The festival is held to thank the god for abundant crop and happy life in the past year and pray for peace and health in the new year. Long Tong Festival is annually held on the 14th and 15th day of the first lunar month. During the event, tourists to Bang Van listen to the story related to the origin of the festival. It is said that a long time ago, the country was in turmoil, so the king sent a general to this land to drive away the enemy. Thanks to the assistance of his talented wife, wherever the general went, the enemy troops were defeated. One day when the general was chasing the enemy’s troops, he was ambushed by them at Phja Den Mountain. His wife tried to hold back the enemy at Phja Cong Mountain. The general then blindfolded his horse and jumped off Phja Den Mountain. Having heard of the news about her husband’s death, the woman committed suicide at Phja Cong Mountain. Sympathizing with the fate of the general and his wife, local people set up a temple on Phja Den … [Read more...] about Long Tong Festival in Bang Van commune
Van giang le
Miranda Lambert dons Vietnamese-designed gown at Grammys
The 39-year-old country singer turned heads with a custom, black down dripping in silver fringe. The gown was developed from a design in Le Thanh Hoa's collection named Sa Vu, which was released in April last year. Lambert chose black, pointy-toe heels to go with the dress and avoid using too much jewelry and accessories. Miranda Lambert (L) and her husband Brendon McLoughlin on the Grammy Awards red carpet on February 5, 2023. Photo by AFP Hoa said Lambert's team contacted him in late December and ordered the gown for the 65th Grammy Awards. He combined the available design with Lambert's country style to produce an elegant and attractive look. It took him 168 hours to complete the gown. Miranda Lambert is well-known for hits like "Tin Man" and "The House that Built Me." In her career, she has won three Grammys and is the most-awarded artist in the history of Academy of Country Music Awards with 29 wins. Le Thanh Hoa, 38, has designed outfits for many Vietnamese … [Read more...] about Miranda Lambert dons Vietnamese-designed gown at Grammys
Jeju Air to resume service to Vietnam from April 20
Vietnam plans to welcome one million Korean arrivals this year. Jeju Air, South Korea’s biggest low-cost carrier, will resume services on the routes from Incheon to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City from April 20, after three years of suspension due to Covid-19, according to Yonhap. South Korean and Vietnamese enterprises attend the 2022 Vietnam Tourism - Culture F estival in Seoul last October. Photo: Toquoc Until late 2019, the budget carrier operated eight routes to five cities, including Danang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc. Last June, the company restored the connection from Incheon to Danang and Nha Trang, and from Busan to Danang. Jeju Air aims to turn around this year after posting net losses for three consecutive years through 2021 as eased virus restrictions unleash pent-up travel demand. Vietnam expected to receive one million Korean arrivals this year, hoping to make a breakthrough in tourism cooperation in the near future, … [Read more...] about Jeju Air to resume service to Vietnam from April 20
Pressure on to support new economic growth
The latest move from the Fed marked eight consecutive rate hikes since March 2022, with no signs that it has reached the peak of its hike journey. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dinh Trong Thinh, a financial expert from the Vietnam Association of Financial Advisers, predicted that a rate hike of 25 percentage points was anticipated. Thinh stated that, in general, the pressure on the USD/VND exchange rate from the Fed’s interest rate hike is not significant. Pressure on to support new economic growth, photo Le Toan Dr. Le Dang Doanh, former head of the Central Institute for Economic Management, also believes that the Fed’s interest rate rise is targeted to contain inflation in the US, since inflation has begun to fall from the previous year’s low level. The USD price will adjust as a result. “A change in the price will influence the exchange rate between it and VND, impacting import-export businesses and foreign-invested enterprises,” said Doanh. On the other hand, deposit interest … [Read more...] about Pressure on to support new economic growth
Bad debts continue to soar at commercial banks
Deputy governor of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) Dao Minh Tu has said that bad debts are climbing for both credit organisations and the wider economy. "It is an ongoing challenge to manage bad debts and banking activities will be seriously affected over the next few years," said Tu. He said that the woes would be revealed more clearly as the ratio of on-balance-sheet bad debt continues to grow due to inflation and interest rate rises. At the end of 2022, bad debts were classified based on the groups of borrowers and economic issues like recovery and inflation curbing. Can Van Luc, a member of the National Monetary and Financial Policy Advisory Council, said that on-balance-sheet bad debt could reach 2.3-2.5 per cent and gross bad debt could hit 6 per cent in 2023, rising into 2024. As the regulations on unchanged debt groups in Circular No.14/2021/TT-NHNN expire, economic recovery could suffer. According to the SBV, at the end of 2022, the ratio of … [Read more...] about Bad debts continue to soar at commercial banks
Vietnam wins numerous ASEAN tourism awards
Two homestay groups in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long and the Northwestern province of Lao Cai received the ASEAN Homestay Award. Meanwhile, four units won the ASEAN Community Tourism Award, namely the Quan Ba Community Tourism Service Cooperative in Ha Giang province, Sin Suoi Ho community tourism village in Lai Chau province, Tan Thanh fishing village in Quang Nam province, and Thai Hai Reserve Area of Ecological Houses-on-Stilts Village in Thai Nguyen province. The ASEAN Public Toilet Award was awarded to the toilets in Saigon Skydeck of Bitexco Financial Tower, Southern Women's Museum and Ben Xua Tourist Area in Ho Chi Minh City. The winners of ASEAN Spa Service Awards were Cham Spa & Massage in the Central city of Da Nang, Sen Tai Thu Vincom Mega Mall Smart City in Hanoi, Sol Spa of Minera Resort Hotel in the Southern province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Chi Spa of Silk Path Grand Resort & Spa Sapa - Lao Cai province, and Thala Spa of Best Western Premier Sonasea … [Read more...] about Vietnam wins numerous ASEAN tourism awards
Severe cold spells expected to hit northern mountainous provinces late this month
Spring in the mountainous province of Ha Giang. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Severe cold spell s are expected to hit northern mountainous and midland provinces in the second half of this month, according to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting. Nguyen Duc Hoa, deputy head of the agency’s Weather Forecasting Department, said that in the first half of this month, as intensive cold air tends to be weakened and deviates to the East, northern and northcentral localities from Thanh Hoa to Nghe An will see light rain, drizzle, and fog at night and in the early morning. Meanwhile, there are possibilities that severe cold and harmful cold will appear later this month in mountainous and midland provinces, he added. Hoa said that the average temperature across the country this month is at approximately similar to the average of many years. Particularly, in the northwest region, the common temperature is 0.5-1.5 degrees Celsius higher than the average of many … [Read more...] about Severe cold spells expected to hit northern mountainous provinces late this month
Training course opened for Party Central Committee’s alternate members
Participants at the opening of the course (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA) and the Party Central Committee’s Organisation Commission on February 5 opened a training course to update knowledge for alternate members of the 13th Party Central Committee. Addressing the opening ceremony, permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Vo Van Thuong underlined the significance of the Party’s personnel training work. The 6-week course will focus on 29 topics covering such contents as those associated with the documents of the 13th National Party Congress and the 13th Party Central Committee’s meetings regarding the Party and State building, the promotion of socio-economic, cultural and human development as well as security, defence, external relations, and leadership and management science in the new situation. Permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Vo Van Thuong addresses the opening of the course … [Read more...] about Training course opened for Party Central Committee’s alternate members
35 hospitalized after eating sweet soup in southern Vietnam
As many as 35 people in An Giang Province, southern Vietnam were hospitalized for treatment for food poisoning after eating sweet white cowpea soup. The sweet soup was offered at no charge by a local resident around the full-moon occasion, or the fifteenth day of the first lunar month (February 5). Tran Quoc Phu, director of the medical center of Cho Moi District, An Giang Province, said on Monday that the center received the 35 patients and is treating 31 of them. Four people with more serious conditions were transferred to the General Hospital of An Giang Area. Two patients suffering multi-organ failure still need continuous dialysis and intensive care. They are at high risk of mortality. “We have taken a sweet soup sample for testing to discover the cause of the poisoning case," Phu said. “Most of the patients show symptoms of stomachache and diarrhea. "We think the sweet soup is contaminated with bacterium." Earlier, the 35 patients ate sweet white cowpea soup … [Read more...] about 35 hospitalized after eating sweet soup in southern Vietnam
Businesses in Ho Chi Minh City speed up production to achieve set targets
New momentum For over one week now, more than 94% of businesses in the Southern economic hub has resumed their production with over 95% of workers being back to work after Tet holiday. Workers at Go Vap district-based Joint Stock Company 28.1 under the Corporation 28 of the General Department of Logistics, which specializes in garments making, are working with the highest capacity, focusing on orders from the U.S., Australia, and European countries. Working for the company for more than 21 years now, Nguyen Van Hong from Hai Duong province said that good income and policy offered by the company make him feel secure at work. Despite difficulties facing the garment sector due to COVID-19, his company has ensured orders uninterrupted, so workers have resumed work since the beginning of the lunar New Year. In addition, good Tet welfare policy has helped keep workers attached to the company. Senior Colonel Tran Doan Thoan, Director of Joint Stock Company 28.1 informed that the … [Read more...] about Businesses in Ho Chi Minh City speed up production to achieve set targets