The “Vietnam Day” took place at Mokdong Sports Complex in Seoul on May 13 within the framework of the match between two professional football clubs in the Republic of Korea – Seoul E-Land FC and Cheonan City FC – which three Vietnamese footballers are playing for.

Nguyen Van Toan is playing for Seoul E-Land FC while Cheonan City FC has contracted two young players from Hoang Anh Gia Lai Club - Vu Minh Hieu and Nguyen Canh Anh.

Seoul E-Land FC decided to organise the event "Come on Seoul E-Land FC! Vietnam Day" to welcome Vietnamese fans in particular, as well as supporters of the club in general, while its forward Toan spent his own money to offer 1,000 free tickets to fans.

Spectators also had a chance to experience Vietnamese traditional games at the match.

Three Gia Lai family members killed in electric shock

A man and his two sons were killed in an electric shock in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai's Ia Pa District.

According to a report from local police, Kpa Anen, 53, received an electric shock while mending his pump which was placed by the family's well at 8.40 am on May 14. Seeing him fall into the well, his son Rmah Thong, 29, and son-in-law Nay Guoi, 26, jumped into the well to save him. They both were shocked in the three-metre-deep well.

The three were rushed to Ia Pa District Healthcare Centre but died shortly after due to serious injuries.

Police are investigating the cause of the accident. 

Vietnam win big at Muay Thai championship

After 10 days of competition, Vietnamese athletes won five gold, three silver and seven bronze medals at the IFMA Senior World Championships 2023.

The national Muay Thai team won five gold medals and topped the ranking table of the IFMA Senior World Championships 2023 which closed on May 13 in Thailand.

The tournament saw more than 3,000 participants from 112 countries and territories celebrating the International Federation of Muaythai Associations's (FIMA) 30th anniversary.

After 10 days of competition, Vietnamese athletes won five gold, three silver and seven bronze medals.

Among the title winners, four are U23 athletes.

Ma Thanh Dang won in the men's 45kg. Nguyen Dinh Minh Khue took the men's 48kg. Nguyen Thi Phuong Hau championed the women's 60kg and Tran Thi Anh Tuyet triumphed in the women's 75kg.

The young fighters also took three silvers and three bronzes.

Their outstanding performance placed Vietnam on top of the U23 table. Morroco and the UAE came second and third respectively.

In the elite category, their senior Nguyen Van Yen took gold in the men's individual waikru (performance) event.

Huynh Hoang Phi claimed a bronze in the men's 54kg class.

Powerhouse Thailand dominated the elite category with five golds, followed by the US and Turkey.

With a total of five golds in both skill levers, Vietnam became the number one team in the medal tally.

Malaysia and Thailand placed second and third, respectively. They had the same number of golds but fell short by one silver.

Vietnam firm on top of SEA Games 32 tally with 107 golds

Vietnamese athletes on May 14 won an additional 20 gold medals at the ongoing 32nd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in Cambodia, raising their total golds to 107 and consolidating their top position.

On the day, divers brought home five gold medals in the men’s and women’s singles and teams.

Nguyen Tran San San once again broke the SEA Games record in women’s 800 m surface, clocking 7 minutes and 13.91 seconds, after breaking abitger in the women's 400m surface a day earlier. Following San’s May 14 gold, the Vietnamese diving team won four others.

After striking a hat-trick on May 13, Vietnamese Aerobic athletes continued to grab two more gold medals in the duo and group performances.

Fencers, Judokas, and wrestlers also have two more gold medals in each sport.

Other gold medals were won by Vietnam in weightlifting, rowing, table tennis, and Chinese chess.

On the tally, Vietnam is followed by Thailand with 90 and Cambodia with 67 gold medals.

Vietnam sent a 1,003-strong sports delegation to the SEA Games 32, about 700 of them athletes.

 Vietnam Aerobic team win five gold medals at all five events they compete at SEA Games 32. (Photo:VNA)
Competing in 31 sports events, the Vietnamese team aims to bring home 90-120 gold medals and enter the top three. 

SEA Games 32 is held in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Preah Sihanouk, Kampot, and Kep in Cambodia from May 5 and will be closed on May 17.

Vietnam organises friendship run in New York

The Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations on May 14 organised a friendship run “ASEAN Fun Run” in Roosevelt Island, New York City.

The run, initiated and organised by the mission for the first time, is the opening event for a series of the sports and cultural exchange activities towards the "ASEAN Family Day" 2023 in New York.

Ambassadors, Heads of Delegations, and nearly 300 officials and their family members of the ASEAN countries and Timor-Leste joined the run.

Speaking at the opening of the event, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the UN, said that the run aims to mark the success of the recent 42nd ASEAN Summit in Indonesia and the ongoing 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.

Giang expressed his hope the run can contribute to further tightening the solidarity and close cooperation among the ASEAN delegations to the UN and spreading the spirit of the ASEAN Community.

After completing the 6.66-km run, participants enjoyed typical dishes of Vietnam and other ASEAN countries.

Ha Nam hosts Japan traditional art exchange

A traditional art exchange programme between Vietnam and Japan was held in the northern province of Ha Nam on May 14 as part of the activities to mark the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between the two countries this year (21/9/1973 - 21/9/2023).

Japanese artists introduced Kyogen, the first comedic art form in Japan with a history of 650 years to Vietnamese audiences. The UNESCO-recognised World Cultural Heritage mainly describes the daily life of ordinary people in the middle age.

The event is also part of the Ha Nam Culture and Tourism Week held from May 14 to May 20 which will see a wide range of activities, including art performances, a firework show, afirst hot air-balloon festival, and a trade fair displaying.

In 2022, the Ha Nam People’s Committee and the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam successfully organised and an exchange programme on Kyogen and Cheo singing traditional art.

France-Vietnam Job Fair held in HCM City, offering over 200 jobs

A France-Vietnam Job Fair was held in Ho Chi Minh City on May 13 by the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Vietnam (CCIFV) and the Institute of Cultural Exchange with France (IDECAF).

The event attracted more than 600 candidates who registered to look for more than 200 job opportunities in French companies operating in the fields of information technology, commerce, retail, finance, communications, construction, services, tourism, transportation and logistics in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

Emmanuelle Pavillon Grosser, French Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, emphasised that the job fair was one of activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the strategic partnership between France and Vietnam.

In the context of post-COVID-19 recovery, human resources training and recruitment have always been a concern of businesses.

Held since 2014, the event has provided positive support for French enterprises operating in Vietnam.

According to the French Consul General, to date, French companies have created nearly 50,000 jobs in Vietnam.

Gathering, photo exhibition marks 50 years of Paris Peace Accords signing

The General Union of Vietnamese in France (UGVF) on May 13 held a get-together and a photo exhibition marking the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Paris Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam (Paris Peace Accords) (January 27, 1973).

UGVF President Vuong Huu Nhan said that the get-together aimed to share memories of a heroic period at the UGVF's headquarters at No.16 on Petit Musc street, Paris - an important venue for negotiations on the Paris Peace Accords 50 years ago.

He emphasised that the patriotic movement of Vietnamese people in France, of which the UGVF at that time was the core, greatly contributed to the agreement signing.

At the event, the UGVF introduced file photos featuring negotiation sessions towards the signing of the agreement, and several books on the Vietnamese history.

The Paris Peace Accords was the result of the longest and most difficult struggle in the history of Vietnam's diplomacy, with over 202 public meetings held over four years, eight months and 14 days.

Ca Mau Province boosts building of new-style rural areas

Shrimp-rice farming fields in Thới Bình District’s Trí Lực Commune. Cà Mau has developed various effective farming models, including shrimp-rice farming, to build new-style rural areas.. — VNA/VNS Photo Huỳnh Anh

The southernmost province of Cà Mau plans to have an additional four new-style rural communes by the end of this year, taking the number of new-style rural communes to 58, or 70 per cent of its total communes.

It plans to have at least one district which will have all its communes recognised as new-style rural communes by the end of this year.    

It also aims to have four additional advanced new-style rural communes by the end of this year.   

Under the country’s programme of building new-style rural areas, a commune has to meet the programme’s 19 criteria related to planning, infrastructure, transport, irrigation, power supply, environment, income, education, healthcare, social security, culture, and others to be recognised as a new-style rural commune.

An advanced new-style rural commune must achieve higher standards across all 19 criteria than the standards set for a new-style rural commune.  

The province had 54 new-style rural commune areas and three advanced new-style rural communes as of the end of last year.

It has effectively implemented the programme and encouraged the public to actively participate in it as local people have donated their land and working days to build infrastructure for developing new-style rural areas.

In Thới Bình District, many people have donated money and land for building schools, roads, bridges and health clinics.

Phạm Văn Giang, a local in Hồ Thị Kỷ Commune, for instance, has donated 5,000 sq.m of land to build the Tân Lợi Primary School.

Under the programme, the province has built more than 3,785 km of rural roads, helping to facilitate travel for local people.

To mobilise the resources of local people to build new-style rural areas, the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Area is implementing various measures to develop agricultural production and improve the lives of rural people.

Phan Hoàng Vũ, director of the department, said the province is developing agriculture production towards smart production, efficiency, sustainability and adapting to climate change.

The province has undertaken advocacy activities to enhance the awareness of the public about the programme.

In Đầm Dơi District, the Quách Phẩm Commune Women's Union has encouraged its members to actively participate in building new-style rural areas by treating waste to protect the environment, growing flowers and trees to beautify roads, building hygienic toilets, and developing effective production models.

Lê Thị Mỹ Duyên, a union member, is nearly 60 years old and has participated in all the union’s activities such as keeping her house clean and growing trees to beautify her house.

She makes organic fertiliser from waste and grows vegetables and fruits to earn additional income, she said.

Nguyễn Thị Hồng Thắm, chairwoman of the union, said the programme warmly receives the responses of the members.

With their hard work, houses and roads look cleaner and more beautiful, she said.

The province has developed products under the country’s “One Commune-One Product” programme to improve income and create jobs for rural people, and this boosts building new-style rural areas.

OCOP products are rated between one- to five-star status and include foods, souvenirs, furniture, agricultural products, and rural tourism.

The province has 122 three-star OCOP products and six four-star OCOP products. They are mostly shrimp chips, shrimp flakes, dried shrimp, fish sauce and fish products.

Nguyễn Hoàng Ân, chairman of the Cái Bát Processing, Trade, Services and Aquaculture Co-operative in Cái Nước District, said his co-operative had its tilapia paste recognised as a three-star OCOP product in 2020.

After the tilapia paste was rated as a three-star OCOP product, its sales and value have increased compared to before the recognition, he said.

Cái Nước District has 15 OCOP products rated at the three-star level.

Trần Hoàng Đạo, head of the district Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the province’s relevant departments and agencies have created favourable conditions for producers and companies to develop OCOP products.

The district has established the Cà Mau Agriculture Services Co-operatives Union to sell the specialty products of Cái Nước, Cà Mau and other provinces, he said.

The union has nine co-operatives and sells more than 100 OCOP products, he said. 

HCM City to improve competitiveness to attract investment

HCM City authorities plan this year to improve the city’s competitiveness to create the most favourable conditions for investment, production and businesses in all fields as it announced its 2022 Department and District Competitiveness Index (DDCI) results.

Speaking at a meeting to announce the results on Thursday, Phan Văn Mãi, chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, said in addition to the DDCI, the city would improve its Public Administration Reform Index (PAR Index), Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI), and Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI).

To improve the PAR Index and PAPI, the city would focus on the major role played by and responsibility of leaders of departments, agencies, districts and Thủ Đức city.

To enhance the PCI index, it would improve its business climate, accelerate digital transformation and promote online public services.

Mãi has ordered departments, agencies, districts and Thủ Đức city authorities to develop plans to improve the indicators and report to the city by the end of the month.

According to the 2022 DDCI results, the Department of Science and Technology ranked first in the index, followed by the HCM City Export Processing and Industrial Zones Authority, the Department of Industry and Trade, the Department of Culture and Information, and the Department of Justice.

These departments also achieved high scores in criteria such as transparency and access to information, application of information technology and digital transformation, time cost, fair competition, business support, legal institutions, creative dynamism, and effectiveness. 

Meanwhile, the Department of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs is at the bottom, ahead of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment and the Department of Transport.

The three departments of Health, Tourism, and Education and Training had failed to provide sufficient information for the evaluation, which was condemned by the city government.

Regarding districts, Phú Nhuận District led the overall index with a score of 78.56, followed by District 11, District 10 and Tân Phú District. 

Meanwhile, Thủ Đức city (Việt Nam’s first city within a city by merging HCM City’s districts 2 and 9 and Thủ Đức District in 2020) is at the bottom, ahead of Bình Chánh and Củ Chi districts.

More than 15,000 firms, cooperatives, and business households were invited to join the survey from last December to the end of January this year.

The index evaluated 22 districts, including Thủ Đức city, and 17 departments based on nine indicators.

They include transparency and access to information (which accounts for 10 per cent of the ranking), information-technology application and digital transformation (10 per cent), unofficial costs such as bribes (10 per cent), time spent on administrative procedures (15 per cent), fair competition (10 per cent), support for business (10 per cent), legal institutions (5 per cent), the dynamism, creativity and effectiveness of departments, divisions and sectors (15 per cent), and the role of leadership (15 per cent).

Tây Ninh Province makes sure ethnic people do not fall through the cracks

The south-eastern province of Tây Ninh has implemented a number of policies to improve the lives of ethnic peoples.

It has 21 ethnic groups with 21,410 people, who account for 1.71 per cent of its total population.

The Khmer, Chăm and Hoa account for the largest numbers.

To improve the lives of the ethnic people, the province has allotted them farming and housing lands, provided jobs and helped preserve their traditions and cultures.

In Bến Cầu District, Long Phước Commune has 40 Thái ethnic families with 140 members.

Hồ Thanh Hải, chairman of the commune People’s Committee, said the province had a policy of providing each ethnic household in the commune 400sq.m of housing land and two hectares of farmland in 1994.

Hà Duy Khuyền, an ethnic Thái man living in Long Phước, moved from the central province of Thanh Hoá to Tây Ninh.

He said: “When I came here, I had no land. In 1994 my family was given housing land and farmland.”

He and his wife worked hard on the lands and saved up to buy more, and his family now has seven hectares, he added.

Most Thái houses in the commune are built of concrete and bricks.

The province has provided soft loans to ethnic households to carry on farming and business, and implemented measures to preserve their traditions and cultures.

For instance, it is building incinerators for the Khmer people, who have a tradition of cremating their dead. It built one in Châu Thành District in 2020.

It plans to build another in Tân Biên District’s Hoà Hiệp Commune by 2030.

It preserves the cultural, historical and architectural works of ethnic minorities.

The chhay-dăm drum dance of the Khmer in the province has been recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage.

The province has 12 cultural houses for its minorities, including the Khmer, Tà Mun and Chăm.  

Infrastructure has been improved in ethnic-dominated communes in recent years.

Commune-level roads are paved with cement or asphalt, ethnic children of school-going age attend schools and households have access to power and water.

The province has 60 new-style rural communes and advanced new-style rural communes, many with a large number of ethnic people.

In 2021-25 the province is investing VNĐ26.3 billion (US$1.1 million) to implement a national programme for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

Under it, ethnic people will be provided with housing and farming lands, power, water, and healthcare, and investments will be made in infrastructure to improve their lives.

It will also provide vocational training to more than 1,900 ethnic people to enable them to get jobs and stabilise their livelihoods. 

Innovation, creativity start-up festival for Red River Delta opens in Nam Định

The Innovation and Creativity Start-up Festival for the Hồng (Red) River Delta 2023 (TECHFEST 2023) began on Thursday in the northern province of Nam Định.

The opening ceremony was co-organised by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), the Việt Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Nam Định People’s Committee.

Speaking at the ceremony, the chairman of the Nam Định People's Committee, Phạm Đình Nghị, said that the festival had an important meaning and was a good opportunity to promote innovative ideas, creative innovation and look for solutions to improve labour productivity while minimising costs.

Minister of Science and Technology Huỳnh Thành Đạt said that Việt Nam's innovative start-up ecosystem has grown over the years.

It created favourable conditions for the formation and development of a new enterprise generation, which work based on advanced technologies and can quickly access domestic and foreign markets.

The innovative and creative start-up festival has been held annually since 2015 and has been a big activity, bringing the domestic and international innovative start-up communities close together.

Accompanying the national festival, many localities also organised their start-up festivals, attracting tens of thousands of attendees.

Over the years, the Red River Delta region has formed more than 1,000 start-up enterprises.

He said the Red River Delta had great potential for scientific research, technological development and innovation. The festival created good conditions for experts, investors, and management agencies to experience products and services from start-ups.

Through this, they can discuss practical solutions to design the ecosystem in the delta to become one of the strong attractions for domestic and international resources for start-ups and innovation.

The Red River Delta region has over 500 science and technology organisations, 291 research and development organisations, increased technological innovation speed and developed innovation startup ecosystem, according to the MoST’s statistics.

The Politburo’s Resolution 30-NQ/TW on the Red River Delta’s development until 2030, with a vision to 2045, defined that the delta would strive to become a centre of science, technology and innovation, a leading innovator in the country.

A high-level forum on the issue was organised on the same day as part of the festival.

During the forum, experts, scientists, and provincial leaders in the Red River Delta offered many solutions to support the building of a startup and innovation ecosystem.

The solutions include developing resources to promote innovation, supporting businesses in their start-ups and innovation, developing projects in potential industries, training activities to equip knowledge about entrepreneurship, giving production management skills, and researching and transferring scientific and technological results.

Trần Minh Hoan, director of the Nam Định Department of Science and Technology, said that localities in the region have recently supported, built and operated an innovation startup ecosystem, but not synchronously.

Some localities lack connectivity with each other.

To develop the innovative startup ecosystem in the delta, localities need to work together to deploy training programmes, knowledge training, and seminars for entrepreneurs of the startup ecosystem. 

Work on Bien Hoa-Vung Tau highway to start in June

With a total investment of around VND17.83 trillion (USD759 million) sourced from public investment, it is divided into three sub-projects. The first two total 34.2 kilometres of road running through Dong Nai. Meanwhile, the third sub-project will add 19.5 kilometres situated in Vung Tau City.

By May 5, VND1.07 trillion (USD42.55 million) was spent as compensation for 462 households affected by the third sub-project’s site clearance. The southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau is speeding up site clearance work to ensure completion by May 30.

Work on the third sub-project is slated to be completed on June 30.

Northern, central regions forecasted to face heat wave

The northern and central regions of Vietnam would experience a hot front next week, according to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting.

Between April 11 and May 10, northern and central localities saw continual hail, rain and whirlwinds along with the light cold weather. 

From May 16, the northern and central regions would see the temperature rise again, with hot weather affecting the regions on May 17-20.

From late May, the temperature in northern and central regions would be 0.5-1 degree centigrade higher than the average level of many previous years.

Warnings of fires in areas that would be affected by the hot weather have been issued.

Dong Nai plans to build 10,000 low-cost houses by 2025

A government working group led by Construction Minister Nguyen Thanh Nghi on Friday had a meeting with the Dong Nai People’s Committee on the provincial socio-economic situation, including measures on the real estate market development.  

At the meeting, Nguyen Hong Linh, Dong Nai's Party Secretary, said that over the past 30 years, Dong Nai received 1.2 migrants. Among those, 600,000 workers were living in rented houses. The province is home to 31 industrial parks with 410,000 workers.

However, in the 2016-20 period, the province built only about 3,500 social housing units, including just 1,600 for workers.

To ease the social housing shortage, the province has aimed to build 10,000 social housing units by the end of 2025. It would have 30,000 units in the years later.

According to Minister Nghi, the ministry would collect the province’s proposals for its social-economic development for submission to the government.

New inter-provincial transport routes to come

Total inter-provincial passenger transport routes expected to increase to 9,350 by 2025.

The Ministry of Transport has decided to add ten new inter-provincial fixed passenger transport routes to facilitate the transportation activities of businesses and to prevent the operations of illegal bus services.

Inter-provincial fixed passenger transport routes will increase to 9,350 by 2025.

Figures from the Ministry show that transport activities have increased over the past four months. More than 1.49 billion passengers were transported by land, a year-on-year rise of 24.6 per cent.

Freight transport reached nearly 550 million tons, up 13 per cent year-on-year.

The number of passenger buses increased to around 21,000, according to the Vietnam Automobile Transportation Association.
 The city plans this year to improve its competitiveness to create the most favourable conditions for investors. Photo idj.com.vn
In addition, land access and land use stability were also taken into consideration when assessing the localities. 

The city had some of the lowest scores for transparency and access to information, land access and stability, unofficial costs, support for businesses, time expenditure, and the role of leadership.

The index aims to help departments, agencies and districts recognise their strengths and weaknesses so they can adjust to create a more friendly environment for investment, production and business activities in all fields. 

Two more expressways to be opened to traffic this week

Two more expressways as part of the big-ticket North-South Expressway project will be opened to traffic on May 19, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Nha Trang-Cam Lam expressway has a total length of over 49 kilometers in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa, and requires a total investment of over VND5.5 trillion.

The four-lane road starts in Dien Tho Commune, Dien Khanh District, and ends in Cam Thinh Tay Commune, Cam Ranh City, Khanh Hoa Province.

This is the first project under the public-private partnership format to be completed as part of the North-South Expressway project in the 2017-2020 period.

Son Hai Group, the investor of the project, completed the expressway around three months ahead of schedule.

The 100-kilometer-long Vinh Hao-Phan Thiet expressway, running through Binh Thuan Province, costs over VND11 trillion, funded by the State budget.

Work on the project started in late September 2020 and was originally scheduled to be completed by the end of 2022. However, the deadline for the project has been extended to April 30, then June 30 this year.

Vinh Hao-Phan Thiet expressway will be connected to the 99-kilometer Phan Thiet-Dau Giay expressway, which was opened to traffic on April 29, and the HCMC-Long Thanh-Dau Giay expressway to form a 260-kilometer expressway from Binh Thuan to HCMC.

With the completion of those sections, the total length of the North-South Expressway will be increased to 835 kilometers.

HCMC-Chon Thanh expressway proposed

A construction plan for the HCMC-Chon Thanh expressway project has recently been proposed by Binh Duong Province, one of the two southern provinces through which the road passes.

As planned, the expressway project will have three sections, with one in HCMC (two kilometers), one in Binh Duong Province (60 kilometers) and one in Binh Phuoc Province (seven kilometers).

As for the Binh Duong section, the provincial government recommended building the road under the public-private partnership, with an investment of over VND8,800 billion.

An additional VND7,300 billion will be spent on land clearance and funded by the State budget.

The province plans to construct a 7.7-kilometer-long section that connects the expressway to the HCMC Beltway No. 3 based on the underway Provincial Road 743 and 747B projects.

Work on seven kilometers of the expressway in Binh Phuoc Province will be developed under another project, totaling VND1,800 billion from the budget.

The HCMC- Chon Thanh, or HCMC- Thu Dau Mot-Chon Thanh expressway, is part of the Ho Chi Minh road project. The road is expected to enhance connectivity between the southern key economic zone and the Central Highlands, thus boosting socioeconomic development.

Hanoi opens exhibition of contemporary Japanese photography  
  
The cultural event is part of the Photo Hanoi'23 International Photography Biennale and aims to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Vietnam.

Hai Thanh has gained recognition within the local photography community for his ability to capture visually stunning images with a focus on daily life themes, establishing himself as a professional photographer.

In the exhibition titled "While in Japan", which will be opened to the public in Hanoi from May 19 to June 4 at the Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam, the photographer will showcase his unique photographs with an interesting perspective on contemporary Japan, especially Tokyo.

The series of photographs of Japan was taken when Thanh first visited the country with his family in 2016, to record his personal experiences and memories during his six-month stay in a country with such a rich and distinctive culture.

The strong impressions of his first visit propelled him to return to Japan, to observe and learn more about the lifestyle, the urban landscapes, the people going about their orderly and logical ways of life, and the harmonies and contrasts existing side by side in everyday situations.

During his time in Japan, while taking photographs of several other places, the artist was most impressed by the capital city, with the unrivaled diverse and uninhibited nature of its cultural expressions.

The photographs of the exhibition, hand-picked by the artist himself, give us a glimpse of his private and subjective perspective during his visits to Japan in 2016, 2018, and 2019. 

According to Thanh, photography, in the beginning, was just one of his hobbies. “But with time, it became the means for self-expression and communication of my messages to society,” he stated.

After working as a freelance photojournalist for local and international news agencies and participating in the Indochina Media Memorial Foundation twice (in 2007 and 2010), Thanh became a professional photographer.

He now devotes much of his time to organizing workshops for young amateur and professional photography enthusiasts. Since the beginning of his photography career in the early 2000s to date, Hai Thanh has held numerous group and solo exhibitions in Vietnam and abroad to critical acclaim.

In addition to the exhibition, the photographer is also offering a portfolio review (for photo analysis) for young photographers on May 21 at 3 pm at The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam, No. 27 Quang Trung Street, Hanoi.

Ben Thanh- Suoi Tien metro ticket prices proposed

The Ho Chi Minh City Management Center of Public Transport has just sent a report to the City Department of Transport to propose ticket rates on Ho Chi Minh City's metro line No. 1.

The ticket is proposed to cost VND9,000 (US$0.38) to VND24,000 (US$1) per turn for the whole metro line.

Besides, the ticket for passengers with recharge metro cards will be applied at VND7,000 (US$0.3) to VND18,000 (US$0.8) per turn. In addition, the ticket shall be priced at VND48,000 (US$2) per day, the three-day ticket will cost VND108,000 (US$4.6). Regarding monthly tickets, passengers will pay VND330,000 (US$14) per month while the tickets for pupils and students shall cost VND165,000 (US$7) a month.

In order to attract more passengers, the Ho Chi Minh City Management Center of Public Transport proposed the Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR) of Ho Chi Minh City to perform the upgrade investment to ensure the effectiveness of tickets of all kinds for the metro line, add more kinds of tickets following hours or inter-line monthly ones to meet the demand and purpose of passengers.

However, ticket price identification has to be performed in accordance with the payment ability of people together with the capacity of balancing the budget for subsidies.

Therefore, the center proposed a ticket reduction for the initial phase and will adjust the price after one year of operation.

Nantes city of France interested in boosting ties with Vietnamese localities

Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang has paid a working visit to Nantes, a western city of the European country, as part of efforts to promote cooperation with French localities.

Receiving the ambassador, Deputy Mayor of Nantes Aymeric Seassau spoke highly of Vietnam’s strong economic development and affirmed his city’s wish to seek opportunities for economic partnerships and form twin relations with Vietnamese localities.

He also highlighted the dynamism of the Vietnamese community in the Loire-Atlantique region and the Vietnam - Loire-Atlantique Friendship Association, who have held a number of cultural, sports, and tourism activities to help locals learn more about Vietnam, which he described as an increasingly modern and future-oriented country with a vigorous economy.

On this occasion, the official gave Thang the original versions of two local newspapers that were issued in November 1968 and featured articles showing support for Vietnam in the fight against the US imperialists.

At a working session with member enterprises of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Loire-St Nazaire region, Ambassador Thang introduced Vietnam’s economic development, demand and wish to develop cooperation with French enterprises, including those in Loire-St Nazaire.

Companies from local major sectors such as shipbuilding, health care infrastructure building, mechanics, agriculture, and food industry expressed their intention to learn more about the business and investment climate, potential, and chances in the Southeast Asian country.

Talking to the Vietnam News Agency, Ambassador Thang said the French partners and enterprises voiced their interest in enhancing economic ties with Vietnam to meet the two countries’ demand.

He perceived that achievements in bilateral relations over the last 50 years provide an important basis for fostering economic ties, adding both countries hold rich potential and complementary advantages.

Local leaders also hope to develop the two countries’ ties more strongly, including the Nantes administration and people’s cooperation with the Vietnamese partners and people, the diplomat noted.

During the trip,  the diplomat also met with members of the Vietnam - Loire-Atlantique Friendship Association (AVLA) and visited a photo exhibition on Vietnamese women.

He mentioned the successful 12th conference on decentralised cooperation between French and Vietnamese localities last April, calling on the administration and enterprises of Nantes and the AVLA to increase initiatives and projects on cooperation with Vietnam.

Fencers, gymnasts, weightlifter win more SEA Games golds for Vietnam

Female fencers Phung Thi Khanh Linh, Pham Thi Thu Hoai, Bui Thi Thu Ha and Le Minh Hang at May 14 noon won one more gold medal for Vietnam in the women’s sabre team event at the ongoing 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia.

Earlier the same day, Vietnamese aerobic athletes grabbed two golds, raising the total number of gold medals claimed by the Vietnamese team to five in five events of this year’s Games.

Specifically, Tran Ngoc Thuy Vi and Le Hoang Phong brought home a gold in the mixed pair event. The duo also joined Nguyen Viet Anh, Nguyen Che Thanh and Vuong Hoai An to gain the highest score at the group (5) event to win the gold.

Meanwhile, in weightlifting, Tran Minh Tri clinched the gold at the men’s 67kg category, with a combined lift of 306kg.

As of 3pm on May 14, Vietnam still topped the medal tally, with 91 golds, 79 silvers and 87 bronzes. It was followed by Thailand with 79 golds, and host Cambodia 60 golds.

Banner hanging of the Tay, Nung ethnic people

The Tay and Nung ethnic people in Cao Bang, a province in northern Vietnam, have treasured a custom of hanging a banner to celebrate the longevity of their grandparents and parents.

The colors and messages of the banners correspond to different ages. This custom reflects the respect and filial piety felt by local people for their elders.

Near the gate of Co Sau market in Trung Khanh district, there are several stalls selling banners. The banners are 0.8 meter in height and 2.5 meters in width and always involve a red or pink color, which represents good luck.

“I have sold banners for 25 years. Each one costs about US$4. The items sell best between October and February, when many families celebrate longevity. Grandchildren often hang banners to wish their grandparents and parents longevity to 100 years old,” says Ly Thanh Long, a resident of Trung Khanh town.

The Tay and Nung people believe that passing the age of 49 is passing the first period of human life, and a longevity ceremony must be held. Ten days before the ceremony, the host invites relatives and neighbours to the event. Close relatives prepare banners written with wishes of longevity and names of children and grandchildren. 

Today, the ceremony may be delayed until the age of 61 and how big the ceremony is depends on the financial condition of the family. Invited guests also bring rice, liquor, money, clothes, scarves, and hats. The messages written on the banners depends on the honoree’s age. “Blessing,” “Longevity,” “Health,” and “Security” correspond to the milestone ages of 49, 61, 73, and 85, respectively. When someone reaches 85, they receive all of those.

“My father turns 61 this year. I follow the tradition of buying and hanging banners as a wish for my grandparents and parents,” says Lo Thi Thieu of Trung Khanh district.

Banners are also hung for a house-warming ceremony as a symbol of health, happiness, and prosperity.

“The banners usually carry messages of happiness and longevity. I sell many in the first months of the year when longevity ceremonies are usually held,” states Dam Dan of Trung Khanh district.

Vietnamese warship leaves for international naval review

A Pohang-class corvette of the Vietnam People’s Navy left Da Nang on May 14 to take part in international multilateral activities at the invitations of the naval forces of both Indonesia and Malaysia.

The 5,000-nautical-mile journey is expected to help the crew train long-distance seafaring, improve their combat readiness, and enhance the patrolling and reconnaissance capacity at sea.

In Malaysia, the vessel will participate in activities within the framework of the 2023 Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA), including a naval ship display, a military parade and sea drills.

The Vietnamese warship will then travel to Indonesia to engage in the fourth Komodo Multilateral Naval Exercise (MNEK-4), an international ship review, and an international maritime security conference.

The trip aims to strengthen the friendship and cooperation between the Vietnam People’s Navy and those of countries inside and outside Southeast Asia, in order to address common challenges in maritime security.

Dolphins swim near the coast of Phu Yen

A school of approximately 20 dolphins were seen swimming near the south-central coast of Phu Yen on May 14 morning.   
Van Duy, a tourist guide, who took a group of tourists to the Mui Dien cape in Phu Yen province, said the tourists were delighted to watch about 20 dolphins swimming near the Mui Dien cape.

Some tourists used their smart phones to make a short clip about the dolphins.

“This is the first time I have seen such a large group of dolphins,” the tourist guide wrote on his FB.The clip of the dolphins was then posted on social network that immediately received a lot of attention from netizens.

Nguyen Trong Thao, head of the Dai Lanh Lighthouse Station, said that schools of fish often appear in the area when the sea is calm. Three years ago, hundreds of dolphins also swam in the sea near the Mai Nha Islet of Tuy An district.

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