Bin man kicks head off snowman

Although Vietnam reopened its door to international tourists over a year ago, small and medium lodging facilities in Ho Chi Minh City are still struggling to recover due to the small number of international visitors. Their largest source market is China while the number of guests from the northern neighbor remains modest, forcing many hotels to use their facilities for other purposes or stop leasing spaces. Shutdown, falling room occupancy In District 1, many hotels which used to be crowded with foreign travelers are now empty or have been replaced by other businesses. On Ly Tu Trong Street, a spacious hotel is being repurposed. The hotel is in a prime site, near Ben Thanh Market, Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street, and Le Loi Boulevard, once favored by international tourists. Many 'House for Lease' signboards can also be seen along Bui Vien Walking Street and De Tham Street with many of them being hung in front of small, one- and two-star hotels. The director of a chain of … [Read more...] about Ho Chi Minh City hotels waiting for int’l guests

In 2022, two-way trade between Yunnan (China) and the bordering provinces of Vietnam is expected to reach US$3.25 billion. The provincial authorities of Vietnam's Lao Cai and China's Yunnan agreed on March 28 to take necessary measures to lift their comprehensive ties, especially trade. A truck that links Lao Cai and Yunnan Province passes the Kim Thanh II International Border Gate. Photo: The Hanoi Times "The comprehensive partnership between Lao Cai and Yunnan has improved tremendously in recent years, but it has not reached its full potential," said Hoang Quoc Khanh, permanent vice chairman of the Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee. Khanh suggested that Yunnan authorities further relax regulations and facilitate cross-border trade and travel between the two nations to improve bilateral relations. The Lao Cai official said Chinese authorities should restore trade and travel activities to pre-pandemic levels. He also urged the Chinese government to … [Read more...] about Lao Cai and Yunnan provinces agree to strengthen bilateral ties

Recent arrests of Vietnamese flight attendants for carrying undeclared goods and drugs require drastic action. Airline officials will face severe disciplinary action if illegal drug and merchandise trade is reported under their jurisdiction, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam. Passengers wait in line for registration and luggage check at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCM City. Photo: Huy Hung/The Hanoi Times The action is under the authority's Directive 1480/CT-CHK to prevent flight attendants and ground staff from illegally importing drugs and goods into the country, the authority said in a March 27 website notice. Aviation companies must improve education and training so that employees are aware of the harm and negative impact of smuggling on the nation and domestic economy, the authority added. "They also need to continue to screen those being employed. All those involved in flying must follow the rules," it said. All … [Read more...] about Business executives to face disciplinary action for failure to stop smuggling activities

U23 players of Vietnam in a training session (Source: Vietnam Football Federation) Hanoi (VNA) – Coach Philippe Troussier has encouraged the U23 team of Vietnam to show their best possible performance in the last match at Doha Cup 2023, against Kyrgyzstan, on early March 29 (Vietnam time). In the last training session ahead of the match, Troussier instructed his players to address the weaknesses revealed in the two previous games and gave them spiritual support. He admitted that the losses of 3-0 to Iraq and 4-0 to the UAE at the friendly tournament gave the team precious lessons during the preparation for the 32nd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), slated for this May in Cambodia. The French coach said the players have been training hard to gear up for the 32nd SEA Games , adding that they performed well in the first half of the game against UAE, one of the six strongest teams in Asia, on early March 26 (Vietnam time). Such matches showed that Vietnam’s U23 … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s U23 footballers ready for last match at Doha Cup

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. A factory in Dong Nai province's Giang Dien Industrial Zone. (Photo: VNA) 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 period's … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s foreign investment plunges 39% in Q1

Illustrative image (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Installing Vessel Monitoring System ( VMS ) equipment and supervising their operations play an important role in removing the European Commission (EC)’s “yellow card” warning on Vietnamese seafood. According to the Directorate of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the national fisheries database (Vnfishbase) shows that as many as 223 fishing boats in localities have yet to install the VMS equipment although their operating licences are still valid. Nguyen Quang Hung, deputy head of the Directorate of Fisheries, urged localities to work to ensure that all of the remaining fishing vessels are equipped with the device. The number of fishing boats that have been disconnected for more than one year reaches 2,335 to date, accounting for 8% of the vessels equipped with the device, he added. Such boasts should be monitored closely like those without the VMS equipment, he stressed. Hung pointed … [Read more...] about Close supervision over VMS equipment needed to fight IUU fishing

Consul General of Italy in Ho Chi Minh City Enrico Padula realized that when Vietnamese people think about his country, all they know is the 3 Fs: food, fashion, and football. “Italian culture is surely more than that,” the diplomat said during an interview with Tuoi Tre News on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Italy. So what is 'Italy' in your mind? We are heading to a 'mixed' development. Culture, commerce, and sciences in Italy are indispensable. Because all are linked through time, that’s how our fashion segment has developed so successfully. And now, we have technology to join in the aggregate. For example, a car will have the mix of Italian technology and the Italian esthetics that we already have in our architecture and interior design. We are trying our best to introduce and promote the aggregate all together. I think this is one of the best ways to develop. I am sure that Vietnamese people highly appreciate this … [Read more...] about Italian culture more than just food, fashion, football: consul general

Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Vo Le Nhat said the street is planned to provide more development resources for the residential community, as well as a venue for product promotion and adding new tourism products to the locality. The street operates from 6p.m. - 12a.m. every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It is a venue where cultural exchange events, art, street music, and so on may be organized to suit the cultural enjoyment demands of locals and visitors. Moreover, the street will take use of business services to establish an area that caters to the demands of nightlife. A significant number of citizens and visitors in Hue city enjoyed in the Tourism Colors Carnival event at Hai Ba Trung pedestrian street shortly after the opening. On the occasion, the city also kicked off a series of activities to welcome the "Hue Summer Festival 2023" and the Hue Festival 2023. Source: VNA … [Read more...] about Thua Thien Hue opens third pedestrian street

Of the figure, there were 11 new projects with a total registered capital of nearly 50 million USD and 22 others with additional capital of more than 451 million USD, mostly those from Japan, the Republic of Korea and Taiwan (China). All of them utilize advanced technology and skilled labor in priority investment sectors. Among the 11 new FDI projects, six are in support industry. Deputy head of the board Pham Van Cuong said over recent months, FDI attraction in Dong Nai has thrived with increasing quantity and quality of projects which involve the construction of new factories and manufacturing expansion. Foreign investors pin high hope on projects underway in the province, especially Long Thanh airport and expressways. The province has also stepped up administrative reform and dealt with investor concerns, he said. According to the approved plan, Dong Nai has 40 industrial parks (IPs) with an area of about 19,000ha. The province is now home to 32 IPs that are already in … [Read more...] about Dong Nai’s FDI attraction booming, nearly triple in Q1

In the immediate future, it is necessary to focus on building and completing law-making proposals to submit to the National Assembly (N.A.) for consideration and approval of the Law and Ordinance Building Program in 2024, as well as adjustments of the Law and Ordinance Building Program in 2023 for the N.A. Standing Committee and the N.A. for discussion; and draft laws and draft documents to submit to the legislature for consideration and approval at its fifth plenary session. Government members, ministries and sectors, especially their heads, need to do better in law-making; continue to direct and lead the building of and comment on draft legal documents; and allocate resources in terms of human and funding for the law-building work, the Prime Minister requested. During this meeting, the Government is expected to give opinions on the National Assembly's draft resolution on piloting a number of mechanisms and policies to remove difficulties and obstacles in the construction and … [Read more...] about Prime Minister presides over Government’s March law-making session