In Saigon, the lantern streets in District 5 have become a lively hub of activity half a month before the Mid-Autumn Festival, which peaks on September 29 this year. Families from all corners of Ho Chi Minh City converge on streets like Luong Nhu Hoc, Phu Dinh, and Lao Tu. Among these, Phu Dinh walking street takes the spotlight as the epicenter of lantern shopping. Phu Dinh and Luong Nhu Hoc streets are renowned for their wide assortment of traditional handmade lanterns. These lanterns, adorned with intricate designs ranging from boats to dragons, fish and butterflies, are predominantly crafted from red cellophane. LED lights have replaced traditional candles, enhancing safety while preserving durability. These enchanting lanterns vary in size, from modest 20-centimeter versions to creations exceeding 1 meter, with prices ranging from VND20,000 to VND500,000 (US$0.80 to $20). Rabbit and pig lanterns, housed in bamboo … [Read more...] about Mid-Autumn magic hits Vietnamese cities in pre-festival spirit
What hcmcs ring road no 3 will look like vnexpress international
Tuna exports rise to year’s highest levels
VASEP said there were some changes in the export patterns in August. After declining steadily, exports to the U.S. increased by 2% bolstered by a 24% jump in shipments of canned tuna. But exports for the year-to-date were 45% down from 2022 at US$208 million. Exports to the EU saw a 37% surge, including a 45-fold rise in shipments to Italy. Smaller markets like Thailand and the Philippines also bought more tuna. Shipments to members of the CPTPP trade deal like Japan, Canada and Mexico fell by 53%, 49% and 14%. Exports for the year have been worth $545 million, down 25% from the same period last year. … [Read more...] about Tuna exports rise to year’s highest levels
Blockbuster movie scares Chinese tourists away from Thailand
But thanks to social media rumors and a blockbuster movie, the kingdom's image among many Chinese people is now one of dangerous illegality and seedy scam border compounds - leaving visitor numbers plummeting. Thailand is hugely reliant on tourism, particularly from China. The country welcomed more than 10 million Chinese visitors each year before the Covid-19 pandemic - numbers Bangkok is desperate to see return. But its struggling holiday industry has been hit by viral social media rumors claiming that tourists might be kidnapped and sent across the border to work in brutal scamming compounds in Myanmar or Cambodia. Chinese tourist Jia Xueqiong spent a week in Thailand with her husband and daughter, despite her parents' disapproval. "They felt it was not safe here, and tried to persuade us not to come," the 44-year-old nurse told AFP outside Bangkok's unusually quiet Grand Palace. "All my friends said 'You go first to explore, if it's ok we will follow'," she said. Her … [Read more...] about Blockbuster movie scares Chinese tourists away from Thailand
Mini apartment blocks in eye of controversy after Hanoi fire kills 56
"Mini apartment blocks cannot be legalized," National Assembly chairman Vuong Dinh Hue said this week as he demanded a review of fire safety regulations in the capital after the fire in a 10-floor mini apartment building killed 56 people , including children, and injuring 37 on Sept. 12. Mini apartment blocks, which typically have between five and 10 floors divided into small apartments, have been mushrooming in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in recent years despite having no legal sanction. There is no official data, but according to national utility Vietnam Electricity, around 2,000 buildings in Hanoi that are connected to the grid can be classified as mini apartment towers. Vu Ngoc Anh, head of the Ministry of Construction’s science, technology and environment department, pointed out to reporters Thursday that the 2014 Housing Law does not recognize mini apartment buildings as a separate category, and so in essence they are residential buildings like others. Many owners have … [Read more...] about Mini apartment blocks in eye of controversy after Hanoi fire kills 56
Amended Capital Law: perfecting rules to boost Capital Region development
Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) is vital to the Capital Region's sustainable development. As the draft of the amended Capital Law covers the development of the capital region, experts have written to The Hanoi Times to contribute to the early finalization of the draft. Assoc. Prof. Dr. To Van Hoa, Vice Rector of Hanoi Law University: T he Capital Region as a sustainable foundation for the capital and surrounding areas The Capital Region is what Hanoi aspires to grow into. The development of the Capital Region must facilitate the sustainable growth of the surrounding areas. The Thang Long Boulevard connects Hanoi with the provinces in the west and northwest. Photo: Pham Hung/The Hanoi Times The establishment of the capital region must attract the interest of neighboring provinces and cities, and the draft law must show them their potential benefits in participating in the socio-economic growth of the capital region. The draft of the … [Read more...] about Amended Capital Law: perfecting rules to boost Capital Region development
Japan at fore of experience in agriculture
Farmers are having to adapt to new methods, and experts are here to assist, photo Le Toan At last week’s seminar on Vietnam-Japan cooperation on green growth in Hanoi, a representative of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), said that Vietnam-Japan cooperation in agriculture could double or even triple in the coming decades. Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, general director of the MARD’s International Cooperation Department, highlighted some key areas for Vietnam, including improving plant varieties, high-tech production and processing, forest protection, capital investment and mitigating the effects of natural disasters. Some localities in the country have shown great interest in adopting Japan’s high school agriculture education model, which aims to provide agriculture knowledge to students along with high school-level general education. The model, which has been piloted in the northern province of Nam Dinh, has proven popular with students from across the country. … [Read more...] about Japan at fore of experience in agriculture
Việt Nam sees many opportunities in coconut exports
Packaging coconut for export. Việt Nam achieved a coconut export turnover of US$700 million in 2022. —VNA/VNS Photo Huỳnh Phúc Hậu Việt Nam is optimistic about increasing its coconut exports as several countries are welcoming Vietnamese coconuts. The US, Bangladesh, and Israel have opened their markets to fresh coconuts from Việt Nam. Additionally, Vietnamese durian products will not be subjected to quotas when exported to Japan and South Korea. There's a possibility that China will soon officially permit the import of coconuts from Việt Nam. These favourable shifts in the export markets are motivating coconut farmers to enhance their plantations and collaborate with enterprises to boost coconut exports. Following the US's green light to import Vietnamese coconuts, Nguyễn Đình Tùng, the general director of Vina T&T Group Import-Export Company, reported that they have already shipped four containers of the fruit to the US market. Tùng stated that Việt Nam possesses … [Read more...] about Việt Nam sees many opportunities in coconut exports