Mr. Huynh Thanh Nhan (left)

Former Party Secretary and Chairman of the People’s Committee of Thu Duc district Mr. Huynh Thanh Nhan has just  been appointed Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Culture and Sport Department. 

Chairperson of HCMC People’s Committee Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phong yesterday gave the appointment decision to him.

At the ceremony, the city leader said that Mr. Huynh Thanh Nhan and the board of directors of the HCMC Culture and Sport Department would closely collaborate to complete new missions in upcoming time.

Besides that, he also desired that Ho Chi Minh City would become one of the biggest cultural centers in the Southeast Asian region because the place has many cultural potentialities.   

Mr. Huynh Thanh Nhan was born in 1969, in Cu Chi district, HCMC . He earned master’s degree in political sciences, science bachelor’s degree in history, bachelor's degree in administration and politics.

Border guard force ready to respond to natural disasters

The Border Guard Command in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang has strengthened preparations to perform tasks in natural disaster prevention and search & rescue activities amidst the abnormal developments of the weather.

Along with checking equipment and vehicles, all units based in sea, island and coastal areas have been asked to increase training while maintaining close watch on weather developments and timely alerting fishermen on bad weather conditions.

According to Senior Lieutenant Colonel Dang Van Viet, head of the Ganh Dau border post in the island district of Phu Quoc, the unit has strengthened communication activities to raise locals’ awareness on disaster risks and how to protect their lives and property. 

Meanwhile, border guard units across the province have coordinated with waterway police, the Naval Zone 5 and Coast Guard Zone 4 as well as local governments to conduct patrols in estuaries and coastal areas, intensify inspection on maritime safety regulations and strictly handle violations.

Since March this year, 50 rehearsals have been implemented, involving thousands of locals and officials. Local border guards have also popularize regulations on waterway safety and fishing operations at sea among fishermen.

Colonel Bui Minh Tri, Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the Kien Giang Border Guard force, said that along with the preparations, the command has set up a centre for search, rescue and natural disaster relief in Tho Chau island in Phu Quoc district.

The command has directed its Flotilla 2 to design a patrol timetable, ensuring timely response to fishermen’s requests for support, while upgrading equipment and means of connection with fishermen to make sure locals access information from authorities in the fastest manner, he added.

Can Tho proposes strategic partnership with Sweden

Vice Chairman of the Can Tho municipal People’s Committee Truong Quang Hoai Nam proposed establishing strategic partnership with Sweden in education-training, health care, transport and culture during a local working session on May 29 with Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam Pereric Hogberg. 

Nam said with the most developed health care system in North Europe, Sweden is the most promising partner to help Can Tho address challenges regarding infrastructure, equipment, human resources, overcrowding in hospitals and health care quality in rural areas. 

He expressed his hope that Sweden would partner with Can Tho to build an international hospital system, particularly a children’s hospital equipped with smart technology to serve local residents and those in the southwest and several Cambodian border localities. 

In transport, Can Tho wants to acquire Sweden’s experience in infrastructure planning and operating public transport, traffic accident prevention, clean and eco-friendly energy, advanced technology application and urban transport, he said. 

As Can Tho boasts a maritime transport network passing through six countries, it hopes to receive Sweden’s cooperation in upgrading seaports and logistics services, turning the city into a logistics “capital” in the region, he stated. 

In cultural exchange, the host expressed wish to partner with Sweden to organise annual cultural exchanges, contributing to popularising Vietnam, its country and people, especially the Mekong Delta, to the world, as well as Sweden’s European culture to the western Vietnam. 

As part of celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam-Sweden diplomatic ties in 2019, Can Tho wants to closely work with Sweden to organise a cultural-art exchange on the regional scale, he said. 

Hogberg, for his part, said Sweden wishes to lift bilateral ties to a greater height by further extending trade and investment, as well as developing projects in Vietnam’s key cities and provinces, especially those in the south. 

He lauded Can Tho as an economic hub in the Mekong Delta and the most potential locality in the region, in which a number of big Sweden business groups want to invest. 

According to him, the city has the biggest advantage in qualified skilled workforce and convenient transport infrastructure in road, waterway and airway, serving as an important area in regional and international transport. Can Tho has also made it attractive by policies in education, health care, tourism, bio-technology, information technology and logistics services. 

The guest agreed with his host’s proposals and pledged to work with units concerned to sign a detailed cooperation agreement as soon as possible.

Two-way trade rose to 1.205 billion USD in 2016 from 1.178 billion USD in 2015, of which Vietnam posted a trade surplus of nearly 624 million USD. A number of Sweden’s major economic groups made early presence in Vietnam such as Ericsson, ABB and Electrolux.

Vietnam joins charity bazaar in Venezuela

The Vietnam Embassy in Venezuela has taken part in an annual charity bazaar held by diplomatic corps at the Eurobuilding hotel in the capital city of Caracas.

Vietnam’s country and people were promoted through displayed photos, handicrafts, traditional costumes, magazines and specialities.

On the occasion, the Vietnamese Embassy, in collaboration with Indonesian and Malaysian counterparts, popularised the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)’s vision and integration process toward its 50th founding anniversary.

Despite political instability and anti-government demonstrations in Caracas, the event still attracted a large number of visitors.     

Colombian photos, handicrafts exhibited in Hanoi

A Colombian photo and handicraft exhibition opened in Hanoi on May 29, as part of the two countries’ cultural exchange programme for 2017-2019.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Vuong Duy Bien lauded the Colombia Embassy’s initiative to organise the event, saying that it helps strengthen friendship and cooperation, and promote trade and cultural exchanges between the two nations.

The exhibition also helps Vietnamese people better understand the cultural diversity of the South American country, he added.

Meanwhile, Colombian Charge d’affaires to Vietnam Claudia Zambrano expected that the exhibits would convey to visitors the soul of artists and artisans as well as the Colombian people’s admiration and affection for Vietnam.

Running until June 4 at the Vietnam Exhibition Centre for Culture and Art, No 2 Hoa Lu Street, the exhibition is displaying award-winning photos from five outstanding photographers who have succeeded in capturing the beauty of Colombia’s music and communal spirit.

The event also features 41 handicrafts, including jewellery, hand-woven carpets and dresses, and knitted hats and baskets, made by Colombian veteran artisans.-VNA

Association of Vietnamese in Japan holds congress

The congress of the Association of Vietnamese in Japan took place at the Embassy of Vietnam in Tokyo on May 28, attracting representatives from Vietnamese societies in the host country, from students to businessmen.

During the event, participants recommended the association to ramp up practical activities for the benefits of Vietnamese people in Japan and increase support for newcomers from Vietnam, particularly students.

A website should be developed to help Vietnamese update information and expand their network across Japan.

Speaking at the congress, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Nguyen Quoc Cuong spoke highly of the rapid development of the Vietnamese community here, contributing to the two countries’ friendship and economic growth. 

Cuong affirmed his respect to the independent operation of the Association of Vietnamese in Japan, saying he is willing to support its community-based activities.

The congress elected Tran Ngoc Phuc as the association’s new president while Nguyen Binh Khiem as the secretary general.

It was estimated that Japan hosted nearly 200,000 Vietnamese people by the end of 2016, becoming the fourth largest foreigner community in the country, after China, the Republic of Korea, and the Philippines. 

Vietnam came second in the number of students studying in Japan after China with more than 62,400 people.

Embassy assists Vietnamese victims in coach explosion in Laos

The Vietnamese Embassy in Laos has sent its staff members to assist Vietnamese victims in a coach explosion in Vientiane.

The incident happened in Nalom village of Xaythany district, Vientiane capital city, at 6:30 pm on May 28. 

The explosion killed Ngo Si Giang, 27, who was from Dien Ky commune, Dien Chau district, Vietnam’s Nghe An province. His wife Nguyen Thi Thanh, 29, and two driver assistants were injured and admitted to the Friendship Hospital in Vientiane.

A relative of Giang said at the time of the explosion, he was maintaining the coach, which was owned by a Vietnamese company, at a house he rented in Nalom village. 

Initial information showed that due to his carelessness, Giang had not removed the coach’s accumulator before welding its underside, triggering an explosion of the accumulator and the gas tank.

The fire spread to the house and a neighbouring home but did not cause further casualties.

Shortly after the blast, employees of the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos came to the scene to learn about the situation. They also visited the injured and guide the family of the victim to prepare necessary procedures for repatriating his body.

Unlawful cockfight betting goes online in Vietnam

Gamblers in Ho Chi Minh City have found a new playground as cockfight betting rings go online.

Rather than actually attend cockfighting events as in the past, gamblers can now sit back, relax, and watch the battles via the Internet at local gambling dens.

Owners of these clandestine venues need to only open an account that has access to cockfight matches organized at casinos in Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and others from around the region.

Gamblers have the opportunity to watch these fights live and bet on their favorite contenders.

“It’s more thrilling to watch online. You can follow multiple matches at the same time, plus you don’t have to raise a strong rooster,” one 'staker' said.

One well-known gambling den among bettors is a café near the intersection of Duong Cong Khi with Truong Thi Nhu Streets in Hoc Mon District.

An investigation by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper revealed that the venue is managed by a man named Chinh, who sometimes joins the betting and provides free drinks and lunch for his guests.

On the afternoon of May 18, over 10 stakers gathered in front of two large TV screens to watch cockfights live-streamed from foreign casinos.

Before the fighters began their battles, the gamblers placed their bets.

A man named Thao was in charge of writing down the bets in his notebook, while a woman in her 30s was responsible for handing the money to winners after each fight.

According to Chinh, online cockfight betting is simple.

“Just choose one of the two roosters and name your bet for a minimum of VND300,000 [US$13.2],” he explained.

After a few battles, Chinh complained he had lost several million dong (VND1 million = $44).

Undercover Tuoi Tre reporters said that the gambling den is most crowded at noon, with gamblers coming from all walks of life, from wealthy individuals to workers and bricklayers.

“I am very lucky. Rarely do I lose,” said Tien, a bricklayer, who discovered the secret venue thanks to friends.

It is easy for someone to lose tens of millions of dong, Tien continued, adding that there was no limit to the betting.

“It’s more secure to gamble in this neighborhood, unlike other areas,” he said.

Insiders disclosed that owners of the gambling dens were paid via commissions from overseas casinos for opening their accounts.

The casinos always benefited from their activity whether gamblers won or lost.

Another notorious cockfight gambling venue is a café on Le Van Khuong Street, also in Hoc Mon.

On the night of May 20, only one gambler was present, wagering bets of between VND500,000 ($22) and VND 1 million.

One employee typed his bets into a computer and handed money to his guest.

On how to pick a good fighter, the employee claimed that it all depended on luck.

Operating on a larger scale is another coffee shop on Cat Dang Street in District 12, with security cameras installed at the front gate and inside the facility.

While the ground floor often remains quiet, the first floor is usually bustling with dozens of gamblers transfixed by cockfights on multiple TV screens.

A total of four employees assist the operation.

“If you are lucky, you will win. If you are not, it’s back-to-back losses,” another employee elaborated.

Ministry proposes penalties for overcharging of airport services

Vietnam’s transport ministry has suggested imposing fines of up to VND10 million (US$440) for service providers that violate pricing regulations at airports.

The ministry’s proposal said businesses should be fined VND5-10 million if they charge higher than their listed prices, according to a new report on the government website.

Those who fail to list their prices or list them in a way that confuses customers or beyond the regulated limits should be fined VND3-5 million, it said.

Advertising violations such as using speakers or leafleting in public areas would face the same fine, while advertising with flying objects such as balloons and kites would be subject to penalties of VND5-10 million, the proposal said.

Non-aviation services at Vietnamese airports, mostly shops selling food, drinks and souvenirs, earned VND2.6 trillion in 2015 and accounted for nearly a fifth of the Airports Corporation of Vietnam's annual revenue, according to the group's financial report from last year.

But these money-making services also draw regular complaints from passengers, both locals and foreigners, who say they usually cost much more than the same services offered outside. With all airports in Vietnam owned by the government, many passengers believe this monopoly has enabled overpricing.

Tan Son Nhat International Airport, the largest in Vietnam, started imposing price caps for most common products such as baguettes, bottled water and noodle soups in 2014, a year after Noi Bai in Hanoi.

But some restaurants still find ways to charge higher.

Last year, a passenger’s story went viral online after he had to pay VND105,000 (US$5) for a bowl of pho at Tan Son Nhat, although an image advertised a bowl for VND55,000, the maximum price allowed by the Southern Airport Authority.

Only after paying his bill a waitress told him that VND55,000 was the price for a kid's portion, he said in a story on social media.

No action has reportedly been taken on the case.

The ministry’s proposal also includes penalties for poor management by the airports.

Airports will be fined VND10-20 million if they are not equipped with wheelchairs available for passengers with special needs or an adequate system to provide flight information. If there is not flight information system at all they will be fined VND20-30 million.

Vietnam’s aviation market has been booming in recent years. Passenger numbers grew 29% to 52.2 million last year, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam said.

The new proposal, which is now open for public opinion, can be seen as another effort to improve Vietnam’s infamous aviation services.

Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat were named among the worst in Asia in 2014 by "The Guide to Sleeping in Airports," a report which measured travelers’ experience based on factors such as services and facilities, terminal cleanliness, customer service and comfort. 

Tan Son Nhat made the global list the year after.

Many passengers were not only unhappy with the bad and expensive food, but also baggage theft and bribes they had to pay customs officers.

Both airports have been trying to improve their images by planning and executing expansions and introducing new services such as free electric shuttle carts and sleeping lounges.

Artifacts validate Vietnam's sea and islands

Ancient artifacts will be showcased in the central province of Quang Nam as historical and legal evidence of Vietnam’s sovereignty over Truong Sa (Spratly) and Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelagoes.

Antiques, maps, Chinese-transcribed documents, and 15 royal archives of the Nguyen dynasty will go on display. The exhibition will also feature 150 cultural artifacts of Vietnam’s sea and islands and festival costumes worn by coastal residents. 

Visitors will be able to learn about fishermen’s lives through film screenings, fishing tools, and their daily utensils.   

This exhibition, entitled “Cultural Heritage of Vietnam’s sea and island”, will be the highlight of the 6th Quang Nam Heritage Festival, to be held in June. It will also feature a kite festival, an exhibit of silk and brocade, sailing and windsurfing championships, and a food festival.

Mass food poisoning reported in Ben Tre

Forty-two workers of JY Vina Company, who were hospitalised at two large hospitals in the Mekong Delta’s Bến Tre Province over the weekend for alleged food poisoning, are recovering well.
On Sunday afternoon, about half of the patients left hospital for home.

A doctor of Minh Đức Hospital said these patients were first reported to experience symptoms such as dizziness, headache, nausea, breathlessness and weakness in their legs and arms.

The symptoms surfaced some 30 minutes after they ate lunch, consisting of meat-mixed sour soup, stewed pork and egg and fried green beans, at the company on Saturday.

Among the patients was a pregnant woman who was under threat of premature delivery and treated at Nguyễn Đình Chiểu Hospital.

Bến Tre Province’s Department of Food Hygiene and Safety has taken samples of the food suspected to be poisonous from the company canteen for examination at a Hồ Chí Minh City laboratory to investigate the cause.

On May 19, 39 workers of SIGMA Co Ltd in Giao Long industrial zone in the province’s Châu Thành District, were also hospitalised for suspected food poisoning. The cause of the poisoning was still unclear.

Overweight trucks seized for illegal coal transport

Nine tractor head trucks that exceeded the prescribed weight limit were seized late Sunday, the Tiền Phong (Vanguard) newspaper reported.

The vehicle was headed from the Hoàng Bồ District towards Hạ Long City in the coastal Quảng Ninh Province.

Each of the truck was found to be carrying some 20 tonnes of coal. Their drivers were unable to present valid driving licences and relevant coal transport documents, the Quảng Ninh police said.

One of the trucks sped off to a coal gathering site during the investigation, the police said.

The eight remaining trucks were moved to the Bãi Cháy Bus Station in Hạ Long City.

The trucks were identified as the HOWO A7 tractor head trucks, with trailers added to carry coal, the newspaper reported. 

Some locals living alongside the stretch of National Highway 279 in the Hoàng Bồ District said the trucks frequently ran through the stretch at high speed, polluting the environment and endangering traffic, according to the newspaper.

Colonel Phạm Hồng Sơn, head of the traffic police department of the Quảng Ninh police, told the newspaper on Monday that fines would be imposed on the trucks, both for exceeding the weight limit and for adding trailers.

He refused to reveal the identity of their owner.

The Quảng Ninh coastal province, rich for coal resources, has heightened regulations on illegal coal transport, since the beginning of this year.

Coal transport has been prohibited on the stretches of the 18A, 10, and 17B national highways that run through the province from January 1.

Enterprises that are eligible for coal transport, such as those under the Việt Nam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (TKV) and the Đông Bắc Corporation, had to develop plans to transport coal via water instead of road.

Tay Ninh builds bridges in ethnic minority-inhabited areas

The southwestern province of Tay Ninh plans to build 18 bridges in remote and border districts to support local ethnic people, an official has said.

The province will spend 53 billion VND (2.33 million USD) sourced from the Local Bridge Construction and Road Asset Management (LRAMP) project, approved by the Ministry of Transport in 2016, said Director of the provincial Department of Transport Nguyen Tan Tai.

In 2017 – 2018, 10 bridges are expected to be built at a total cost of nearly 20 billion VND (880,000) in the districts of Tan Chau, Chau Thanh, Hoa Thanh, Tan Bien, Ben Cau, Go Dau and Duong Minh Chau.

The LRAMP project has total funds of nearly 409 million USD in loans from the World Bank.

Under the project, 2,174 bridges are being built in 50 provinces and cities across the nation from 2016-2020.

Ninh Thuân begins to afforest to protect lakes

The central province of Ninh Thuận will implement a forest rehabilitation and planting programme from now through 2021 to protect 20 irrigation lakes.

Around 1000ha of forest will be grown around the lakes at a cost of VNĐ68.7 billion (US$ 3 million).

The tree species to be planted include burflower, white siris and kassod.

The programme hopes to check erosion and restore the ecological balance in a province with harsh weather, increasing groundwater levels, according to the local Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The 20 lakes have a total capacity of 192 million cubic metres, but because of the weather they are never more than 60-70 percent full. 

Police arrest drug traffickers

Hải Dương province drug investigators have arrested four men for supposed involvement in a drug trafficking ring.

Police arrested Nguyễn Ngọc Quân, 21, living in Quảng Ninh Province’s Cẩm Phả City; Phạm Văn Hưng, 29, and Đỗ Ngọc Hà, 33, both of the Central Highlands (Tây Nguyên) province of Kon Tum; Nguyễn Thành Công, 29 from Nghệ An Province’s Nam Đàn District.

According to the police office, the arrested traffickers purchased drugs from China and then transported them to Việt Nam to be mainly sold in the Central Highlands region.

Local police discovered a limousine running on Móng Cái District-Hà Nội City route at night of May 18. They ordered the car driver to stop for a search.

Police seized four packages from the car containing synthetic drugs. Driver Nguyễn Ngọc Quân admitted he was hired to transport the drugs from Móng Cái of Quảng Ninh Province to Kon Tum Province.

During further investigation, police arrested three others, of whom Phạm Văn Hưng and Đỗ Ngọc Hà were two key members controlling the ring from afar by smart phone.

Meanwhile, the northern mountainous province of Lào Cai’s police last weekend arrested a 32-year-old man on charges of drug trafficking.

Lẩu Bá Xo, living at Nghệ An central province’s Kỳ Sơn District, was caught red-handed when he was transporting 20 bricks of heroin in Phố Ràng Township of Lào Cai Province.

Vietnamese man dies after coach explodes in Laos

A 27-year-old Vietnamese citizen was killed and three others injured in a coach explosion in Vientiane, Laos, on Sunday.

The deceased, Ngô Sĩ Giang, is from Diễn Châu District in the central Nghệ An Province.

Two coach assistants and Giang’s wife Nguyễn Thị Thanh, 29, who has severe burns on her whole body, are being treated at Friendship Hospital in Vientiane.

The explosion took place while they were doing maintenance work on the coach at home. Initial information shared by a relative suggests that the accident was caused by an electrical problem, which caused the battery of accumulators and oil tank to explode while the victim was doing welding work under the coach.

The coach was being run by operator Cường Tuyết.

The couple had been living in Laos for the past nine to 10 years, their relatives said.

Further investigations are underway.

Last June, a coach owned by a Vietnamese citizen from Nghệ An Province went up in flames in Laos, killing eight people and injuring many others.

Fruit Garden Festival in Cần Thơ promotes local fruit, tourism activities

The three-day Tân Lộc Fruit Garden Festival kicked off in Cần Thơ City’s Thốt Nốt District on Sunday.

The event, which promotes Tân Lộc fruit and the area’s tourism potential, celebrates the mid-year lunar festival on May 5.

The main activities are being held at the Tân Lộc Đông Temple, which received a certificate of recognition as a city-level cultural-historical relic during the opening ceremony.

Activities at the festival, which ends on May 30, include sports and cultural events, cake fair, fruit display competition, “chim chọi and chim hót” (fighting bird and singing bird) contests and folk song performances.

Representatives of 35 travel agencies were invited to the festival to learn about the Tân Lộc area.

The festival provides an opportunity for scientists, local farmers and companies to exchange ideas about promoting local fruits, the organisers said. 

National golf tournament for amateurs to kick off

The National Golf Championships for Amateur Golfers is scheduled to kick off in the central province of Bình Định on June 8.

The event will attract the participation of 120 golfers, including 10 foreigners from Malaysia, Laos, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Tournament CEO Trần Duy Cảnh said the event is the largest amateur tournament in the annual competition system of the Việt Nam Golf Association. 

The most outstanding players at the tournament will be included in the national golf team to attend the 29th Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia this August. The tournament will continue until June 11. 

National kid’s football event to kick off

An annual national children’s football tournament, the Fami Kid Cup, will start on June 2, the event’s organising board announced on Monday.

The event will feature 35 teams from 30 cities and provinces nationwide.

The qualifying round will run until June 20 in four provinces: Yên Bái, Thanh Hóa, Gia Lai and Bình Phước.

After that the best teams will take part in the final round to be held in Đà Nẵng from July 26 to August 6.

The event, for children aged 10-11, is organised by Nhi Đồng (Children) newspaper and the Việt Nam Football Federation.

Japanese company helps Vinh Long cope with salinity

Chairman of the People’s Committee of Vinh Long province Tran Hoang Tuu met with President of Kyowakiden Vietnam Co., Ltd. Yoshifumi Onoue on May 29 to discuss tackling saltwater intrusion.

At the meeting, Onoue said salinity hampers production of drinking water in Vinh Long.

He proposed the Mekong Delta province to install a Reverse Osmosis (RO) system at its water treatment plants to supply water for local use.

The system will allow inorganic solids, such as salts, to be removed from water, he said, adding that thanks to RO, water treatment plants can operate at a cost of about 4,000 – 6,500 VND per cubic metre when salinity is up to 9 parts per thousand. 

Chairman Tuu said that climate change caused drought and saltwater intrusion in the province last year, leading to economic losses of approximately 300 billion VND (more than 13 million USD).

Tuu said the RO can be an effective, low-cost solution for the province’s problems. He directed the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vinh Long Water Supply SJC and the local Centre for Rural Water Supply and Environmental Sanitation to work with Kyowakiden Vietnam to pilot the RO system.

He also asked the Japanese company to continue studying a feasible treatment solution for water used in industry.

Onoue pledged to attempt to reduce costs and help the province seek funding from the Japanese government in its water treatment projects.

Vietnam wants closer defence training cooperation with India

The Ministry of National Defence and the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) support institutes, universities and research units of the Vietnamese and Indian armies to strengthen cooperation and share experience, a senior officer has said.

Senior Lieutenant General Pham Ngoc Minh, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the VPA, made the affirmation at a reception in Hanoi on May 29 for Major General Anil Dere, who is leading a delegation from the Indian National Defence University to Vietnam. 

Cooperation in personnel training is one of the ways to promote comprehensive cooperative ties between the two nations, Minh said.

He expressed his hope that the visit would help Indian officers better understand about Vietnam and its foreign and defence policies, hence increasing mutual understanding and trust between the people and armies of Vietnam and India.

ASEAN+ children festival opens in Hanoi

Children from ASEAN member countries and the bloc’s partner countries are joining together in a festival in Hanoi, hosted by the Vietnam Television (VTV) from May 29-June 4.

Arranged to welcome International Children’s Day (June 1), the event offers ASEAN kids a chance to gain insights into Vietnam’s culture and people, and other cultures in the region.

A highlight of the festival is an art gala night, which will be broadcast live on VTV1 on June 1 with performances from child art troupes from Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, the Republic of Korea, and China.

Launched by VTV, the festival aims to enhance friendship and cultural exchange among ASEAN children.

Visitors to Da Nang up nearly 50% in May

Visitors to the central city of Da Nang totaled 612,922 in May, up 46.8 per cent year-on-year, according to figures from the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.

International visitors stood at 205,995 and domestic visitors 406,927, increases of 81.2 per cent and 33.9 per cent year-on-year. Total revenue is estimated at VND1.8 billion ($80,000), an increase of 48.8 per cent.

Thanks to activities such as the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival 2017, street music programs, and a series of accompanying events, visitor numbers have increased sharply.

Every Friday and Saturday, a street space where model cars and artists parade provides an animated atmosphere to the coastal city. Lines of people follow the parade, taking pictures with foreign artists.
     
Violations threaten safety on Hà Nội-Thái Nguyên Expressway

People travelling on the Hà Nội-Thái Nguyên Expressway are concerned about the risk of traffic accidents in the wake of increasing violations along the sidewalk.

The four-lane expressway has a speed limit of 100 kilometres per hour, and illegal picking/dropping of coach passengers or crossing of the road by residents could lead to serious accidents.

Giao thông (Transport) newspaper reported that during lunchtime, dozens of trucks were parked along the sidewalk of the expressway.

At the Tân Lập intersection where drivers usually stopped for meals, some restaurant owners had put ladders against road fence barriers as a shortcut to enter the restaurant.

Some five kilometres away from the road intersection, trucks carrying pigs often stopped to bathe the animals right on the expressway, with waste water discharged on the road.
Further, at Thịnh Đán intersection, also on the expressway, coaches illegally stopped to pick up or drop passengers. 

Motorbike taxi drivers also waited for clients, ignoring the traffic sign that said “Motorbike and walkers must not enter the expressway.” Some motorbike taxi drivers even rose the wrong way to shorten the distance to the Yên Bình Industrial Zone, Giao thông reported.

Vũ Ngọc Quân, road supervisor of Bắc-Nam Consultation, Investment and Construction Company which operates and maintains the Hà Nội-Thái Nguyên Expressway, said he often reminded drivers to avoid stopping along the sidewalk, but his advice was ignored.
Quân said the company and local authority would seize the ladders put up by the restaurants, but they would then be replaced.

Phạm Ngọc Long, deputy director of the company, said those who work at the industrial zone along the expressway broke the road barriers since it was easier to get on to the expressway to catch coaches.

In addition, some residents did their morning exercises on the expressway when it was cooler, Long said.

Long called on substantial cooperation from the local police and authorities to help the company better manage road safety.

Trương Văn Phụng, director of Thái Nguyên Province’s Transport Department, said the province had asked the Road and Railway Traffic Police Department to tighten inspection and impose penalties to curb violations.

Pacific Partnership 2017 concludes in VN

Pacific Partnership 2017 departed from the central city of Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province on May 29 after 10 days of  undertaking disaster response training, medical and engineering subject matter expert exchanges, cooperative health engagements, and community relations events.

This year marks the fourth consecutive year and the eighth time the mission has visited Viet Nam in the past 11 years. 

Vietnamese and PP17 personnel conducted training and subject matter expert exchanges for a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) workshop, focusing on disaster preparedness, coastal medicine and search and rescue.

“It's a chance for us to connect with the people of Viet Nam without the need for a common spoken language,” said Lt. Brian Chaplow, the Seventh Fleet Band Director, adding that “The audience we had at the performances was very involved and engaged, and very interested in meeting us. This is the most rewarding part of our job –interacting with the people of Nha Trang.”

U.S. Ambassador to Viet Nam Ted Osius commented, “During Pacific Partnership 17, men and women in uniform from partner countries worked side-by-side with local professionals to improve humanitarian assistance and disaster response capacity, enhance regional partnerships and increase multilateral cooperation with the people of Viet Nam. These activities in Da Nang and Nha Trang are concrete examples of the depth of our comprehensive partnership.”

Japan takes on more Vietnam trainees

Vietnam has overtaken China to have the most students and workers in Japan, with 90,000 by the end of last year, said Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Umeda Kunio.

Speaking at a seminar on Vietnamese and Japanese cooperation in internship programs last week, the ambassador said more than 40,000 Vietnamese came to study and work in Japan last year alone, more than four times higher than in 2013.

Vietnamese workers have contributed significantly to economic development in Japan, which is struggling with the population aging problem.

Japan imported an average of 95,000 workers a year in 2006-2009 to make up for its labor shortage.

A new internship law which Japan adopted in 2016 offers an extra five years for trainees to work in Japan.

However, the recruitment cost remains high, piling pressure on trainees, according to a study by the Vietnam Institute for Economic and Policy Research (VEPR).

According to regulations of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, businesses charge US$3,600 per worker but the total amount each employee needs to have to secure a job in Japan is US$5,300, of which US$4,700 is borrowed.

VEPR director Nguyen Duc Thanh said workers have had to pay more than regulated to come to Japan for work because of multiple intermediary expenses, such as those for local vocational schools and job placement centers.

The VEPR study shows that after their employment in Japan, an average employee earns US$44,500 and that after deducting all costs, they can save about US$23,000, equivalent to more than VND500 million.

Moreover, they can easily find a job at Japanese enterprises operating in Vietnam as they have a good command of the Japanese language and other skills acquired during their time in Japan.

HCM City 1 beat Hà Nội 1

Defending champions HCM City 1 came from behind to beat formidable rivals Hà Nội 1 2-1 in the sixth round of the second leg of the National Women’s Football Championships.

The match was played at Thống Nhất Stadium in HCM City on May 29.

With this win, HCM City 1 top the rankings with 15 points, followed by Phong Phú Hà Nam and Hà Nội 1 with 13 points.

Taking full advantage of playing on their home turf, hosts HCM City 1 played an attacking game from the moment the referee blew her whistle.

However, the visitors took the lead in the sixth minute. From a pass in the left wing by Vũ Thị Nhung, Phạm Hải Yến put her header past HCM City 1’s goalkeeper to open the score for the visitors.

Receiving an early setback, the hosts made every effort to score goals, with Huỳnh Như managing to level the score 1-1 in the 18th minute.

In the 42nd minute, Trần Nguyễn Bảo Châu raised the score to 2-1 for HCM City.

Following the break, the two sides played attack continuously but failed to score more goals.

In the other match, Việt Nam Coal and Mineral crushed Hà Nội 2 9-0.

Nguyễn Thị Thúy Hằng and Trần Thị Thu scored two goals each, while Nguyễn Thị Hạnh, Phạm Thị Hằng, Nguyễn Thị Vạn, Đinh Thị Kim Huế and Dương Thị Vân scored one goal each for HCM City.

Việt Nam Coal and Mineral are currently ranked fourth with 13 points and Hà Nội 2 are at the bottom.

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