Why traditional medicine is better than modern

In a hall on Japan's Sado island, 71-year-old Yoshikazu Fujimoto strikes the imposing drum mounted before him, producing a boom so powerful that it reverberates through the floorboards. Fujimoto is a veteran performer of Japanese taiko drumming, a musical form with roots in religious rituals, traditional theatre and the joyous abandon of seasonal festivals called matsuri. But for all its ancient pedigree, taiko as a stage performance is a fairly modern invention, developed by a jazz musician and popularised in part by one of Japan's most famous troupes: Sado island's Kodo. Fujimoto is the oldest of the 37 musicians that make up the group, which recruits members through a rigorous two-year training programme. It was founded partly to attract people to Sado, off Japan's west coast, and tours internationally, spreading the gospel of taiko. "Taiko itself is like a prayer," said Fujimoto, who came to Sado in 1972 to join the group that evolved into Kodo. This photo … [Read more...] about ‘Straight to your soul’: Japan’s taiko reinvents drum tradition

The traditional costume of Thai women in Tram Tau district includes a dress, a shirt, a belt, a piêu scarf, and jewellery. From an early age, Thai girls are taught by their mothers and grandmothers how to sew dresses and how to wear and wrap the waistband. Today, dresses and tops are made in modern designs and colours but with no loss of cultural identity. The Thai ethnic minority group accounts for 13 percent of the population in Tram Tau district. With diligence and rich imagination, local Thai women have created their own works of art, reflected in the patterns of their dresses. The traditional costumes of Thai women in Tram Tau are closely associated with the material life and spiritual culture of the group. The preservation and promotion of the traditional costumes are always of concern and given attention by local people./. VNA … [Read more...] about Preserving traditional costumes of Thai women

The book , entitled “President Ho Chi Minh, the Founder of Modern Vietnam – Thailand Relations”, is released in English, Vietnamese and Thai languages. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Dr. Truong Thi Hang, a lecturer at Lampang Rajabhat University in Thailand, devotes her time to helping readers from all over the world understand better about President Ho Chi Minh’s life, career and strong sentiments toward Thailand and its people. Hang is co-author of the book, entitled “President Ho Chi Minh, the Founder of Modern Vietnam – Thailand Relations,” which provides an insight into the late President’s journey to inspire patriotism among the Vietnamese community in Thailand. The book, which was published in May 2019, has been presented to libraries of 100 universities in Thailand to help lecturers and students have more documents in their study about President Ho Chi Minh. The life and career of President Ho Chi Minh were a great journey, not only because of his great … [Read more...] about Vietnamese lecturer seeks to help readers understand better about Uncle Ho

The two sisters, named Be and Em, were confiscated by authorities from a man who admitted catching them in a cardamom field with a plan to sell them, the Four Paws organization said. Vietnam is a major hub for the illegal trade in wild animals, and bears are kept to drain the bile from their gall bladders for use in traditional medicine. The rescued cubs have been taken to a sanctuary in Vietnam run by Four Paws, where they will be reared and spend the rest of their lives. They cannot be returned to nature because there are no safe places for bears in Vietnam and no projects to reintroduce them to the wild. "At the moment they mostly eat, play, and sleep but we can already see their individual personalities showing," Emily Lloyd, Animal Manager at the sanctuary, said in the Four Paws statement. "Be is very playful and confident, while Em for now is more reserved but nonetheless curious." Four Paws said the sanctuary has hand-raised five bears rescued from similar … [Read more...] about Bear cubs rescued from wildlife trade in Vietnam

Prime Ministe Pham Minh Chinh addresses the Centre for Strategic and International Studies ( CSIS ) in Washington D.C. (Photo: VNA) Washington D.C. (VNA) – Prime Ministe Pham Minh Chinh has delivered a speech at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington D.C. during his ongoing working trip to US. The following is the full text of the speech. “SINCERITY, TRUST AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR A BETTER WORLD” Dear Dr. John Hamre, President and CEO of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Ladies and gentlemen, I am very happy to visit the Center for Strategic and International Studies for the first time today, though this is far from the first time I hear of the CSIS, a top American think tank in the field of foreign strategies and policies and international issues. Seventy-seven years ago, President Ho Chi Minh, the national hero of Vietnam and great man of culture, prefaced the Declaration of Independence establishing the … [Read more...] about Remarks by PM Pham Minh Chinh at CSIS in Washington D.C

The following is the full text of the speech. “SINCERITY, TRUST AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR A BETTER WORLD” Dear Dr. John Hamre, President and CEO of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Ladies and gentlemen, I am very happy to visit the Center for Strategic and International Studies for the first time today, though this is far from the first time I hear of the CSIS, a top American think tank in the field of foreign strategies and policies and international issues. Seventy-seven years ago, President Ho Chi Minh, the national hero of Vietnam and great man of culture, prefaced the Declaration of Independence establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam with this untarnishable fact, “All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness.” This was the spirit enshrined within the 1776 Declaration of Independence of the United States of America; it … [Read more...] about Remarks by PM Pham Minh Chinh at CSIS in Washington D.C.

Thinking back to 2018, Ly May Hanh said that every time a passenger coach passed by, around 20-30 people of the Dao, an ethnic group in Vietnam, rushed forward, with some offering brocade and others selling medicinal plants to the visitors. Some days, they could not sell anything. When visitors are nearing Ta Phin bamboo forest, a tourist hotspot in Ta Phin Hamlet, Sa Pa Town in northern Lao Cai Province, a cool breeze comes up as a welcome relief to them especially after they have had to cross a bumpy trail with rocky mountains on one side and a deep abyss on the other. The sounds of forest birds twittering and leaves rustling mingle with admiring voices of the young visitors. Looking at Hanh's smiling face when she tells her stories about the bamboo forest and the culture of the Dao people in Ta Phin, little does one know that this 22-year-old woman used to be a tour guide and interpreter for owners of fruit shops in Lao Cai City, the provincial capital. By … [Read more...] about Young Vietnamese woman endeavors to preserve Dao culture

Vice chairman Torben Minko How do member companies of the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) evaluate the potential of public-private partnership (PPP) development in Vietnam? Vietnam has a promising opportunity for PPP development with a dynamic population, an increasing middle-income class, and also a rising need for high-quality products and services. Currently, PPPs are not yet applied in the services area. Service-based PPPs can unlock further contributions from the private sector toward an inclusive, forward-looking, and sustainable healthcare system. As such, a legal framework is a key that is conducive to business via a predictable and sustainable environment. EuroCham’s Healthcare Forum includes three sector committees namely Pharma Group (PG), International Quality Medicines (IQMED), and Medical Device Diagnostics (MDDs). The key interests of EuroCham members in PPP include machine installation models in hospitals, addressing public health concerns, … [Read more...] about Deploying public-private health plans

Speakers at a conference discuss how improving institutional performance can help Viet Nam achieve its target of reaching high-income status in 2045. — VNA/VNS Photo Viet Nam must seek to adapt its economic growth model while drastically improving the Government's capacity to coordinate and implement economic policy reforms and public investments to realise its objective of reaching high-income status by 2045, said a recent World Bank (WB) report. The report emphasises the major challenges faced by Viet Nam's traditional growth model during the COVID-19 pandemic, slowing globalisation and the Southeast Asian economy's increasing vulnerability to external shocks, especially climate risks. The key to addressing said issues, according to WB, is for the country's institutions to adapt and improve. “Viet Nam's GDP per capita has increased fivefold over the past three decades, while its institutions have not adapted at the same speed since the Doi Moi (Renewal) course of the late … [Read more...] about Institutional reforms key to reaching high-income status

Speakers at last week’s conference noted that dozens upon dozens of multinationals are interested in the healthcare PPP model in Vietnam. Photo: Chi Cuong At last week’s conference on the issue, hosted by VIR , Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Tran Duy Dong said that Vietnam’s healthcare sector is facing a number of big issues, including rising infectious and non-communicable disease figures, hospital overload, and an ageing population. The pandemic has also revealed some weaknesses in the sector. “To further improve healthcare service quality and meet demand, mobilising financial resources for new development of infrastructure and medical equipment is a key requirement,” he noted. For the past five years, the government has looked to strengthen the implementation of a model for public-private partnerships (PPPs) for the public sector, including in healthcare services. However, according to VIR’s editor-in-chief Le Trong Minh, the picture of such investment in … [Read more...] about More favourable rule system urged for healthcare PPPs