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
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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
Vietnam’s Reunification Express named world’s most incredible rail journey: Lonely Planet
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
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
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
How bad debts influence lending rates
Latest figures from the central bank show that in late February the on-balance sheet non-performing ratio of the banking system stood at 2.91 per cent, an increase compared to 2.46 per cent in late 2016, 1.49 per cent in late 2021 and most recently, 2 per cent in late 2022. However, according to a State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) assessment, several sorts of debts have the potential to be turned into bad debts in the future, such as investment into corporate bonds for debt restructuring, hard-to-collect receivables, among others. “If such debts were considered, the non-performing loans (NPLs) ratio of the system might reach 5 per cent of total outstanding balances,” said SBV Governor Nguyen Thi Hong. One positive point is that credit institutions have been taking practical measures to ensure operational safety through boosting their loan loss reserve (LLR) funds for their bad debts . Accordingly, credit institutions have maintained a fairly high LLR ratio approximating … [Read more...] about How bad debts influence lending rates
Hoa Binh Province in Vietnam delights travelers with northwest beauty, uniqueness
Situated over 70 kilometers from Hanoi, Hoa Binh Province overflows with cultural identities and charming venues to lure visitors. As the gateway to the northwestern region, the province, which boasts various unspoiled tourist destinations, has attracted numerous travelers over the past few years. Some must-visit places are recommended to holidaymakers in Hoa Binh. Mai Chau: Hoa Binh’s most popular tourist area Mai Chau is the province’s most famous tourist site, which is favored by not only in-the-know tourists from Hanoi and neighboring provinces, but also international visitors. The place is often selected for a weekend trip to relax and relieve stress. Apart from enjoying the fresh air in the majestic mountainous area, travelers might also admire a picturesque view shrouded by clouds at Thung Khe Pass or Da Trang (White Stone) Pass en route to the heart of Mai Chau District. Also, the mountainous district features a variety of cultural traits and the Thai ethnic … [Read more...] about Hoa Binh Province in Vietnam delights travelers with northwest beauty, uniqueness
Sacombank, Vietbank honoured at Vietnam Outstanding Banking Awards
Nguyen Minh Tam (R), deputy CEO of Sacombank, receives the "Outstanding Retail Banking" and "Outstanding Bank for Community" awards at a ceremony in HCM City last week. — Photo courtesy of the bank Sacombank won the awards for Retail Banking and Bank for Community at the 2022 Vietnam Outstanding Banking Awards that were given away in HCM City last week. It was for a sixth consecutive year that Sacombank won the awards given by the International Data Group, the Vietnam E-Commerce and Digital Agency, the Vietnam Banks Association, and other organisations. Sacombank won the "Outstanding Retail Banking" award for achieving consistent customer growth -- with its customer base topping 15 million by the end of 2022 -- and having large transaction, ATM and merchant networks and diverse products and services. It offers more than 250 products and services for individuals and corporate customers and has linked up with 110 banks and 30 e-wallets for money transfer. It won the … [Read more...] about Sacombank, Vietbank honoured at Vietnam Outstanding Banking Awards
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