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Visitors angered as it’s no longer free to admire Da Lat’s ‘Lonely Pine Tree’

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Visitors to Da Lat have been infuriated after they were forced to pay for tickets in order to access one of the most popular newly-emerged must-visit places in the tourist city, which was previously free for everyone.

Located on the Lam Vien Plateau in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, Da Lat is famous for its year-round cool and refreshing climate.

Tourists often come to the city to enjoy the pleasant atmosphere, a variety of flower species, delicious dishes and specialties, or just to become one with nature.

Situated approximately 18.5 kilometers northwest of the city’s downtown area, the ‘Cay Thong Co Don’ (Lonely Pine Tree) has emerged as one of the most favorite natural attractions in Da Lat, especially for visitors who look for some adventures and a perfect photo opportunity.

The destination earns its name from a big pine tree that stands in solitude in the middle of an empty grass field just by the bank of ‘Suoi Vang’ (Yellow Stream) Lake, which is part of the magnificent Golden Valley.

This is also a great place for visitors to set up their camps and spend the night.

However, it is not easy to access the area as visitors are required to complete a nearly-one-hour drive before taking a forest trail to the destination.

The place had always been accessible without any entrance fee until the 2019 Lunar New Year (February 5), when the management of the Bidoup – Nui Ba National Park, in coordination with LAAN Company, started selling tickets to visitors.

All trails leading to the famous pine tree have since been blocked, with a new trail opened along with a ticket booth at the beginning of the path.

Adults have to pay VND40,000 (US$1.72) for a ticket, while children are given a 50-percent discount, which has upset a lot of tourists.

After buying the tickets, visitors are provided with specialized vehicles that take them to the location.

The transportation is not always necessary as many travel to the valley by motorbike and car.

“This is unacceptable,” said Van Dinh Khoi, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City. “They can sell tickets, but they have to provide us with some decent services.”

Tran Dinh Trong, another visitor, concurred with Khoi, adding that the park managers should have focused on ensuring the safety and public hygiene of the area when they decided to charge entrance fees.

A representative from the Bidoup – Nui Ba National Park management board confirmed that the Lonely Pine Tree is located within the park, adding that a share of 20 percent of ticket revenue will be used for such services as camping, food, and drinks.

Meanwhile, the People’s Committee in Lac Duong District in Lam Dong Province stressed that the ticket sale is against regulations, as the site is situated within the Dankia- Suoi Vang tourist area, which is managed by the district administration.

The Lac Duong People’s Committee has reported the case to the provincial administration for further decisions.

Source: Tuoitrenews

Vietnam target top honour at AFF Futsal Championship

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Vietnam’s national futsal team, coached by Miguel Rodrigo, have returned to training after the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday in preparation for the most important tournament of the year, the 2019 AFF Futsal Championship, which also serves as the qualifiers for the 2020 AFC Futsal Championship.

In the list of 25 players summoned for the mission, the Spanish tactician continues to place trust in veteran faces, such as Minh Tri, That Phi, Van Vu and Ngoc Son. Nhan Gia Hung of the Cao Bang club is the only newbie.

As planned, the national squad will have 10 days of practicing and improving their fitness, skills and tactics in Ho Chi Minh City, before flying to Malaga, Spain, for training on February 22. During their stay in Rodrigo’s homeland, the “Golden Stars” will play three friendly matches with local clubs, including Real Betis FS (on February 27), UMA Antequera (on March 3) and Jaén Paraíso Interior (on March 6).

Notably, after the training course concludes, six prominent Vietnamese players will continue to stay in Spain until March 31 for the purpose of honing and improving their skills in three Spanish clubs, with Chau Doan Phat and Ho Van Y at the Peñíscola RehabMedic club; Ton That Phi and Dang Anh Tai at Jaén Paraíso Interior; and Nhan Gia Hung and Chu Van Tien at ElPozo Murcia.

“Regarding the three friendly clashes, I set the goal of winning at least one for my players. This will be a great opportunity for Vietnamese players to directly compete against Spain’s strong teams, thereby accumulating experience for the future,” said head coach Rodrigo.

“There is still one year left before the AFC campaign to secure the 2020 World Cup place begins, however, the Vietnamese squad must make preparations from the present time. I am satisfied and self-confident with the current generation of players. They have played many international matches, at both regional and continental levels, over recent times. It is a big advantage,” the Spanish tactician shared when touching on the goal of contending for one of Asia’s five berths to attend the 2020 World Cup in Lithuania.

The 2019 AFF Futsal Championship is scheduled to take place in Vietnam from October 21 to 27. Vietnam have been drawn in Group A, together with Thailand, Timor Leste and Cambodia. Group B consists of Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia.

The four semifinalists of the tournament will book their places in the 2020 AFC Futsal Championship. Meanwhile, the top five teams of the continental event will qualify for the 2020 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Lithuania as the AFC representatives.

According to a report on Nhan Dan

Watsons aims to gain firm foothold in Vietnam

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Hong Kong-based healthcare and beauty retailer Watsons has set forth an investment plan for the next three years after it launched its first store in Vietnam last month.

Watsons displays some 6,000 health and beauty products at the brick-and-mortar store covering 239 sq.m at the Bitexco financial tower in Ho Chi Minh City. At the same time, it offers more than 8,000 products online.

Teasing the launch last month, a huge backdrop with the slogan “Look good, Feel great” was built outside the space, attracting Vietnamese youngsters to take selfies and check in on social media.

To compete with other major retailers, Watsons plans to invest 160 million USD in technological improvement, big data analysis and warehouse building in the next three years, aiming to raise its global online sales revenue by at least 40 percent annually.

In the Vietnamese market, Watsons has to compete with Guardian – another health and beauty retailer from Hong Kong, which runs 85 stores nationwide.

Watsons is operated by AS Watson, a subsidiary of retail and telecommunications giant CK Hutchison which is quarter-owned by Singapore sovereign investment fund Temasek Holdings.

Currently, AS Watson has some 6,800 Watsons health and beauty stores in Asia and Europe, including mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia.

The broader AS Watson group also owns other retail brands like Drogas, Superdrug and Watsons’ Wine, with more than 14,500 stores in 24 markets.

According to a report on VNA

Huawei remains confident to win 5G deals in Vietnam

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Huawei Technologies believes it stands a good chance of being chosen to supply 5G network equipment to Vietnam’s mobile carriers, Fine Fan, CEO of Huawei Vietnam, spoke to Nikkei in Hanoi in an interview.

“We are confident of expanding in Vietnam,” Fine Fan told the Nikkei Asian Review on Wednesday, adding that Vietnamese Communications Minister Nguyen Manh Hung “is open to every provider.” Hanoi is yet to release detailed guidelines for the adoption of 5G networks.

Fan said the Vietnamese minister had given Huawei and other potential suppliers “homework” last month. He added that Huawei was already in talks with potential local partners regarding 5G trials later this year, without disclosing further details.

According to Nikkei, Huawei’s global expansion has faced headwinds as countries block or reconsider participation by the world’s biggest telecommunications equipment supplier in local 5G network projects.

“It will be difficult to overcome these issues overnight,” Fan acknowledged. But in Southeast Asia, the company has enjoyed some recent successes, including the decision by leading Philippines wireless carrier Globe Telecom to go ahead with Huawei-powered 5G service this year.

“We cannot be beaten on quality or cost” in Vietnam, he said. “Huawei will provide better technology and solutions, along with financial support to local operators to deploy 5G.”

Huawei has been the largest provider of 2G and 3G network equipment in Vietnam, though the company lost its lead when 4G arrived, according to Fan.

“We will focus on better communications with local operators and the government on 5G development,” Fan said.

Fine Fan, CEO of Huawei in Vietnam, who is ‘open to all’ amid headwinds in Western markets @Nikkei

Major mobile carriers in Vietnam have already announced plans to develop 5G networks using equipment from other suppliers, including Ericsson, Nokia and Samsung Electronics.

Viettel, the country’s biggest mobile carrier, received a trial license to start testing 5G service in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City — partly using its own technology. The company said it has made progress in developing core software and hardware for 5G.

Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group, the owner of No. 2 carrier Vinaphone, has teamed with Nokia to develop a 5G network. Third-ranked MobiFone signed an agreement with Samsung in March to boost 5G-related development.

Local carriers plan to launch ultrafast 5G networks by 2021, a move in line with the government’s push to make Vietnam a hub for industries that rely on faster data transmission, such as artificial intelligence and the “internet of things.”

With Washington moving to block U.S. entities from using Huawei technology due to security concerns that the company dismisses, Hanoi finds itself in a delicate position as it considers its 5G implementation strategy.

China is Vietnam’s largest trading partner and economic ties with Beijing run deep. So too, however, do memories of repeated military clashes over their common border throughout the 1980s.

The Southeast Asian country is also in a cooperative relationship with the U.S. in the areas of security and economy, despite the troubled history between the two.

Hung, the communications minister, said in November that “Vietnam relied on imported base stations and other equipment for 2G and 3G networks, but the country will develop 5G infrastructure locally.”

Broadband service market share in Vietnam @Nikkei

“Vietnam is on the right track to commercialize the 5G service by 2020, following the plan set by authorities,” said Tham Hong Thuy, a local industry observer. “But the country will have to import 5G technology equipment for years. Huawei still has a good chance to secure 5G deals from operators who focus on the price tag and quality services, while other providers such as Ericsson, Nokia and Samsung would be picked up if the operators care about information security.”

“We will comply with the government’s industrial policies, and offer consultation and training programs to help local operators in deploying 5G and related contents,” he said. “We will pitch our 5G offer through many activities.”

Vietnam Airlines launches new, cutting-edge mobile application

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With a modern interface, many new and useful features that are more user-friendly than the old version, Vietnam Airlines’ new application promises an enhanced customer experience.

The new version was built on a high-tech platform to bring customers a mobile application with a completely new interface as well as upgraded speed to process transactions faster and smoother.

In addition, the main features on the application are arranged scientifically and intuitively to bring maximum convenience to customers.

Specifically, the new mobile application allows customers to easily purchase tickets, pay directly, manage tickets, purchase additional services, follow incentive programmes, check in, track flights, and view their flight history right on their phone with only a few simple taps.

Besides, members of the Golden Lotus programme can manage accounts, update membership records, request bonuses, and manage their membership rank, among others, easily and conveniently.

One of the other important updates is the support of various types of online payments such as domestic payment forms and international card payment (Visa, MasterCard, and JCB, among others).

In August 2018, Vietnam Airlines has officially added a quick payment method by using the VNPAY-QR code scanner application, which is also integrated into the new app to give customers the best experience when buying tickets.

The advantage of paying with VNPAY-QR is that customers will not need to enter their bank account information, card number or password as with other forms.

While with traditional payment methods customers are afraid of typing in their card information, account information or bringing too much cash along to the counters, with QR Pay, customers can process their payment with a few steps: login to the Mobile Banking application on their mobile phones, scan the QR code, and authenticate the transaction by the OTP code, fingerprint or facial recognition. This helps to ensure full security for the payment.

A representative of Vietnam Airlines said, “All you need for the upcoming trip will be packed in one application.

With modern technology, improved speed, optimal payment steps, and modern design, Vietnam Airlines wants to bring customers new experiences and make every journey easier right from the first step. ”

The new mobile application is available on the App Store and Google Play after receiving positive feedback from users.

According to a report on VIR

Cybersecurity solutions for small businesses: an untapped market

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Cybersecurity solution providers are mostly targeting large corporations, ignoring small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), which are also facing security problems.

Tran Quang Chien, CEO of CyStack, said the cyber security solution market in Vietnam has great potential to develop.

In 2018, the global cybersecurity solution market had estimated value of $96 billion, while the Vietnamese market had $500 million.

Khanh Huy Hung, CEO of Vietnam Cyberspace Security Technology (VNCS), said the world could witness a boom in malicious codes exploiting IoT devices on a large scale. The malware using AI and the use of AI to carry out cyberattacks will also be increasing.

Meanwhile, CEO of CyRadar Nguyen Minh Duc, said that APT (advanced persistent threat) attacks are expected to become stronger this year.

“APT attacks have higher sophistication level and are unpredictable. There might be attacks at higher levels and on a larger scale in 2019,” he said.

Duc noted that many cyberattack victims in 2018 were SMEs. Because of their small scale and limited financial capability, many of them did not have a protection system and were vulnerable to attacks.

The problem is that SMEs cannot find solutions that fit their operation scale and financial capability. The best known cybersecurity solution providers such as BKAV and CMC target mostly large clients.

SMEs encounter difficulties because they don’t have security experts to fix problems in case of breakdowns, while the expenses on security services are high.

“SMEs cannot spend big amounts of money on systematic protection solutions like larger corporations,” Duc said. “Vietnam’s security firms are missing a potential market.”

Having realized the market demand, CyStack decided to focus on developing security solutions for SMEs, a niche market with great potential. The technology firm provides many solutions as different steps to solve cybersecurity problems, including website security, compliance, IoT and office security.

Its CyStack Platform, officially launched in January 2018, has attracted 1,000 corporate clients.

However, Pham Phu Ngoc Trai, president of GIBC, a consultancy firm, said it was a ‘big challenge’ to approach small firms and help them become aware of the importance of security solutions.

SMEs need to solve two major problems, he said. First, heightening the awareness of the importance of security solutions. Second, choosing suitable and effective technological solutions. “If you use a smartphone equipped with a lot of features just to make calls and messages, it will be a big waste of resources,” Duc said.

According to a report on Vietnamnet

Woodwork industry reach $10 billion, but VN could earn even more

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Vietnamese woodwork enterprises aim to increase their competitiveness in the global value chain, but they face a number of challenges.

Reports all show significant growth in Vietnam’s woodwork exports in recent years. In 2015, Vietnam exported $6.7 billion worth of wood and wooden products, while the figures rose to $7 billion in 2016 and $7.7 billion in 2017.

Vietnam’s abilities in the wood processing industry have been recognized internationally. Made-in-Vietnam wooden products are sold all over the world under famous brandnames.

Vietnamese enterprises are part of the high-end market segment. AA Corporation in 2017 provided furnishings to Park Hyatt St Kitts and Nevis project, from which it earned $16 million, equal to the annual turnover of a workshop with 700 workers.

When doing outsourcing for foreign partners, Vietnamese enterprises can earn about $3 for one desk. Meanwhile, foreign enterprises, which have workshops in Vietnam, can sell a similar product at a price 10 times as much.

Thanks to large-scale production and cheap labor costs, Vietnamese woodwork enterprises are prospering but the profit is still lower compared with their capability.

According to experts, the problem lies in the fact that Vietnamese products still don’t have good brands and designs.

Over the last 20 years, Vietnam’s woodwork industry has been doing outsourcing to satisfy international orders. Enterprises are not thinking about making products from A to Z, under their brands. Only several interior designers have been honoured in the world market.

Experts believe that if Vietnam can have creative business strategies by establishing an institute of interior design, this will give a push to the development of the wood processing industry.

Vietnam ranks fifth in the world in terms of woodwork exports. However, It still doesn’t have an exhibition center that matches the scale of the industry.

“If you come to High Point in the US, a city specializing in providing furnishings in the US and other regional markets, you can easily find showrooms with diverse products,” director of a wood processing company in Bac Ninh province said.

The businessman went on to say that Vietnam is capable of earning more than $10 billion as targeted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), if it can have reasonable trade strategy. In the 4.0 era, eBay, Amazon and Alibaba will help Vietnam’s products reach out to more markets .

To become a global furnishing production hub, Vietnam also needs to develop supporting industries.

According to a report on Vietnamnet

Vietnam’s Nguyen Cong Phuong joins Incheon

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Vietnamese forward Nguyen Cong Phuong has joined Korea Republic club Incheon United on loan.

The K League 1 club said Cong Phuong agreed to a one-year loan deal and will join Incheon from Vietnamese side Hoang Anh Gia Lai.

Cong Phuong has been one of the key players for the Vietnamese national football team led by head coach Park Hang-seo.

The 24-year-old helped Vietnam win the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Cup and reach the quarter-finals at the recent AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019. He scored two goals in five matches at the AFC Asian Cup.

Cong Phuong will be the second Vietnamese to play in the K League 1 after Luong Xuan Truong, who had loan stints with Incheon and Gangwon FC from 2016 to 2017.

Incheon said their head coach, Jorn Andersen, has been following Cong Phuong since their practice match with the Vietnamese national football team in October. After Cong Phuong played well at the AFC Asian Cup, Andersen requested Incheon to sign him.

“I’m happy and feel proud to join the K League 1.” Cong Phuong said. “I already heard from Truong that the level of the K League is very high. I will do my best to help Incheon.”

Incheon finished ninth in the 12-team K League 1 last year. The 2019 season kicks off on March 1.

Source: the-afc.com

Vietnam to focus on 5 key scientific projects

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Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam yesterday had a meeting with more than 70 scientists who are taking part in the 5 major scientific projects in Vietnam.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam yesterday had a meeting with more than 70 scientists who are taking part in the 5 key scientific projects in Vietnam.

The first project is ‘Researching and Preparing the National History Book Collection’, including 25 volumes of the Vietnamese History, 5 volumes of the Vietnamese Chronicle, and the Database of the Vietnamese History.

The second one is ‘Preparing 37 Volumes of the Vietnamese Encyclopedia’, consisting of both the hard copy and online version.

The third is ‘the Regional Geography of Vietnam’ to describe all 63 provinces and cities in the nation, along with their specific aspects.

The fourth project is ‘Digitizing the Vietnamese Knowledge’ to connect various research results in order to improve research performance and provide necessary tools for other scientific projects while popularizing foundation knowledge to the general public.

The last one is ‘Translating and Promoting Precious Eastern Values via Classical Literature Works’, chaired by the Vietnam National University – Hanoi, to translate and explain in detail classical pieces on religion, philosophy, and politics.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, the 5 projects are truly meaningful to the current and future Vietnamese generations. They totally support the governmental policies on developing science and education, culture and economics.

The projects have been carried out thanks to our rich historical heritage, our achievements of the 30-year renovation process, and our science-technology potential is gradually growing, the Deputy PM said

These projects have been attracting the concern and participation of many scientists in various fields, he added.

According to a report on SGGP

e-Payments in Vietnam are slowly taking off

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2018 proved to be a fantastic year for the Vietnamese economy. Figures from the government showed that the socialist state’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 7.1 percent year on year in the first six months of 2018 – the fastest growth recorded since 2011. Vietnam’s impressive growth rate is expected to continue this year.

As the Vietnamese economy continues to grow, consumption choices in the country have begun to change. A growing middle class and increased access to the internet has led to a flourishing digital economy. 54 percent of Vietnam’s population is on the internet and this number is expected to grow in the coming years.

Among the major aspects of a digital economy is cashless online transactions or better known as e-payments. In societies that have a high internet penetration and a growing digital economy, the reliance on cash as a mode of payment is less. Instead, e-payments are usually the preferred choice as they are faster and usually more convenient. Eijas Ariffin reported on theaseanpost.com

In Vietnam, e-payments are slowly taking off. According to Statista, in 2017, the number of e-payments in the country grew by 22 percent from the previous year and was valued at US$6.1 billion. This figure is forecasted to grow to US$12.3 billion by 2022.

Despite these impressive figures, the number of e-payments in Vietnam is miniscule compared to that of its neighbors. The World Bank revealed that Vietnam currently has the lowest number of non-cash transactions in the region at only 4.9 percent. The figure is much higher in Thailand at almost 60 percent, while in Malaysia it is close to 90 percent.

Currently, there are a few big players when it comes to e-payments in Vietnam. Aside from the obvious international ones such as GrabPay and AliPay, local fintech firms are giving them a run for their money.

One of the pioneering Vietnamese start-ups in the e-payment space is Momo. The company helps customers in Vietnam make nationwide cash transfers, pay more than 100 types of bills, recharge mobile phone accounts, settle personal loans, and many more. The company’s payment system is also in partnership with 24 domestic banks and foreign payment networks, including JCB, MasterCard, and Visa. Their rivals include ZaloPay, Vi Viet, and Bankplus and a host of others.

Noticing that Vietnam is lagging behind its neighbors in the e-payment sector and the importance of e-payments in strengthening the digital economy, the government there has taken some swift measures to fix this. Last month, it (the government) announced a resolution that would intensify support for the expansion of cashless transactions.

Local media reported that the resolution instructs the chairs of provincial and municipal People’s Committees to direct all schools, hospitals and suppliers of electricity, water, sanitation, telecommunications and postal companies in urban areas to coordinate with banks and intermediary payment service providers to collect fees and payments for their services using cashless transactions by December 2019.

The State Bank of Vietnam has also been tasked to come up with solutions and methods to encourage the use of e-wallets.

Aside from that, Vietnam has also long offered institutional support for fintech start-ups in the country. In 2016, the government established the National Agency for Technology, Entrepreneurship and Commercialisation Development (NATEC). NATEC is a platform under the Ministry of Science and Technology which aims to provide training, mentorship, business incubation and acceleration and financial aid to new start-ups.

However, focusing on start-ups and urban centres may not be sufficient. The government should also focus on improving access to e-wallets and other fintech services for people living in the more rural parts of Vietnam.

60 percent of the rural population in Vietnam is unbanked and face difficulties in accessing financial services. Giving the rural population access to mobile financial services will not only increase cashless transactions but allow them to gain access to micro-financing and loans as tools to empower them.

A move towards a cashless society should not be seen just as a convenience for consumers. It also represents a step towards becoming a more efficient and empowered society.

Samsung will bundle the Galaxy Buds with Galaxy S10 pre-orders in Vietnam

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Samsung Vietnam confirms free Galaxy Buds with Galaxy S10 pre-order. Actually, it’s a rich bundle that also includes a JBL Charge 3 (worth $150) and a Clear View Case for the phone, that’s a total of VND 7,000,000 ($300) worth of goodies.

Interestingly, the local Samsung Experience Store offers this promotion from February 11 to February 26 – it’s already ongoing! Samsung is already running a pre-order promo in the Philippines too, though the gift package is a “mystery box”, which may or may not contain a pair of Buds. We do know that Samsung Russia will be bundling the Buds with pre-ordered S10 phones, gsmarena.com reports.

Pre-ordering a Galaxy S10 in Vietnam nets you Galaxy Buds, a JBL Charge 3 and a Clear View case @Local media

The Vietnamese promo is worth $300, which sounds like a lot, but the Philippines one is $590. The US promo seems tame by comparison. If you reserve a Galaxy S10 today – which you can do here – you get $50 credit for accessories and a delivery on March 8 (while supplies last). You can save up to $550, but that requires a trade-in.

Details on the Galaxy Buds surfaced yesterday, which showed more internal storage (8GB), Bluetooth 5.0 and smaller batteries than the Gear IconX (2018) (in both the buds themselves and their case). The Buds will be unveiled and will go on sale at the same time as the Galaxy S10, their standalone price is still unknown.

Things you need to know about Nominee Shareholder services in Vietnam

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Also referred to as nominee stockholder or ostensible stock holder, they are a Registered stock holder of a company’s shares on behalf of the legitimate owner under a custodial agreement.

The Law on Enterprises of Vietnam requires all companies to have at least one shareholder who is either an individual or a corporation. It is not necessary for the shareholder to be a Vietnam resident as 100% foreign shareholding of a company is allowed in the republic.

When incorporating your company or acquiring another company in Vietnam, you can become the shareholder of the company. Alternatively, GBS, a business and legal services company in Vietnam can provide you with a Nominee Shareholder which in turn, will help you secure your corporate privacy.

Why take up a Nominee Shareholder Service?

It is not uncommon for clients to engage the Nominee Shareholder Service for the purpose of confidentiality. GBS’s service entails the Nominee Shareholders holding the shares on trust for the beneficial owners. Only the Nominee Shareholder’s name will be identified on the Register of Shareholders.

3 things you need to know about the Nominee Shareholder Agreement

The Nominee Shareholder Service provides each client with a signed declaration of trust in which the appointed Nominee Shareholder holds shares on behalf of the beneficial owner.
The Nominee Shareholder is not the legal owner of the shares and the shares shall be returned to the beneficial owner when the service is terminated or transferred to another party as per beneficial owner’s request.
All income and capital gains on the shares held belong to the beneficial owner.

The Nominee Shareholder Service guarantees complete confidentiality. Your identity as Beneficial Owner is only known to the services provider and not placed on public record at the Company’s Registry.

Any support you may need, contact GBS:

Email: info@gbs.com.vn (Ms. Sophie)
iMessage | SMS | Whatsapp | Viber | Call: +84903189033
Website: https://gbs.com.vn

Grab-Uber deal to be probed again

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Việt Nam’s authorities plan to conduct further investigations into the merger of Grab and Uber last year over possible antitrust regulations violations, said the Ministry of Industry and Trade on Wednesday.

The Competition Council announced that after examining documents and working sessions with relevant parties, it had discovered a number of new details related to possible violations of competition law in Grab’s acquisition of fellow ride-hailing platform Uber last March.

These discoveries prompted the council to return the case dossiers to the Ministry’s Competition and Consumer Protection Department for further investigation. The investigation is expected to run until April this year.

Last year, Grab announced its acquisition of Uber’s operations in Southeast Asia, including Việt Nam.

In Việt Nam, the investigation into Grab and Uber’s merger was initiated in May 2018.

The Competition Council in December 2018 announced Grab’s acquisition of Uber had signs of violations in terms of failure to notify market regulators of its purchase of Uber. The deal was also thought to have threatened Vietnamese taxi companies by cutting their market shares and changing customer habits.

Notably, competition authorities have said the combined market share between Grab and Uber in Việt Nam exceeded 50 per cent, which breaches regulations under the country’s Law on Competition 2004.

According to the ministry, if the concentrated market share of parties accounts for 30 to 50 per cent in the market without announcement before their acquisition, the firms will be fined 10 per cent of their total revenue in the previous financial year. If the figure exceeds 50 per cent, the transaction will be prohibited from being completed.

However, Grab claimed that it had acted legally and that the competition authorities have misinterpreted the scope of relevant markets when calculating the market share.

Việt Nam is not the only country where Grab has come under fire in Southeast Asia. Singapore in September last year announced a fine of US$9.5 million on Grab and Uber for eroding competition.

Source: VNN

In Vietnam, guards drag woman out of railway seconds before train comes

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An elderly woman was narrowly saved from being run over by a train after she tried to run across a level crossing only to trip right on the railway in southern Vietnam on Tuesday.

The incident occurred at a railway intersection in Bien Hoa, the capital of Dong Nai Province, at around 8:15 am.

CCTV footage acquired by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper shows barriers had been lowered to prevent traffic from crossing the track minutes before the speeding train, on its way from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, arrived.

Two female railway guards, Do Thi Lan and Nguyen Thi Minh, were stationed at the level crossing to operate the barriers and make sure the track was safe for trains to cross.

An elderly woman could be seen sneaking past one of the barriers and suddenly ran across the track when the train was only 30-40 meters away from the intersection.

“When she was in the middle of the intersection, she panicked seeing how close the train was and tripped, falling onto the track,” Lan said.

Both guards jumped to her rescue, dragging the woman away from danger just seconds before the train crossed the intersection at high speed.

“I wasn’t thinking much about what I did, it was just my instinct kicking in,” Lan told Tuoi Tre later the same day, after news of the miraculous save broke in local media.

As the spine-chilling video went viral online, some viewers criticized the two female guards for not preventing the woman from trespassing on the railway in the first place.

“You’ve got to walk in our shoes to understand that not everyone listens to guards’ orders,” Lan said.

Trespassers are what railway guards like Lan and Minh have to deal with on a daily basis.”

The elderly woman involved in the incident has been identified as Phan Thi Cam, 77, a resident living near the rail track.

She suffered from minor head injuries from the fall, but has recovered as of Wednesday.

“Cam said she did not hear our warnings due to her old age, so she just crossed the track as usual,” Minh said.

“She said her actual age is over 80, despite what’s written on the dotted line.”

Cam has expressed her gratitude to the two courageous guards for risking their lives to save hers.

Doan Duy Hoach, deputy general director of Vietnam Railways Corporation (VRC), said the corporation would formally commend the guards for their heroic jump to action, but said it could have ended badly if not well-calculated.

There are more than 1,500 railway level crossings in Vietnam, among which around 600 are manned, according to VRC.

Source: Tuoitrenews

Vietjet Air plane faces tyre puncture after landing in HCM City

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A Vietjet Air plane tyre suddenly blew out after it had been landed at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCM City.
According to the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV), the incident occurred on Tuesday on the flight which travelled form Phu Quoc to HCM City.

The rear tyre which was punctured has been found to be severely worn due to being strongly impacted by force.

Head of CAAV Dinh Viet Thang said that the accident happened after the flight landed, so all passengers were safe.

The tyre problem was detected following a technical check at Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

According to a VietJet representative, the new tyre was quickly replaced to ensure the next flight schedule.

Source: Dtinews