Mobile police forces in Vietnam will be furnished with aircraft and ships, in addition to weapons and other equipment, according to a new law passed by the country’s legislature last week. The lawmaking National Assembly approved the Law on Mobile Police at its third session on June 16 with over 91 percent of the votes from 474 delegates present. The law, which has five chapters and 33 articles, will take effect from January 1, 2023 and replace the 2013 Ordinance on Mobile Police. As per the new legislation, mobile police will be equipped not only with weapons, explosives, supporting tools, and vehicles as well as professional technical equipment, but also aircraft and boats to carry out their functions, tasks, and powers. Accordingly, mobile force units will be allowed to use aircraft and boats designated for them to implement their law enforcement activities when necessary. The government will issue detailed instructions to implement this regulation, the law says. The … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s mobile police to be equipped with planes, boats: new law
Boat
7 killed as Hungarian boat carrying South Korean tourists capsizes on Danube
Hundreds of rescue workers try to help at the bank of Danube River at Budapest downtown. (GERGELY BESENYEI/AFP) The boat reportedly collided with another tourist vessel near the Hungarian parliament building, before turning over on the river, which has been flooding, with very strong currents, while a rainstorm enveloped Budapest. In Seoul, the foreign ministry said the South Koreans aboard the vessel when it sank were 30 tourists and three tour guides, in addition to the crew of two Hungarians. Seven of the South Koreans were rescued, seven died and 19 were missing, it added. "President Moon Jae-in issued an urgent order to work with the Hungarian government for rescue efforts," his spokeswoman, Ko Min-jung, told reporters. An emergency rescue team is among the 18 officials South Korea is sending to Budapest, the foreign ministry added, and it will provide counseling to victims' families. A Hungarian ambulance spokesman told state television that 14 people were pulled … [Read more...] about 7 killed as Hungarian boat carrying South Korean tourists capsizes on Danube
High-speed boats to link HCM City with Mekong Delta provinces
High-speed boat services between HCM City and the provinces of Tiền Giang and Bến Tre are expected to start operating later this year. Photo courtesy of dulich.tuoitre.vn HCM CITY - High-speed boat services from HCM City to the provinces of Tiền Giang and Bến Tre and back are expected to start operating in the third quarter this year. The HCM City Department of Transport has worked with counterpart agencies in Tiền Giang and Bến Tre to organise the new waterway routes. The service will start from Bạch Đằng Wharf in District 1 or the Sài Gòn and Nhà Rồng wharves in District 4. The boats will sail on the Sài Gòn River, Nhà Bè River, Soài Rạp River, the Vàm Cỏ River, the Chợ Gạo Canal and the Tiền River… to ports and inland waterways in two Mekong Delta provinces. Tiền Giang and Bến Tre Province are 110km and 120km away from HCM City. The schedule for the high speed boat service will be adjusted by relevant agencies after assessing actual needs. The boat routes are likely to … [Read more...] about High-speed boats to link HCM City with Mekong Delta provinces
World’s first zero-emission boat visits HCM City
Energy Observer – the world’s first hydrogen-powered , zero-emission vessel – sails on Sai Gon River. (Photo: Toyota) Hanoi (VNA) – Energy Observer – the world’s first hydrogen-powered, zero-emission vessel that is self-sufficient in energy – continues its journey in Southeast Asia, with the 73rd stopover of its round-the-world Odyssey being in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Arriving in the Vietnamese southern hub on June 22, the crew plans to present the ship's autonomous zero-emission system to several hundred visitors, decision-makers, students and school children in collaboration with the French Consulate in the city. Setting sail from its port of registry of Saint Malo in 2017, Energy Observer has already covered over 50,000 nautical miles, made 72 stopovers, 16 of which have been with its travelling pedagogical village, and visited over 40 countries. Born out of a legendary catamaran whose many accolades include being the fastest sailboat around the world with … [Read more...] about World’s first zero-emission boat visits HCM City
Ministry proposes support for fishermen
Many fishing boats stay ashore because of increase in petroleum and oil In this official dispatch, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that in the past time, the fishing industry has played an important role in the development of our country's agriculture, the fishing output in 2021 will reach 3.92 million tons and seafood export turnover reached US$3.435 billion. The fishing industry has offered employment for more than 600,000 fishermen directly and nearly 4 million workers in coastal fisheries services. Additionally, fishing vessels at sea also play an important role in protecting the country's sovereignty over the sea and islands. However, from December 2021 up to now, gasoline and oil prices have continuously increased and are expected to continue to have complicated developments in the near future, strongly affecting production, business, and daily life and social security of the people, including the coastal fishing community and the fishing … [Read more...] about Ministry proposes support for fishermen
Hanoi motorbike tour, Hoi An cooking class among top travel experiences in Asia
The Hanoi motorbike tour takes more than four hours. (Source: Tripadvisor) Hanoi – Hanoi motorbike tour and Hoi An cooking class have been selected by readers of US travel site Tripadvisor as two of the 25 best travel experiences in Asia. The half-day guided motorbike tour in Hanoi allows tourists to explore Vietnam’s capital city’s famous landmarks like Long Bien Bridge, Hai Ba Trung Temple, the Presidential Palace Historical Site and try some of the city's best street foods. As part of the tour, visitors will have an opportunity to explore "Train Street", formed by railway tracks running alongside Dien Bien Phu and Phung Hung streets in the heart of Hanoi's Old Quarter, with residential buildings just a few feet away on either side. Meanwhile, the five-hour cooking class, organised by Hoi An Eco Tours Discovery, is considered a fun and interesting way to experience the rural life in Hoi An, a popular tourist destination in Vietnam’s central Quang Nam province, and … [Read more...] about Hanoi motorbike tour, Hoi An cooking class among top travel experiences in Asia
Part 3: Transparency and strategic-trust building enhanced
The People’s Army Newspaper would like to introduce the full interview with Prof. Carl Thayer. Reporter: General Giang highlighted in his speech that Vietnam modernizes its military to protect the Fatherland only. What is your opinion? Can you give examples for that? Prof. Carl Thayer: Vietnam has been modernizing its military since the mid-1990s with priority on the navy and air defense - air force. Vietnam has also consistently allocated about 2 percent of its GDP to the defense budget. In other words, Vietnam’s military modernization process is not new. Over a quarter century Vietnam has acquired patrol boats, missile fast attack craft, Gepard-frigates, Kilo-class conventional submarines, Su-27 and Su-30 modern jet aircraft, Bastion coastal defense missiles, and surface to air, air-to-air, and anti-ship missiles. The number and armament of these platforms are sufficient for protecting Vietnam’s national interests in defending itself and protecting sovereignty of its … [Read more...] about Part 3: Transparency and strategic-trust building enhanced
Closing event of Rethinking Plastics heralds new age of combatting plastic pollution
At the event, participants concluded the implementation of Rethinking Plastics’ four pilot projects in sustainable consumption and production of plastics, plastic waste management on land and sea, as well as awareness-raising activities. The event also aimed at enhancing the policy dialogue between the EU and Vietnam on plastic pollution, the transition to a circular economy, and publicly closed the activities of the Rethinking Plastics project in the country. In Vietnam, the project – financed by the EU and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development – cooperated closely with MoNRE and other ministries and partners since 2019 to develop regulatory frameworks and concrete actions to avoid, reduce, and better recycle plastics. The Closing Event of the Rethinking Plastics saw the participation of high-ranking officials from the EU and Vietnam, as well as stakeholders that cooperated towards the success of the project Giorgio Aliberti, EU … [Read more...] about Closing event of Rethinking Plastics heralds new age of combatting plastic pollution
Ha Long Bay entry tickets return to pre-pandemic rates
Entry tickets to the UNESCO World Heritage site Ha Long Bay will return to their former rates set before the Covid-19 pandemic from July 1. Tourist boats on Ha Long Bay The northern province of Quang Ninh offered half-priced entry tickets to Ha Long Bay and other tourist sites in the area during the first half of 2022 in an attempt to promote tourism activities after the Covid-19 pandemic. As the promotion period ends on June 30, tickets for daily tours to Ha Long Bay will cost between VND200,000- 250,000 per visitor from July 1. Visitors who stay overnight on the bay will pay between VND 500,000-750,000 each. Ha Long Bay has witnessed a recovery in tourist numbers after the Covid-19 pandemic. The bay currently receives around 10,000 visitors daily, equal to the number before the Covid-19 pandemic, and even nearly 30,000 visitors on some peak summer days. The number of foreign travellers to the bay is expected to increase again from the fourth quarter of … [Read more...] about Ha Long Bay entry tickets return to pre-pandemic rates
Ngòi Tu Village, an attractive destination by Thác Bà Lake
A peaceful corner of Ngòi Tu Village. Photo mia.vn Lâm Giang Located on the peaceful Thác Bà Lake, Ngòi Tu Community Cultural Tourism Village in Vũ Linh Commune, Yên Bình District is an attractive destination for tourists. Ngòi Tu has a unique landscape combined with the long-standing cultural values of the people here, creating a very unique attraction. We went by car to visit the village, though it can also be reached via boat, departing from Hương Lý Port in Yên Bình Town, to feel the cool and fresh atmosphere of Thác Bà Lake. The village is located close to the edge of Thác Bà Lake, nestled under palm trees and luxuriant forests. It covers an area of 2sq.km. With the typical climate of the lake area, the winter is cold and the summer is cool. We arrived at the village on a calm morning, the wind gently carried the fragrance from the rice fields. Lurking behind the shady palm trees, the village appears as a picture of a peaceful Vietnamese village, … [Read more...] about Ngòi Tu Village, an attractive destination by Thác Bà Lake