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The Consular Club of Ho Chi Minh City (Consular Club HCMC) hosted a fundraising dinner in the city on Saturday evening to raise funds for disadvantaged children, minority girls, and needy people in southern Vietnam. The Consular Club Fundraising Dinner 2023, an annual event with the ‘Stronger Together’ theme, took place at Continental Saigon Hotel in the city’s downtown District 1, attracting representatives from 19 countries, diplomatic missions, and business communities. The funds raised from the party, along with the proceeds from the auction of various items, including paintings and wines, will be donated to three charities, including Planète Enfants & Développement (PE&D), a French non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in 1984 to protect children from violence and exploitation and create conditions conducive to their well-being and development. Working in Vietnam since 1992, PE&D is implementing projects focusing on the child, the family and the community, … [Read more...] about Consular Club of Ho Chi Minh City raises funds for vulnerable communities

People evacuate from flooded areas in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. (Photo: AFP/VNA) Phnom Penh (VNA) – Prime Minister of Cambodia Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet on September 29 requested leaders of provinces pay attention to supporting flood-hit people as widespread heavy rains have triggered floods in many localities on recent days. In a recorded message sent via Telegram, he asked Senior Minister Kun Kim, Vice Chairman of the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), to closely monitor and cooperate with leaders of localities in preparing additional emergency response measures. He also ordered commissioners and the commanders of the Gendarmerie, Army, and Navy to be ready to intervene in potential natural disasters caused by heavy rain. The PM instructed Deputy PM and Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Pornmoniroth to prepare food and equipment to distribute to flood victims in case of request from localities. He also ordered the preparation of rice seeds for farmers … [Read more...] about Cambodian PM demands support for flood victims

Top 3 of Miss Universe Vietnam 2023 (Source: Organisation Board) HCM City (VNA) – Bui Quynh Hoa, 25, from Hanoi was crowned Miss Universe Vietnam 2023 at the final night on September 29 in Ho Chi Minh City. She will represent Vietnam at the Miss Universe 2023 to be held in El Salvador in November. Hoa was in the top 10 of the Miss Universe Vietnam 2022 and the winner of the Supermodel International 2022 contest. Earlier, she also won Miss Ao Dai Vietnam World 2017 and the Vietnam Supermodel 2018 contest. The first and second runners-up of the Miss Universe Vietnam 2023 were Nguyen Thi Huong Ly from Gia Lai and Trinh Thi Hong Dang from Ho Chi Minh City, respectively./. VNA … [Read more...] about Bui Quynh Hoa of Hanoi crowned Miss Universe Vietnam 2023

Hanoi received 18.9 million tourists in the first nine months of this year. The number of international visitors to Hanoi in the first nine months of 2023 has exceeded the annual target, the Hanoi Department of Tourism reported. International visitors at Hoan Kiem Lake - the heart of the capital city. Photos: Hoai Nam/ The Hanoi Times Among the arrivals, international tourists are estimated at 3.2 million, a fourfold increase compared to the same period in 2022, while the number of domestic tourists hit around 15.7 million, a 20.2% year-on-year increase. The total tourism revenue reached about VND69.3 trillion (US$2.85 billion), an increase of 66.9% year-on-year. The average occupancy rate of accommodation across all categories was 61%, up 27% year-on-year. In January-September, Hanoi was consistently rated highly by international tourism organizations and ranked among the most attractive destinations in the world. The city was once again recognized as … [Read more...] about Hanoi exceeds international visitor target in 2023

Lan in District 1 has recently rented her shophouse for VND65 million a month, down 26% from before Covid-19, after having left it deserted for two months when she was unable to find a tenant. "If I do not lower the price, both renters and I will face difficulties. I will not have tenants, while would-be renters will not have enough resources to resume their business." The road where her shophouse is located, Le Thi Rieng, used to be filled with hair salons, nail spas and cosmetics stores. But it now looks deserted as many businesses have shut down in the last three years. On another District 1 road, Cach Mang Thang Tam, a shophouse which was rented for VND200 million ($8,228) a month before the pandemic is now being leased for VND130 million, a 35% drop. The owner is at the same time trying to sell the house but has yet to find a buyer. Many shophouses with two or three floors in HCMC are in the same situation, with signs saying "vacancy" out front for months. Interest in … [Read more...] about HCMC shophouse rents plunge 30% amid low demand

At a workshop held in Hanoi on September 27, Tran Quang Bao, director of the Forestry Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), said World Bank has transferred $41.2 million to Vietnam for the country's CO2 emissions. The Emission Reductions Payment Agreement (ERPA) signed between Vietnam and the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility in October 2020, means Vietnam could receive up to $51.5 million if the country can reduce 10.3 million tonnes of CO2 emissions from six north central provinces. "Accordingly, Vietnam will transfer to the World Bank 10.3 million tonnes, at a price of $5 per tonne and 95 per cent of this amount will be counted as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) contribution. To date, legal procedures and preparations have been ready," Bao said. The agreement is part of the first regional level Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) in Vietnam. It is expected to reduce 32.09 million … [Read more...] about Vietnam receives $41 million from World Bank for sale of forest carbon credits

With effect from September 25 and until February next year the government has temporarily waived visas for mainland Chinese visitors in a bid to boost tourism during the peak year-end season. During this five-month period it expects to attract 2.9 million Chinese travelers, Chai said on the Royal Thai Government Facebook page. More than 220,000 Chinese visitors arrived in the first two days after the waiver started. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin wrote on social network X, formerly Twitter, on September 30: "Thailand is very pleased to welcome all tourists from China. Our country has many beautiful beaches and diverse Thai cuisine. I hope everyone will have a safe and impressive trip." Before the Covid-19 pandemic, China was the largest source of tourists for Thailand, accounting for 11 million out of a record 39.9 million in 2019. Other Southeast Asian countries are also scrambling to lure the returning Chinese tourists. The Malaysian government is considering waiving … [Read more...] about Thailand awaits Chinese tourist influx after visa waiver

“Ba Ria-Vung Tau has met all the conditions to develop a logistics centre and international transshipment seaport,” said Nguyen Van Tho, Chairman of Ba Ria-Vung Tau People’s Committee, at the Logistics Development Linkage Conference on September 8. Tho said that logistics has been identified as one of the four economic pillars of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, thereby driving provincial socioeconomic development. As of the present, the province has developed a diverse logistics service system, with more than 300 businesses providing goods transportation and logistics warehousing services. Ba Ria-Vung Tau has all the necessary conditions to develop a logistics hub, given that the local seaport system has taken shape. The province is now home to 69 planned seaports and 50 projects in operation, with a total design capacity of 152 million tonnes per year. This is an important foundation for Ba Ria-Vung Tau to develop a logistics centre and international transshipment seaport. “Once the … [Read more...] about Ba Ria-Vung Tau lacking inter-regional connectivity

Foreign tourists visit Hoa Lo Prison relic site in Hanoi. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Around 8.9 million foreign tourists travelled to Vietnam in the first nine months of this year, a 4.7-fold increase compared to the figure of the same period last year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO). However, the figure was equal to 69% of the number in the same period of 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. In September alone, the country welcomed more than 1 million foreign visitors, down 13.4% month-on-month. In the January-September period, 87.5% of foreign tourists chose to travel to Vietnam by air, 11.8% by road, and the remainders by sea. Revenue from accommodation and catering services in this period rose by 16%, and earnings from travel and tourism services surged by 47.7% year-on-year. Foreigners visit Ho Chi Minh City's Post Office. (Photo: VNA) Australia’s Micenet Magazine recently assessed the central region of Vietnam as a new "hot" … [Read more...] about Number of foreign tourists to Vietnam nears 9 million in nine months

Headquarters of Saigon Commercial Bank (SCB) in HCM City’s District 1. Many bond buyers purchased their bonds at SCB, in which Trương Mỹ Lan was believed to hold a significant amount of shares. — VNS Photo Bồ Xuân Hiệp Police are seeking individuals who were victims of a bond fraud case involving property developer Vạn Thịnh Phát, which involves the illegal issuance and trading of bonds worth over VNĐ30 trillion (US$1.24 billion). The Ministry of Public Security’s Investigation Police Department for Corruption, Smuggling and Economic Crimes (C03) on Saturday issued a notice to locate the victims in the case. The Police have identified Trương Mỹ Lan, chairwoman of Vạn Thịnh Phát, and her accomplices as being involved in the fraudulent activities, deceiving numerous individuals between 2018 and 2020 and misappropriating trillions of Vietnamese đồng. They created 25 bond packages with a total value of VNĐ30.081 trillion and sold them to buyers, misappropriating funds, according … [Read more...] about Police seek victims of Vạn Thịnh Phát Group in bond fraud case worth $1.24b