Man dies in police custody

Bangkok (VNA) – Thai police on March 22 announced that they had arrested 20 suspects, including five Indians and 15 Thais, for alleged involvement in a phone scam network preying on elderly Americans. According to local police, the scammers were arrested in Chon Buri, Rayong, Roi Et and Surat Thani on March 21, adding that all five of the Indian suspects were men and 11 of the 15 Thais detained were women. The police also seized 162 bank account books, 61 mobile phones, two cars, one pistol, land title deeds and other assets. The investigation dates back to last year, when US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Secret Service agents informed Thai police that Indian cyber criminals and Thai nationals had set up a phone scam network to trick elderly people in US into transferring money to them. The fraudsters, pretending to be US law-enforcement officials, preyed on the fear of their victims by telling them that they were being investigated for alleged money … [Read more...] about Thailand arrests phone scam gang targeting elderly Americans

Four flight attendants of national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines who were taken into custody last week for transporting 11.4 kilograms of ecstasy and meth from France to Vietnam were released on Wednesday afternoon. According to Ho Chi Minh City investigators, there is no ground to file criminal charges against them. However, the case is still under investigation. Police said the flight attendants -- Vo Tu Quynh, Tran Thi Thu Ngan, Nguyen Thanh Thuy, and Dang Phuong Van -- did not know that they were carrying drugs. Last Thursday, customs officials at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City detected 8.4 kilograms of grey tablets and 3.080 kilograms of white powder, which are ecstasy and methamphetamine, in the four flight attendants’ carry-on luggage. The drugs were found in toothpaste tubes. Lieutenant General To An Xo, spokesperson of the Ministry of Public Security, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that based on investigation results, relevant agencies … [Read more...] about 4 Vietnam Airlines flight attendants released after being caught transporting drugs

The sons of Hanoi held their heads high and persevered in the cause of national liberation in the face of brutality and harassment. The lethal and brutal treatment and torture in Phu Quoc jail could not weaken the determination of the sons of Hanoi to survive and fight for the freedom and independence of their homeland. Former Hanoi imprisoned veterans attend a ceremony on March 22 that honors their sacrifices for national unity and liberation. Photo: Thanh Hai/The Hanoi Times Phu Quoc Prison was built in 1949-1950 under French colonial rule to detain political dissidents and national patriots. From 1963 to 1973, more than 40,000 Vietnamese patriots, soldiers, and communist activists who fought for the liberation of their country were incarcerated in the prison, which was run by the South Vietnamese regime. Located some 90 kilometers from the Vietnamese mainland, Phu Quoc prison was the site of the deaths of some 4,000 people who gave their lives in the … [Read more...] about Hanoi patriots recount memories of captivity

At the Hanoi ceremony, N.A. Standing Vice Chairman Tran Thanh Man lauded the contribution and growth of the board over the past time and underscored the N.A.’s new vision and requirement for it to come up with in-depth and strategic advice. The board needs to make recommendations on reforming the organizational structure and improving the operational efficiency of the N.A.'s Council for Ethnic Affairs and commissions under the N.A. Standing Committee, noted the official. It is also necessary to pay attention to the planning of deputies and preparation for the elections of deputies to the 16th N.A. and people's councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term, he said. Man affirmed his belief that the board will continue to make comprehensive progress and maintain its key role in the N.A.’s apparatus. Source: VNA … [Read more...] about Second-class Labor Order conferred upon N.A. board for deputy affairs

A representative of the Authority said the attendants had abused their positions to smuggle goods and thus would not be able to work in any other aviation businesses in Vietnam. The Authority also ordered the airline to perform more comprehensive internal inspections within itself, and make sure that all crew luggage is inspected before and after flights. A representative of Vietnam Airlines said the national carrier would discipline the attendants in line with the results of the official investigation released by police. On March 16, a security inspection at Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City found hundreds of toothpaste tubes containing a total of 11.4 kg of drugs hidden within the carry-on luggage of the four flight attendants. The attendants were promptly arrested after their shift aboard flight VN10 from France to Vietnam. The suspects told police they had agreed to transport the 60 kilograms of toothpaste tubes on the request of a person in France who indirectly … [Read more...] about Flight attendants could face dismissal in drug probe

Christanto Suryadarma, sales vice president for Southeast Asia at Zebra Technologies, told VIR at a press briefing on March 21, “There are many industries that we can participate with in Vietnam to modernise and automate. Transportation logistics is a key, and we are already gaining customers in this field. We are also starting to see some good use cases in healthcare, and we want to continue growing that." "Recently, we also saw interest from the Vietnamese government in terms of safety and security, looking at how they can equip security and police officers with our technology to improve safety and productivity,” he added. Christanto Suryadarma, sales vice president for Southeast Asia, Zebra Technologies Retail and manufacturing are now the two best performing industries for Zebra Technologies in Vietnam. For example, in retail, the company sees many retailers automating and digitalising using its solutions. Moreover, the nation is now a strategic location for … [Read more...] about Zebra Technologies eyes potential of logistics, healthcare, and public sectors in Vietnam

Many of Hanoi’s traditional markets have attracted fewer customers after the Covid-19 pandemic. At around 9 am on March 22, Nga Tu So Market in Dong Da District was quiet, with more traders than customers. A man who works for the market’s parking lot said that over the past few years, just 20-30 motorbikes have been kept there every day compared to the hundreds a decade ago. Dang Viet Bang, deputy head of Dong Da District’s Market Management Board, said amid the fierce competition from online shopping, the number of traders at Nga Tu So Market has fallen to 200 compared to the previous 754. Some areas in the market have seriously deteriorated. Kim Yen, a 59-year-old trader, often turns on music to exercise as she has so much free time. Kim Giang Market in Thanh Xuan District is in the same situation. Ha The Hoach, owner of an electronic shop, said more people flock to supermarkets and shopping malls to buy electronic products, causing … [Read more...] about Hanoi traditional markets suffer fall in sales

A Vietnamese woman has been extradited from Indonesia by Interpol for an investigation into a fraud case dating back to 2015, local police said on Wednesday. Nguyen Thi Anh Nga, a 36-year-old from Dong Thap Province in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta region, has been wanted internationally since 2015 after fraudulently appropriating over VND3 billion (US$127,591) from various individuals. Nga then fled Vietnam to work in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Cambodia. Police in Indonesia arrested Nga on March 7. After discussing with their Indonesian counterparts, Interpol Vietnam brought Nga to Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City and handed her over to Dong Thap police officers for an investigation into the case. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A Vietnamese woman has been extradited from Indonesia by Interpol for an investigation into a fraud case dating back to 2015, local police said on Wednesday. … [Read more...] about Vietnamese women extradited after 8-year evasion of international wanted notice

Thirty-one students at an elementary school in Vietnam’s Central Highlands had symptoms such as dizziness, headache, and nausea after being given balloons by strangers. The incident was recorded at Ly Tu Trong Elementary School in Buon Trap Town, Krong Ana District, Dak Lak Province. Among the 31 students, 17 were admitted to the district medical center, five of whom received transfusions, a representative of the Krong Ana District Office of Education and Training said on Thursday morning. The other 14 are being monitored at home. Doctors diagnosed the children with poisoning, but the cause is unknown. Currently, the health of the poisoned students is stable. According to the report of Ly Tu Trong Elementary School, four strangers, including three women and one man, were giving balloons to students in front of the school on Wednesday afternoon. This group of people was then asked to leave by a security guard. About 30 minutes later, many of the students who had … [Read more...] about 31 Vietnamese students suffer suspected poisoning after receiving balloons from strangers

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday raised interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point, but indicated it was on the verge of pausing further increases in borrowing costs after the recent collapse of two U.S. banks. Fed Chair Jerome Powell sought to reassure investors about the soundness of the banking system, saying that the management of Silicon Valley Bank "failed badly," but that the bank's collapse did not indicate wider weaknesses in the banking system. "These are not weaknesses that are running broadly through the banking system," he said, adding that the takeover of Credit Suisse seemed to have been a positive outcome. The Federal Open Market Committee policy statement also said the U.S. banking system is "sound and resilient." Even so, Wall Street ended sharply lower after Powell told a news conference that officials were still intent on fighting inflation while also eying the extent to which recent bank failures had cooled demand and slowed lending. The … [Read more...] about U.S. Fed delivers small rate hike amid global banking turmoil