27 in Danang City to celebrate World No Tobacco Day on May 31 and the National No Tobacco Week from May 25 to 31.

Seven million people died of tobacco-related illnesses in the world in 2016 according to the World Health Organisation. In Vietnam, 40,000 people died of tobacco-related illnesses each year. This year, World No Tobacco Day will focus on tobacco and heart disease. Tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure contribute to 30% of all heart disease deaths and 20% of deaths from strokes.

According to Tien, tobacco causes severe harm to health as well as the economy. Vietnamese spend approximately VND31trn (USD1.24m) on tobacco and VND24trn go into treatments for just five out of 25 tobacco-related illnesses every year.

"We call on everyone, especially young people, to not abuse tobacco. Cigarette addicts should quit for yourself and the people around you. I hope the Tobacco Harm Prevention Law will be followed. Leaders at state agencies and private firms should be the models for other people," he said.

Kidong Park, the World Health Organisation Representative in Vietnam, said that the tax on tobacco products in Vietnam is quite low compared to other countries, about 35% of retail price while the world average rate is 58% and much lower than the WHO's suggested 75%. Vietnam is among world's top 15 countries with the lowest tobacco prices with a pack of cigarette is sold at the prices of VND6,000 (24 US cents) to VND20,000.

Park suggested raising the tax on tobacco by at least VND2,000 to VND5,000 per pack of cigarettes to curb buying. 

Over 1,000 students in Danang participated in a group dance after the meeting near Trung Vuong Theatre and marched through many streets to raise public awareness about the problem.

Da Nang exhibition showcases disabled kids’ paintings

A painting displayed at the exhibition (Source: https://danangfantasticity.com)

Artworks created by children with disabilities, orphans and those with difficult circumstances in the central city of Da Nang are on display at an exhibition that opened in the locality on May 28. 

The event is organised by the Da Nang Fine Arts Museum and the municipal centre for sponsoring disabled and orphan children and the centre for providing social services. 

As many 80 paintings showcased at the event reflect their love for the country, family and peace, and their aspiration for integrating into the community and having a better life.

Nguyen Thi Trinh, Vice Director of the museum, said the exhibition aims to discover and develop the art talents among orphans and the disabled, thus helping them overcome difficulties. 

It also offers a chance for local children to increase exchanges and promote their creativeness, she added. 

The event will last until June 20.

Thua Thien-Hue receives donation to develop traditional craft products

A man carves a bronze product at the bronze casting village in Phuong Duc ward of Hue city 

Thua Thien-Hue has received 25,000 EUR (29,000 USD) from a UK national who donated the money to help the central province develop traditional craft products.

Hoang Ngoc Khanh, Chief of the Office of the provincial People’s Committee, said on May 28 that the administration handed over the money, donated by a woman named Victoria Elizabeth Ho, to the Hue Centre for Cultural Preservation and Economic Development to fund marketing activities, development of traditional products, and exhibition of products of local craft villages.

From now to 2020, Thua Thien-Hue plans to spend 144.3 billion VND (6.3 million USD) on supporting craft villages’ development, promoting the training and maintenance of traditional crafts, and expanding the market for products of craft villages and rural industries.

In the short term, it will promote eight crafts and craft villages in association with tourism to enhance traditional craft production and create more tourism services, thus providing jobs for more rural residents.

The craft villages that the province prioritises in the time ahead include Hue bronze casting village (in Phuong Duc and Thuy Xuan wards, Hue city), Phuoc Tich pottery making village and My Xuyen wood carving village (in Phong Hoa commune, Phong Dien district), Sinh folk painting village and Thanh Tien paper flower village (Phu Mau commune, Phu Vang district), Thuy Thanh conical hat village (Thuy Thanh commune, Huong Thuy township), My Lam conical hat village (Phu My commune, Phu Vang district), Zeng weaving village (A Roang and A Dot communes of A Luoi town, A Luoi district), and Bao La bamboo weaving village (Quang Phu and Quang Loi communes, Quang Dien district).

Thua Thien-Hue has issued a development plan for local traditional crafts and craft villages until 2025. This plan aims to help accelerate the industrialisation and modernisation of rural areas while creating jobs and raising income for rural residents. 

Accordingly, the province will step up craft villages’ application of science-technology in production activities to improve the design, productivity, quality and competitiveness of traditional craft products. It will also develop the crafts that generate high economic benefits and combine craft village preservation with tourism development.

Fire destroys squid fishing vessel in Quang Nam

A squid fishing vessel suddenly caught fire at 6:30 am on May 27 while docked at Ky Ha port in Tam Quang commune of Nui Thanh district in the central province of Quang Nam as it refueled and stocked supplies for offshore-fishing.

The fire was sparked in a hold of the squid fishing vessel, and spread rapidly with thick columns of black smoke.  The boat was engulfed in flames within 30 minutes. The vessel’s owner, crewmen, and local residents failed to extinguish the fire.

Fire engines and hundreds of fire fighters were mobilized to tackle the blaze, which took more than an hour to be brought under control.

The huge fire destroyed property on the vessel worth more than VND10 billion. Nguyen Van Thinh, vice chairman of Nui Thanh district’s People’s Committee said the preliminary cause of the fire is a short circuit in the hold of the fishing vessel.

Summer Youth Volunteer Campaign held in 93 poor districts

The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee has announced the Summer Youth Volunteer Campaign 2018, which will feature a wide range of activities.

Under the campaign, a “Tiep Suc Mua Thi” (Assistance during Exam Season) programme will be organised from June 3- August 3 for students, youth, pupils, educationists, and young teachers.

The campaign will take place across 93 poor districts and in those that have escaped poverty, youth islands, especially disadvantaged communes, areas affected by pollution in 28 coastal provinces and cities, border communes, and communes which have targeted recognition as new rural areas in 2018.

The movement aims to repair 1,000km and build 120km of new rural roads, develop 100 new “bright–green - clean –safe” routes, clean up at least one polluted area every week, and provide startup training courses for 100,000 youths and students.

Hưng wins women’s blitz category in chess open

Nguyễn Thị Mai Hưng. — Photo zing.vn

Nguyễn Thị Mai Hưng won the title in the women’s blitz category at the Đào Thiên Hải Open Chess Tournament, which concluded in HCM City on May 27.

Grand Master Hưng, 24, had also won the national women’s chess titles in 2011 and 2013.

Meanwhile, Nguyễn Ngọc Thùy Trang won the title in the women’s rapid division.

On the men’s side, FIDE (World Chess Federation) Master Đặng Hoàng Sơn won in the blitz division, while Mai Lê Nguyên Khôi triumphed in the rapid event.

The fourth chess tournament attracted hundreds of chess players from HCM City and neighbouring provinces.

The event aimed to seek young talents to compete in the upcoming Southeast Asia Junior Chess Tournament in the Philippines.