Center for knowledge exchange to go up in town The HCMC General Sciences Library and Samsung Vina Electronics Co. Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to turn part of the library into a center for knowledge exchange among young people. The project, which is expected to be opened in October, will include a 500-square-meter area to meet the demand for self-study and study in groups, an audiovisual room which can seat 20-40 people and is equipped with advanced devices for conferences, study and research. The forthcoming center would hold activities such as exhibition, workshop, and skill training course to help young people connect, exchange and learn from each other to improve themselves and contribute to developing the community. Samsung Vina has not revealed the cost of its first such project. At the signing ceremony of the MOU, some people expressed concern that the project may affect the architecture of the HCMC General Sciences Library. However, representatives of the … [Read more...] about Social News 15/8
Captain s quarters resort
Social News 29/7
Marine police seize 400,000 litres of illegal fuel at sea Some 400,000 litres of smuggled fuel have been seized off Viet Nam's south-western coast yesterday, naval authorities said. The commander of the Marine Police Zone 4 said that on July 24, in Viet Nam's exclusive economic zone, two Thai-flagged oil tankers were caught illegally pumping diesel into two Vietnamese fishing vessels. A search of theses vessels found that one had some 100,000 litres of diesel fuel and the other, 300,000 litres. The two Vietnamese vessels had 30,000. None of the four vessels had invoices or other documents for the fuel. But they admitted they frequently sold fuel to Vietnamese fishing vessels at sea. All the vessels were taken to An Thoi Island in Phu Quoc Island District for further investigation. Tay Ninh confiscates 113 logs of trac wood The People's Committee of the southern province of Tay Ninh yesterday fined Pham Minh Hoa, 40, VND15 million (US$690) for illegally transporting trac wood … [Read more...] about Social News 29/7
BUSINESS IN BRIEF 6/6
VN garment sector to boost export growth The domestic textile and garment industry is expected to sustain growth in exports in the coming months, according to the Viet Nam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS). Truong Van Cam, VITAS vice chairman and general secretary, said many textile and garment companies had signed contracts to produce export products in the third quarter of this year. Many Vietnamese garment firms had also sustained high growth this year in traditional markets such as the United States, the Republic of Korea, the European Union, and member-states of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Cam said a series of recently-signed free trade agreements (FTAs) was expected to boost the sector. Since 2001, Viet Nam had signed bilateral trade agreements with the US, Japan, China, and the Republic of Korea, as well as Australia, New Zealand, and India, and joined the World Trade Organisation. However, global demand for textiles … [Read more...] about BUSINESS IN BRIEF 6/6
Yachting Redux
A foreign yacht is docked in Da Nang’s Han River Port on January 5. Photo by Nguyen Tu The unfortunate thing about writing an article in an English language newspaper in Vietnam is that it seems doubtful it will be read by anyone but English speaking visitors and expatriates. The purpose of the story on the absence of yachting in Vietnam in the January 17th edition of Vietweek was to try to call the government’s attention to the lost opportunities the country experiences by not capitalizing on the huge potential for revenue and international recognition as a sophisticated society that Vietnam loses by its failure to accommodate and develop yachting along its inviting coastline. This is really a message for government ministries and prosperous Vietnamese. The expat community is already well aware, at least those who would like to see yachting here so in that respect, we are “preaching to the converted.” The first article did have some positive results, … [Read more...] about Yachting Redux
BUSINESS IN BRIEF 24/2
Saigon Bridge to be closed for check All vehicles will be banned from traveling on the Saigon Bridge during a check slated for March 1-5, according to the HCMC Department of Transport. As the bridge will be completely blocked from midnight to 5:00a.m., vehicles will have to use the Thu Thiem Bridge or the Saigon River Tunnel instead. Vehicles heading to District 1 from the Dong Nai Bridge will need to follow the following journeys. -The first direction: Hanoi Highway-Cat Lai Intersection-Mai Chi Tho-Thu Thiem Bridge-Nguyen Huu Canh-District 1, Binh Thanh District, or Hanoi Highway-Cat Lai Intersection-Mai Chi Tho-Saigon River Tunnel-District 1. -The second direction: Hanoi Highway-Quoc Huong-the street below the Saigon Bridge-Tran Nao-Luong Dinh Cua-Thu Thiem Bridge-Nguyen Huu Canh-District 1, Binh Thanh District, or Hanoi Highway-Quoc Huong-the street below the Saigon Bridge-Tran Nao-Mai Chi Tho- District 1, Binh Thanh District. Meanwhile, vehicles traveling from districts … [Read more...] about BUSINESS IN BRIEF 24/2