Vietnam Insider - Page 1432 of 1521

Vietnam Airlines and ST Aerospace to boost aviation operations

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Vietnam Airlines and ST Aerospace have teamed up to boost aviation operations and help Vietnam increase its footprint in the sector. A report by Channel News Asia said.

The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Thursday (26 Apr) to set up a joint venture for ST Aerospace to provide Vietnam Airlines with Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) solutions.

The joint project will be headquartered in the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi to cater to Vietnam Airlines’ requirements, as well as the region’s growing needs for aircraft MRO services.

This agreement was among 16 MOUs that were signed and witnessed by Singapore’s National Development Minister Lawrence Wong and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, on the second day of his official visit to Singapore. It took place at the Vietnam-Singapore Business Forum held at the Fairmont Singapore.

The partnership is expected to help Vietnam Airlines’ shorten turnaround time for maintenance and repairs as these will now be carried out in Vietnam. Currently, the planes have to be sent abroad. This will help to save costs and create higher operational efficiency.

Both sides have also entered a 14-year component Maintenance-By-the-Hour (MBH) contract. This will support Vietnam Airlines’ whole fleet of A321 planes. Under the MBH contract, ST Aerospace will set up an inventory base in Vietnam to provide timely services to the airline.

President of ST Aerospace Lim Seth Ghee said the robust development of the economy and a burgeoning middle class have created an ideal environment for the growth of the aviation industry in Asia Pacific, and Vietnam’s double digit growth in the air travel sector is the best reflection of this.

“Riding on this growth, strategic partnerships with established industry participants such as Vietnam Airlines will enable ST Aerospace to increase our regional footprint and better penetrate high-growth markets,” he said.

Executive Vice President of Vietnam Airlines Dang Ngoc Hoa said: “This partnership not only improves our fleet efficiency and world-class service quality, but also represents a major step forward for Vietnam’s aviation industry in general.”

Meanwhile, in his opening address at the forum, Minister Lawrence Wong identified three areas for further collaboration between the Singapore and Vietnam business community.

These include the energy sector such as Liquefied Natural Gas and renewable energy sources such as solar power, Smart Cities and Urban Solutions as well as the Digital Economy, especially in the cashless payments space.

Source: CNA

Singapore and Vietnam in Fintech Accord

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Vietnam is the latest country to ink a financial technology agreement with Singapore, making it the 20th co-operation agreement signed by the city-state.

The MAS (Monetary Authority of Singapore) and SBV (State Bank of Vietnam) just signed a co-operation agreement while Prime Minister of Vietnam – Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc to make official visit to Singapore on April 24, the two said in a statement. They will work together to support the development of financial technology ecosystems and foster financial innovation of both Vietnam and Singapore.

Singapore has sealed similar agreements with some other countries, such as Australia, Britain, Japan and Middle Eastern countries. The government has offered tech firms powerful incentives to settle in the Lion City, Singapore in a bid to establish itself as a fintech hub.

The MAS fintech chief, Sopnendu Mohanty said in a recent interview with media that, the move to grow Singapore as a fintech hub and a «smart financial center» is not done in isolation, but as part of a broader agenda to position Singapore as a «smart nation».

Mindshare Vietnam leadership changes hands following Roopa Dhawan exit

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Mindshare has appointed Shankar Rajagopal as the leader of the agency in Vietnam following the resignation of long-serving boss Roopa Dhawan.

Rajagopal moves to Ho Chi Minh City from China, where he has led the agency’s L’Oréal account since 2014.

Prior to then, the 19-year industry veteran led the Unilever Malaysia account for more than four years.

His arrival follows the quiet exit of Dhawan, who has been with Mindshare Vietnam since 2006, first as managing partner and subsequently as country lead from 2011.

Mindshare Vietnam currently employs 130 people and has local accounts with Vinasoy, Acecook, Dien May Xanh and FWD Life Insurance.

Mindshare South East Asia chief executive officer Himanshu Shekhar said: “I am excited to have Shankar lead the Vietnam office. He is an accomplished business leader having managed some of the best teams in our network. With his depth of experience across APAC markets, Shankar is uniquely positioned to lead a rapidly transforming media market of Vietnam, especially in e-commerce, data, and content.

“We have a strong team and vibrant client partnerships in Vietnam and I am sure Shankar will nurture them to greater glory.”

Rajagopal added: “For our prospective clients, I am eager to showcase the value that Mindshare can bring and play a leading part in driving success for their businesses. Last but not least, I would like to create an environment that will help cultivate the best talents in the Vietnam media and advertising industry.”

by MUMBRELLA Staff

Mace completes Vietnam’s tallest skyscraper

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The tallest building in Vietnam has been completed.

Standing at 461m now that the spire is in place, Mace has topped out the world’s 11th tallest building some six weeks ahead of schedule.

The Landmark 81 is some 150m taller than the Shard and its 81 storeys are designed to encompass a hotel, apartment, executive floors and an observatory deck.

Mace’s country manager for Vietnam John Campbell said: “Landmark 81 is a truly iconic project that will change the face of Ho Chi Minh City forever. It’s an honour for Mace to be able to help deliver such an important scheme – and I believe we’ve made a real difference over the last three years, helping to ensure that such a complex job is delivered ahead of schedule.”

The installation of the spire was completed in just 14 days, with Mace working to optimise the typical floor cycle time of four days and regularly completed entire floors in just three days.

The project has been record breaking since it began, with the earlier stages requiring Vietnam’s largest ever concrete pour.

This involved excavating 25,000 cubic metres of soil, installing 6,500 tonnes of reinforced steel, and using 17,000 cubic metres of concrete to create the 8.5 metre thick pile cap for the tower’s foundations.

By ROB HORGAN, this was first posted on: newcivilengineer.com

Vietnam’s emerging consumers embrace ecommerce

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Rising incomes are pushing shoppers online but country poses logistical challenges

Tran Ngoc Thai Son set up his ecommerce start-up in his parents’ bedroom in Ho Chi Minh City, and went live one Saturday morning in 2010. The first order came on the Monday, when Mr Son prodded a friend to order a book, which he delivered himself on a motorbike.

Eight years later, Tiki.vn has expanded from its original niche of English-language books to goods ranging from nappies and electronics to air tickets and insurance. The company has annualised gross merchandise value — an indicator by which ecommerce sites measure their sales — of about $240m, and delivers across Vietnam.

“Vietnam is a very young country going through a golden population period,” said Mr Son, referring to Vietnam’s demographics, which skew heavily towards younger people. “We are a working and shopping country.”

Digital consumers in South-East Asia, source: FT

He said Tiki had an opportunity to go public within four years, and that the company was looking at expanding in the region, possibly starting with Taiwan.

Tiki.vn is one of several ecommerce companies, many with foreign backers, homing in on Vietnam where rising incomes and growing internet connectivity rates are pushing more shoppers online.

Amazon, the US retail titan, last month attended an industry conference in Vietnam, prompting speculation among retailers — and some consumers who use the US site and pay steep shipping fees and import taxes — that it would be entering the country soon. The company did not respond to a request for comment on its plans for the market.

Ho Chi Minh City employees at the French IT company Linkbynet, which provides cloud services backing the country’s fast-growing ecommerce sector © AFP

For now, the competition is largely a proxy war between China’s ecommerce companies. Lazada, owned by Alibaba, is the market leader while JD.com recently bought a 22 per cent stake in Tiki for an undisclosed amount. Online marketplace Shopee is owned by Singapore-based Sea, in which China’s Tencent is a shareholder.

Ecommerce has been slower to take off in south-east Asia than in China because of the region’s challenging logistics. However, online businesses are booming: Bain, the consultancy, recently estimated that the region had 200m digital consumers — people who bought goods or services online — out of an adult population of 405m. Vietnam accounted for 35m of those.

Vietnam’s youthful population are among the keenest users of mobile devices in the region, while the country’s consumers spend more time online than most of their neighbours. Nielsen, the market research firm, estimated that people spend nearly 25 hours online per week, on a par with or just behind Singapore and the Philippines.

Average total times spent online for personal purpose in South-east Asia, source: FT

However, Vietnam poses a special challenge for the delivery market, ecommerce groups say, because of poor roads, growing traffic congestion and its sprawling geography — its two biggest cities, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, lie more than 1,600km apart.

“The challenge for commerce in south-east Asia in general, and Vietnam in particular, is logistics,” said Vu Duc Thinh, country manager for the logistics arm of Lazada, which is piloting the use of bicycles and electric tricycles in Vietnam and other south-east Asian countries where it operates.

Ecommerce companies also have to contend with stiff competition from bricks-and-mortar shopping, which is enjoying a surge of investment and rising sales amid a sustained economic boom in which gross domestic product is growing more than 7 per cent a year.

Vietnam consumer spending booms as economy soars Vietnamese consumers are notoriously price sensitive, posing an added challenge in determining prices and shipping fees.

Huynh Mai, who is 25 and works for an advertising agency in Ho Chi Minh City, is one of the new online shoppers that retailers covet. Ms Mai has graduated from paying cash on delivery to using her Visa card. She usually goes online to buy cosmetics, clothes and appliances, and recently bought an Electrolux washing machine on Lazada for her family.

She buys books on Tiki, and is intrigued by rumours that Amazon could come to Vietnam. Ms Mai sometimes buys goods from the US site through a friend who lives there, paying the extra money needed to get the goods to Vietnam.

“If Amazon comes here, it would be really amazing,” said Ms Mai. “But the challenge would be the price of the products: I think if they want to win Vietnamese customers, they have to come with the best price.”

By John Reed @Financial Times, Additional reporting by Nguyen Khac Giang

Vietnam morning news – April 26

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Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

Gov’t announces borrowing plans, limits for 2018
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has announced the Government’s plans on borrowing, repayment and borrowing limits for 2018.
— Bizhub

3 Vietnamese cities to be in Asean smart cities network
Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang in Vietnam will be part of the Asean network of smart cities being proposed by Singapore, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday.
— The Straits Times

Surge in production and exports boosts Vietnam’s economic expectations
Fueled by a continued surge in local production and exports, Vietnam is forecasting strong growth beyond its expectations for the entire year, making it the fastest-growing economy in the region.
— Nhan Dan Online

Việt Nam rice exports face uncertain Q1
Việt Nam’s rice exports faced an unpredictable first quarter this year, increasing in January, declining in February and recovering in March, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
— Viet Nam News

Finance ministry to dismantle hundreds of tax departments
The Ministry of Finance (MOF) plans to reduce the number of its nationwide tax offices from 548 to 257, under its new scheme to streamline the taxation, customs, and state treasury units.
— Nhan Dan Online

Foreign players heat up mobile payment market
The mobile payment market in Vietnam has heated up and attracted many local consumers in the first months of the year thanks to the participation of China’s two largest e-wallets of Alipay and WeChat Pay as well as Samsung in the service.
— The Hanoi Times

Vietnam promotes seafood exports to Europe
Vietnamese aquatic products are being introduced at the Seafood Expo Global, the biggest event of its kind in the world, which takes place in Brussels, Belgium, from April 24-26.
— Nhan Dan Online

Seaport development must sail alongside logistics growth
Ho Kim Lan, director general of the Vietnam Sea Ports Association, talks to Hai Quan (Customs) newspaper about conditions for logistics development in Vietnam.
— VietnamNet Bridge

Chinese businesses sign strategic watermelon contract with Vietnam
The Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Commerce and Quang Ngai Province, jointly organized the “Quang Ngai conference for the retail and marketing of watermelons and other high-quality agricultural products”.
— Fresh Plaza

Digital storm sweeping through banking industry
EY’s Global Banking Outlook 2018 shows that 85 per cent of banks name the implementation of a digital transformation programme as a business priority for 2018.
— VietnamNet Bridge

VN firms cosy up to Asia-Pacific partners
Vietnamese enterprises must band together with their Asia-Pacific partners for stronger growth.
— Bizhub

Bamboo Airways to open 40 new routes
FLC Group plans to open 40 local and international routes after its carrier, Bamboo Airways, becomes operational, said Dang Tat Thang, General Director of the airline.
— VietnamPlus

Is it easy to make money from Vietnam’s coffee market?

Both Vietnamese and foreign investors are rushing to pour money into coffee farms and coffee house chains as the market is very promising. But not all of them will succeed.
— VietnamNet Bridge

Hoa Phat Dung Quat steel complex to be operational in Q3
The process of the Hoa Phat Dung Quat iron and steel production complex project is on schedule with the first line expected to be operational in the third quarter of this year, meeting demands of the central and southern regions.
— VietnamPlus

Vietnam leads Southeast Asia in IPO market
Vietnam has been Southeast Asia`s biggest IPO market over the past year and the market seems to be revving up.
— The Hanoi Times

Vietnam among world’s top 10 remittance recipients in 2017
Vietnamese workers living abroad sent home $13.8 billion last year, keeping the country among the 10 biggest remittance beneficiaries, the World Bank said in a new report.
— VnExpress

Convenience stores: more are being opened, but many are closing
While many retailers have expanded their convenience store chains, others have had to scale down their networks because of ineffective operations.
— VietnamNet Bridge

IFC likely to extend $100m debt to Vietnamese lender TPBank
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private lending arm of the World Bank Group, has proposed to extend a financing facility of up to $100 million to Vietnamese lender Tien Phong Commercial Joint Stock Bank (TPBank).
— DealStreetAsia

Key stocks rebound, fueling VN-Index’s recovery
The stock market regained calm on April 24 after a nosedive on the previous day to end at 1,080 points thanks to the recovery of key stocks.
— VietnamPlus

Singapore, Vietnam sign six agreements to boost cooperation
Singapore and Vietnam have signed a suite of agreements that will see both countries working together in areas such as financial innovation and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) development.
— Channel NewsAsia

Exclusive: Japanese PE ACA Investments to raise debut $100m Vietnam-focused fund
Japanese private equity (PE) investor ACA Investments, which has been deepening its play in Vietnam with about four investments so far, is now set to take a bigger bet on the frontier market with its debut $100 million Vietnam-focused vehicle.
— DealStreetAsia

More South Koreans Are Learning Vietnamese. Why?
In a county where learning English and getting a good test score on it is essential for basically everything from seeking a job to getting promoted, an increasing number of people are flocking to learning a less familiar language: Vietnamese.
— The Diplomat

Singapore, Vietnam sign six agreements to boost cooperation

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Singapore and Vietnam have signed a suite of agreements that will see both countries working together in areas such as financial innovation and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) development.

Six Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) were signed on the first day of Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s visit to Singapore on Wednesday (Apr 25). His visit is in conjunction with the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Vietnam this year.

One of the agreements will see the two countries collaborate on LNG development in Vietnam, which entails the exchange of information, sharing of best practices and building of technical capacity between the private and public sectors of both countries. This will enable Singapore companies to better understand the needs of the LNG sector in Vietnam and seize more partnership opportunities.

Another MOU – on financial innovation – will facilitate joint projects between the two countries, help FinTech companies in one jurisdiction better understand the regulatory regime and opportunities in the other, as well as encourage the sharing of information on emerging FinTech trends and developments.

Mr Phuc, who is on his first official visit to Singapore since becoming Prime Minister in April 2016, began his visit with a ceremonial welcome at the Istana, followed by a call on President Halimah Yacob.

At his meeting with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, both leaders said that extensive investment and trade ties form a key pillar of Singapore-Vietnam relations, and agreed that measures such as enforcing regulations as well as strengthening business-to-business links were important in creating a pro-business environment. Both countries will organise events this year to strengthen political, trade and people-to-people exchanges.

Singapore was Vietnam’s third largest foreign investor in 2017, with over US$4.32 billion invested in more than 1,800 projects.

Mr Phuc said Vietnam welcomes more investments from Singapore, particularly in areas such as high-tech parks and the digital economy. He added that such cooperation would not only bring about economic interest, but also inspire and promote the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship in Vietnam’s younger generation.

PM Lee said the partnership between both countries goes beyond economic cooperation.

“Our two countries are also working closely on sustainable development,” he said. “NParks is working together with the Hanoi People’s Committee on greenery planting. We support Hanoi’s plans to plant one million trees over the next five years and we hope to see more green spaces like the area near Hoan Kiem Lake in future.”

Mr Lee said that Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang in Vietnam will be part of the ASEAN Smart Cities Network which is being proposed by Singapore as the ASEAN chair. He added that he was impressed with their rapid urban development, which he saw when he visited all three cities during his two visits to Vietnam last year.

“Their inclusion to the Smart Cities Network will add to ASEAN’s vibrancy,” he said.

Source: CNA/na

Luxury apartment’s security guard arrested for theft in HCMC

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A security guard at Estella Apartment in An Phu Ward, District 2, HCMC was arrested for stealing a diamond ring, a luxury watch Singapore $200 from a lady, who lives on level 22nd. Total value is VND 1.5 billion (~US$70,000)

According to a report of Zing – a local media, the guard employed by a private company, who was identified as Le Tan Phat.

Le Tan Phat at Police station, Photo: Le Trai, Source: Zing.vn

Phat told the police that, a month ago, he supported the house keeper to carry the furniture into the house, while the house keeper was opening the door, he overlooked the access code of the smart lock and remember it.

On 23 April, he accessed the house to steal things mentioned above and sold the watch at VND 179 million, exchanged Singapore $200 to a golden ring.

The police start thier investigation after the landor reported the case in the evening and ordered authorities to look into recent video footage from security camera.

Knowing about this, on 24 April 2018, the thief had come to police station for confession.

All evidences have been recalled.

Caffeine boost: Makers of battery-powered coffee mixture arrested in Vietnam

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Vietnam is the world’s largest exporter of black pepper, accounting for half of global trade. The country is also the world’s largest producer of Robusta coffee, which has a bitter taste and is used mainly in instant coffee.

The five, led by Nguyen Thi Thanh Loan, 43, were arrested on suspicion of violating food safety regulations after they were caught mixing coffee waste with a black, tar-like liquid made from manganese dioxide found in the batteries, the report said.

Police seized 40 litres of the liquid, along with more than 21 metric tonnes of dyed coffee waste and over 200 kg of used battery parts from Loan’s home in the Central Highlands province of Dak Nong, the report said.

Calls to police in the province went unanswered on Tuesday.

The Central Highlands is Vietnam’s largest coffee-producing region. It also produces much of the country’s black pepper.

Loan sold three metric tonnes of the mixture to a black pepper trading firm in the neighbouring province of Binh Phuoc, the Ministry of Public Security newspaper said.

Police seized nine tonnes of pepper at the firm which had been blended with the battery and coffee mixture, Tuoi Tre newspaper reported. The firm had been selling pepper mixed with the battery-laced coffee granules for years, the paper said.

“Whatever purpose they may have, what they are doing is posing threat to people’s health. If they mix that substance with coffee or pepper, it would be awful and unacceptable,” said Nguyen Nam Hai, chairman of the Vietnam Pepper Association.

“I don’t understand why they do it. Vietnam accounts for half of the world’s black pepper output and 60-65 percent of global black pepper trade and prices are falling,” said Hai.

“It’s just a small firm and I don’t think this dirty product could end up being exported.”

If found guilty, the five face up to 20 years in prison.

Source: Tuoitrenews

Key stocks rebound, fueling VN-Index’s recovery

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The stock market regained calm on April 24 after a nosedive on the previous day to end at 1,080 points thanks to the recovery of key stocks.

On the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HOSE), selling pressure still dominated the market at the beginning of the trading session, pulling the VN-Index down to 1,049 points.

However, demand appeared at the end of the morning session. Notably, up to 8.7 million VIC shares were traded at approximately 1.1 trillion VND (48.34 million USD), helping VIC to close at 127,000 VND per share (up 0.38 percent).

Among large-cap stocks, GAS, MSN, VCB and BID attracted buyers and were coloured green at the end of the trading session.

While insurance stocks grew by 2.74 percent, utilities and property stocks respectively increased 2.95 percent and 2.18 percent.

The VN-Index rose 3.96 points to close at 1,080.74 points. Meanwhile, the HNX-Index on the Hanoi Stock Exchange inched up 0.16 point to 126.3 points.

However, UpCoM Index on the Unlisted Public Company Market (UpCoM) fell 0.08 point to 57.06 points.

Source: VIR

Vietnam Morning News – April 25

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Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes |

Steel sector has potential for 22% growth
Viet Nam’s steel industry has high potential to reach a production growth rate of 22 per cent and expand export markets this year.
— Bizhub

Vietnam to cut black pepper farm area as global prices fall
Vietnam plans to slash its black pepper growing area by 26.7 percent in response to falling global prices, the chairman of the country’s pepper association said Tuesday.
— Reuters

Foreign automakers switch to trading as Vietnamese scale up production
While foreign-invested manufacturers have shifted to importing cars for domestic sale, Vietnamese enterprises have increased investments and expanded production, vowing to develop a domestic automobile industry.
— VietNamNet Bridge

Vietnam needs to act to stay competitive amidst rise of protectionism: PM
Searching for new markets, aligning production and tightening quality control were the measures he outlined.
— VnExpress

Caffeine boost: Makers of battery-powered coffee mixture arrested in Vietnam
Vietnamese police have arrested five people suspected of using battery chemicals to dye waste coffee beans, the Ministry of Public Security’s online newspaper, Cong An Nhan Dan, said on Tuesday, apparently passing the mixture off as black pepper.
— Reuters

Vietnam plans to spend $11.3 bln to repay government debt in 2018
Vietnam is planning to spend VND256.7 trillion ($11.3 billion) this year to repay government debt, according to authorities.
— VnExpress

Internet connections slows in Việt Nam as int’l undersea cable down
The Asia-Pacific Gateway (APG) international undersea cable broke down at 23:50 on April 23, disrupting Internet connections from Việt Nam to other countries, according to the Việt Nam Posts and Telecommunications (VNPT).
— Viet Nam News

PM calls for new measures to boost exports
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has affirmed that having more control over the market will help the Vietnamese economy in the long run.
— Bizhub

Techcombank highlights booming Vietnam IPO market
April brought Vietnam’s biggest ever IPO, but in a market that is finally delivering on its promise after years of disappointing investors, the Techcombank listing might only hold its record for a matter of weeks.
— Euro Money

Vietnam’s HDBank taps into state oil group through acquisition
Vietnam’s HDBank will acquire a Petrolimex-backed peer, part of the newly listed lender’s strategy to expand its reach and secure its position as one of the country’s leading retail banks.
— Nikkei Asian Review

Lending rate reduction still far away despite good liquidity
It will take the banking industry difficult to make a lending interest rate cut this year though some factors, such as good liquidity, can support the move, experts forecast.
— The Hanoi Times

Vietnam cooperates with Indonesia to fight illegal fishing as “yellow card” review nears
Vietnam and Indonesia have agreed to a deal on regulating fishing in the South China Sea as the former is making efforts to combat illegal fishing following the “yellow card” given by the European Commission last year.
— Seafood Source

Power project to begin operations ahead of schedule
The US$1.75-billion Vinh Tan 1 thermal power project will begin operations ahead of its schedule owing to concerns about the risk of power shortage in the southern provinces in future.
— VietnamNet Bridge

‘No job, no money’: Life in Vietnam for immigrants deported by US
Now back in the country they once fled, the men said they received little support and were struggling to find work.
— VnExpress

Vietnamese travelers prefer local attractive tourism destination
Da Nang will be the “place to be” for travellers in Viet Nam in the forthcoming extra-long weekend according to global online booking platform Agoda.
— Bizhub

Maybank Kim Eng Securities increases capital
Maybank Kim Eng Securities Limited has added 10 million USD to its charter capital to 1.06 trillion VND (46.38 million USD) in Vietnam.
— VietnamPlus

Volunteers clean up nation on Earth Day
A community clean-up event to mark Earth Day brought together more than 2,000 volunteers from associations, organisations and universities besides local residents, who picked up garbage at 12 locations in HCM City yesterday morning.
— Viet Nam News

Rural areas – potential market for enterprises: Nielsen Vietnam
Businesses should bring their new products to rural areas as the consumption in the rural market is equal to that of the urban market, Nielsen Vietnam said in its fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) report.
— VietnamPlus

Vietnam, Cambodia border guard forces boost cooperation
Vietnam’s armed forces and border guards in particular always treasure solidarity, friendship and cooperation with neighbouring countries, including Cambodia, to build borderlines of peace and development, said Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Phan Van Giang.
— Nhan Dan Online

Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to make official visit to Singapore on Wednesday
Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will make an official visit to Singapore from Apr 25 to Apr 27 at the invitation of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
— Channel NewsAsia

30 million Vietnamese mobile subscribers will be terminated very soon

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If you own a Vietnamese mobile subscriber and you have not submitted your portrait photo to mobile service provider, your subscriber you will be terminated outgoing call very soon.

According to a government decree effective since April 2017, owners of every mobile subscriber have to provide not only a scanned copy of their ID card but also a portrait photo to legally own a prepaid or post paid subscribers of all Vietnamese mobile carriers. This with the number of affected subscriptions estimated at nearly 120 million.

Mobile network operators had been given 12 months to request their subscribers updating their portraits to the customer profile at the service counter or on the website. But, as per a report of VietnamBiz.vn, there will be more than 30 millions mobile subscribers being impacted and terminated right after April, 2018.

Any user, who does not provide requested information, their mobile subscriber be terminated after 30 days from the first reminder by the service operator.

Mobile service operators have conceded that it is a challenge to encourage existing users to provide a portrait by that time.

The current regulation on telecommunication stipulates that every individual must provide accurate personal information as per ID card to register for a SIM card.

Foreigners are required to provide their passport to complete the registration.

Many experts told us that the portrait regulation is unnecessary and will waste the time of subscribers as well as the resources of mobile carriers.

Warren Cammack, General Manager, Capability Exchange Program of Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) at Vietnam International Bank (VIB) said even banks do not demand a portrait of their customers, so it is questionable whether the mobile carriers really need to do so.

From a customer’s perspective, Warren, said it would be a huge waste of time and a nuisance.

Vietnamese throng temple for Hung Kings’ Festival (photos)

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A swarm of visitors gravitated toward a culturally significant mountaintop temple in northern Vietnam to pay tribute to the country’s founding fathers on Sunday, three days before the start of a public holiday to celebrate the occasion.

Every year on the tenth day of the third month in the lunar calendar, people in Vietnam commemorate the death of Hung Kings, 18 successive monarchs sharing the title Hung, who are considered in legend as the first founders of ancient Vietnam.

The day, which falls on Wednesday this year, is also a public holiday in the Southeast Asian country.

On this occasion, the Hung Kings’ Festival is being held from April 21 through 25 in Phu Tho Province to pay homage to these 18 rulers, believed to reign over Vietnam from around 2879 to 258 BC.

The Hung Temple, where the rulers are worshipped on the province’s Nghia Linh Mountain, is a sacred destination for many Vietnamese people, who may come to the place to ask for good fortune and health, as they do at pagodas during the country’s Lunar New Year festival.

The mountainside path leading to the temple was teeming with tens of thousands of pilgrims inching uphill on Sunday morning.

A large number of police officers and volunteers were brought in to marshal the visitors, a job which proved difficult due to crowdedness.

Several impatient pilgrims climbed over the slope adjacent to the path to ascend quickly, with some having their attempts thwarted by police.

The festival organizer said it was determined to preempt undesirable situations which happened in previous festivals, including traffic tie-ups, price gouging, panhandling, uncivil conduct, and contaminated food.

Local police have worked with their counterparts in neighboring provinces to monitor traffic, and are expected to perform regular patrols at the festival.

Food vendors have been required to hang a price list at their stands and banned from overcharging.

Police in green and volunteers in blue (foreground) control the influx of visitors to the Hung Temple in Phu Tho Province, northern Vietnam, on April 22, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Visitors walk up to the Hung Temple in Phu Tho Province, northern Vietnam, on April 22, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Visitors fill the path leading to the Hung Temple in Phu Tho Province, northern Vietnam, on April 22, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A man holds his child above the crowd in Phu Tho Province, northern Vietnam, on April 22, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A volunteer brings a child out of the crowd in Phu Tho Province, northern Vietnam, on April 22, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A policeman uses a megaphone to ask people to move in order in Phu Tho Province, northern Vietnam, on April 22, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A woman holding her baby walks against the stream of visitors in Phu Tho Province, northern Vietnam, on April 22, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A policeman asks a man to return to the path in Phu Tho Province, northern Vietnam, on April 22, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Visitors choke the path leading to the Hung Temple in Phu Tho Province, northern Vietnam, on April 22, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Girls take a shortcut to the Hung Temple in Phu Tho Province, northern Vietnam, on April 22, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Policemen talk while managing the movement of visitors to the Hung Temple in Phu Tho Province, northern Vietnam, on April 22, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

By Thai Xuan (Tuoi Tre News)

Russian Market in Ho Chi Minh City

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Set up by a Vietnamese army veteran, Ho Chi Minh City’s Russian Market is a maze of stalls peddling high quality winter wear sprawling across the two bottom floors of 328 Vo Van Kiet Boulevard, Co Giang Ward, District 1.

According to Vu Anh Duong, a member of the market’s management team, the vast majority of the market’s 200-plus stalls export warm clothing to cold-weather markets such as Russia, Europe, America, South Korea, and Japan.

To aid these businesses, three Russia-based forwarding companies also work out of the building.

Apart from wholesale transactions, many of the market’s retailers target tourists looking for a good deal on clothing they will be able to make good use of after their trip.

The sheer volume of international brand names from Russia and the U.S. is the major draw for tourists looking to get a good deal on high-end products.

Many of the salespeople at the Russian Market attempt to draw in international clientele by switching seamlessly between greetings in English, Russian, and Vietnamese.

“Customers come here looking for the warm coats. What we offer is reasonably priced and high quality,” said Hoa, a stall owner.

She then turned to a Korean customer and explained, “We don’t overcharge around here, but I can lower the price just a bit for you.”

On the market’s second floor, a large food shop specializes in packaged and fresh goods bearing ‘Made in Russia’ labels.

The store offers a one-stop shop for Russian Vodkas, fish, feat, and spices.

Household gadgets and souvenirs highlighting Russian culture, such as stacking dolls and ceramic castles, are also displayed throughout.

Nguyen Viet Dung, a customer browsing the store, shared that he was shopping for Russian foods he remembers from his time spent as a student in the Soviet Union 40 years ago.

Tourists flock to the Russian Market to seek warm clothing. Photo: Tuoi Tre

From veteran to entrepreneur

Nguyen Manh Tong, the owner of this Russian Market, first experienced Russian culture during a pilot training program in Russia in 1982.

“I am just a discharged soldier. My primary goal here was to create a gathering spot for Russia lovers. Most stall owners here are academics, engineers, or skilled laborers who once worked in Russia,” he said.

Tong returned to Vietnam in 1986 to serve as a captain in the Vietnamese army.

In the 1990s, he stumbled across the Tax Mall on the corner of Nguyen Hue and Le Loi Streets in District 1.

The mall has since been demolished to make way for the city’s new metro system, but in its heyday it served as a hub for Russian and Eastern European goods.

Tong felt like he had been transported back to Russia from the moment he walked into the Tax Mall.

Throughout its aisles, salespeople spoke mainly in Russian, pushing their goods on customers from former Soviet republics.

Tong decided to seize the opportunity and open a stall at the Tax Mall, making headways into the clothing market with the support of his personal contacts at leading textile companies in Vietnam.

After several years, however, business began to slow and store owners in the clothing section of the Tax Mall began moving to more modern markets, such as Hoang Thanh Market, now Saigon Square, in District 1.

Years later it struck Tong that owning an entire market might be better than owning a single stall. That was when the Russian Market came into being.

In its first stages, shop owners were reluctant to join him in the new premises, and sales were low because the location was far from downtown.

Stall owners left, but Tong stood his ground, trying his best to keep the market running while seeking new clients.

After some time the business was back on track.

How did it happen? According to Tong, the market’s core principle is its driving force: “Stall owners here know well that getting customers to pay is very difficult, so they seldom overcharge.”

By Tien Bui, Source: Tuoi Tre News

Makers of battery-powered coffee mixture arrested in Vietnam

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Vietnamese police have arrested five people suspected of using battery chemicals to dye waste coffee beans, the Ministry of Public Security’s online newspaper, Cong An Nhan Dan, said on Tuesday, apparently passing the mixture off as black pepper.

Vietnam is the world’s largest exporter of black pepper, accounting for half of global trade. The country is also the world’s largest producer of Robusta coffee, which has a bitter taste and is used mainly in instant coffee.

Calls to police in the province went unanswered on Tuesday.

The Central Highlands is Vietnam’s largest coffee-producing region. It also produces much of the country’s black pepper.

Loan sold three metric tonnes of the mixture to a black pepper trading firm in the neighbouring province of Binh Phuoc, the Ministry of Public Security newspaper said.

Police seized nine tonnes of pepper at the firm which had been blended with the battery and coffee mixture, the Tuoi Tre newspaper reported. The firm had been selling pepper mixed with the battery-laced coffee granules for years, the paper said.

“I don’t understand why they do it. Vietnam accounts for half of the world’s black pepper output and 60-65 percent of global black pepper trade and prices are falling,” said Hai.

“It’s just a small firm and I don’t think this dirty product could end up being exported.”

If found guilty, the five face up to 20 years in prison.

Source: Reuters