Vietnam Insider - Page 1295 of 1529

VIB spends VND270 billion to pay cash dividends

Advertisements

Vietnam International Bank (UPCoM stock code: VIB) will spend nearly VND270 billion to pay 2017 cash dividends to its shareholders. For many years, VIB has been consistently paying cash dividends to shareholders of the bank.

In, October 30, 2018, the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) approved of VIB’s paying 2017 dividends in cash at the rate of 5%, equivalent to VND265.3 billion.

Previously, the Board of Directors of VIB announced the decision to close the list of shareholders to receive 2017 cash dividends on November 8. The dividends payment date will be December 10, 2018.

The 5% cash dividend was agreed by VIB’s shareholders in March-end 2018. VIB is one of few banks which are consistent with paying cash dividends for shareholders in many consecutive years with dividend payout ratio of 5-9%. The bank issued more than 564 million of stocks owned by above 5,000 shareholders, in which 3,100 shareholders are VIB’s staff, accounting for 62%.

In October-end 2018, VIB’s 10-month profit before tax reached VND1,956 billion, up 187% year-on-year, fulfilling 98% of the full-year target. Accumulated revenue increased by 47% year-on-year, in which interest income and non-interest income up 49% and 40% , respectively. VIB continues to become one of the biggest retail banks in Vietnamese market as the bank’s accumulated individual lending reached VND69,000 billion, up 55% year-on-year.

In October 30, 2018, Moody’s Investors Service upgraded the baseline credit assessment (BCA) and adjusted BCA of VIB to B1 and Counterparty Risk Assessment (CRA) to Ba3. The upgrade in VIB’s BCA is driven by the higher Macro Profile of Vietnam, progress in writing off legacy problem assets and profitability of the bank, according to a report from Moody’s. Moody’s and VIB expect profitability for the bank to improve well in coming time.

How to Ride in Vietnam Safely and Legally

Advertisements

Motorbiking in Vietnam is a popular way for travelers to see this diverse and beautiful country, but the process isn’t always simple. Jessica Hayward gives us the lowdown on how to do this legally and safely.

Australian Jessica Hayward covered 7000km through Vietnam and Cambodia by motorbike including through the traffic chaos of Ho Chi Minh City and the entire length of Vietnam. But how do you do this legally and safely? Here’s what you need to know.

Motorbike Legality in Vietnam

Motorbikes up to 50 cc can be ridden without a license in Vietnam, but this size of motorcycle is not suitable for extended travel throughout the country.

International Drivers Permits are currently legal IF your home country has signed under the 1968 convention (countries coloured green on this map). But you must hold a motorcycle license at home and have it registered on the IDP. Australia, UK, USA, and Canada have signed only the 1949 convention on IDPs, so they are not valid and you will be riding illegally.

A Vietnamese license is otherwise required. Whilst many travellers ride without one, and successfully bribe their way out of police stops, if you cause damage to yourself or others you will be held fully responsible and be at the mercy of Vietnamese justice.

You can have a valid license from home transferred to a Vietnamese license in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh with a bit of time and paperwork. Here’s how to do that.

Be aware that without a valid IDP or Vietnamese license, your travel insurance will not be valid, even if you have a motorbike license in your home country. You are riding illegally.

Also note that some insurers may exclude “motorbike touring” for policyholders from particular countries of residence. This means you cannot travel where motorcycle is the primary means of transport, however you are covered for incidental use of a motorcycle. World Nomads policyholders from the UK are subject to this exclusion at this time. Always check the wording of your policy regardless of your country of residence.

Renting or Buying in Vietnam

Try to rent from reputable companies that provide proper vehicles (Honda, Yamaha etc) rather than Chinese knock offs. One of the most popular is Tigit Motorbikes. Many travelers choose to buy cheap $200 bikes from fellow backpackers to keep their travel costs down. I cannot stress enough the value in renting or buying a proper, well maintained bike; the hassle of repairing your constantly breaking bike and cost will soon match or exceed the price of renting a newer motorbike. Vietnamese roads are dangerous enough without making life harder with a faulty motorbike.

Renting a Motorbike Outside of Vietnam

Vietnam generally only allows Vietnamese bikes into the country. You will be facing difficulties crossing borders from Laos, Cambodian and China on a non-Vietnamese bike. Expect to pay some hefty bribes, or not cross at all, depending on how frequented your border is and how much the border security cares about letting you in.

What Bike to Rent

110 cc to 125 cc will be completely sufficient for touring the country, unless you intend to head through rougher country in the north and west. In those cases, it is best to hire a more powerful bike. Speed limits are low within Vietnam – 40 km/h for cities, 60 km/h for highways – so having a very powerful motorbike can often be a detriment in congested areas. You can navigate the country on an automatic, semi automatic or manual, so choose what will work best for your experience.

Try to keep to known brands like Honda or Yamaha. Whilst most Vietnamese know how to repair motorbikes, if you do not know what they are doing it will be hard to judge if you are being scammed or sold faulty repairs. With a Honda bike, or similar, you can take it to one of the many Honda stores for service and be assured of legitimate mechanics who will charge you a flat rate. These stores are in almost every town and city.

Riding in Vietnam

Expect average to poor roads the majority of the time, along with heavy traffic. Vietnam has built good highways but only cars and trucks are allowed to use them, and as they come with a toll, most vehicles will still use the rougher and narrow roads that motorbikes must use.

Roadsides will often be filled with stalls, markets and livestock, so please pay attention at all times.

Traffic is chaotic, but drivers in Vietnam are politer and more aware than other South East Asian countries. Most trucks will beep to warn you out of the way before overtaking, so pay attention to your fellow motorists. In kind, warn everyone if you are not sure if they see you by using your horn. This especially applies on the twisting mountain roads in the west and north, as there are multiple blind corners with no space and the only way to know you can pass safely is to ensure any oncoming traffic can hear you coming!

Riding in Saigon and Hanoi may seem intimidating, but traffic speed is so low it is generally safe. The trick is to look directly where you are going so motorists know where you are headed. If you need to cross oncoming traffic, do so slowly and steadily; everyone will get out of your way if you do not make erratic movements. Follow the flow!

Be aware of the weather. Rain can and will come at any time, so be prepared with waterproofs. In a downpour a good road can rapidly become slippery and dangerous, so please consider this and your visibility when deciding to travel in bad weather.

Scams to Look Out For

Police are known to target foreigners, because most do not have licenses. You can avoid this by not advertising your nationality. Wear long pants and long sleeved shirts, with gloves, and you will be no different to every other local on the road.

If you have valid licenses or IDP, the police will leave you alone. Without them, you will likely need to pay a fine/bribe to continue on your way.

Dodgy mechanics – while it may be unavoidable to use local repair places at times, try to service at reputable stores to ensure you are not being scammed.

Fuel – this is not common, but always check your attendant resets the fuel gauge before filling your bike.

Dangers While Riding in Vietnam

Vietnam is an extremely safe country, but the roads are some of the most dangerous in the world. For this reason, wear appropriate safety gear, drive defensively and always be aware.

Thieving is a problem – make sure your motorbikes are in secure, safe parking each night, and do not leave them unlocked/unattended for long (if at all). Gear left with your bike can and will be stolen, including your helmet, even if it is locked to your bike. Thieves will simply cut through the strap and take it anyway.

Best Biking Routes in Vietnam

Main Route: Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi and vice versa, following the east coast. Mostly good roads, if busy, and access to all main cities like Hue, Hoi An and Da Nang. Most travellers choose this route. 1-3 weeks travel time depending on speed.

Ho Chi Minh Road: Starts outside of Ho Chi Minh and winds all the way to Hanoi on the western border of the country. Incredibly quiet road with spectacular scenery; highly recommended for nature lovers who want to experience untouched Vietnam.

Ha Giang Loop: Heading from Ha Giang to the very north of Vietnam and circling back, this is widely known as the best of Vietnam’s scenery. 3-6 days to complete. The road alternates between great and terrible, so expect the unexpected.

By Jessica Hayward, World Nomads

Skype English uses a new and effective model to teach English

Advertisements

None of us deny the importance of speaking English in today’s world. Many studies have shown that people who speak English well will likely be more successful in the fields of research, technology, and commerce.

It’s not just adults who need to learn English in order to work or travel. Most parents invest in English classes for their children when they turn 5 years old to learn pronunciation and communication.

However, it’s a fact that people can only use a language fluently if they have the opportunities to live in that language’s environment. Only then will their responsive and listening skills significantly improve.

Mr. Thomas Friedman, author of The World is Flat, which was published in 2005, put forward fresh insights into how global connectivity has changed since the internet first appeared. Now because of faster internet speeds, online English learning centers that use a “one teacher – one student” model are becoming more and more common.

Enrolling in English training centers is no longer a priority as it was in previous years now that the quality of online training centers has gone up and have lower tuition fees. Many students use online English schools to have one-on-one English training. It’s completely different from a classroom at an English center where a teacher has to deal with 12-15 students. The opportunity to communicate with the teacher is limited and students have to spend time traveling to the centers.

One of the many online English training centers that follow this model is Skype English, which was established in 2013 and has become a well-known center that’s trusted by thousands of local and international students. Using the model “one teacher – one student” via Skype, learners are able to improve their English at lower tuition fees without having to spend time traveling. The students only need to own a computer, a smartphone, or a tablet, and have access to the internet.

“To attract thousands of students, we have to work hard to meet the goals of each person and ensure the highest efficiency for each course,” said Ms. Vu Thi Kim Anh, Director of Skype English Company Ltd. “We always listen to the comments and feedback of our students to improve the quality of our service. That is by many domestic and foreign customers consider us to be a quality online English training center.”

With Skype English, students have the chance to take a 30-minute free trial with a foreign teacher. After that, the teacher gives an assessment, method and curriculum that best suit the course objectives of those students.

Funny pictures: How does the traffic look like in Vietnam?

Advertisements

If you’re heading to Vietnam on a cruise, we guarantee one of the first things you’ll notice is the number of Vietnamese scooters on the roads. But that is not all.

Vietnam Insider has collected plenty of funny photos from social media to show you that, the traffic in Vietnam is awesome!

A South African teacher has died in an accident in Vietnam

Advertisements

Two South Africans were traveling from Hanoi to Hai Phong City when the accident occurred on Saturday.

Their motorbike hit the back of another vehicle, and one of the men was then run over by a container truck.

Vietnam Insider identified the dead man as South African citizen Benjamin Jooste.

The local publication reported that family friend Bertus le Roux confirmed the death and that Jooste’s father and brother will travel to Vietnam to make arrangements for cremation.

Local media said that the second man was hospitalized and that both men taught at an English language centre in Hanoi, Vietnam

On Facebook, Jooste’s brother Simeon posted: “Goodbye bro bear. I love you.”

Both Vietnamese publications said that alarm has been raised by the increasing number of foreigners dying in highway accidents in the country.

According to the World Health Organization, 14 000 people die each year on Vietnam roads, and 59% of them are motorcyclists. The organization says that the majority of the deaths are people between 15 and 49 years old.

Princess Cruises: Local digital habits disrupting sleep

Advertisements

Princess Cruises’ first global survey on relaxation and sleeping behaviors of people in 12 countries, including Vietnam, found that 60 per cent of Vietnamese check social media before going to bed and this is one of the highest numbers globally, second only to Indonesia, with 62 per cent.

The survey also found that 59 per cent of Vietnamese watch TV before sleeping. Studies have shown that using blue light-emitting devices before bed can prevent people from getting quality sleep.

Millennials in Vietnam (76 per cent of those surveyed) are much more likely to check social media before sleeping. Interestingly, despite the high use of social media in Asian nations, the survey found that only 23 per cent of people in South Korea and 24 per cent in Japan check social media before sleeping.

The 12 countries surveyed in the Princess Cruises Relaxation Report were Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan (China), Japan, Hong Kong, China, South Korea, the US, the UK, and Australia. Over 1,000 adults in each country participated in the online survey.

While Vietnamese are disciplined about their sleep schedule, with 83 per cent having a consistent bedtime, the hustle and bustle of city life may still be taking its toll on their wellbeing. Vietnam has the second highest number of “early birds” in the world, with about 31 per cent going to bed before 10pm and waking before 6.30am. This is most likely due to a preference for avoiding heavy traffic during peak hours when travelling to work.

A high number of Vietnamese (95 per cent) take time off work each year just to catch up on sleep. In fact, 63 per cent of Vietnamese take a full week or more off just to rest and 92 per cent use weekends to make up for sleep lost during the week. All these figures are the highest globally. This may mean the majority of people go on overdrive during the week and then crash over the weekends.

One way that working Vietnamese can relax is to take a holiday. However, the survey found that more than a quarter of Vietnamese (27 per cent) did not take all of the holidays available to them in the last year.

Even going on holiday does not guarantee better rest, as a very high number of Vietnamese (94 per cent) frequently struggle to get a good night’s sleep while on holiday.

When travelling across two or more time zones, 76 per cent of Vietnamese typically experience unpleasant side effects including disturbed sleep, such as insomnia or early waking, daytime fatigue, and headaches, which can all get in the way of enjoying pleasurable activities while on holiday. On a cruise, the opportunity to enjoy a vast range of activities onboard can help Vietnamese holiday makers relax and unwind.

Vietnam brings Formula One racing to Hanoi in 2020

Advertisements

Vietnam will host its first-ever Formula One race in April 2020, bringing the prestigious series to a country where auto racing is a very new sport.

The capital city of Hanoi will hold an event Wednesday to announce details about the venue and schedule, according to invitation letters.

Environmental issues and the rising popularity of electric-vehicle races have driven the Paris-based FIA, or Federation Internationale de l’Automobile, to seek new frontiers such as Vietnam to revitalize the world’s most popular auto racing series.

Malaysia withdrew from the annual series after 2017, citing competition from neighboring Singapore, which remains one of the venues. Malaysia began hosting a race in 1999, while Singapore joined in 2008. Vietnam would be the third Southeast Asian country to host an F1 competition, which could be held annually.

The Hanoi city government will cooperate with Formula One to manage the project, including raising funds, building the road and hosting the race. Yet the city faces obstacles in raising capital for the race infrastructure as it will not be permitted to use the state budget, a traditional source in the state-owned economy. City leaders estimate the initial cost will start from $60 million. The city said the 6 km track and related facilities will be built in the coming months.

Vietnam’s government ordered the city to raise funds from the private sector. The Hanoi city authority said Friday that private enterprises are willing to participate in funding, but did not reveal the names.

Property conglomerate Vingroup is on the list of organizers, along with the Hanoi city authority, the Formula One Group and Grand Prix Vietnam. Vingroup entered the auto industry last year, involved in international and local activities of late.

Experts estimate it will cost more than $1 billion to build a new racing road.

Vietnam’s legalization of sports betting in 2017 has attracted more events such as motor racing. The Vietnamese sports authority hoped to bring the event to the country years ago, but faced barriers related to gambling.

Sources in the auto industry, sports and entertainment said Vietnam was ready to pay roughly $400 million annually for the right to host an F1 race for 10 years. However, Formula One Group in 2017 refused the proposal, saying the country lacked experience in the field.

Last year, U.S. firm Liberty Media took over Formula One for $8 billion, and the new owners have said they are keen on exploring new regions.

Hanoi negotiated a final agreement to host the event in April 2020, a city Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism officer told local media earlier. The event aims to promote Vietnam and attract more tourists.

Hanoi initially planned to build a racing circuit around Hoan Kiem Lake at the center of the city. But city officials have decided to move the project to a site west of Hanoi near My Dinh National Stadium, where the roads are wider.

Agence France-Presse cited F1 race director Charlie Whiting last month, reporting that he visited the site and was confident that it would be ready for the 2020 season. The race would take place on existing roads, but some sections would need to be built.

According to a report on Nikkei

Vietnam releases cybersecurity draft decree

Advertisements

Global tech companies issue warning on impact to innovation.

Vietnam on Friday released a long-waited draft decree on guidelines to implement a cybersecurity law that global technology companies and rights groups have said could undermine development and stifle innovation.

The draft required firms providing a range of services, including email or social media, to set up offices in Vietnam if they collect or analyse data, let their users conduct anti-state actions or cyber attack, and if they fail to remove content deemed anti-state, fake, slandering or inciting violence.

Facebook and Google, both of which are widely used in Vietnam and serve as the main platforms for dissidents, do not have local offices or local data storage facilities and have pushed back on the localisation requirements.

Legislators approved the law in June, overriding strong objections from tech companies, rights groups and Western governments including the United States.

Despite economic reforms and increasing openness to social change, Vietnam’s Communist Party retains tight media censorship and does not tolerate dissent.

The technology companies had hoped the draft decree would soften provisions they find most objectionable, including the requirements to set up local offices and store data locally.

The data required to be stored ranged from job titles to contact details, credit card information, biometric data and medical records, according to the draft decree.

The type of data required seemed to have shortened from an earlier version of the draft decree seen by Reuters last month, which also included information on peoples’ ethnicity and political views.

Company officials have privately expressed concerns that the new law would make it easier for the authorities to seize customer data and expose local employees to arrest.

The draft decree is open for public consultation for two months.

“We applaud the Government of Vietnam for launching a public consultation, and hope to work with them to reach an outcome which benefits all stakeholders in Vietnam,” said Alex Botting, director of the US Chamber of Commerce’s Center for Global Regulatory Cooperation.

“The text of Vietnam’s Law on Cyber Security included some of the most draconian data localisation provisions seen anywhere in the world,” Botting said.

A recent US Chamber survey found that 61 percent of companies surveyed, including non-US companies, will be less likely to invest in Vietnam if the text is implemented as written in the law, he said.

Last week, the security ministry said the cybersecurity law, would protect the country from threats of tens of thousands of cyber attacks that directly cause serious economic losses and threaten security and social order.

People’s information would not be disclosed and firms would only be asked to provide user information for investigations or law enforcement under strict procedures, the ministry said.

According to a report on Reuters

Apple has a problem it doesn’t want to talk about

Advertisements

The era of rapid iPhone growth ended years ago. Now Apple is making a change to ensure it doesn’t have to talk as much about that problem.

On a conference call Thursday, top Apple executives laid out their plans to stop disclosing the number of iPhones, iPads and Macs it sells each quarter. It’s a move that shocked analysts and only added to jitters around a mixed earnings report.

Daniel Ives, an analyst with Wedbush, called the announcement a “jaw dropper” in an investor note Friday morning, particularly because Apple is at a “critical juncture.” He said Apple is trying to make up for slowing unit sales growth by charging more for its lineup of devices.

Sure enough, in the three month period ending in September, Apple sold just shy of 47 million iPhones, representing 0% growth in the number of smartphones sold from the prior year. In future quarters, the number of iPhones Apple sells could decline — but we probably won’t know about it.

Apple’s Mac and iPad unit sales fell by 2% and 6%, respectively, during the quarter compared to a year ago.

Yet Apple’s overall revenue continues to climb from one year to the next. That’s in large part because the company is hiking prices across the board. Apple made $8 billion more dollars selling iPhones than it did a year earlier (when it sold almost the exact same number of iPhones).

Apple now has not one but two smartphones on the market — the XS and XS Max — with price tags that can exceed $1,000. Apple also recently introduced more expensive iPad Pros and MacBook Airs.

On the call with analysts, Apple CEO Tim Cook tried to explain the decision to do away with unit sales figures by way of a grocery store analogy.

“If you go to the market and you push your cart up to the cashier and she says, or he says, ‘How many units you have in there?’ It doesn’t matter a lot how many units there are in there in terms of the overall value of what’s in the cart.”

What matters now, in other words, isn’t necessarily how many devices Apple sells from one quarter to the next, but how much it makes from the devices sells. That’s a tough pill to swallow for Wall Street.

“The elimination of reporting unit metrics for iPhone, iPad, and Mac is significant — the Street obsesses over them,” Gene Munster, an analyst with Loup Ventures, wrote in a note Friday.

More than that, the decision once again raises concerns about what the next big driver of growth will be for the world’s largest company. Apple has never disclosed unit sales for the Apple Watch, its most recent new hardware category. And despite years of rumors about an Apple Car, there is still nothing on the horizon.

That leaves its existing slate of hardware products. Investors, and price-conscious consumers alike, will both wonder how much more Apple can charge for future iPhones and iPads to keep sales growth humming along. Will people pay $2,000 for an iPhone?

Instead, Apple continues to try to focus investors on the strong sales growth for supplementary services, including Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. In the most recent quarter, Apple said sales for this category hit nearly $10 billion, an all-time high and larger than most standalone businesses in the world.

“The new reporting methodology is Apple’s attempt to get investors to think of their entire business as a service,” Munster says. But, he admits it could take a year for investors to embrace it.

But even the success of subscription services ultimately depend on getting customers to keep flocking to the Apple devices that support these services, with the iPhone chief among them.

At some point Apple will need to figure out what will replace the iPhone, or its growth engine could stall out.

According to a report on CNN

Vietnam puts high hopes on three business fields to develop in 4.0 era

Advertisements

Vietnam will gather strength in three production and business fields, considering these the pillars of the national economy in the 4.0 industry revolution era.

Vu Dinh Anh, a respected economist, said the biggest concern for Vietnam’s economy is the impact of the 4.0 industry revolution. Vietnam’s abundant and cheap labor force, its biggest advantage over the last many years, will not have much significance in the future, when machines will replace humans in many jobs.

Reports from international organizations all predict that Vietnam is one of the countries to suffer most from the 4.0 revolution because of the low quality of the labor force, with technically trained workers just accounting for 20 percent of the labor force, and productivity lower than many other ASEAN countries.

Meanwhile, The Readiness for the Future of Production Report 2018 WEF affirmed that Vietnam is among the countries still not ready for the 4.0 revolution.

Only 25 countries in Europe, North America and North Asia, which generate three-quarters of the global production value, will benefit from the revolution.

About 70 percent of revenue of the robot market will fall be in China, Japan, South Korea, Germany and the US. Of these, Germany, Japan and the US will be leading in making high-value robots.

Meanwhile, 90 percent of countries in Latin America, Middle East, Africa and Asia, including Vietnam, are listed among the countries with immature development.

Vietnam is in a low position in most rankings. It ranks 90th out of 100 countries in technology & innovation, 92nd in technology platform, 77th in creative capability and 70th in human resources.

In general, Vietnam gets 4.9 out of 10 points in readiness for the 4.0 revolution.

Anh stressed that, Vietnam, with limited financial resources, must choose the right fields to invest in, which will determine its success.

Vietnam needs to make heavy investment in many sectors, from information infrastructure, transport and logistics to science & technology and education.

According to Anh, the three key fields that Vietnam needs to focus on are agriculture tourism and information technology. The development of the three sectors will help boost other business fields.

The goals for the immediate and long term include 1) developing science & technology 2) stepping up administrative reform procedures, with the state becoming the midwife for science & technology inventions 3) setting up a science & technology market, and 4) figuring out development strategies in the 4.0 era.

According to a report on Vietnamnet

Vietnam Nutraceuticals Market Outlook to 2022

Advertisements

Elevating Demand for Probiotics in the country owing to Easy Availability and High Consumption to Foster Future Growth of Nutraceuticals Market in Vietnam: Ken Research

• Amway is observed to dominate Vietnam dietary supplements market in 2016.
• By distribution channel, independent small grocers dominated the Vietnam nutraceuticals market in year 2017.
• Health benefit segment dominated the functional food and beverages market segment in Vietnam.
• Omega 3 Fatty Acids are expected to drive the dietary supplements market in Vietnam.

Probiotic supplements for longer period of time have been considered as OTC (over the counter) medicine, thus leading to ease of availability among the Vietnamese population without a prescription. In Vietnam, probiotic treatment is gaining importance through well recommendations from doctors and medical professionals for curing acute watery diarrhea in children. Additionally they are also prescribed in the form of powder, ampoules or capsules for people with digestive disorder, indigestion or those who have to consume antibiotics in large amount. DSM’s latti range of probiotics which is dedicated to improve digestion and those which help in managing diarrhea have recorded huge growth in the market.

Ken Research in its latest study, Vietnam Nutraceuticals Market Outlook to 2022 suggested herbal supplements in dietary supplements segment will continue to dominate the market during the forecast period. The consumers believe that herbal or traditional products have fewer or no side effects in comparison with standard products constituting natural ingredients. Ginseng was the most popular herbal dietary supplement used in Vietnam. These supplements are expected to be used maximum in products developed for beauty and personal care.

The report provided information on market size for Vietnam nutraceuticals market, Vietnam nutraceuticals market segmentations on the bases of dietary supplements, functional food & beverages and distribution channels, regulatory landscape, import and export scenario, trends and developments and competitive landscape.
Word of mouth advertising is another major reason for growing popularity of probiotic supplements in Vietnam. Furthermore, it has been witnessed that the Vietnamese population use probiotic supplements in Vietnam for digesting street food. Highest consumption is observed among the tourists visiting the country. Looking at the high demand of probiotics, one of the global probiotic drink companies, Yakult Honsha Co. Ltd. opened its second manufacturing center in the country to complete the demand for the product in Vietnamese capital city of Hanoi. Yakult was available in about 1,200 stores and there were 80 Yakult Ladies in Vietnam as of the end of April 2011, clearly advocating the high demand for probiotics in the market.

Companies Covered:- Amway Corp, Forever Living Products International LLC, Tiens Group Co Ltd, Korea United Pharmaceutical Inc, Maspex Wadowice Grupa, Khanh Hoa Pharmaceutical JSC, Sanofi, International Medical Consulting Co Ltd (IMC), United Laboratories Inc, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Traphaco JSC, Herbalife Ltd, Bayer AG, SPM Corp, KT&G Corp, Union Pharma, GlaxoSmithKline Plc, Oriflame Cosmetics SA, OPC Pharmaceutical JSC, Pan Laboratories Pty Ltd, Laboratoire Innotech International, URGO group, National Day Pharmaceutical JSC, Haugiang Pharmaceutical JSC, Pierre Fabre SA, Laboratoires, Dajung Co Ltd, Mega Lifesciences Pty Ltd, Ahn Gook Pharm Co Ltd, Vietnam Dairy Products JSC, Royal FrieslandCampina NV, Abbott Laboratories Inc, Nutifood Nutrition Food JSC, International Dairy Products JSC (IDP), Mondelez International Inc, Huu Nghi Food JSC, Danone Groupe, Fonterra CoN.A.operative Group Ltd, Lotte Group, Associated British Foods Plc, Perfetti Van Melle Group, Meiji Holdings Co Ltd, Yakult Honsha Co Ltd, Hanoi Milk JSC, Murray Goulburn CoN.A.operative Co Ltd, TH Food Chain JSC, Namyang Dairy Products Co Ltd, Kellogg Co, Cereal Partners Worldwide SA , Vietnam Dairy Products JSC, Royal FrieslandCampina NV, Abbott Laboratories Inc, Nestlé SA, Mead Johnson Nutrition Co, International Dairy Products JSC (IDP), Mondelez International Inc, Huu Nghi Food JSC, Danone Groupe, Fonterra CoN.A.operative Group Ltd, Lotte Group, Associated British Foods Plc, Perfetti Van Melle Group, Meiji Holdings Co Ltd, Yakult Honsha Co Ltd, Hanoi Milk JSC, Murray Goulburn CoN.A.operative Co Ltd, Namyang Dairy Products Co Ltd, Mars Inc, Cereal Partners Worldwide SA

For more information, click on the link below:
https://www.kenresearch.com/healthcare/pharmaceuticals/vietnam-nutritional-supplements-market/123936-91.html

https://www.kenresearch.com/healthcare/pharmaceuticals/china-nutritional-supplements-market/123729-91.html

https://www.kenresearch.com/healthcare/pharmaceuticals/australia-nutraceuticals-market-report/121465-91.html

Contact:
Ken Research
Ankur Gupta, Head Marketing & Communications
Sales@kenresearch.com | +91-9015378249

What can Vietnamese entrepreneurs learn from Philippines’ Kumu

Advertisements

By Marga Canon

A study led by the University of California San Diego calculated the average person’s digital diet: We consume 34 gigabytes per day, or what amounts to more than 100,500 words. As this study was conducted using American subjects, we can only imagine that countries like Vietnam and the Philippines in Southeast Asia – which have leapfrogged the desktop generation and proceeded straight to mobile – consume even more data.

What’s scary about this kind of scale is that we have little control over what type of media we consume. The situation is particularly worrisome on the internet. The algorithm for Facebook’s NewsFeed is designed to keep us engaged, sparing us (outside of the company’s occasional experiments) of content that might challenge or offend us. Google is no different: Our search results are largely influenced by what we have searched for before. We exist, in short, in an online echo chamber. We may think we are reaching out across a sea of information, but we’re actually just moving in circles in our own small pond.

The idea that our mass media – particularly the internet – is slowly becoming an echo chamber is a growing global concern, and it’s one that Southeast Asians should take seriously. For the region to continue its rise as an international economic power, we must continually expose ourselves to new ideas, challenge our existing ones, and reach out to people we know to be vastly different from ourselves. Great ideas, after all, do not emerge from the status quo, but in its rebuttal.

Addressing the echo chamber that runs our online world may only be possible through other more open digital platforms. One example from the Philippines is the recently launched Kumu, a content and livestreaming app founded by Roland Ros, Rexy Dorado, Andrew Pineda, and Clare Ros. While Kumu is targeted toward Filipinos around the world – it allows anyone to broadcast to an audience of fellow Kumu users whenever and wherever they wish – it may serve as a case study for Vietnamese entrepreneurs and business leaders who similarly want to broaden the country’s digital horizons.

The idea that everyone can be a content creator is common in other countries, but it’s still transformative in the Philippines. Like other Southeast Asians, Filipinos are still used to the idea of creative artists polished by studio talent development programs, or their digital equivalents. But when anyone can livestream, it democratizes the creative process, and in so doing, surfaces more unique ideas and talents to a wider audience.

As a platform, Kumu unearths many possibilities: A Filipino psychologist can discuss via their livestream the oft-ignored issue of mental health in the Philippines; a Filipino family in one of the far-flung provinces can give a real tour of their hometown, one that goes off-the-beaten path from the usual tourist spots; a Filipino entrepreneur can give unconventional business advice that he would not want published for posterity. Even traditional industries – singing, dancing, and hosting – can be upended by introducing indie talents who may not work for traditional studio executives but would be welcomed by an audience starved off new creatives.

Ultimately, the new talents and topics will be enjoyed by Filipino audiences as a respite from the fare that they are typically served, and provides an interesting case for founders and business leaders in Vietnam. Where so many apps are content with providing convenience, Kumu may herald a growing minority of content platforms in Vietnam and in Southeast Asia that are equally designed to provoke deeper thought. Like with Kumu, the greatest impact of these platforms will occur long after the website or app has closed. Users will walk away with new ideas, beliefs, and skills that may very well change the course of their own endeavors or inspire them to pursue new ones.

The benefits of exposing ourselves to new media – such as Kumu for Filipinos or other platforms yet to arise in Vietnam – will only begin when we admit that what we choose to expose ourselves to has a profound effect on who we are. Vietnamese entrepreneurs and business leaders need to acknowledge that our digital diet has the same impact as our food – you are what you eat. The question then boils down to: What do we want to be? In the next generation of Vietnamese content-based apps, platforms, and marketplaces we will find our answer.

How Northern Vietnamese Cuisine Differs From Southern

Advertisements

The delicious cuisine of Vietnam changes from region to region and the differences are rather noticeable. Here is how the cuisine of the north differs from that of the south.

A tale of two Phở

Northern Vietnam is the birthplace of many Vietnamese favorites such as phở, banh cuon and bun cha; the first two are breakfast staples and the latter is a lunchtime go-to. Phở is Vietnam’s national dish and the most well-known outside of Vietnam. It’s your typical noodle soup dish, made of three components: a flavorful broth, some kind of meat and delicious silky rice noodles. You can add in extra flavoring according to your taste — usually you get the dish served with additional ingredients and condiments such as fish sauce, chilies, lime and other greens. Some people even add sugar. It’s up to the consumer.

The southern version of phở is often preferred over the northern version, but you must try this dish at least once while you’re in Hanoi because the most authentic version of the dish is served here. Head to Phở Gia Truyen, located at 49 Bat Dan Street for a nice big bowl. It may be a small restaurant, but it has a lot of personality. During meal times, you will find queues stretching across the street, as half of Hanoi are, as the kids say, “down to phở.” As seats are hard to come by during meal times, we recommend you go there on your motorbike which serves as an impromptu dining car.

A taste of the north: pork, pepper, and stir-fry

Another northern favorite is bún chả — a meat heavy noodle dish. Bún chả is served with separate components: heavy sweet and sour broth with a fish sauce, sugar and vinegar, vermicelli noodles and lastly, charcoal grilled pork patties and pork neck. Unlike the other broths, you cannot drink this one. On the side comes a basket of veggies and herbs that you can add to your meal, if you prefer. When President Barack Obama visited Vietnam on his state visit, American chef Anthony Bourdain treated him to a hearty meal of bún chả at Bun Cha Huong Lien, and since then, the table has been left uncleaned. It has actually been turned into a shrine. Check it out at 24 Le Van Huu.

Other dishes that originated in Hanoi are bun rieu (crab noodle soup), banh cuon(steamed rice rolls), xoi (sticky rice), bun thang (fermented fish paste noodles), and bun dau mam tom (fermented shrimp noodles). After trying some northern Vietnamese cuisine for a while, it becomes evident that the food is heavily influenced by China — there is a lot of stir-frying and noodle-based dishes, with the regular use of soy sauce, as well as sticky rice.

Another common trend is that the food does not get served spicy. Chilies aren’t often used as ingredients and in their stead, black pepper is added. This is because the colder climate in the north is not suitable for growing certain ingredients such as chilies and other spices, which affects their availability.

Overall, the northern flavors are rather harmonious, and one taste does not overpower the other. The flavors are light and balanced.

A taste of the south: sweeter, spicier flavours

If you try the same dishes from the north in the south, the differences will be readily apparent. Things are much, much sweeter in the south and some go as far as to say this trend reflects the people down there. The sweetness is thanks to the use of sugar and coconut milk in dishes — tips taken from neighboring countries like Cambodia and Thailand. The food is also spicier; however, the spiciest is in central Vietnam.

A good way to learn about the differences in northern and southern Vietnamese cuisine is to try pho in both regions. Pho in the south comes with a lot more herbs and garnishes, making the soup murkier which is much different to the clear broth you get served in the north. It’s also a lot more flavorful and your tongue will be able to identify the different types.

Other dishes to try in the south are banh mi op la (a sandwich with an omelette) and hu tieu nam vang (noodle soup). Banh mi op la is a fusion dish. Since Ho Chi Minh City is very international, foreign influence is readily apparent and you will find a lot of these dishes. Banh mi is the famous Vietnamese baguette sandwich, with the bread introduced by the French. Since then, the Vietnamese have added whatever ingredient they could think of, making the sandwich entirely their own. In banh mi op la, however, the baguette is plain, and you get eggs served sunny-side up, often supplemented with cucumber, caramelized onions and peppers, and some beef. It’s similar to a western breakfast, not only when it comes to the ingredients, but also, methods of preparation.

The warmer climate of the south is also ideal for growing a wide variety of vegetables, fruit, and livestock. Most noodle soups in the south come with a large helping of herbs and vegetables, such as hu tieu nam vang, a Chinese and Cambodian influenced pork-based noodle dish. Like this, other noodle soups are vibrant and flavorful, with liberal use of a variety of ingredients. As mentioned earlier, the soups can often be sweet, thanks to the use of sugar and coconut milk.

Other dishes you must try in the south are com tam (broken rice with pork), banh tam bi (coconut cream noodles), and goi cuon (summer rolls). Goi cuon is a wrap and roll dish where you lay out a bunch of ingredients on rice paper and roll it up yourself, before dipping it in fish sauce and taking a bite. You will find a lot of these because the Mekong Delta is the largest producer of rice paper, and of course, rice. Com tam is made with broken rice, a byproduct of rice production that farmers made use of, rather than letting it go to waste. It’s now a favorite lunchtime meal.

Since fish sauce is also widely produced in the coastal areas of the south, such as Nha Trang, Mui Ne, and Phu Quoc, you will almost always get a small bowl of this along with your meal, whereas in the north, soy sauce is more common.

Source: The Culture Trip

Two killed in traffic accident in Ha Noi

Advertisements

Two people were killed when a four-seater car crashed off the Chương Dương Bridge in Hà Nội into the Red River on Saturday.

The Mercedes-Benz vehicle hit the handrail and fell into the river early evening as it was crossing the bridge to get to the city’s centre from Long Biên District.

Authorities said the car’s front was crushed and its airbag had exploded when it was taken out of the water early yesterday.

The two victims were identified as Nguyễn Thị Thu Hương, 29, from Hà Đông District, and Bùi Kim Chi, 21, a resident of Thanh Xuân District.

Hương, the car’s owner, was sitting in the back seat when she was killed.

The crash is under investigation – Vietnamnews reported

42 million Vietnamese people use Facebook daily

Advertisements

Up to around 42 million people in Vietnam use Facebook every day, one of the highest rates in Southeast Asia.

The information was given by Noudhy Valdryno, a representative from Facebook’s Asia-Pacific division at a seminar on the role of social networks in enhancing dialogue between administration and businesses held in the northern province of Quang Ninh on November 2.

According to Valdryno, roughly 242 million people in Southeast Asia use Facebook daily, including 42 million in Vietnam. Meanwhile, a large number of Vietnamese people also use other social networks such as Instagram.

He added that up to 91% of governments use Facebook as their official dialogue channel with people and enterprises. This trend has started to increase in Vietnam.

Chairman of the Quang Ninh People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Long said that realising the importance of IT in institutional reform and the steering of socio-economic activities, the province set up the Facebook fan page DDCI Quang Ninh in order to interact with the public and businesses. The fan page has attracted more than 5,500 followers and over 100,000 likes and interactions since its creation just over a year ago.

Over the last three years, Quang Ninh has sustained fourth place among the 63 provinces and cities on the Vietnam ICT Index, greatly helping to improve its business climate and competitiveness.

Long partly attributed Quang Ninh’s top position in the country’s Provincial Competitiveness Index in 2017 to the opening of the page, which has facilitated dialogue between the provincial administration and the public.

Valdryno also highlighted the importance of selecting information for posting on Facebook to attract followers. He cited a survey conducted by Facebook as saying that video tended to attract more viewers than other information.

The Facebook representative noted that globally, there are about 2.2 billion users active on a monthly basis and 1.4 billion daily users on Facebook.

Source: Dtinews