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Two local travel bloggers, Quy Coc Tu (Ngo Tran Hai An) and Duong Vu, went on an expedition tour to Hang Va (Va Cave), which features a diverse range of stunning stalactites and stalagmites in Quang Binh Province, north-central Vietnam. With a total length of 1.7 kilometers, Va Cave is part of the cavern system found in the UNESCO-listed Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. A pathway to Va Cave in the UNESCO-listed Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Quang Binh Province, north-central Vietnam. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An The cave is some 50 meters away from the exit of Son Doong Cave, which is considered the world’s largest known cave. Va Cave is home to numerous cone-shaped, unique, and strikingly beautiful stalactites. Inside Va Cave in Quang Binh Province, north-central Vietnam. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An When the rainy season ends, rainwater seeps into the ground and through underground waterways to enter the cave, forming extremely unique underground … [Read more...] about In photos: This million-year-old cave in central Vietnam boasts incredibly beautiful stalactites

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered state agencies to prepare grand events and ensure safety with many foreign tourists expected to flock to one of the country's biggest festivals, Bangkok Post reported. Some 20 million people are expected to travel around the country between April 13 and 15 when the New Year is celebrated. The police have urged both Thai and foreign tourists to install their mobile app called "Tourist Police i lert u" to file complaints or call in an emergency. During Songkran, which falls in mid-April annually, crowds pack the streets for boisterous celebrations, which involves spraying water guns and hurling water off pick-up trucks. But to contain Covid, the government canceled celebrations for the last three years. … [Read more...] about Thailand expects 20 million travelers during Songkran holidays

A cross-functional team will be set up to work on improving the prospects of the local real estate market. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has issued a document on solving real estate market problems and improving its prospects. An affordable housing project in Dong Anh District's Thang Long Industrial Park. Photo: Pham Hung/The Hanoi Times The document, numbered 178/TTg-CN, aligns with Resolution 33/NQ-CP dated March 11, 2023, which provides solutions to develop a healthy, transparent, and sustainable real estate sector. Under the latest document, the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Treasury, the State Bank of Vietnam, and related agencies will set up a working group and work with developers to resolve existing problems and increase confidence in the property market. The Prime Minister has asked the Ministry of Construction to finalize the plan to build one million affordable houses for low-income buyers and workers in industrial parks in … [Read more...] about New regulation in place to boost Vietnam’s real estate market

In 2019, the authorities were able to handle major cases of smuggling and selling of counterfeit products, a fact that was not possible in the past. The Vietnam Directorate of Market Surveillance under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) identified 90,000 cases of trade fraud and smuggling, and issued nearly VND670 billion (US$28.96 million) in fines in 2019, up 7,700 cases and VND180 billion (US$7.78 million) in fines year-on-year, the governmental portal reported. Overview of the meeting. Source: Vietnam Directorate of Market Surveillance. During the year, the agency collected nearly VND500 billion (US$21.61 million) for the state budget, confiscated goods and products worth over VND170 billion (US$7.34 million) and destroyed smuggled and faked goods worth over VND120 billion (US$5.18 million). Tran Huu Linh, director general of the Vietnam Directorate of Market Surveillance, said at a meeting on January 13, that in 2019, the authorities were able to … [Read more...] about Vietnam authority identifies 90,000 cases of trade fraud in 2019

In order to better combat trade fraud activities in the future, the Ministry of Finance is requesting related agencies to soon issue specific criteria for domestically-produced goods. Under Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s instruction in Directive No.824 on tightening state administration against trade frauds, the General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDVC) has been working on perfecting the legal framework and identifying offenses in trading activities. The Ministry of Finance is requesting related agencies to soon issue specific criteria for domestically-produced goods. Photo: Hoai Nam. In terms of legislation, the GDVC has issued specific instructions for provincial customs in dealing with act of trade and origin frauds, illegal transshipment as well as violations of intellectual property rights. Additionally, the GDVC has given priority to training customs staff to ensure greater efficiency in determining cases of frauds in trade. Meanwhile, the … [Read more...] about Vietnam customs steps up fight against origin frauds in trade

Hoai An from Hanoi planned to visit Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s biggest island in the south, with his family during the five-day holiday. However, she had to find another place closer to home like Sa Pa or Hoa Binh after realizing air tickets were too high. The cheapest price for round-trip flights between Hanoi and Phu Quoc was VND6.6 million ($280) per person. "The cost of transportation was over VND20 million for a family of three people," she said. "It was too expensive." This year, Vietnamese will enjoy a five-day break as the Hung Kings anniversary celebration falls on April 29, which is a Saturday, and people are entitled to take two extra days off the following week to compensate for that and Reunification Day on Sunday. Linh Nhi from Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and her friends are also wondering whether to visit Da Nang or Thailand during the upcoming holiday. Currently, Vietjet Air's round-trip flight tickets between HCMC and Da Nang during the holiday cost about VND 4.5 … [Read more...] about Expensive air tickets discourage travel plans during Reunification Day holiday

A factory in Dong Nai province's Giang Dien Industrial Zone. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Vietnam attracted nearly 5.45 billion USD worth of foreign investment in the first quarter of the year, down 39% year-on-year, according to the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) under the Ministry of Planning and Investment . Of the three-month figure, over 3 billion USD came from 522 newly-licensed projects, up 62% in a number of projects but down 6% in the amount of capital compared to the same period last year. Some 1.2 billion USD was added to 228 existing ones, representing a yearly hike of 3% in a number of projects and a yearly decline of 70.3% in the capital. However, foreign investors' capital contribution and share purchases rose 4% year-on-year to 798 million USD, the FIA said. Along with the contraction in fresh capital, the disbursed capital also slightly plunged 2.2% from a year earlier to 4.3 billion USD, it noted. The most significant proportion of the … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s foreign investment plunges 39% in Q1

The Australian Government Trade and Investment Commission cooperated with the Electricity & Renewable Energy Department – Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam and Vietnam Electricity Group to organise the Energy Transformation Forum 2023, held in Hanoi on March 28. Participants at the event The event was part of the Australian Energy Mission which comprises a series of activities in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City from March 27 - 30 to promote cooperation on renewable energy and to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Australia and Vietnam’s diplomatic relationship. Like Vietnam, the Australian government has made a commitment to climate action, with a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 43% by 2030 and to zero by 2050. The forum will discuss the energy transition of Vietnam and Australia and introduce new energy technologies and solutions from Australia. Speaking at the event, Australia’s Ambassador to Vietnam, Andrew Goledzinowski, said that … [Read more...] about Australian Energy Mission launched in Hanoi

A social housing project (Photo: VNA) Hanoi – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has just signed a document requesting more efforts to promote the development of and remove obstacles to the real estate market. He asked ministries, agencies and People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities to strictly follow the Government’s resolution dated March 11, 2023 on several measures to solve difficulties for and promote the safe, healthy and sustainable development of the market. He also urged the MoC to soon complete a project on building at least one million social housing apartments for low-income earners and workers in industrial parks in the 2021-2030 period. By VNA … [Read more...] about PM orders close coordination to remove obstables to property market

Han River runs through the central city of Da Nang.  (Photo: VNA) Da Nang (VNA) – The People's Council of Da Nang city has just approved a resolution on the Da Nang city Master Plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050 which will be soon submitted to the government for approval. Accordingly, by 2030, the city expects to achieve an average annual economic growth rate of 9.5-10% and a gross regional domestic product (GRDP) per capita of about 200-220 million VND (8,500 – 9,350 USD) per person. By 2030, the city’s economic development will focus on three pillars, namely tourism, knowledge-based economy, and service centre. Under the master plan, the city also strives to have annual budget revenue increase of 9-11%, and total investment capital for social development by 11-12%. Da Nang city expects to have about 32,000-35,000 jobs created yearly by 2030. (Photo: VNA) The city targets to mobilise about 800 trillion VND in investment capital for social … [Read more...] about Da Nang targets annual growth of 9.5-10% by 2030