NICKI CHAPMAN found TV fame as a judge on Pop Idol in 2001. She now hosts BBC shows Wanted Down Under, Escape To The Country and is part of the BBC presenting team at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Nicki, 51, lives in West London with music executive husband Dave Shackleton.
WHAT IS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE HOLIDAY?
My first visit to Vietnam with my husband in 2014. Hanoi was a baptism of fire, a complete assault on the senses.
I’ll never forget my first sight of the chaotic, dusty roads with thousands of cyclists.
I loved the bustling night market and munching on street food such as shrimp pat ties, known as bánh tôm.
We arrived during Tet, Vietnamese New Year, and stood by families, dressed in traditional costume, watching fireworks exploding over the Hoàn Kiem Lake. It was magical.
AND YOUR WORST?
Losing my luggage in Botswana was dire.
I was filming a holiday programme and had to take a light plane to the Makgadikgadi Pans, a huge salt flat where you can actually see the curvature of the Earth.
I was so excited until I arrived and realised the pilot had left my suitcase on the Tarmac.
I filmed for three days without make-up or a change of clothes.
WHICH SOUVENIR DO YOU CHERISH MOST?
A beautiful, wooden angel sculpture I bought in Thailand.
I asked my taxi driver to find an off the beaten track market and we drove to a huge field, about 20 miles from Phuket, which was jam-packed with furniture and artefacts.
I spotted my 2ft tall angel and had to sweet talk the airline into letting me take it home in hand luggage.
She has pride of place in my sitting room.
BEST HOLIDAY READ?
Terry Hayes’s thriller I Am Pilgrim.
I went hours without talking to my husband.
And I adore Above Sydney by George Hall, a coffee table book I found in Bondi.
It has incredible aerial views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge which still take my breath away.
HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR TIME ON HOLIDAY?
If there’s a boat to be hired I’ll be there.
We’ve been to the Sandpiper hotel in Barbados for years and always hire a catamaran to sail along the west coast to Bridgetown, where we swim with turtles and snorkel.
WHERE WOULD YOU REVISIT?
The Amazon rainforest where I had an incredible experience staying on a floating hotel.
Our guide woke us at midnight, putting flashlights on our heads to go searching for crocodiles or caimans.
We went piranha fishing which I loved until our guide showed me his three missing fingers.
Vietnam’s association with the bleakness of war cast a veil of bad memories when the country is mentioned. However, rebuilding after destruction exhibits how strong the nation really is and speaks massively of the people living there.
Drawn by Vietnam’s at-times mysterious culture, French photographer Réhahn visits and took portraits fitting for Vietnam’s admirable people who are often overshadowed by the role they played in the war.
Réhahn got an overwhelming response after sharing Madam Xong’s photo to the world which then urged him to continue the Hidden Smile Project in Vietnam. Réhahn’s narrative goes as:
“Madam Xong, as she’s affectionately called by Réhahn is a sampan boat owner whose present day job is to ferry tourists along the waterways of her hometown, Hoi An. She was very warm and welcoming towards him. He asked her if he could take her portrait. With a shy response, she awkwardly obliged and after seeing her own photo, started giggling and covered her smile with one hand. This action inspired Réhahn to take another picture of her in this pose and then she covered her mouth with one hand and her forehead with the other pretending to hide.”
Réhahn was surprised that Vietnamese people cover their mouths when they laugh but started seeing that this gesture makes use of the whole face to show the positivity of smiling. He recounts that, “here in Vietnam, it’s common for elders to cover their mouths when they are speaking, giggling softly or laughing uncontrollably. When people are shy, they cover their mouths with their hands. A lot of older people in Vietnam, through hardships have lost their front teeth so they also cover their mouths. But besides this, look closely at the eyes, the hands and the face.”
Nha Trang is a coastal city in Vietnam surrounded by mesmerizing blue water, mountainous islands and some of the best seafood in Vietnam. Now, 10 hours up north, Da Nang is also a coastal city inVietnam…also surrounded by magnificent blue water, mountainous islands and some of the best seafood in Vietnam. EEK! Travelemma much?
Now, I don’t know you, and I know nothing about your travel plans…BUT. When you come to sunny, tropical Vietnam, something tells me you might wanna escape the hustle and chaotic bustle of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi for a few days and spend some time kickin’ at a tropical beach with a coconut under a palm leaf. I get it!
But where do you go? Therein lies the problem. Nha Trang has a population of about 420,000, where Da Nang has a massive population of 1.5 million (although it definitely doesn’t feel that big!). Da Nang is much cleaner than Nha Trang, but Nha Trang has far less construction. Nha Trang has a nicer beach promenade, but Da Nang has a beautiful river walk. It really just depends what’s more important to you in a destination! Let’s break it down, shall we?
(Disclaimer: I live in Da Nang, so I promise I’ll try not to be biased!)
The beaches
OK. WOULD YOU RATHER…
HAVE THIS
OR THIS.
Impossible to decide? I know. Let’s talk about it.
Nha Trang
First thing’s first, the city beaches. Nha Trang has a stunning city beach – bright blue water looking out to the mountains, a beautifully landscaped promenade, and countless swanky-lookin’ beach bars to indulge yourself with a fancy schmancy cocktail on a plush lounge chair in the sand. You don’t feel like you’re at a city beach, thanks to the well-developed promenade that separates you from the chaos of the city – it’s truly an oasis. Although the thing that really sold me was the Louisiane Brewhouse, a beachside brewery complete with a free-to-use pool and in-house made craft beers for 50K (a reasonable $2.50)! Now THAT’S what I’m talkin’ about Nha Trang!
Break away from the city, and you’ve got a number of stunning islands with breathtaking crystal clear water to explore, easily accessible by boat. Just go to the Nha Trang port, tell them you want a boat to explore the islands, and voila! Smooth sailin’. The big con? While the water is absolutely jaw-dropping with its 100 shades of blue, the islands can get pretty littered, so buyer beware.
Da Nang
Now, Da Nang’s city beach has less stunningly clear water (con), yet has much finer, silkier sand (pro!) but less cool beach bars (con). While the city beach is right next to the main road with only a sidewalk separating the beach from the fast-moving traffic and very loud sounds of construction, the beach scenery itself is really stunning – with remote neighboring islands in the distance and Son Tra mountain’s buddhaful Lady Buddha looking back at you. While there isn’t an impressive selection of beach bars like in Nha Trang, you’ve got what you need – a few cabanas selling coconuts, the Holiday Beach hotel bar that’s right on the sand, and the chilled out beach bar that all the expats living in Da Nang go to (myself included), The Village. It ain’t theLouisiane Brewhouse, but it’ll do!
The real beach gold awaits only a 10 min motorbike ride away, on Son Tra mountain – no need to hop on a boat! Rent a motorbike (or if you’re not feelin’ so ballsy take a Grab – Southeast Asia’s version of Uber), and drive to close-by Son Tra mountain, where quiet, hidden beaches sit ever-so-calmy at the bottom of the mountain. Or, if you still want your island fill, take a short boat ride out to the secluded Cham Islands!
THE WINNER: Drum roll, please… NHA TRANG! With its jaw-dropping water, dozens of beach bars and surrounding islands to explore, Nha Trang takes the prize for this one.
City culture
Nha Trang
Here’s where Nha Trang gets a bit weird. Part of the local culture is…Russian? I mean, the city center is FULL of Russian tourists. Which isn’t a bad thing at all! Just…well, shocking. Menus are in Russian, storefronts are in Russian, the waiters even speak Russian. So…why go to Russia when you can go to tropical Russia! JK… anyway, the Russian tourists were really nice, so embrace learning a new culture! As for the local atmosphere, breaking away from that touristy beach neighborhood, I found the local vibes to be much less friendly and welcoming than in Da Nang.
Da Nang
If you’re not looking at a Vietnamese local, you’re probably looking at 1 of 2 scenarios: a Korean tourist in a sun hat, or a free-spirited life-lovin’ expat that has moved to Da Nang to pursue something artistic or entrepreneurial (did I mention the expat community here is like, really impressive? Anywho…). As for the locals, the local atmosphere in Da Nang is just wonderful. While the language barrier is real, the locals are always incrediblykind, helpful, friendly and always eager to say “hello!!!” to you with an ear-to-ear grin. A smile is the universal language in Da Nang, and it’ll get you quite far.
THE WINNER: Gotta love the Russians, but…this one goes to DA NANG!
Food
Nha Trang
Let’s cut to the chase. I mean isn’t food the real reason we all travel? Nha Trang is known for its grilled beef and of course, it’s seafood. There was one BBQ restaurant that just BLEW me away. It’s called Bo Nuong Lac Canh (pic above), and it’s a local institution that specializes in grilled beef. But it doesn’t just serve up incredible beef, but grilled vegetables, grilled oysters, grilled squid, grilled…well anything you can dream up! Tucked away in a little alley far from the central tourist area of Nha Trang, the minute you step foot onto the tiny street you’ll be hit with smoky aromas of grilled godliness. I’ve gotta say, it knocks any other BBQ restaurant I’ve been to in Da Nang outta the park. A reason in itself to go there? YES.
Da Nang
I can’t point to one single thing to try in Da Nang…it’s all just so good! It’s like, how do you pick your favorite child? You wouldn’t dare! Sure, there are local specialties like Mi Quang and Banh Xeo, and then there are incredible family-style restaurants like Bep Hen, and then there are those fresh seafood restaurants that align the beach, and OH! You can’t forget that real local street food fish spot, that grills up a whole fish in teriyaki sauce on a tiny grill right in front of you for less than $6 (128 Yen Bai, City Center)…see what I mean? Prepare to eat yourself to foodcoma.
THE WINNER: It’s a TIE! Let’s face it. No matter where you are in Vietnam, you’re gonna eat good food.
Location & accessibility
Nha Trang
Nha Trang is located in the central- southern region of Vietnam, a very short flight from Ho Chi Minh City (or an 8-hour-drive). Note, the airport is pretty far outside the city in the middle of nowhere, about a 45-minute drive from the city limits.
Da Nang
Da Nang is smack dab in the middle of Vietnam – right in between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. It’s conveniently awesome airport is surprisingly in the city, and from any point in the city it won’t take you more than 20 minutes to get there. Most travelers go to Hoi An, and must pass through Da Nang’s airport anyway…so why don’t ya get comfy and just stay a while!
THE WINNER: Of course, this depends on your travel itinerary. Butttt, Da Nang’s airport is way more convenient, and due to its central location right next to popular Hoi An, this one is for you DA NANG!
Vietnam’s maritime oil and gas operations are in accordance with international law and conducted in waters in which it has total sovereignty, the country’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
Reuters reports, Rosneft Vietnam BV, a unit of Russian state oil firm Rosneft (ROSN.MM), is concerned that its recent drilling in an area of the East Sea that is claimed by China could upset Beijing, two sources with direct knowledge of the situation told Reuters on Wednesday.
“As we have repeatedly asserted, all of Vietnam’s maritime economic activities, including oil and gas activities, have been licensed and carried out in maritime zones entirely under Vietnamese sovereignty and jurisdiction,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang told Reuters in a statement.
Vietnam’s oil and gas activities are conducted in accordance with the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, Hang said.
Reporting by Khanh Vu and James Pearson; Editing by Alexandra Hudson
Full scale production is now underway at the new 28,000m2 Daikin air conditioning factory in Vietnam.
Located in the suburbs of the capitol city of Hanoi, this new JPY8bn ($72m) factory is the first in Vietnam to provide full-scale production of air conditioners and functions ranging from air conditioner assembly to technician training and education. Taking advantage of its extensive training facilities, the factory will be used as a base for technician training while also ensuring local supply to an air conditioning market where demand is rapidly increasing.
Through its subsidiary Daikin Air Conditioning Vietnam, the Japanese air conditioning manufacturer first announced its intention to build the factory in July 2016.
Demand for residential air conditioners in Vietnam continues to grow, making the country one of the largest air conditioning markets in Asia. Daikin expects to benefit from its energy-saving products in a country where electric bills relative to incomes are expensive.
The new factory incorporates technology and know-how from Daikin Group factories worldwide, in areas including production control technologies and inspection systems utilising IoT and technical training. Output is expected to reach one million residential units by 2020 with 1500 employees.
A struggle over internet laws in Vietnam is pitting a government keen on maintaining tight control against US technology companies trying to fight off onerous new rules — with the country’s online dissidents among the biggest losers.
According to Reuters’ report, The latest conflict centers on new cybersecurity legislation set for a vote by Vietnamese lawmakers later this month. It aims to impose new legal requirements on internet companies, and hardens policing of online dissent.
Facebook, Google and other global companies are pushing back hard against provisions that would require them to store data on Vietnamese users locally and open offices in the country. But they have not taken the same tough stance on parts of the proposed law that would bolster the government’s crackdown on online political activism.
Vietnam offers a case study in the conflicting pressures the likes of Facebook and Google confront when operating in countries with repressive governments. It also shows how authoritarian regimes try to walk a line in controlling online information and suppressing political activism without crippling the digital economy.
Such tensions are playing out across Southeast Asia, where the enormous popularity of Facebook and Google has created lucrative business opportunities and outlets for political dissent. With that, though, has come both government censorship and a way to get propaganda to large audiences efficiently.
The region is particularly important for Facebook and Google because most Internet users in China are blocked from accessing them.
An industry group called the Asia Internet Coalition (AIC) is leading efforts to soften the proposed cyber law in Vietnam. Jeff Paine, managing director of the AIC, said he and others were able to raise concerns about the law directly with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and other top government officials when they visited Singapore last month.
The discussions took place as part of a seminar about internet issues that included academics, industry officials and the high-level Vietnamese delegation, according to Paine. He said there was “a healthy dialogue” that focused mostly on how Vietnam can leverage the next stages of the digital revolution.
But he said there was no discussion of content restrictions.
The Vietnamese government did not respond to a request from Reuters for comment for this article.
Political activists in Vietnam rely on social media to rally support, and the new cyber law comes on the heels of an April letter from more than 50 rights groups and activists to Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg accusing the company of working too closely with the Vietnamese government to stifle dissent.
Facebook and Google say they have to abide by local laws in the countries where they operate.
Facebook’s latest “transparency report,” released Tuesday, shows that in the second half of last year, the company began blocking content in Vietnam for violations of local law for the first time. The company reported 22 such instances — though it said they were prompted by “private reports of defamation” rather than direct government requests.
Google last year also blocked YouTube videos at the request of the government for the first time. Updated figures released Friday show the company was asked to remove more than 6500 videos in 2017, mostly for criticizing the government, and that it complied with a majority of the requests.
The transparency reports do show that the companies don’t automatically do the bidding of the government. Facebook said it had received 12 government requests for Facebook user account data in 2017 and complied with only 4 of them, all of which were “emergency” requests. The company defines an emergency as involving “imminent risk of serious physical injury or death.”
In cases where content is alleged to violate local law, both companies say takedown requests are subject to legal review, and when they comply the material is only blocked locally.
Direct government censorship requests don’t tell the whole story though.
Facebook also removes content and blocks accounts for violating its own global “community standards,” which bar material and behaviours ranging from posting pornography to hate speech and inciting violence.
“The first thing we do when a government tells us about content that violates laws is we look at whether it violates our standards,” said Monika Bickert, Facebook’s vice president of global policy management. The company this week began providing data on community standards violations but does not break it down by country.
“My account was blocked for 8 months,” said Le Van Dung, an independent journalist in Vietnam who signed the letter to Zuckerberg. “I sent letters to Facebook management for months but there’s only an automatic reply saying they have completed your request.”
His account was restored last month, the day after the appeal to Zuckerberg was sent, he said.
Facebook said Dung’s account was correctly removed for violating community standards provisions barring “spam” activities and was restored by mistake. Dung denies engaging in spam. He did, though, have more than one account. Multiple accounts are not allowed on Facebook and fall within the company’s definition of spam behaviour.
This file photo taken on November 20, 2017 shows shows logos of US technology company Google displayed on computer screens. (AFP/Loic Venance )
Tightening the screws
Vietnam has had tough internet regulations in place since 2013. They ban any postings that are anti-government, harm national security, cause “hatred and conflicts” or “hurt the prestige of organizations and individuals.”
The rules also ban social media users who “spread fake or untruthful information.”
New rules implemented in 2017 tightened the screws further. One turning point, according to Yee Chung Seck, an attorney in the Ho Chi Minh City office of the international law firm Baker McKenzie, was an April 2017 meeting convened by the government to discuss a range of Internet ills including disinformation, hate speech and bullying.
That came just after the government called on all companies doing business in the country to stop advertising on YouTube, Facebook and other social media until they found a way to halt the publication of “toxic” anti-government information.
Yet another decree implemented last month stated that social media platforms had to remove illegal content within three hours of it being reported by the government, though Paine said the rule applies only to domestic companies.
Still, Facebook and Google don’t seem to be under any imminent threat given how deeply they have penetrated into Vietnam society.
About 55 million of Vietnam’s 96 million people are regular social media users, according to research by Simon Kemp, a digital media consultant based in Singapore.
Facebook, YouTube and Google Search are far and away the most popular internet destinations, Kemp’s data shows. Facebook is also the most popular platform for online shopping in Vietnam.
And the government is eager to nurture the country’s digital economy: smartphones and all that they enable, especially e-commerce and online banking, are transforming economies across Asia, and no one wants to be left behind.
“They love that part of the story,” said Chung.
But the government also wants more control, including local data storage and local corporate offices — a provision company officials privately fear is designed to allow the government to intimidate companies by exposing individuals to arrest.
Both Facebook and Google serve Vietnam from their regional headquarters in Singapore.
The new law also gives more power to Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security, which is tasked with crushing dissent in the communist-ruled country.
Facebook said it expected the new rules would require it to restrict more content. Google declined to comment.
Long jail terms
For the rights activists, there appears to be little hope of relief.
For example, just this month, a Facebook user in Vietnam was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in jail for posts which “distorted the political situation,” according to a statement posted on an official Communist Party website.
Still, Facebook remains an important tool for activists in Vietnam — a country where government criticism is rarely tolerated and the battle between the authorities and dissidents is a game of cat-and-mouse.
“Sometimes we use Facebook to distract authorities, like we pretend to discuss an important meeting, which obviously won’t happen,” activist Nguyen Lan Thang said. “Then we watch from afar and laugh as they surround our fake meeting spot,” Thang added.
Fintech’s influence is growing around the globe. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers, fintech startups attracted more than $40 billion in investments during the past four years, and legacy institutions are warming up to partnerships with agile, digital-first companies. The Asia-Pacific region saw nearly $15 billion in fintech investments between January 2016 and February 2017 alone. Needless to say, the opportunity in fintech is real–and Vietnam is getting in on it.
Sky’s the limit
According to a report on Forbes, Vietnam’s fintech market hit $4.4 billion in 2017, and it will reach $7.8 billion by 2020 , according to research from Solidiance, an APAC-focused consulting firm. In a recently published report, “Unlocking Vietnam’s Fintech Growth Potential,” Solidiance attributes the uptick to several factors, including high internet and smartphone penetration rates in urban centers, increased popularity of e-wallets, rising income and consumption, and a growing e-commerce sector.
The company also credits the Vietnamese government with creating an “increasingly supportive regulatory framework” via the creation of the Fintech Steering Committee and other measures. If the government is successful in its plan to reach 70% banking penetration within the next two years, that could further accelerate the fintech market, where startups are already creating solutions such as lifestyle banking services and a range of mobile wallet and digital payments solutions.
Michael Sieburg, associate partner at Solidiance, says that much will depend on the state’s movements in the next few years. “It’s important to acknowledge the development of the Fintech Steering Committee by the State Bank of Vietnam. This is an important move and illustrates the government’s serious approach to developing a framework that can guide the industry forward,” he says. “But one key issue to address will be the speed at which new products and services can receive legal guidance so they can operate with predictability and decrease compliance risk.”
He notes that lengthy approval times for licenses can hinder innovation and impede Vietnam’s emergence as a fintech leader. “Finding that balance between encouraging innovation while protecting the public interest will be key,” Sieburg says.
Push for digital
Currently, digital payment solutions comprise 89% of the fintech market here, according to Solidiance. But the company predicts that the personal and corporate finance sectors will grow by 31.2% and 35.9%, respectively, by 2025. That growth will be driven in part by the government’s push to move away from cash-based transactions. Last year, the state announced a plan to reduce cash transactions in shopping malls, grocery stores, and distributors to less than 10% by 2020.
Digital payments currently comprise the lion’s share — 89% — of Vietnam’s fintech market. Photo: HOANG DINH NAM/AFP/Getty Images
Before that can happen, Vietnam’s financial inclusion stats will need to increase. As of 2014, only 31% of adults held formal transaction accounts, according to the World Bank. There are several reasons for this, including high costs, prohibitive documentation requirements, a lack of financial services in close proximity to consumers, and skepticism of the financial sector.
Mobile a catalyst
Sieburg says the financial inclusion process will be helped along by the country’s high smartphone penetration rate. As of 2017, 84% of mobile phone users are on smartphones. Digital payment apps can help draw in consumers who traditionally lacked access to formal banking systems, paving the way toward a cashless–or less cash-dependent–society. ” Digital payments could transform not only the retail market and bill payment but also payment for public services as well government-to-people payments , currently a challenge in some rural areas where banking sector penetration is less developed,” Sieburg says.
There’s a great deal of work to be done if Vietnam is to fulfill its fintech ambitions, but Sieburg predicts big things in the country’s future. ” In the next decade, Vietnam will emerge as a regional leader in developing innovative fintech solutions ,” he says. “There is so much energy here. …With a population eager to adopt technology and a vibrant, young, tech-smart population propelling innovation, I’m excited about what lies ahead here.”
From the hustling startup community to innovation initiatives within traditional organizations, Sieburg sees signs of real growth. Coupled with an increasingly supportive regulatory ecosystem, there’s good reason to think Vietnam’s fintech sector is one to watch.
A plane about to take off from Da Nang Airport stopped on the tarmac and headed back to the terminal after a pregnant woman fell ill on-board.
The pilot took the decision to halt the plane which was heading to HCM City after a passenger, a Czech woman, feared she was suffering a miscarriage moments before take-off.
She was flying on Wednesday morning onboard Jetstar Pacific flight BL581 along with 150 other passengers.
Around 8am she suffered a colporrhagia, a form of bleeding, and was worried she may have miscarried.
After the plane came to a halt, the woman, who has not been named, was rushed to the Hoan My-Da Nang Hospital nearby for treatment.
Although she is likely to remain in hospital for several days, the woman and her unborn child are both in a healthy condition.
The flight eventually took off around 9.45am.
It’s not the first time a Jetstar passenger has got into medical difficulties on one of their planes.
Two years ago, while on a flight from HCM City to Da Nang, a woman went into labour at 10,000 metres. Thankfully English doctor Fiona Sutton was onboard and helped deliver the baby who was nicknamed Jetstar.
In 2011 an airhostess helped a woman give birth while on a flight from HCM City to Vinh City in Nghe An Province.
And in 2015, a Canadian national on a flight from Hanoi to HCM City was saved after suffering a stroke 20 minutes after the aircraft left Noi Bai Airport.
Also in 2015, an airhostess of the airline saved a child who had a candy stuck in her throat.
A railway section which runs across a densely-populated area in Hanoi has become a popular destination for foreign visitors.
The railway route which starts from Hang Co Station in Hanoi was built by the French more than 100 years ago to transport passengers and goods to the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai.The section runs from Dien Bien Phu to Phung Hung streets adjacent to households.The life of households alongside the railway has appeared many times in foreign newspapers, so, many foreigners come there when they visit Hanoi.The railway area has attracted dozens of foreign travellers every day. Local households are just two metres from the railway.Water and vegetable stalls also operate along the two sides of the railway sectionVisitors wear traditional Ao Dai outfits to take photos with the railwayThe section belongs to Hanoi-Lao Cai railway route which serves four trains daily at night and early morning.Local people said that the area has become more attractive to foreigners.Local residents are quite friendly to foreigners
The alumni of the 2001 class 12A2 from Bui Huu Nghia, now in their mid-30s, returned to their old school, donning student uniforms and posing for photos in the very classroom they studied in two decades ago.
The Bui Huu Nghia High School graduating class of 2001 was all smiles during a 17-year reunion celebration on May 13.
The alumni, now in their mid-30s, donned white shirts and ao dai, mimicking the school uniforms from their adolescence, as they basked in the nostalgia of their teenage years.
Even a pregnant alumna who could not wear ao dai managed to put on a white T-shirt to fit in with the group.
After receiving permission from the school board, the group held a photoshoot reliving their funniest classroom moments – passing notes, dozing off, celebrating – in the same room they spent hours studying from 1998 to 2001.
Photos from their shoot were quick to take over social media, garnering hundreds of thousands of likes, shares, and comments in just a few hours after being posted on Monday.
Rising to social media fame was the easy part. It was getting the gang back together that made things tough.
Weeks of planning went into guaranteeing that every member of the 2001 class 12A2 was back in Can Tho for the reunion, including several alumni who traveled hours from Ho Chi Minh City and other provinces, and others who only had a few hours to spend at the reunion before rushing back to work.
“We came up with the idea of getting everyone together for something special during a catch-up at a coffee shops,” Ho Hong Xuan, one of the group’s organizers, said.
“Although the school has been renovated and the class is not the same as it used to be, having everyone together made it a truly special day,” Xuan added.
In the past, the group would meet during the Lunar New Year, or Tet, but this is the first time that all 31 members have been able to be in one place at the same time.
To keep the tradition going, they decided to adopt May 13 as an official annual reunion date.
“Nowadays, social network sites make it easy to keep in touch with each other. That’s why we still maintain a Facebook group,” said one of the alumni.
The alumni re-enact the moments from the past in this photo provided by the group.The alumni re-enact the moments from the past in this photo provided by the group.The alumni re-enact the moments from the past in this photo provided by the group.The alumni re-enact the moments from the past in this photo provided by the group.An alumnus recreates a scene where he uses a trick to help his friend pass a verbal test.An alumnus recreates failing a verbal test and being forced to kneel by the teacher.The alumni re-enact the moments from the past in this photo provided by the group.The alumni re-enact the moments from the past in this photo provided by the group.The alumni re-enact the moments from the past in this photo provided by the group.The alumni re-enact the moments from the past in this photo provided by the group.
Hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) arrived in Nha Trang, Vietnam, Thursday, as part of the annual multi-nation disaster relief and humanitarian aid exercise called Pacific Partnership.
A report by Ben Werner on USNI mentioned, Vietnam has for years participated in the annual exercise, including hosting a variety of U.S. Navy ships. Mercy has visited the country a few times. In 2007 amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA-5) stopped in Vietnam as part of that year’s Pacific Partnership, providing a variety of medical, dental, and educational services to the country’s citizens, according to the Navy.
Now in its 13th iteration, Pacific Partnership started as the international humanitarian response to the 2004 tsunami that devastated parts of Southeast Asia. Since then, 22 nations from around the world have participated in disaster relief and humanitarian aid exercises in 18 Indo-Pacific region host nations, according to a Department of Defense release announcing the exercise start.
The cooperation between the Vietnamese and U.S. navies during past Pacific Partnership exercises helped set the stage for March’s historic port call made by USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) to Da Nang, Vietnam, the first port call by a U.S. aircraft carrier to the nation since the Vietnam War ended. At the time, U.S. Navy leadership said the visit was made possible by the trust developed during more than a decade of participating in such exercises as Pacific Partnership.
“I’m proud to have Pacific Partnership back in Nha Trang for 2018. This mission demonstrates U.S. support for a strong, prosperous, and independent Vietnam and our commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. Over the next two weeks, we’ll see U.S. and Vietnamese personnel working together on everything from cutting-edge medical exchanges to repairing and improving schools damaged in last year’s floods,” Daniel J. Kritenbrink, the U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, said in a release.
Joining Mercy’s crew in Nha Trang are personnel from Navy Expeditionary Fast Transport vessel USNS Brunswick (T-EPF-6) and from the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force JDS Osumi (LST-4001). The international responders will practice with Vietnamese officials various methods of delivering aid. Along with Vietnam, this year’s Pacific Partnership mission includes visits to Indonesia, Malaysia, Palau, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Micronesia.
“I really value the knowledge and best practices we will exchange with our Vietnamese partners in the coming days,” Capt. David Bretz, Pacific Partnership mission commander, said in a release. “Being prepared for natural disasters is crucial to the stability of this region and I look forward to all the great experiences we will have during our visit as we continue to strengthen our partnership with Vietnam.”
The race is on between domestic banks to venture into the Vietnamese market, which has been dubbed the ‘post-China’ economy.
According to Korea Bizwire’s report — The growth rate of the Southeast Asian nation has continued to be high at 6 percent over the last few years, and over 6,500 Korean firms have already entered the market.
Local subsidiary Shinhan Bank Vietnam, after taking over the retail banking business of Australia’s ANZ Bank last year, opened four new branches recently in Vietnam.
The total number of branches for Shinhan in Vietnam now stands at 30, with over 1,500 employees on its payroll.
Shinhan Bank Vietnam also plans to raise the ratio of its personal banking business from 45 percent at present to 50 percent. The bank is also aiming to open four or five more branches next year.
Woori Bank Vietnam, another Korean bank, established a local subsidiary in Vietnam last year when it opened three branches. Woori also plans to open six more branches this year.
Woori has expressed its ambitions to expand to a total of 20 branches in the future, and to venture into the personal banking business in addition to its current corporate business focus.
IBK Vietnam, with one office each in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh, is vying for its place as the third Korean bank to establish a local subsidiary in Vietnam. Kookmin Bank is also said to be contemplating the creation of a local bank.
Other Korean banks with current presence in Vietnam include NH Bank and KEB Hana. In addition, BNK Busan Bank and DGB Daegu Bank are trying to venture into the Vietnamese market.
One source within the banking industry said that Vietnam is the only country that has so many domestic banks setting up business outside of Korea.
This may be due to the fact that the large number of Korean firms currently in Vietnam require Korean banks to carry out their business transactions.
Another banking insider, however, was wary of the competition.
“It’s true that Vietnam has great potential for growth, but some are worried that there may be too much competition between Korean banks themselves.”
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group will manage a new hotel in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, scheduled to open in 2020.
A report by ttgasia.com mentioned, Mandarin Oriental, Saigon will occupy the upper floors of the Union Square Saigon mixed-use complex, which will also house international luxury retail outlets.
With 227 guestrooms and suites, the hotel will also feature six restaurants and bars, a range of meeting and banqueting spaces, a fitness centre, a spa, and an outdoor swimming pool.
The hotel is located adjacent to the Saigon Opera House and the People’s Committee Building and within walking distance of key landmarks in the city.
Newly listed Vinhomes becomes country’s second-most valuable company
According to a report by Nikkei, Vinhomes listed on Vietnam’s main stock exchange Thursday and immediately jumped to second place in value, reflecting the prospects for the affordable housing market in one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing economies.
With strong investor appetite, Vinhomes’ market capitalization hit 296 trillion dong ($13 billion) on the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange, making it the second-most valuable listed Vietnamese company after its own parent, Vingroup, at 324 trillion dong. Vietnam Dairy Products (Vinamilk) follows at 239 trillion dong.
More than 2.68 billion Vinhomes shares were listed on the bourse Thursday, offered at 92,100 dong apiece. During the opening session, 10,800 shares changed hands at 110,500 dong, 20% higher than the offering price.
The successful listing is supported by growing demand for housing as urbanization accelerates in Vietnam.
Vingroup is the biggest shareholder in Vinhomes, with a 69.66% stake as of April 20, followed by Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC with 5.74%. In April, Vingroup raised $1.3 billion from GIC for property investment.
Two foreign investors held more than a 7% stake at Vinhomes before the listing, leaving room for additional foreign ownership under a 49% cap.
Vinhomes offers both high-end and affordable homes. Its Vinhomes brand is geared for high- and middle-income buyers, while the new Vincity line targets lower earners. Unit sales under Vincity are scheduled to start later this year, providing 200,000 to 300,000 units to the market by 2020. Prices start at 700 million dong per unit.
Listing on the stock market will improve the company’s ability to raise funds for new projects, said Vinhomes CEO Nguyen Dieu Linh. Besides 10 projects under construction, Vinhomes will need capital to fund 26 new projects by 2021, including eight Vincity projects.
Affordable housing is the most promising segment for Vinhomes as the demand is increasing while the market currently lacks major providers, Le Anh Tuan, head of research at Vietnam-focused Dragon Capital, told the Nikkei Asian Review at the listing ceremony. Dragon Capital was one of four institutional investors in Vinhomes before the listing.
An estimated 80% of potential Vietnamese homebuyers are searching for affordable units.
In 2016, Vingroup announced it would enter the affordable housing segment after the government warned the housing industry it would tax owners of second homes in order to tackle an oversupply of high-end homes in the market.
Hanoi-based Vinhomes was founded in 2008 and reorganized by parent Vingroup in 2018. Vingroup has diversified into seven core business segments — real estate, retail, tourism, education, health care, agriculture and automobiles — becoming one of the biggest private conglomerates in Vietnam.
Vinhomes reported 15.2 trillion dong in revenue last year. This figure is expected to increase 61% to 24.6 trillion dong this year and jump 226% to 80.3 trillion dong in 2019. Net profit for 2018 is forecast at more than 5 trillion dong and expected to quadruple to 20 trillion dong next year.
The Vietnamese government has “created a foundation of stability” to attract foreign investors, one strategist told CNBC.
This encompasses the sound management of the country’s legal infrastructure, inflation and interest rates, he added.
Vietnam is among Asia’s best performing stock markets, though volatility persists. Nonetheless, the Vietnam Index in Ho Chi Minh City has risen 42 percent in the last 12 months.
According to CNBC report, Frontier market Vietnam has the right strategy to make it a foreign direct investment hotspot, according to one strategist.
The Vietnamese government has recognized that “instability isn’t going to attract foreign direct investors” Andy Ho, chief investment officer at VinaCapital Vietnam Opportunity Fund, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe” Wednesday.
“Over the last five to 10 years, they have created a foundation of stability where the FX (foreign exchange), the legal infrastructure, the inflation, the interest rates — all of that is stable,” he explained.
Vietnam is among Asia’s best performing stock markets, though volatility persists. April 2018 marked both its record high and its worst month in two years. Nonetheless, the Vietnam Index in Ho Chi Minh City has risen 42 percent in the last 12 months.
The International Monetary Fund sees growth for Vietnam at 6.6 percent in 2018, well above the emerging market average of 4.9 percent.
But, emerging markets across the board are threatened by investors drawing their cash back to the U.S. in anticipation of higher yields as interest rates rise.
Vietnam’s Communist Party-led government has been in place since the mid-1970s following the country’s reunification after its brutal north/south war.
Ho highlighted the presence of technology firms Intel and Samsung in the country as examples of the government realizing that foreign direct investment is creating wealth.
The creation of jobs, crucial given the country’s youth population bulge, as well as the growth of urban areas provides an investment opportunity according to Ho. “This is where we invest, because as people move into the city, they’re going to want basic goods and services,” he added.
Opportunities lie in sectors such as banks, education and pharmaceuticals, he added.
Strong foreign capital inflows — of which direct investment is roughly $20 billion annually — stabilize the currency and enables the management of inflation and interest rates, Maarten-Jan Bakkum, a senior strategist for emerging markets at NN Investment, said in a note on Tuesday.
“The consumption boom that results from this is currently one of the strongest in the entire emerging world,” he said.
Comparison with China
“Over the last twenty years, Vietnamese exports have grown five times faster than the average growth in the emerging world and twice as fast as the export growth in China, the country known as the export champion,” Bakkum explained.
For Ho, the country’s promising export potential is boosted by its vast coastline, which pertains to the creation of ports connecting to markets including southern China.
But, the Southeast Asian country does face headwinds. While Vietnam’s current labor cost is one third that of China, “the biggest concern over the next five to 10 years is wage inflation,” Ho said.
He added that the country was a “diversification play (as) it is volatile, higher risk,” but it “delivers higher return.”
Motorists pass the Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. | Getty Images
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