Direk Kingnok is a famous Thai painter. In 2010 he went to Vietnam and drew a series of water-color paintings depicting the daily life of Vietnamese people in the north, the south and the central regions.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Having got licenses in seven foreign markets, military-run telecom group Viettel is seeking investment opportunities in Tanzania and Myanmar in a bid to raise overseas incomes.

 Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem said that they have made a major breakthrough in deciphering the mechanism by which some bacteria are able to survive antibacterial treatment.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Most of the biggest brands in the world have been present or heading towards Vietnam, which is believed to dislodge Vietnamese brands out of the market.

 Hong Kong investors buy Vinacafe shares; Security industrial zone launched; Fertiliser firm earns $26m in 2013 profits; PVN signs contract for new power station; 2013 rice exports earn US$2.95 billion

 Ha Noi hospital carries out kidney transplant; Head of child centre faces embezzlement charge; Noodles, bamboo shoots found to contain oxalic acid; Get tough on smuggling as Tet nears: Deputy PM

 V-League's Ninh Binh has signed a contract with Patiyo Tambwe to strengthen its forward line for the coming football league.

VietNamNet Bridge – Nearly 78,000 hectares of cashew have been cut down by farmers in the past five years to make room for cultivating other crops like rubber and pepper, which is ascribed to price instability, low yield and poor supporting policies

 Expanded Noi Bai-Terminal T1 inaugurated; Three die in boat accident; Construction inspectors punish violations; Hanoi workers receive free travel for Tet; Drug trafficker arrested in Son La

 Heavy lift vessel Rolldock Sea, carrying 636 Hanoi kilo submarine, left the Port of Singapore in the early hours of December 29 to begin its journey to Cam Ranh, according to Marine Traffic.

 VietNamNet Bridge – This is the first time in Vietnam that twins were created from the sperms taken from their dead father, Mr. Do Sy N, a Hanoi man who died in a train accident in 2010.

 VietNamNet Bridge – During the flower festival this year, more than 300,000 pots of flowers are exhibited on the main roads.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese female weightlifter Nguyen Thi Kim Luc Van became the first to win an Asian gold medal for the country after her Kazakhstan rival lost the gold medal for using dope.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The 28-year-old striker Le Cong Vinh has decided to stay with the Song Lam Nghe An FC instead of going to Japan after a meeting with SLNA’s officials last week.

It is a growing tendency that Vietnamese like traveling during Tet holiday instead of staying at home for family reunion. Outbound tours have been chosen for 2014 Tet, despite the economic recession which has forced people to fasten their belt.

 VietNamNet Bridge – A 2m long shark was washed onto the beach of Nha Trang by waves on December 26.

Due to the effects of cold air from the north, the temperature in HCM City from December 28 through the next few days will down to 19 degrees. This is the lowest temperature in the last 10 years.

 Every breast implant operation in England is to be recorded on a new register, ministers have announced.

VietNamNet Bridge – Poor infrastructure, human resources and cumbersome immigration procedures has limited tourism development in the Greater Mekong Subregion, which includes portions of Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam is facing numerous challenges in its bid to improve human resources and take advantage of the current period of "golden demography," experts have said.