VietNamNet Bridge – The idea of rural tourism is a bit of a puzzle for many Vietnamese citizens, said speakers at a recent conference in Ho Chi Minh City discussing the development of craft village tourism in the country. 

 E-government in Vietnam remains weak and less developed than in other regional countries though it is vital to the nation’s international integration process, experts told a seminar in Hanoi on March 30.

If roads in HCMC continue expansion, commuters will prefer using their vehicles instead of Metro Line No. 1, an economic expert said at a conference held on March 29 to discuss solutions to traffic congestion and accident reduction.

Before HCM City’s Party Secretary Dinh La Thang stated the idea of turning HCM City into a special economic zone like Shanghai, the city authorities asked for the central government’s permission to build this model 20 years ago.

 ANZ has recently released its Greater Mekong Outlook report, analyzing the importance of the textile industry for countries in the region.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Hanami (Cherry Blossom) Festival is scheduled to take place at Asia Park in Danang on April 9-10.

VietNamNet Bridge – Despite recent quality upgrades of local health stations, these grassroots facilities are struggling to draw in patients who find it hard to trust them with their well-being. 

  The race to acquire medical facilities among investors has once again heated up with the newly-announced investment by VinaCapital Vietnam Opportunity Fund Ltd in a hospital in the southern province of Dong Thap.

 On April 2, the Ministry of Health set up 8 teams to inspect Zika prevention and control in 16 cities and provinces.

  The 38th ASEAN Law Association (ALA) Governing Council Meeting convened in Ho Chi Minh City on April 2, bringing together delegates from ten ASEAN member states.

 Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh reaffirmed Vietnam’s consistent policy of supporting comprehensive nuclear weapon disarmament and nuclear weapon non- proliferation.

 Legislators mulled over the relieving of duty of some senior National Assembly (NA) officials in group discussions in the morning of April 2, as part of the agenda of the 13th parliament’s last meeting.

 The newly-elected President, Tran Dai Quang, has pledged to make all-out efforts to fulfill the duties of State leader, who also chairs the Council for National Defence and Security and commands the people’s armed forces.

 Julian Fong Loong Choon, who represents Standard Chartered’s stake in Asia Commercial Bank (ACB), has tendered his resignation from ACB’s board of directors in the 2013-2017 term.

 Mr. Pham Tuan Phan on January 18 assumed the post of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the Mekong River Commission (MRC) Secretariat.

  Artists of the HCMC Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO) will stage the popular Cinderella ballet at the HCMC Opera House on April 8 and 9.

 Farmers in the Central Highlands and southeastern provinces are grappling to find water for their pepper and coffee farms as there is no sign of drought abating.

 Vietnam has surpassed Singapore to become the leading country in Southeast Asia in raising funds from initial public offerings (IPOs), according to Bloomberg. 

  Top Vietnamese badminton player Nguyen Tien Minh climbed seven places to 36th position with 35,050 points in the latest world rankings announced by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) on March 31.  

 The Ministry of Transport has recently submitted a report to the Prime Minister on the establishment of the SkyViet Aviation JSC on the basis of restructuring the Vietnam Air Services Company.