Vietnam planning to crank up Russian-subsidized nuclear study center by 2025

The US$500 million project has been revealed less than a year after the country scrapped plans for two nuclear power plants due to economic reasons.

Vietnam is planning to develop a nuclear science and technology center using a US$500 million loan from Russia over the next seven years.

Tran Chi Thanh, director of the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute, said the center will help increase Vietnam’s expertise and ability to operate nuclear power plants, local media reported.

“It will help Vietnam conduct modern studies and boost the application of nuclear energy in socio-economic sectors,” he said, as cited by the Saigon Times.

The project will be split across two sites in Hanoi and the Central Highlands town of Da Lat, said Thanh. The Da Lat site will include a 15 megawatt reactor, 30 times the capacity of the country’s only nuclear reactor that was built in 1963.

He said the reactor will produce radioactive isotopes for medical purposes as the existing plant can only meet 30% of the country's demand.

The center is the first major nuclear project discussed publicly in Vietnam since the country announced it was scrapping plans for its first nuclear power plants in the central province of Ninh Thuan last November, seven years after they were approved.

The decision was due to economic reasons, not safety or technological issues, officials said at the time.

The power plants would have cost VND400 trillion (US$17.6 billion), but the country needs to focus on infrastructure development at the moment, they said.

Ho Chi Minh City to pilot new parking technology

Ho Chi Minh City will pilot the application of modern technology in automobile parking, which is aimed at providing further convenience.

The municipal People’s Committee has agreed upon the pilot plan, which will be carried out by the Department of Transport, the District 1 administration, and the Ho Chi Minh City branch of the military-run mobile network operator Viettel.

The testing will be conducted in District 1 in downtown areas.

Accordingly, modern technology will be applied to the parking services for automobiles along Phan Boi Chau, Phan Chu Trinh Streets, and a section of Le Lai Street in front of the New World Saigon Hotel.   

The venues offer between 150 and 170 car parking spaces.

The plan is expected to be initiated in September and take place over three months, during which Viettel will provide all expenditure and the technology required.

Following the pilot phase, the municipal People’s Committee will evaluate the results and decide whether or not to multiply the application in other areas of the southern hub.

According to Ngo Hai Duong, head of the Road Infrastructure Management and Exploitation Division under the transport department, the technology will allow residents to use the parking service with just a few simple touches on their smartphones.

Via the application, users can review detailed information of the parking lot, available slots, search for routes leading to the venue, and pay fees in advance, Duong elaborated.

It will also update the entry and exit times of each vehicle to calculate the charges.

A camera system will be installed at these parking venues to facilitate the application as well as provide better management.

The project is expected to help ensure order and safety on the streets, provide accurate fees, and reduce drawbacks in the operation of parking services, Duong stated.

It will also raise citizens’ awareness of regulations on parking vehicles on the city’s streets, the transport official added.

Vietnamese mountaineer conquers European peak

Hoang Le Giang, 29, successfully conquered the highest mountain in Europe on Vietnam’s National Day (September 2).

When he got to the top of Mount Elbrus, 5,642m high, he proudly unfurled the Vietnamese flag and waved it in the air.

“At that moment, I was filled with emotion. It seemed like every muscle in my body was revived and proud of being a Vietnamese who conquered this European peak,” Giang told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper from Russia.

After reaching the top, the group of mountaineers began the six-hour journey back to camp 3,500 meters above sea level.

From there, they took a specialized vehicle back to their shelter.

Even though Giang was extremely happy at representing Vietnam in conquering one of the highest mountains in the world, he admitted the journey was far from easy due to severe weather.

Mount Elbrus is in the Caucasus Mountains, and was formed around two million years ago after an impact between the Arab and European-Asian Continents, according to the 29-year-old mountaineer.

“Caucasus, a natural border between Asia and Europe, is a trekking route that attracts professional mountaineers from all over the world. Elbrus is very challenging because of its fast-changing steepness which can easily make any professional dizzy,” Giang said about the mountain.

To reach Elbrus, Giang began his journey with a 2.5-hour flight from Moscow – the capital of Russia – to Mineralyne Vody.

From there, he took a 200-kilometer-trip by taxi to Terskol in the south of Russia (near the border with Georgia).

“Terskol is quite silent and you will barely see any foreigners. Neither restaurants nor eateries are in sight. This is a Muslim area so the security there is really tight,” said Giang about Terskol.

“I came one day in advance to get used to the weather and stayed in a local hotel. The price was around VND500,000 [US$22] per night with breakfast included. People there, the housekeeper and the cook, were very nice but they couldn’t understand English so we had difficulty communicating.”

The journey was no ‘walk in the park.’

Giang soon joined his group of 20 people (one Vietnamese – Giang, two Britons, 17 Malaysians) to begin climbing Elbrus.

“The multi-national crew and I climbed toward the top despite the snowstorms on Caucasus. The weather was awful and constantly changing. The hailstorms and snowstorms made the journey even more challenging. The schedule was affected and expanses increased. During the whole week there was not a crew that was successful in conquering the peak because of the dreadful weather,” Giang told Tuoi Tre.  

Hoang Le Giang admitted experiencing altitude sickness many times but he pushed through.

“At the top of the mountain, the temperature was minus 20 degrees Celsius. Wind was blowing at 35kph so it felt like it was -35°C. That’s why in the Malaysian crew of 17 people, only three successfully climbed to the top while the others gave up,” he said.

“I was completely exhausted during the journey since we began at 1:00 am every morning and continued until 10:00 pm, suffering from sleep and oxygen deprivation. The strong winds led me to believe that I would hardly make it to the top. But I did my best to take another step, and another … until I was able to take out the red flag [Vietnamese flag] from my pocket.”

The victory Giang experienced conquering the mountain, however, was unlike victories one is used to seeing.

As Giang put it, it was a quiet moment of self-congratulations.

“If mountain climbing is considered a sport, then it’s one with no medals, no applause and a harsh arena. I climb [the mountains] not to impress in a sport that is not yet popular in Vietnam. I climb [the mountains] to challenge myself and admire the world,” the man explained.

After an exhausting trip, the 29-year-old told Tuoi Tre what he had learnt from the journey.

“The lesson learnt is that we must not get ahead of ourselves and we need to understand our physical capabilities,” he said.

“I thought that if I had successfully conquered a 6,150m-high mountain already, the 5,642m Elbrus would not be as much of a challenge. However, in reality, Elbrus was much more challenging because of the rigorous weather and the storms (I had to wait much longer than expected).

“The wind there [on Mount Elbrus] was freezing and caused a lot of pain when it hit you. There were also hailstorms which required a lot more strength during the climb. Therefore, you needed to be prepared for everything in case there was hardship. For instance, I brought myself a spare jacket to deal with the rigorous weather.”

Conquering Mount Elbrus is part of Giang’s dream of climbing each of the seven biggest peaks in the world.

The first peak he conquered was the 6,150m high Mount Stok Kangri in India, in August 2016.

On September 13, Giang will come back to Vietnam to prepare himself for his next goal: conquering the highest peaks of Africa, South America, Australia and even Everest, if he has the financial resources, Giang told Tuoi Tre.  

Giang was born in 1988, and studied marketing in Jonkoping University in Sweden.

He has been mountaineering since 2011, has climbed Himalaya Mountain seven times and visited 30 different countries.

Toward the end of 2016, Giang began being noticed online and was the only Vietnamese representative to undertake a 300km trip in the North Pole in April 2014.

He also joined a Son Doong cave expedition during the summer of 2017.

Hanoi book fair set for Sept. 22

Nearly 150 exhibits by publishers, book sellers and libraries will highlight the fourth annual book fair at the Thang Long-Hanoi Heritage Conservation Centre on Friday, September 22.

No food will be available at the fair, but the organizing committee, which includes officials from the Hanoi People’s Committee, has prepared a smorgasbord of book related events including at least a dozen booths featuring books about the city of Hanoi. 

There will be exhibits of books aimed at the diverse ethnic population of Vietnam and displays from bookstores that specialize in cookbooks, mysteries, travel, photography, philosophy or art.

In addition, the organizers noted there will be guest speakers from the northern region to talk about the trends in book publishing in the digital age, copyright issues and entrepreneurship along with a variety of topics on business management.

History channel comes to Vietnam

Networks Asia under the global media content company A+E Networks in partnership with Vietnam’s content provider Thaole Entertainment recently launched a new TV channel in Vietnam called History.

The History is a US television network known for historical documentaries and entertainment programs.

The History channel, which will be broadcast for the first time on MobiTV with high definition and Vietnamese subtitles, features various programs on natural history, contemporary history, science and technology, archeology and popular culture.

The channel is currently present in more than 150 countries and territories with over 35 different languages.

Launched in the US in 1995, History has become the most popular entertainment channel with a wide range of documentary programs, historical fiction series, and various reality show series such as Kings of Restoration, Pawn Stars, The Pickers, Ancient Aliens, Counting Cars, Vikings, Photo Face-Off and Ride N’ Seek.

Bfree library boosts reading habit

Over the past 3 years, Bfree, the Books for free library in Xuan La Road, in Hanoi’s Tay Ho district, has become a familiar address for those who loving reading. Founded by Nguyen Truong Giang, Bfree is a place where you can read or borrow books free of charge.

For more than a year, Nguyen Thi Huyen, a student at Dan Phuong High School, has been cycling more than 20km each week to Bfree library. The library has become her second home, where she can find books, to help her study.

Huyen said Bfree has helped young people satisfy their passion for reading. “Although the library is small and a bit far from my house, the books are diverse. Many of the books are no longer sold or published. That’s why the place is great for me”, Huyen added. 

Like Huyen, at weekends, Nguyen Thi Tuyet Hong, a student at Hanoi’s National University of Education, also drops in to Bfree to do some reading. Here she can read or borrow books on Vietnamese and foreign literature, social psychology, and science.

Hong told VOV “During the summer, I go to the library more often. I’m usually here once a week. When I buy an interesting book, I often buy an extra copy and donate it to Bfree.”

Bfree, which was originally called “Books and you”, opened in July, 2014. Two years later it was renamed Bfree and moved to a new address. Giang says the name is an invitation to young people who like reading.

The library has gathered more than 1,800 titles across a range of subjects, including history, literature, and science. 80% of the books were donated by readers.

Nguyen Quoc Chien, a co-founder, said the Vietnamese phrase fixed to the wall “Please do not let the books die on the shelf” is the library’s motto and an appeal to young people to read more.

Chien recalls “We started this project, not only to provide free books and free reading, but also to inspire and motivate young people to set up other non-profit projects. Another thing I feel very proud of, which makes Bfree different from other projects, is the self-service model. If you come on a weekday and don’t see any volunteers or librarians on duty, you can help yourself.”

In addition to the main library on Xuan La Street, Bfree also has a branch on the premises of the Hai Ba Trung District Electricity Company. Bfree’s most important goal is to create a reading space for book lovers and revitalize the reading habit among young people.

Bfree library also provides readers of all ages opportunities to meet and interact with their peers through dialogues or seminars.

Airport road toll raises eyebrows in Vietnam

At most aerodromes across the country, drivers of any four-wheel vehicle are required to pay a fee of between VND10,000 (US$0.44) and VND20,000 (US$0.89) upon entering the facilities.

Statistics from Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City showed that in 2014, a total of 22,400 automobiles had entered the venue on a daily basis, each of which had to pay an average amount of VND10,000.

Based on the information, the facility pockets about VND80 billion ($3.5 million) per year. The toll collection began in 2002 and still exists today.

N.T.D., a taxi driver with ten years of experience, said that sometimes passengers agreed to pay the fee, but in other scenarios, the cab driver had to make the payment.

In Hanoi, local cabbies said that they had to pay VND15,000 (US$0.67) every time they carried a passenger into Noi Bai International Airport.

“According to regulations, passengers are subject to a toll. But they, especially foreign travelers, do not often understand the reason and refuse to pay,” Thuy, one taxi driver said.

The fee is referred to as an airport toll and is applied differently at airports across the country.

The most expensive is recorded in Phu Quoc Airport, located in the namesake island off the southern province of Kien Giang, where a standard car is charged VND15,000 and a seven-seater VND20,000.

Aside from the toll, cab drivers must also pay parking fees whenever they carry passengers into an airport.

According to Le Xuan Tung, director of Danang International Airport, the airport road toll has been in place for decades, with rates at each aerodrome listed and approved by the Ministry of Finance.

“The fees are directed towards renovation of the airport and improvement of its service for passengers,” Tung continued.

Meanwhile, Tran Manh Hong, deputy director of Phu Quoc Airport, explained that how the collected money is used depends on the Kien Giang Department of Finance.

The toll is submitted to the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), a representative from Noi Bai Airport said, adding that there was timeframe for the toll collection to end.

Speaking with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, Pham Van Hao, deputy head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), confirmed that most airports in Vietnam collect two types of fee, an airport road toll and parking charges.

The money is used to fund services, namely maintenance, repairs, and the renovation of roads within the facilities, as well as safety and order insurance, among others.

The fees are in accordance with current laws and similar to regulations at other airports in the world, Hao said.