Bình Ba island, near Cam Ranh City, in the south-central province of Khánh Hoà.

Tourists and tourist activities will no longer be allowed on Bình Ba Island and Hòn Chút islet of Bình Hưng Island, in the south-central coastal city of Cam Ranh, to ensure the safety and security of the Cam Ranh military base, according to a notice from the local government.

In a document issued on Friday, Cam Ranh City People’s Committee asked travel agencies to stop and delete all posts/articles advertising the sale of tours and travel activities on the two islands.

The document was also addressed to the Department of Tourism, the Department of Information, the Nha Trang-Khánh Hoà Tourism Association, and the Khánh Hoà Province Tourism Promotion Information Centre, to ensure that no tours or travel would be available to these two islands.

According to the Cam Ranh People’s Committee, a Government order issued on September 22, 2015, clearly stated that no development of tourism and travel would be allowed on the Bình Ba and Hòn Chút islands to ensure the safety and security of the Cam Ranh military base.

Projects in Khánh Hoà and Ninh Thuận provinces that are related to Cam Ranh military base area must have the opinion of the Ministry of National Defence before submitting to the Government for approval.

HCM City proposes suspending medical declaration for foreign arrivals

The Ho Chi Minh City administration has proposed suspending medical declaration procedures for foreigners entering Vietnam in an effort to ease congestion at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, the largest and busiest in the country.

Instead, the city recommends that passengers, upon completing immigration procedures, self-monitor and declare their health via the PC-Covid app during their stay.

The municipal government believes that the COVID-19 pandemic has gradually eased locally as the number of new cases tends to decrease considerably. The temporary suspension of health declaration procedures for people on entry will help facilitate their travel and reduce congestion at the airport, especially during rush hours or on weekends,

According to the latest COVID-19 regulations outlined by the Ministry of Health, people entering Vietnam by air are required to have a negative RT-PCR test result and make medical declarations at airports.

Book to encourage Vietnamese language learning published in Australia

Charles Sturt University in Australia has released a book to provide Vietnamese families living in the country to teach their children Vietnamese at home.

Titled “VietSpeech Multilingual Children”, the book is the product of research on pronunciation and language for Vietnamese children in Australia funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC). The book is freely available online.

The book covers topics such as the benefits of preserving their native language and multilingualism, ways to help children adapt to the Vietnamese language, and communication skills.

Dr. Tran Hong Van, the co-author of the book, said it will provide parents with the tools to help their children learn the Vietnamese language and develop bilingual skills.

According to Professor Sharynne McLeod, the other co-author, said mother tongues are at risk of disappearing within three generations among migrant families. Many children cannot speak their mother tongue fluently when they start school.

Vietnam aims for marathon’s gold medal at SEA Games 31

Marathon - a long-distance foot race with a distance of 42.195 km – is among important events at the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), with Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand being regional powerhouses.

Vietnam triumphed at track and field in various editions of SEA Games. However, marathon is not viewed as a ‘gold mine’ for Vietnamese runners like sprints or middle-distance races.
 
Pham Thi Binh brought home a gold medal in the women’s marathon at the Games in Myanmar in 2013. Hoang Thi Thanh bagged a silver in Malaysia four years later, before Pham Thi Hong Le clinched a bronze in the Philippines in 2019.
 
Nguyen Chi Dong is the Vietnamese runner with the best result in the men’s marathon, winning a silver medal at the Games in 2003. Hoang Nguyen Thanh obtained bronze at the 2015 edition in Singapore.
   
Despite difficulties in the selection of marathon runners, Vietnam pins high hope on the event during the SEA Games 31, as the regional tournament will take place in May on home soil.
 
As Hong Le is set to compete at the 10,000m event in which she is the national record holder, her juniors Hoang Thi Ngoc Hoa from the southern province of Binh Phuoc and Pham Thi Hue from Quang Ninh northern province will represent Vietnam in the women's marathon race at this year’s SEA Games.
 
Hoa is deemed the No.1 female marathon runner of Vietnam at present. She is the reigning champion of the Tien Phong Marathon national championship 2022 held in Con Dao, Ba Ria - Vung Tau late March, clocking 2:53:56.
 
Hue was the gold medallist of the women’s 10,000m at the 30th SEA Games. She was handpicked by coach Tran Van Sy and has fully prepared for the competition.
 
Meanwhile, Hoang Nguyen Thanh and Le Van Tuan will represent Vietnam at the men’s marathon. Thanh, born in 1995, has resumed training with a team of Binh Phuoc province since August 2019. He bagged various prizes at the Pocari Sweat Run, the Can Tho Heritage Marathon and the Techcombank HCM City Marathon 2019, with a personal record of 2:29:29.

Festival introduces Vietnamese cuisine to Brazilian diners

The Vietnam-Brazil culinary festival opened at Mezanino restaurant in Brasilia on April 20, marking the opening of activities to introduce Vietnamese cuisine at 14 well-known restaurants in the Brazilian capital city until May 8.

The event was jointly held by the Vietnamese Embassy in Brazil and the union of hotels, restaurants and bars (Sindhobar) of Brazil, and funded by Brasilia Bank, Brazil’s national vocational training centre (SENA), and tobacco producer BAT Brazil.

It drew nearly 100 guests who are cooks at local restaurants, representatives from local hotels and reporters.

The 14 restaurants participating in the festival are Same Same But Differente, Makisan, Grande Muralha, Capim Dourado, Fred, Taypá, Gran Bier, Sagres, Mayer Sabores do Brasil, Downtown Senac, CapimDourado, Universal, Osteria Vicenza and Casa Baco. They will showcase Vietnamese dishes such as spring roll, pho (noodle soup), and bun cha (grilled pork with vermicelli). Visitors will also be able to enjoy dessert with fried banana cake and egg coffee.

SEA Games 31: Bac Giang to allow free entry to all events

The northern province of Bac Giang - the host of badminton matches of the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) from May 16-22, will allow free entry to all games.

As many as 127 athletes from eight countries, namely Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam, are expected to compete in badminton.

The hosting of SEA Games 31 events will offer a good chance for Bac Giang to promote local sport development along with tourism, thus attracting more visitors to the locality.

Bac Giang has so far basically completed all preparations for its hosting.

Aside from the main venue in Hanoi, Bac Giang is one of the 11 other localities that will host competitions of the 31st SEA Games, slated for May 12 - 23.

VNA to launch special website on SEA Games 31

The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) will launch a special website on the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31), the agency announced on April 22.

To prepare for the communication campaign on the Games, the VNA the same day held a training for its reporters and editors who are tasked to cover the event.

The website, https://seagames.vnanet.vn, provides information promptly to the press system and directly to the public in various types, including topical news, news, general articles, in-depth analysis, photos, reportage, and television programmes.

The agency also expands the coverage of the event on its printed and online newspapers, and on its television channel Vnews; and popularises them on social platforms.

This year’s Games will take place from May 5-23, with the opening ceremony on May 12 and the closing one on May 23. It will be held in Hanoi and 11 surrounding localities. Around 7,000 athletes from 11 Southeast Asian nations will compete in 40 sports.

Korean Cultural Days held in Quang Nam

Korean Cultural Days kicked off in the central province of Quang Nam on April 22, with various activities promoting culture and cuisines of the Republic of Korea (RoK).

The event, jointly held by the provincial People’s Committee, the RoK Embassy and the Korean Cultural Centre in Vietnam, forms part of the activities within the 2022 National Tourism Year with Quang Nam province as the host.

Since 2017, Quang Nam's Hoi An ancient town, recognised by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site, has been chosen to host Korean Cultural Days.

The highlight of this year’s event is the traditional costume show promoting Ao Dai of Vietnam and Hanbok of the RoK, slated for April 22 night.

There will be a market fair, folk games and other cultural activities on April 22 and 23, along with a taekwondo performance and Kpop dance staged by local students.

Hoi An has also organised tours around the ancient town, craft villages and tourist destinations in the locality to promote its history and culture to domestic and foreign visitors.

The event will last until April 23.

Quang Ninh mulls over seaplane route to Co To island

The People’s Committee of Co To island district in the north-eastern province of Quang Ninh is mulling over a seaplane route linking the island with the province’s Ha Long city.

Trial flights were conducted on April 20 and 21.

With the seaplane route, travel time between Tuan Chau international wharf in Ha Long city and Co To is estimated at 20 minutes.

The route is hoped to diversify services and shorten travel time to Co To, thus meeting demand of tourists in the high-end tourism segment, especially foreign holidaymakers.

Telecom group pledges to sponsor 31st SEA Games with IT support

Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) has become the seventh diamond sponsor of the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, which will be held in Hanoi next month.

VNPT and the SEA Games organisers signed a sponsorship deal valued at almost 18 billion VND (784,000 USD) in the capital city on April 22.

Following the contract, VNPT will fund different packages, including an internet channel, operation and supervision at the main media centre (MMC), a card centre, an e-sports hub and 37 competition locations at all 12 host cities and provinces.

The group will also implement an SMS communication service about the 31st SEA Games and put a free switchboard into operation to help deliver information about the 31st SEA Games.

VNPT will also carry out the international IT and internet systems at the MMC and the International Broadcast Centre.

The company will contribute equipment while their technicians will be available to support organisers in inputting competition results throughout the 31st Games.

World Vision Vietnam, Hai Phong to improve transferable skills for youth

As many as 600 high school students and 95 teachers in Ngo Quyen District, the northern port city of Hai Phong, will be equipped with information technology skills in a recently-started project.

The project "Improving Transferable Skills for Youth in Hải Phòng" was launched on April 22 by the World Vision Vietnam and Hai Phong Department of Education and Training.

With a total value of 245,850 USD, the project, sponsored by Samsung SDS Korea, will be implemented over 18 months, from this year to October next year.

The project will also bring teachers and students other necessary soft skills to improve student access, especially for those from vulnerable groups, to better learning and employment opportunities.

Vietnam’s U23 wins 1-0 over U20 RoK in second friendly

The Vietnam’s U23 team secured a 1-0 victory against the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s U20 squad in a friendly held at Hang Day Stadium in Hanoi on April 22, as the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) is nearing in.

Head coach Park Hang-seo of Vietnam fielded all the three over-aged players right at the start of the match.

Nguyen Van Tung scored the only goal of the match from an assist by Ly Cong Hoang Anh, at nearly the end of the first half.

Both teams made numerous substitutions in the second half. The RoK youngsters strived to equalise but they lacked accuracy.

The teams had a 1-1 draw in a previous friendly in northern Phu Tho province’s Viet Tri Stadium three days ago.

Folk singing of Khmer people honoured as national cultural heritage

The art of Aday folk singing of the Khmer ethnic group in Xà Phiên commune, Long Mỹ district, Hau Giang province has been honoured as a national intangible cultural heritage.

A day singing is the unique folklore performing art form dating from a long time ago. It is a kind of duet singing between Khmer men and women in the Southern region and is often staged at community festivals and family ceremonies.

Accompanied by musical instruments, the performers deliver songs praising love, nature, and the good. Concerted measures have been taken in Hau Giang province to preserve and promote the unique art form.

Accordingly, many contests and performances were held to introduce the art form to the public, and several training classes were organised to improve the quality of Aday singing clubs throughout the locality.

The recognition of Aday singing as a national intangible cultural heritage will open up more opportunities for Hau Giang province to continue preserving and promoting this unique art form.

More trains operated to serve high demand during April 30-May Day holidays

The Vietnam Railways Corporation (VNR) said more trains are set to run on Hanoi - Hai Phong and Ho Chi Minh City - Nha Trang routes to serve increased travel demand during the upcoming holidays of National Reunification Day (April 30) and May Day (May 1).

In the north, four more trains will be added to the Hanoi – Hai Phong route between April 22 and May 4.

In the south, the Ho Chi Minh City – Nha Trang route will also see an increase in the number of trains.

Noi Bai airport operates more runway, taxiways from April 23

After an upgrade and repair period, a runway and three taxiways will be put into operation again at Noi Bai international airport in Hanoi from 7am on April 23.

Also on the day, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) will operate three more new taxiways at the airport.

Such operations launched ahead of the upcoming holidays of National Reunification Day (April 30) and May Day (May 1) are expected to boost the airport's capacity in serving the soaring travel demand.

Da Nang to boost connections, trade with US investors: Party official

The central coastal city of Da Nang hopes to boost links and promote trade with US investors and enterprises, affirmed Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Van Quang while receiving visiting US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc E. Knapper on April 22.

Quang asked the diplomat to facilitate US investment in tourism and services, IT and finance in the city.

Knapper praised Da Nang’s attraction to investors and stated the embassy wants to coordinate with municipal authorities in luring investment in the city.

On the same day, Knapper’s delegation met with Standing Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Ho Ky Minh, who outlined the city’s tourism recovery.

Knapper expressed his focus on a project to build a regional financial centre in Da Nang. When the project begins, US financial and IT businesses will eager to channel their capital into the city, he said.

First ethnic minority cultural festival held in Gia Lai province
 
The festival demonstrated Gia Lai’s responsibility in preserving traditional culture and recognised artisans who have made great contributions to preserving the gong cultural space.

It was also an opportunity for ethnic minority groups in Gia Lai to promote their cultural values in tandem with tourism and services development.

An array of activities were organised during the two-day festival, including gong performances, folk singing, and knitting and weaving, among others.

The festival was part of activities being held to mark the 90th founding anniversary of Gia Lai province (May 24) and in response to Vietnamese Ethnic Groups’ Culture Day.

Golfers gear up for SEA Games 31
 
Among the nine golfers, only Doan Xuan Khue Minh has played in the region’s biggest tournament before and has actually done so twice. The rest of the team are all new faces. The 2022 National Golf Championship is therefore viewed as a pre-SEA Games competition and a stepping stone towards the regional sports festival.

Compared to others in the region, Vietnamese golfers have fewer opportunities to compete in top tournaments. Fortunately, this year, for the first time, the national golf championship has been included on a professional tour by the Vietnam Golf Association, given players the opportunity to gain some experience in a top-notch competition in preparation for the SEA Games.

VNA Press Awards 2021 honour journalists

Winners of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Press Awards 2021 were commended at a ceremony held at the agency’s headquarters in Hanoi on April 22.

Among the nearly 290 entries, seven were granted Prize A, while 15 were presented with Prize B, 22 with Prize C, and 27 with consolation prizes. Six other outstanding entries were also praised.

The VNA Press Awards 2021 saw the first time infographics officially became a main category. Besides, first-ever specialised prizes were also awarded to impressive entries in new types of media such as podcasts and social media.

Decision to give boost to hydro-meteorological development

Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh has signed a decision on the issuance of a plan to implement the Party Central Committee Secretariat’s Directive No. 10-CT/TW dated September 25, 2021 on strengthening the Party's leadership in hydro-meteorological work, meeting the requirements of the national construction and defence.

In the decision, the Deputy PM assigned relevant ministries, sectors and localities to conduct six key tasks.

The tasks include the promotion of communications and education to raise public awareness of the efficiency of hydro-meteorological data, the modernisation of monitoring and information collection, and improvements to hydro-meteorological forecasting.

Related legal and policy systems, along with the effectiveness of State management in the field are also required, with sci-tech application and international cooperation.

Ministry launches eID codes for subordinate units

The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) has issued electronic identification (eID) codes for its agencies and units, which are expected to help building an e-Government.

The MIC has been issued an eID code of Level 1, while those at Level 2 were given to its advisory units (the office, inspectorate, and authorities of the ministry), Level 3 to its departments and their subordinate centres, and Level 4 to the Institute of Post and Telecommunications Technology and its subordinate units.

The MIC has already launched a national data exchange platform (NDXP) to help connect, integrate and share data among ministries, sectors and localities nationwide. All 22 ministries, ministry-level agencies and 63 provinces and cities are now connected with the NDXP.

In the first quarter of 2022, more than 134.5 million transactions were made on the NDXP, surging 24-fold from a year earlier, according to the MIC.

Indian students enroll in a medicine course at Vietnam university

Ho Chi Minh City-based Hong Bang International University (HIU) has just welcomed first 20 Indian students majoring in Medicine.

These are excellent students who have passed the capacity assessment round as well as interviews by professors in the field of Health and International Language and Culture at this university.

They will follow a training programme in English based on a standard programme developed by the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Health of Vietnam that is close to medical training programmes deployed in advanced countries in the world.

In addition to theoretical and clinical knowledge, the Indian students will also study Vietnamese language and Vietnamese culture. In particular, they will take part in internship courses at FV Hospital, Thong Nhat Hospital, Cho Ray Hospital, and Nguyen Trai Hospital.

After six years of study, graduates can participate in medical examination and treatment at hospitals and other medical facilities. They can also teach at medical and pharmaceutical training institutions, work at research institutes, health science management agencies, and international organizations operating in the field of health.

Local shooters aim to regain top position in Southeast Asia

The Vietnamese shooting team have set the lofty target of winning up to six gold medals to stay on top of shooting competitions at the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31).

Typically shooting has never represented a popular sport for the Vietnamese team during the past SEA Games. The 2019 regional event held in the Philippines for instance saw local shooters leave empty handed.

The 31-member national team are now training hard, striving to shoot at their set target and bring Vietnam back to the top position in Southeast Asia.

The national shooting team boast several outstanding faces who are familiar with regional and international tournaments. Hoang Xuan Vinh who won the 2016 Olympics gold medal will take part as coach for the team for the first time.

Local marksmen won’t be put under any extra pressure because the coaching board wants them to feel at ease before the start of competitions, Xuan Vinh shared.

Vinh’s teammate Tran Quoc Cuong is one of the few local shooters to attend both the 2003 and 2022 iterations of the SEA Games and is aiming for a gold medal in his final participation at the regional sporting event.

Cuong was called up to the national shooting team in 1995. Since then he has participated in nine SEA Games and won 14 golds, with his most recent gold medal coming at the 2015 event in Singapore.

The 48-year-old shooter is now full of energy and determination to win a gold medal in Hanoi before retiring and moving into coaching.

Regional athletes will compete in shooting at the Hanoi-based National Sports Training Center from May 16 to May 22.

Hanoi tourism gift festival 2022 to begin on April 29

The capital of Hanoi will host a tourism gift festival between April 29 and May 1 as part of efforts to revitalize local tourism services as the country strives to move past the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31).

The festival will feature a total of 100 booths at Hoan Kiem (Returned Sword) lake area, Ly Thai To flower garden, Bat Giac (Octagon) house, Le Thach - Le Lai roads, and Hanoi Children's Palace in Hoan Kiem district.

Currently, the Hanoi Department of Tourism has received registration for the participation of many artisans from famous craft villages, including Chuong conical hat village, Thach Xa bamboo dragonfly village, Chang Son paper fan village, To He (toy figurine) village, Van Phuc silk village, Bat Trang ceramic village, and Ha Thai lacquer village.

A wide range of entertainment activities will also be held such as check-in spots featuring models of Thang Long imperial citadel and the Temple of Literature, as well as an arrangement space of lilies which is a popular flower in Hanoi during April.

A street performance, a trade fair, and an exhibition displaying Hanoi tourism photos will also take place during the festival. 

New tours which allow guests to discover Hanoi, such as a night tour of Thang Long imperial citadel and cycling tour around Bat Trang ceramic village, will be introduced on this occasion.

VOV, RTA sign TV cooperation agreement

VOV President Do Tien Sy and General Director of Argentina's National Radio and Television (RTA) Rosario Lufrano have signed a cooperation agreement in TV production and program exchange.

A recent online signing ceremony was witnessed by the Argentine Ambassador to Vietnam and the Vietnamese Ambassador to Argentina. Under the agreement, VOV and RTA will exchange and co-produce television programs on culture, music and tourism, contributing to enhancing the communications between Vietnam and Argentina.

Present at the signing ceremony in Hanoi, Argentine Ambassador to Vietnam Luis Pablo Maria Beltramino reiterated the Embassy’s readiness to cooperate with the two broadcasters to implement the signed agreement.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Argentina Duong Quoc Thanh said he hopes that the cooperation between VOV and RTA will deliver many interesting programs to audiences of the two countries and become a bright spot in the comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and Argentina.

HCM City hosts abstract art exhibition

The 13th solo exhibition of artist Trần Nhật Thăng has opened in HCM City with the title Miền không (Emptiness).

He is displaying more than 30 large paintings, and the biggest is Miền xanh số 5 (Green Land No 5), 130cm by 480cm, a combination of six panels.

Thăng, 50, has been known as an abstract painter since studying at the Việt Nam Fine Arts University. He fell in love with abstract art when he was a fourth-year student in 1994.

From 1994 to 1998, he started researching materials such as dó (Poonah) paper on canvas, sawdust, sand, rope, spray paint, gasoline on oil paint, and many techniques for creating different effects.

He returned to two minimalist colours: red and black, three years later. In 2008, he held a solo exhibition, Portrait of Freedom, only in black and white. But from here, he took 10 years out and painted nothing. In 2018, he returned with the exhibition Miền (Land), including 40 paintings depicting many sad moods.

He then paused again for four years. Now, he has mastered the principle of living his life on his own terms, and he has returned to the attitude of drawing whatever he wants.

The exhibition will run until April 30 at HAKIO – Let’s Art, at No 38, Trần Cao Vân Street, HCM City. 

Dengue fever cases on the rise as rains begin early

The rainy season has arrived early in HCM City and its neighbouring provinces, helping breed mosquitoes and causing a high risk of dengue fever outbreaks, doctors said.

In the first three months of this year the number of people hospitalised with dengue had nearly doubled from the same period last year, Assoc Prof Phạm Văn Quang, head of the department of intensive care and poisoning control at Children’s Hospital No.1, said.

Nguyễn Minh Tiến, deputy director of the HCM City Children's Hospital, said 100-150 dengue patients had been coming to the hospital every day since February, with 10 per cent of them being admitted.

Nearly 60 severe cases are being treated at the hospital now, including some also with COVID-19, most of them are obese, according to Tiến.

This year the rainy season arrived early in the south, and there is a high risk of dengue outbreaks that have been occurring every three or four years.

HCM City transport authorities eye toll on vehicles entering downtown

The HCM City Department of Transport wants toll to be collected from cars entering the traffic-clogged inner districts as a means to reduce gridlock and pollution.

It has submitted a proposal to the People’s Committee to implement it by 2025.

It expects to spend nearly VNĐ500 billion (US$21.75 million) on it.

Innovative Technology Development Corporation has offered to execute it as a PPP (public-private partnership) project.

It plans to set up 36 tollbooths on streets leading to the city centre with an operating centre linked with all of them.

Most will be in districts 1 and 3 on streets leading to the downtown area. Some will also be in traffic-clogged streets in Tân Bình District such as Trường Sơn and Cộng Hòa.

The tollgates will automatically collect fees from on board units installed in cars.

Tolls will not be collected from public buses and vehicles like ambulances, fire engines and police vehicles.

The toll will only be applicable during peak hours (6am to 9am and 3pm to 9pm).

The toll will be VNĐ40,000-70,000 ($1.7-3), depending on the vehicle, and VNĐ20,000 for taxis registered to ply in the city

According to ITD, 110,000-150,000 vehicles enter the downtown area every day.

Slapping a fee for such entry is expected to reduce the number by 30-40 per cent, easing traffic jams.

The project is part of the city’s master plan to promote public transport.

Source: VNA/SGT/VNS/VOV/Dtinews/SGGP/VGP/Hanoitimes