Mekong

Tran Van Thu, a local in Chau Thanh District’s Tien Long Commune, measured the salinity level in the Ba Lai and Ham Luong rivers last week. Both are tributaries of the Tien River, a branch of the Mekong River in Vietnam, which runs through Ben Tre and feeds much of the delta province’s fruit, vegetable and rice crops. Tran Van Thu holds a tool that read the salinity level in a river in Chau Thanh District, Ben Tre Province at 0.34 ppt, March 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Hoang Nam According to Thu, each of the two rivers that surround his 6,000-square-meter durian farm carried salinity levels of 0.34 (ppt). This was devastating news as his durians need fresh water with salinity levels of less than 0.2 ppt. "Every day, the river water only stays within the safe levels for about an hour, so I have to take every chance I can get [to get fresh water to the farm]." Thu’s family used to cultivate rambutan for a living, but after losing the entire farm to drought and salt … [Read more...] about Drought killing Mekong Delta durian with salt

A ship carry tourists to explore Ha Long Bay . (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Small ship itineraries along Ha Long Bay, the Red (Hong) River and the Lower Mekong River in Vietnam were named among the top four best Southeast Asia cruises by the US travel guidebook series Frommer’s. The four itineraries were listed in an article published on March 11, by Heidi Sarna - the cofounder of QuirkyCruise.com, which is designed to share reviews and news about small-ship cruises around the world. According to Heidi Sarna, during the 10-day itinerary to explore the Red River and Ha Long Bay, a small ship covers several hundred miles between Ha Long Bay and Hoa Binh province in northern Vietnam, spending a few days in the picturesque and otherworldly limestone karst–studded Ha Long Bay, which is the dramatic backdrop to films like Indochine (1992) and The Quiet American (2002). Except for a day in frenetic and fascinating Hanoi, which is notable for its colonial architecture, war … [Read more...] about Small ship itineraries in Vietnam amongst best Southeast Asia cruises

Coconuts being harvested in Tra Vinh province’s Chau Thanh district. (Photo: VNA) Tra Vinh (VNA) - The Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh is encouraging farmers to grow more organic coconuts to increase the value of the produce. Tran Van Dung, deputy director of its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said coconut farmers and companies would be offered preferential policies for the purpose and linked up to establish value chains . The department has instructed its Plant Protection and Cultivation Sub-department to teach farmers organic coconut growing techniques and strengthen advocacy about its benefits. Besides reducing costs, the cultivation of organic coconuts also helps protect the environment and community health. Tra Vinh, which is the country’s second largest coconut producer after neighbouring Ben Tre province, has more than nearly seven million trees, mostly in Cang Long, Tieu Can and Cau Ke districts. It produces 370,000 tonnes … [Read more...] about Tra Vinh province eyes expansion in organic coconut growing areas

Accordingly, 35 Vietnamese contestants, divided into 18 groups all competing in the Leanbot category, brought home the championship title, one first, one second, eight third and six consolation prizes. Notably, the championship went to Binh Thuy Primary School in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho. The STEM Robotics toolkit Leanbot was introduced in this year’s competition for the first time after it was developed by a team of experts and engineers of DTT Vietnam Technology Joint Stock Company. Themed “Second Earth,” this year’s event drew the participation of 258 contestants from primary and secondary schools in Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam. The Malaysian team won the title at the Lego EV3 category, while the championship in the VEX IQ category came to the Philippine team. Robothon, a thematic challenge competition platform for students to explore real-world issues of today, with creative solutions, was first held 17 years ago. This year, it was resumed after … [Read more...] about Vietnam wins 17 prizes at International Robothon 2023

The four itineraries were listed in an article published on March 11, by Heidi Sarna - the co-founder of QuirkyCruise.com, which is designed to share reviews and news about small-ship cruises around the world. According to Heidi Sarna, during the 10-day itinerary to explore the Red River and Ha Long Bay, a small ship covers several hundred miles between Ha Long Bay and Hoa Binh province in Northern Vietnam, spending a few days in the picturesque and otherworldly limestone karst–studded Ha Long Bay, which is the dramatic backdrop to films like Indochine (1992) and The Quiet American (2002). Except for a day in frenetic and fascinating Hanoi, which is notable for its colonial architecture, war heritage, and foodie culture, the rest of this route is spent on the Red River and its tributaries, which reach into the rural landscapes and small towns of Vietnam’s heartland. The author also revealed several rewarding ways to spend time off the ship, including village walks, kayaking in Ha … [Read more...] about Small ship itineraries in Vietnam among best Southeast Asia cruises

The Vietnamese rice industry is set to benefit from the high demand and prices this year, with lower input costs leading to expanded profit margins for rice businesses. A rice field in Vi Thuy district in the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang. Vietnam will benefit from the upward trend in rice prices due to limited supply. (Photo: VNA) According to an expert from Vietnam Securities Company Limited Bank for Foreign Trade (VCBS), the country's rice industry enjoys favourable factors, such as weather and geographical advantage. The prolonged drought in China has caused a decrease in the country's output for the 2021-2022 crop, leading to an anticipated six million tonne increase in rice imports for the 2022-23 crop. Meanwhile, inventories in the Philippines have declined due to typhoons and high fertiliser costs, leading to increased rice imports. The cultivated area in India has also dropped due to drought, making the decrease in supply - the main factor for … [Read more...] about 2023 set to be favourable for Vietnamese rice enterprises

An industrial park in the northern province of Ha Nam (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - A number of changes has been proposed to Vietnam's preferential tax policies by the Ministry of Finance (MoF). According to the ministry, measures should be taken to reduce costs for businesses and to improve the investment environment instead of tax benefits. The ministry's proposed changes include a comprehensive review of businesses to put them in different categories based on industries and locations. The ministry said in recent decades, Vietnam has become one of the most attractive destinations for business investments from most global industries. Current tax policies, according to the ministry, have played an important role in it. " Foreign direct investment (FDI) flows into the country has been steadily increasing, despite global economic downturns," said the ministry. However, the ministry said it's time Vietnam conducted a review of its current tax policies to … [Read more...] about MoF proposes changes to preferential tax policies

Police in Vietnam managed to rescue a 15-year-old girl from a labor trafficking ring on Monday after she was sold for forced labor at pubs and karaoke parlors by an acquaintance on social networks. The victim, identified as N.T.A., was induced to travel from Dong Thap Province in the Mekong Delta region to Binh Duong Province, just outside Ho Chi Minh City, to take a job with a monthly salary of VND10-15 million (US$425-638). However, she was sold to a woman in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak at the price of VND25 million ($1,063) to work as a karaoke parlor attendant. The victim, a resident of Tan Hong District in Dong Thap, made friends with Liem on social media in February and was introduced to a job with a monthly wage of VND10-20 million ($425-850). After A. agreed to Liem’s proposal, she was transported to Binh Duong and was picked up by a stranger. She was then transported to Dak Lak and was sold to a woman called Hoa for VND25 million. After her arrival … [Read more...] about 15-year-old girl rescued from human traffickers in Vietnam’s Central Highlands