Being one of the best-loved railways in Southeast Asia, Vietnam's North-South Railway, with two ends at Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, attracts many travelers. Lonely Planet, the world-renowned travel guide, named Vietnam National Railway the most incredible rail trip in the world. The 1,730-kilometer journey from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City offers breathtaking views of the country's diverse landscapes, making it a must-see for foreigners coming to Vietnam, the magazine said. "Some railways rattle through historic cities; others swoosh beside spectacular coastlines. A few have an epic history, and one or two are remarkable for the colorful characters onboard. The Reunification Express line, known as the North–South Railway, fulfills all these criteria," it stated. The railway is one of Southeast Asia's best-loved railways and the world's most epic overnight train journeys. It's also one of Vietnam's tourism highlights that attracts many international visitors. … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s Reunification Express named world’s most incredible rail journey: Lonely Planet
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Improving FDI quality, quantity crucial for Vietnam: Insiders
Printer production at Canon Vietnam (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn) Hanoi (VNA) – Amid the slowing down of the global investment flows, experts held that improving both quality and number of foreign investment projects is a heavy task for Vietnam, requiring great efforts from the Vietnamese Government to fulfil the “dual targets”. According to the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), as of May 20, Vietnam had drawn 10.86 billion USD of foreign direct investment (FDI), down 7.3% year on year, including 5.26 billion USD of newly-registered capital, up 27.8%. Do Nhat Hoang, Director of the agency said that the increase in the amount of newly-registered capital in five months was higher than the 11% recorded in the first four months of this year. Meanwhile, the number of new projects in the five-month period also surged 66.4% year on year to 962 projects, showing foreign investors’ strong confidence in the investment environment of Vietnam … [Read more...] about Improving FDI quality, quantity crucial for Vietnam: Insiders
A hot dog that isn’t a hot dog in Vietnam
Living in Vietnam can bring moments of total pleasure and those of total wonder. When is a hot dog not a hot dog? Well, that answer came to me through experience some 10 years ago when I began my teaching career here in Vietnam. It was only weeks after I arrived in Ho Chi Minh City to start a new life journey and I had already experienced my first episode of 'Vietnam Belly.' I wasn’t feeling all that great and I found that the local food and cheap beer just weren’t what my body wanted. I met a fellow Australian expat who introduced me to his employer – a major name in Vietnam’s teaching industry. Despite my unreliable health, I interviewed with the company. I was just hoping things would hold themselves together long enough to get the job, and they did. When I found out I got the job, my only thoughts were about how much I hoped I would be able to recover by the time I started classes. Early the next morning, my phone rang. It was the school asking if I could cover a class … [Read more...] about A hot dog that isn’t a hot dog in Vietnam
Vietnam Airlines increases flight frequency to Singapore
Vietnam Airlines has announced that it will increase the frequency of flights between Hanoi and Singapore from one to two flights a day on all weekdays from June 15 to meet the travel demand between the two countries. Vietnam Airlines aircraft (Photo: VNA) At the same time, the flight frequency on the Ho Chi Minh City-Singapore route is kept at three flights a day for weekdays. On this occasion, the national flag carrier is offering a special incentive programme for passengers buying tickets on all of its sales channels from agents, websites, and mobile apps. Specifically, a round-trip ticket between Hanoi and Singapore is from 5.799 million VND (246.9 USD) (including taxes and fees); and that on the Ho Chi Minh City-Singapore route is from 4.971 trillion VND (including taxes and fees). The offer is applied to passengers who buy tickets from now until December 31, 2023, and depart from June 15 to December 31. In addition, Vietnam Airlines offers one free … [Read more...] about Vietnam Airlines increases flight frequency to Singapore
Apple’s resilient iPhone sales and Samsung’s dominance amidst declining market
Apple's resilient iPhone sales and Samsung's dominance amidst declining market According to Counterpoint Research, the smartphone market has been impacted by the recent economic difficulties. The report indicates that amidst challenging business conditions, retailers have had to revise their expansion plans and reassess their business strategies. Retail stores have reduced operating hours and lowered salaries due to the reduction in customers since the Lunar New Year. Initially, original equipment manufacturers misjudged the demand, resulting in high inventory levels. Subsequently, realising the actual situation, they rushed to offer discounts to clear the excess stock. All phone manufacturers, except for Apple, experienced a decline in sales in Q1. Glen Cardoza, a senior analyst at Counterpoint Research stated, "The recovery of smartphone demand in Vietnam is expected to be slow in the second quarter of 2023 and will require time while the economy continues to face numerous … [Read more...] about Apple’s resilient iPhone sales and Samsung’s dominance amidst declining market
Vesak Day 2023: VFF leader visits Buddhist establishments
Vice Chairwoman of the VFF Central Committee Nguyen Thi Thu Ha visits Office 2 of the VBS Central Committee (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) – Vice Chairwoman and Secretary-General of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Nguyen Thi Thu Ha visited and congratulated leaders of several Buddhist establishments in Ho Chi Minh City on May 26, on the occasion of Vesak Day, the 2567th birth anniversary of the Buddha. Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) Central Committee in District 3, Ha hailed the VBS for always being an active member of the VFF, making significant and effective contributions to patriotic movements and campaigns launched by the VFF, building new-style rural areas, protecting the environment, coping with climate change, and joining social welfare and charitable endeavors, with noteworthy accomplishments. VNA … [Read more...] about Vesak Day 2023: VFF leader visits Buddhist establishments
NA deputies continue to discuss draft laws, resolutions on May 30
An overview of the NA's fifth session. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – National Assembly (NA) deputies will continue their ongoing fifth session on May 30 discussing important matters, including a draft Law on Electronic Transactions (revised) and a draft resolution on pilot special policies for the development of Ho Chi Minh City. The draft Law on Electronic Transactions (revised) has seven chapters and 54 articles. Compared to the current version, the bill has 31 new and nine amended articles, while erasing a number of regulations in five and eliminating three articles. During the morning discussion, NA deputies will decide the investment policy for the project to construct road from National Highway 27C to Road 656 in Khanh Hoa province which links to Lam Dong and Ninh Thuan provinces, as well as the adjustment of the investment policy for Ka Pet reservoir in Ham Thuan Nam district of Binh Thuan province. In the afternoon, they are scheduled to listen to a proposal and a … [Read more...] about NA deputies continue to discuss draft laws, resolutions on May 30
Hanoi’s second metro line delayed again to 2027
In a decision issued by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Tuesday, the completion of the capital's second metro line has been pushed back five years later than previously planned. The decision was in line with a recent proposal by the Hanoi People’s Committee to postpone the project’s completion date. The total investment for the project is now over VND34.8 trillion, with VND3.9 trillion more coming from the city budget, and VND2 trillion less coming from Official Development Assistance (ODA). The committee will be responsible for the accuracy of information and statistics regarding the project, including the resolution of potential issues, the decision stated. Hanoi will also be responsible for the delay's extra costs, which will be paid for with funds from the city's 2021-2025 public investment plan. If the project fails to meet its new deadline by the end of 2025, the capital city would have to utilize other sources of funding to complete the project. In April, the … [Read more...] about Hanoi’s second metro line delayed again to 2027
ROBOTACON WRO 2023 organised nationwide
ROBOTACON WRO 2023 is being organised nationwide for the first time Under the theme connecting the world, the ROBOTACON WRO 2023 competition is co-organised by the Embassy of Denmark, Viet Tinh Anh JSC, and LEGO Education. This year, the teams participating in the contest will be divided into groups with tasks under various topics based on current interests from around the world, such as marine life conservation, underwater infrastructure, port automation, and others. According to the Danish ambassador Nicolai Prytz, he is very proud that the Embassy of Denmark is one of the co-organisers of ROBOTACON WRO 2023, the largest and most prestigious competition dedicated to science, technology, and education in Vietnam for students aged 6-19 years. “I believe that this will be a fantastic playground for young Vietnamese people to learn the necessary skills for the 21 st century, such as critical thinking, teamwork, problem-solving, and technology. The competition also … [Read more...] about ROBOTACON WRO 2023 organised nationwide
T&T Group and DB Group form strategic partnership to fuel investment opportunities
A delegation from Vietnam’s T&T Group, led by chairman of the board Do Quang Hien, embarked on a visit to the headquarters of DB Group, a prominent economic powerhouse in South Korea, on May 25. Under this comprehensive accord, T&T Group and DB Group will support each other's endeavours with the shared goal of becoming leaders in Vietnam's thriving insurance sector. Additionally, the two groups have committed to jointly exploring and executing ventures across multiple other industries. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Do Vinh Quang, vice chairman of the Board of Directors and Deputy CEO of T&T Group, highlighted the shared vision of both companies to excel in Vietnam's insurance sector. Recognising the potential in other areas such as finance, asset management, IT, and real estate, Quang emphasised the importance of leveraging these strengths to achieve sustainable growth for both conglomerates. He expressed confidence, stating, “This strategic collaboration will … [Read more...] about T&T Group and DB Group form strategic partnership to fuel investment opportunities