The first flight in months, coded VN631, departed from HCM City for Jakarta at around 9:40a.m., with 144 passengers on board; and the return flight took off from Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport at 1:50p.m. carrying 171 passengers. There are now regular round trips on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. This is another international destination Vietnam Airlines has relaunched air route to after the Vietnam reopened its border and lifted travel restrictions. Nguyen Minh Toan, head of Vietnam Airline’s representative office in Indonesia, said there is high travel demand between Vietnam and Indonesia, and the resumption of an air route between the two countries, with three flights per week, marked a start for the carrier before it can recover the flight frequency to seven per week like pre-pandemic. Travelers can visit its official website at www.vietnamairlines.com or Facebook fanpage www.facebook.com/VietnamAirlines; log in mobile app Vietnam Airlines; or contact … [Read more...] about Vietnam Airlines relaunches services to Indonesia
Draft service level agreement
Ha Noi, HCM City foster tourism links with north-central region
Representatives of 29 tourism businesses from Ha Noi, HCM City and the north-central region signed agreements to link tourism development on July 1 in Nghe An Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Van Ty Tourism links would boost activity in each locality, contribute to the promotion of local tourism brands in the domestic market and enhance the competitiveness of Vietnamese tourism in the international market, vice chairwoman of the HCM City People's Committee Phan Thi Thang said at a recent forum on linking tourism development. The forum was held in Nghe An Province last Friday to foster tourism links between Ha Noi, HCM City and six north-central provinces of Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Quang Tri. Phan Thi Thang said besides tourism links within the north-central region, the six provinces needed to boost tourism cooperation with key tourism regions, and create unique tourism products. “With experience in developing tourism linkages with other regions, HCM … [Read more...] about Ha Noi, HCM City foster tourism links with north-central region
HCM City’s CPI picks up 0.91% in June
Illustration. (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City ’s Consumer Price Index ( CPI ) edged up 0.91 percent in June , with nine out of 11 groups of goods and services recording an increase in prices, the municipal Statistics Office reported. Prices of transport services soared 3.89%, largely due to a 7.18% spike in petrol prices after they were revised up three times in June. Those of gas and other energy products, meanwhile, declined 6.09%, the office said. Prices of food and dining services picked up 1.05% during the month. Those of rice, a major component of food, grew 0.57% on the back of low supply as the Winter-Spring harvest nears end. Prices of foodstuff surged 1.27% last month, with the growth seen in various products, such as fresh, dried and processed vegetables (4.47%), eggs (2.59%), confectionery (1.65%), poultry meat (1.58%), and fresh and processed fruits (1.54%). House rental rates went up 1.64% while construction materials and water … [Read more...] about HCM City’s CPI picks up 0.91% in June
Italian media spotlight Vietnam’s economic ties with Europe, human rights achievements
In an article about Vietnam’s trade and investment links with Italy and Europe, the La Città Futura newspaper said Vietnam is effectively implementing the commitments in the free trade agreements with the E.U. (EVFTA) and the U.K. (UKVFTA). So far, key farm produce of Vietnam like peppercorn, cashew nut, vegetables, fruit, tea, and rubber have benefited from preferential tariffs in the E.U., which is one of the five largest markets of Vietnam’s fishery products. La Città Futura noted Vietnam is a leading partner of Italy in Southeast Asia and also a helpful bridge linking the E.U., including Italy, with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Citing the phone talks on April 22 between Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Italian counterpart Mario Draghi, it emphasised the Italian Government’s pledge to promote the Italian parliament’s ratification of the E.U. - Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) amid many enterprises of the country wishing … [Read more...] about Italian media spotlight Vietnam’s economic ties with Europe, human rights achievements
Collectives, individuals of Lao Women’s Union honored with Vietnam’s orders, medals
The event was held by the Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) to celebrate the two countries’ Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022. On behalf of the President of Vietnam, the VWU presented the third-class Independence Order to three individuals, the third-class Labor Order to one collective, the Friendship Order to 15 collectives and three individuals, and the Friendship Medal to two individuals of the LWU in recognition of their major contribution to the traditional friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two parties and states. On this occasion, the two unions signed a cooperation agreement for 2022 - 2027, showing their wish and determination to promote relations via more practical and effective activities in the next five years. So far, the VWU chapters in 15 Vietnamese localities have had cooperation deals and activities with 13 localities and partners of Laos. Their joint activities include sharing experience in women affairs, developing livelihoods … [Read more...] about Collectives, individuals of Lao Women’s Union honored with Vietnam’s orders, medals
Chill out in summer, camp at a waterfall near Hanoi
At the foot of Tam Dao mountain range, the Ngao waterfall in Dai Tu District has become a popular weekend retreat, easily accessed with a two-hour drive from Hanoi. The road leading to the waterfall cuts through dense forests offering cool shelter from hot summer days. Promoted by travel bloggers as an ideal summer escape, the waterfall has drawn increasing numbers of people from the capital city. Of these, many choose to camp overnight in the area. As tourist numbers increase, some families living near the waterfall have opened homestay facilities with camping and catering services. Around two kilometers from the Ngao Waterfall is the Mo&Jen Camp Retreat. It offers luxury camping services with amenities like bathrooms, toilets, mattresses, fans and food. The campsite has 11 tents that can accommodate four people each, all set up in a grove on the edge of a small stream. Each tent is … [Read more...] about Chill out in summer, camp at a waterfall near Hanoi
Hanoi seeks to develop night economy
With the recent inauguration of many pedestrian streets, themed spaces, and night tours, authorities in Hanoi hope to give the city’s night economy a major boost. Every evening at about 7:00 pm, Hanoi’s Old Quarter begins to bustle with tourists rushing between shops, food stalls, and entertainment venues. The Old Quarter’s evening rush holds such a footing in Hanoian culture that nicknames have even been given to certain areas. The intersection of Ta Hien and Luong Ngoc Quyen Streets, for example, is affectionately called 'International Intersection' while Ta Hien Street is known as 'Beer Street,' Gam Cau Street is known as 'BBQ Street,' To Lich street is called 'Mixed Fruit Street,' and Tong Duy Tan Street is dubbed 'Food Street.' Weekends in the Old Quarter are especially busy, with groups of tourists and locals gathering in the area for entertainment and food, art performance venues, and karaoke parlors. The pedestrian street around Hoan Kiem Lake has also been a major … [Read more...] about Hanoi seeks to develop night economy
Vietnamese language torture
Any foreigner who can unscramble the rich tapestry of the Vietnamese language deserves the keys to the city, a Nobel Prize, a Golden Buzzer from Simon, and, while we’re at it, let’s toss in an honorary ambassadorship. The plethora of homonyms, at least to the Western ear, is an exciting feature, as there is nothing more catastrophic than calling someone a horse’s ass when you simply want to wish them a nice day. It’s not as if the language had a few ups and downs here and there as does every tongue, but conveying even the simplest sentiments can be precarious. How about the infamous ‘em yêu anh, anh yêu em, em thương anh’ and ‘anh thương em” jigsaw puzzle? It’s damn good that most people know ‘I love you’ in English, for sorting the ‘em’s’ from the ‘anh’s’ and the north from the south is quite a hurdle. Let’s look at personal pronouns in Vietnamese because addressing people is the first and most basic step in any relationship, thus a logical starting point. That innocent … [Read more...] about Vietnamese language torture
Chance of finding missing crew off Hong Kong ‘very slim’ after storm: authorities
The chance of finding 27 crew members alive from a vessel that snapped in two as tropical storm Chaba passed through Hong Kong and southern China is "very slim", government rescue authorities said on Sunday, as the search for those missing continued. On Saturday, authorities rescued three of 30 crew members as strong winds and rain battered the coast and waters about 300 km (200 miles) southwest of the city, Hong Kong Government Flying Service said. The site of the incident was surrounded by about 100 wind turbines that, compounded with gusts reaching up to 140 km per hour, had hampered rescue efforts. The search area had been widened but the chance of finding survivors was "very slim", West Wu, controller of the Government Flying Service of Hong Kong, said on Sunday. Hong Kong sent nine aircraft to jointly conduct search and rescue operations with forces from the mainland. Some of the crew had likely abandoned the vessel as it snapped in two, the surviving crew members told … [Read more...] about Chance of finding missing crew off Hong Kong ‘very slim’ after storm: authorities
Public urged to get booster shots against Omicron subvariants
The booster shots are expected to help extend protection against subvariants BA.4 and BA.5. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has urged localities and organizations to accelerate the delivery of booster doses of Covid-19 vaccines to all adults and children to prevent infection of the disease. In a document sent to localities and organizations on July 2, Chinh said the new sub-variant of Omicron (BA.5) has been detected in Vietnam, increasing the risk of the disease outbreaks again, emphasizing that the administration of the booster shots has been slow, and action must be taken to speed up the process. An old woman is vaccinated against Covid-19 in Hanoi. Photo: Chi Kien "Vietnam's vaccination campaign has been basically successful, but the speed of the injection of booster doses for adults has been slow recently. There is no shortage of Covid-19 vaccines, so provinces and cities should accelerate vaccinations following the prime minister's … [Read more...] about Public urged to get booster shots against Omicron subvariants