Vietnamese airlines’ fleet reduced by more than 40 aircraft

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Compared to 2023, the current domestic airline fleet has 199 aircraft, of which only 165 to 170 are in operation, a decrease of about 40 to 45 aircraft.

As of early May 2024, the aircraft fleet of Vietnamese airlines will decrease by about 40 – 45 aircraft compared to 2023. Illustration photo: TL

According to the Civil Aviation Authority, as of May 8, 2024, the total number of aircraft operated by domestic airlines is 199, with the number of aircraft in operation ranging from 165 to 170, a decrease of about 40 to 45 compared to 2023, according to TTXVN.

The main reason for the decrease in the number of aircraft operated by domestic airlines is attributed to the engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney (PW) recalling PW1100 engines for in-depth inspection and repair to address production flaws.

In Vietnam, these engines are used on A321NEO aircraft operated by Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet, causing some aircraft to be grounded in 2024 – 2025. The grounding period started in January 2024 and could last from 140 to 160 days, even up to 365 days.

To address the aircraft shortage and meet market demand, the Civil Aviation Authority has requested airlines to supplement the deficient aircraft, review procedures to reduce aircraft turnaround time from 45 to 35 minutes, increase night flying time, and introduce wide-body aircraft into operation.

@Thesaigontimes

New features of Hai Phong Red Flamboyant Festival 2024

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For over 10 years, the Red Flamboyant Festival in Hai Phong has become the city’s cultural highlight event every May.

This year, the festival holds even greater significance as it coincides with the recognition of Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Archipelago as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site.

Under the theme “Hai Phong – Illuminating the Heritage Land”, this year’s Red Flamboyant Festival is inspired by the “Moonlight – Lighthouse – Sunlight” motif. It’s also the first year the event is held at the performance space of the Hai Phong Center for Political and Administrative Affairs.

Mr. Le Khac Nam – Vice Chairman of the Hai Phong People’s Committee, stated: “We have chosen the theme Hai Phong – Illuminating the Heritage Land. Especially with a square capable of accommodating 10,000 people, this year’s festival can adequately meet the demands of visitors attending the Red Flamboyant Festival.”

This year, a new stage has been invested in on a large scale. The overall stage is composed of curved LED screens inspired by the image of blooming flamboyant flowers, creating an infinite sensation.

Ms. Tran Thi Hoang Mai – Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Hai Phong City, said: “The endless inspiration about a city named after a very special flower is the emotion that the creative team has dedicated to this year’s festival. And through the festival, these cultural heritage products will be known to the people and international friends.”

The highlight of the 2024 Red Flamboyant Festival in Hai Phong is the artistic program featuring the participation of many famous artists from domestic and international, low-altitude and high-altitude fireworks displays, along with other meaningful cultural activities will be broadcast live on VTV1 channel at 20:10 on Saturday, May 11th.

@vtv.vn

Conducting survey of tour routes and new tourism products on Phu Quy island

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Binh Thuan province has collaborated with media units to implement a survey program on tour routes, new tourism products, and a tourism promotion campaign on Phu Quy Island.

In late April 2024, the Binh Thuan Tourism Promotion Information Center, in collaboration with media units, began implementing a survey program on tour routes, new tourism products, and a tourism promotion campaign in Phu Quy district.

During this time, the team conducted surveys at tourist attractions on Phu Quy Island such as Ganh Hang, Sovereignty Milestone, Phuot Slope, Thay’s Tomb, Linh Son Pagoda, Lach Du, sunset viewing point at Trieu Duong Bay, and Ngu Phụng Embankment… From these attractions, the Binh Thuan Tourism Promotion Information Center will develop tours suitable for various needs of tourists, especially those who enjoy experiencing and exploring nature. In addition to surveying to develop new tourism tours, Binh Thuan aims to develop eco-tourism, closely linked with a campaign to protect the marine and island environment.

Mr. Ngo Tan Luc, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Phu Quy Island district, stated that Phu Quy is currently collaborating with various units to develop more attractive tourism products to attract tourists. Especially, developing tourism products with an environmental protection orientation is also a goal that Phu Quy is aiming for.

Trieu Duong Bay

Located 56 nautical miles east-southeast of Phan Thiet city, Phu Quy Island district is known to have great economic potential, especially in the tourism sector. In recent years, tourism in Phu Quy has seen significant development, especially since the island has had 24/7 electricity supply, opening up a new era for Phu Quy. In 2023, there were over 165,000 tourists visiting Phu Quy Island; in the first three months of 2024, the island welcomed nearly 24,000 tourists, an increase of 14,000 compared to the same period in 2023.

Phu Quy is endowed with not only abundant natural resources but also scenic landscapes such as Forbidden Mountain, High Sand Mountain, Hon Tranh Island, and surrounding smaller islands… With its picturesque beaches, coral reefs, clusters of black rocks, and bizarrely shaped, spectacular headlands amidst countless waves. The cool, fresh climate here all year round is an attractive factor for domestic and international tourists alike.

@vtv.vn

42 streets qualified to become public bicycle stations in Ho Chi Minh City

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The Department of Transport of Ho Chi Minh City has just announced a list of 42 road sections in District 1 and District 4 with sidewalks (pavements) meeting the requirements for rent to arrange facilities, utilities serving public transportation (public bicycle stations).

Photo: Thanh Nien Newspaper

According to the Department of Transport of Ho Chi Minh City, there are 35 road sections in District 1 and 7 road sections in District 4 (12 locations) with sidewalks meeting the conditions for arranging facilities, utilities serving public transportation (public bicycle stations), and plans for implementation at each location.

The eligible road sections have dimensions of 6×1.5 meters, with a maximum vehicle capacity of about 10 public bicycles. At some prime locations, the rental fee is around 900,000 Vietnamese dong per month. On average, it’s about 100,000 Vietnamese dong per square meter and 50,000 Vietnamese dong per square meter.

For example, in District 1, there are road sections such as Lam Son Square, Paris Commune, Dien Bien Phu, Hai Ba Trung, Ham Nghi, Le Duan, Huynh Thuc Khang…

In District 4, there are some locations like Hoang Dieu, Nguyen Truong To, Vinh Khanh… with an average fee of 50,000 Vietnamese dong per square meter, so the monthly fee is 450,000 Vietnamese dong.

In areas where public bicycles are arranged, reflective yellow paint lines must be drawn to distinguish other activities and to arrange between tree base pits and technical infrastructure.

In addition, the locations for renting public bicycles must leave pathways for pedestrians, with a width of 2.5 meters.

Previously, the Public Transport Management Center (Department of Transport of Ho Chi Minh City) stated that after a trial period, the public bicycle model has been well received by city residents and tourists.

The People’s Committee of the city has also approved the expansion of this public bicycle model to other localities. Initially, the center has coordinated with local authorities to review and evaluate effective locations for setting up public bicycle stations.

It is expected that in 2024, Ho Chi Minh City will have hundreds of locations for renting public bicycles in all districts and Thu Duc City.

Specifically: Nha Be has 6 locations; District 5 has 2 locations; Thu Duc City has 159 locations; District 1 will add 16 more locations; Binh Tan District has 2 locations; District 6 has 4 locations; Tan Phu District has 12 locations…

@Thanhnien.vn

Bitcoin’s Modest Rally Cut Short, Price Tumbles Back Below $61K

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Stagflationary U.S. economic data and hawkish remarks from a Fed speaker appeared to sour the bullish mood.

The price of bitcoin (BTC) fell sharply in the U.S. morning hours Friday, reversing a move that had seen the world’s largest crypto climb as high as $63,500.

As good of an excuse as any for catalysts were disappointing U.S. economic data and hawkish remarks from Dallas Fed President Lori Logan. The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Survey for May tumbled to 67.4 from 77.2 previously. That missed economist forecasts for 76.0 by a mile. Perhaps more disturbingly, one-year inflation expectations rose to 3.5% from 3.2% previously and against forecasts for 3.2%. It was only one week ago when Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell scoffed at stagflation concerns, saying he was seeing neither the “stag” nor the “flation.”

As for the Dallas Fed chief, Logan this morning said there were “uncertainties” about whether current Fed policy is sufficiently restrictive and noted “important upside risks to inflation.”

The news combined to send the U.S. dollar and bond yields modestly higher, but had little effect on stocks. Bitcoin, on the other hand, retreated quickly, tumbling at one point more than 4% from the day’s high to $60,700. At press time, the price had bounced a hair to $61,000, lower by 0.6% over the past 24 hours. The broader CoinDesk 20 Index is up 0.15% over the same period.

Hai Phong: Free hot air balloon rides at 2024 Red Phoenix Flower Festival

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Announced by Ms. Tran Thi Hoang Mai, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Hai Phong City, the 2024 Hot Air Balloon Festival will grace the city from May 11 to May 15, 2024, under the theme “Fly up, Hai Phong! Brighten up the heritage area.” This marks the festival’s debut at the Red Phoenix Flower Festival, promising a unique and unforgettable experience.

The festival is set to captivate spectators with a lineup of 26 hot air balloons, including three colossal multi-colored level 7 balloons, 17 level 1 balloons, and six ground decorative balloons. Accompanying the balloons are 30 skilled pilots and technicians ready to ensure smooth operations and safe flights.

Attendees will have the exclusive opportunity to embark on complimentary hot air balloon rides, ascending to heights ranging from 30m to 50m, and even explore the interiors of the giant balloons. The festival will feature various locations across the city, including the Front Yard of the Political-Administrative Center Square in the North Song Cam urban area, the City Theater Square, and the Tam Ky Flower Garden along the Tam Bac River bank.

Adding to the festival’s grandeur, the opening night on May 11 will showcase 14 to 16 level 1 hot air balloons and ground balloons at East-West Avenue in the North of Cam River Urban Area, illuminating the evening with their majestic presence. The Hot Air Balloon Festival will officially kick off on the morning of May 12 at the city’s Opera House Square.

Funded through social initiatives, the event invites residents and visitors alike to register for complimentary hot air balloon flights, offering a unique perspective of Hai Phong City from above. This initiative aims to showcase the city’s beauty and charm while providing a memorable experience for all attendees.

Dogecoin Appears Headed for a ‘Golden Cross’

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A DOGE price pattern that presaged the early 2021 surge looks set to recur.

Dogecoin (DOGE), the world’s largest meme cryptocurrency by market value, seems headed toward a repeat of the bullish “golden cross” technical pattern that presaged the early 2021 surge.

DOGE, which has a market cap of about $22 billion, has demonstrated remarkable performance this year, with a price surge of over 70% and significantly outpacing the near 50% increase in bitcoin (BTC), the largest cryptocurrency, according to CoinDesk data.

The 50-week simple moving average (SMA) of the meme token’s spot price is now trending north and looks set to cross above the 200-week SMA in the upcoming weeks, confirming a golden cross. In other words, near-term price momentum could soon outperform long-term momentum, potentially evolving into a prolonged bullish trend.

Momentum traders frequently use moving-average crossovers as a part of a structured approach to identifying entry and exit points in the market.

The DOGE price topped its 200-week SMA in March, breaking out of a prolonged sideways consolidation, and has since established a foothold above the critical average.

The impending golden cross would be the first in over three years. The previous one, seen in early January 2021, presaged a four-month rally that saw prices surge over 8,000% to a record 76 cents on Binance.

That said, past data does not promise future results. And that’s particularly true in the case of moving average crossovers, which tend to lag prices and have been known to trap traders on the wrong side in traditional markets.

Besides, meme coins like DOGE lack real-world use cases and are mainly driven by speculation, which makes them more sensitive to fiat liquidity conditions and global interest-rate expectations.

During DOGE’s early 2021 run, interest rates were near or below zero worldwide, which catalyzed unprecedented risk-taking across all corners of the financial market. That’s not the case any more, with rates in the U.S., the world’s largest economy, at multiyear highs above 5%.

Ho Chi Minh City tops Vietnam’s livability chart

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Recently, a governance program initiated by the United Nations Development Program in Vietnam evaluated people’s satisfaction with government performance, ranking Ho Chi Minh City as the most livable locality in the country.

As one of Vietnam’s largest residential hubs and a key economic center in the South, Ho Chi Minh City has magnetized generations of residents from across the nation. Its allure lies in abundant career prospects, improved public services, and a lower risk of natural disasters.

Vietnam has experienced rapid urbanization, with nearly 40% of its population residing in cities by 2023. Ho Chi Minh City’s population, estimated to exceed 9 million by the end of 2023, is projected to surpass 16.8 million by 2040, posing challenges like housing shortages, traffic congestion, and pollution.

Similar urbanization challenges are observed globally. For instance, Cairo’s population surged from 6 million in 1965 to over 22 million by 2023, leading to stress and strain on resources. China’s urban population rose from 19.39% in 1980 to nearly 66.16% in 2023, resulting in issues like air and water pollution.

Urbanization is a worldwide trend, with over 60% of the population expected to live in cities by 2030. To enhance livability, cities worldwide are addressing infrastructure deficits, environmental concerns, and inequality in access to opportunities, striving to create cohesive and sustainable urban spaces.

Korean tourists flock to Vietnam for summer vacations

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Data from the Korean booking platform Yeogi Eottae reveals a significant uptick in hotel booking requests for Vietnam and the Philippines from June to August, compared to the same period last year. Requests have tripled for Vietnam alone, signaling a growing preference for Southeast Asian destinations among Korean travelers.

Mr. Kim Yong-gyeong, the head of Yeogi Eottae, notes the remarkable increase in tourism demand for Southeast Asian countries, underlining the region’s popularity among Korean vacationers.

Hanoi leads the trend index for Korean tourists in Vietnam, according to Rankify Korea’s recent announcement. This index, which takes into account search volumes and Google Trends data, ranks Da Lat and Ha Long Bay next in line, showcasing the allure of these destinations to Korean travelers.

These trends align with the broader picture of tourism in Vietnam, where Korea remains the largest source market. With 1.6 million arrivals in the first four months of 2024 alone, comprising nearly 26% of total arrivals, Korean tourists continue to play a significant role in Vietnam’s tourism landscape.

Custom Car Exhaust Solutions for All Vehicle Types

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Whether it’s for cars, trucks, bikes, or even specialist vehicles like off-road rigs or high-speed sports cars, custom exhaust systems may greatly improve car performance, effectiveness, and sound. These are a few custom car exhaust choices made for different car makes and models:

1. Autos:

Performance Car Exhaust Systems: Replace your factory exhaust systems with high-flowing exhausts designed for efficiency. Headers for greater power and a powerful sound are an option, as are axle-back systems (which replace rear portions) and cat-back systems (which replace everything from the catalytic converter back).

Mufflers and Resonators: To fine-tune exhaust notes and tone and reduce drone or loud noises while enhancing performance, bespoke mufflers and resonators may be fitted.

Exhaust Tips: To add visual appeal and give the vehicle a sportier or more dynamic appearance, attractive car exhaust tips composed of various materials, such as carbon fiber or stainless steel, may be fitted.

2. Trucks and SUVs: 

Performance Headers: Torque and horsepower can be increased by switching to aftermarket headers, especially on trucks that you tow or haul with. Greater Diameter Pipes: Cars with larger diameter exhaust piping, especially larger pick-up trucks with increased engine output, can increase efficiency and power by reducing back pressure. Performance mods such as diesel exhaust systems built especially for a certain type of diesel motor, diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) systems, and diesel particulate filters (DPF) are exhausts built especially for diesel trucks.

3. Motorcycles: 

Aftermarket Exhaust Systems – Slip-on mufflers, complete exhaust systems, & aftermarket headers Bikes can have custom exhaust systems installed, such as slip-on mufflers or complete exhaust systems, as well as aftermarket headers that give bikes more power and a louder exhaust noise more indicative of the class of bike. 

Catalytic converter deletes – Racing converters or complete catalytic converter deletes are often illegal for on-road use but can be added for racing or track use to gain more power. Heat Shields and Aesthetic Improvements – Exhaust covers and custom heat shields made from stainless steel or carbon fiber. It can improve appearance and protect riders from extreme heat.

4. Specialty Vehicles: 

Off-Road Vehicles: Off-road vehicles’ custom car exhaust systems might incorporate elements made to survive severe settings, heat-resistant coatings, or high-clearance exhaust systems.

Performance Cars: Exhaust systems designed specifically for high-performance autos, like titanium exhausts or valved exhaust systems with variable sound levels or race-oriented configurations used on racetracks, can be beneficial.

Considerations For Tailored Exhaust Solutions:

Materials: You can choose from titanium, aluminized steel, or stainless steel. Regarding weight, resistance to corrosion, and resilience, each material has unique benefits.

Legal Compliance: Make sure that any custom car exhaust changes abide by all applicable local laws & emissions standards, particularly those about noise levels and pollution control equipment.

Performance Objectives: Whenever selecting custom exhaust parts, decide if power increases, improved sound quality, fuel economy, or a combination of these are the main priorities.

Professional Installation: To guarantee correct fitment, performance advantages, and adherence to safety and emissions regulations, custom car exhaust improvements frequently need to be installed by professionals.

Things To Take Into Account For Customised Car Exhaust Solutions: 

Materials: Stainless steel, aluminized steel, or titanium are your options. Every material has different advantages in terms of toughness, weight, and corrosion resistance.

  • Legal Compliance: Verify that any modifications made to the exhaust system adhere to all relevant local ordinances and emissions regulations, especially those that deal with noise levels and pollution control devices.
  • Performance Objectives: When choosing custom exhaust components, determine what your top priorities are: more power, better sound quality, fuel efficiency, or a mix of these.
  • Professional Installation: Custom exhaust upgrades often require expert fitting to ensure proper fitment, performance benefits, and compliance with safety & emissions laws.

Pros Of Custom Car Exhaust Systems:

1. You Can Increase Your Gas Mileage:

There will be an improvement in the fuel efficiency of your car. Performance exhaust systems are going to provide the biggest benefit out of all of them. Cat-back systems, nevertheless, may also be helpful. More rapidly and readily, gases can leave the engine because of a free-flowing exhaust. While not particularly significant, every little bit counts especially when it comes to reducing the amount of petrol used.

2. Noise Of The Car Exhaust:

Although not for everybody, many car owners find the exhaust’s stronger sound and richer tone to be pleasant. When the car is rapidly accelerating, you may locate mufflers for high-flow exhaust systems that sound good. Customized systems with unlawful street-legal exhaust systems won’t be built by silencer companies. There can be some limitations as a result.

3. System Coatings For Exhausts:

Custom coatings are frequently used to reduce heat under the vehicle, protect the exhaust, and improve the aesthetics of the exhaust system. Brightly polished stainless steel pipes are a popular feature on display vehicles.

Reducing The Amount Of Emissions Is One Option:

While a performance car’s unique exhaust system isn’t necessary for everyone, it’s a smart place to get going if you are interested in maximising the power of your vehicle’s motor.

Conclusion – Custom Car Exhaust Solutions:

Custom car exhaust systems provide a variety of choices suited to various car models, resulting in increased efficiency, better sound quality, and improved looks. These exhaust improvements may prove tailored to match individual tastes, performance objectives, and legal constraints for automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, or specialty vehicles. This improves the whole driving or riding sensation. For the greatest outcomes and adherence to regulations, it is crucial to take into account some variables and obtain expert advice.

South Korea opens doors to foreign medical practitioners amid healthcare crisis

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This move aims to address severe staff shortages caused by the ongoing strike, now in its 12th week. The Ministry plans to change rules under the Medical Services Act to expand the tasks foreign medical license holders can do, including “medical assistance.” This addition is important to prevent harm to community health in case of a medical disaster.

Under the new rules, foreign license holders can provide medical services with approval from the Health Minister. While specifics about what they can do are not yet known, the Ministry promises to authorize essential services during the crisis.

The decision comes as several medical professors join the strike in solidarity with junior doctors. They’re protesting the government’s plan to set quotas for medical school admissions.

With the crisis now at “severe” status, the South Korean government recognizes the urgency. This move is a departure from normal procedures and shows the seriousness of the staffing shortage during the strike. The last time such a severe alert was issued was during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As South Korea deals with this unprecedented challenge, welcoming foreign doctors shows a commitment to protecting public health and ensuring care continues despite the crisis.

VanEck’s MarketVector Starts Index to Track the Largest Meme Coins

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The index contains a variety of dog-themed coins and other popular meme tokens.

VanEck’s MarketVector has jumped on the meme coin bandwagon, starting a new index based on the highly popular token category.

MarketVector’s Meme Coin Index, which trades under the symbol MEMECOIN, tracks the top six meme tokens. The largest holdings of the meme coin index include Dogecoin (DOGE), Shiba Inu (SHIB), and Pepe (PEPE). Other holdings include dogwifhat (WIF}, Floki Inu (FLOKI), and BONK.

Based on the performance of its constituents, MarketVector’s new index would be up over 195% on a yearly basis. For comparison, the CoinDesk 20, which measures the 20 largest tokens except stablecoins, is up 97% during the same period, while bitcoin (BTC) has risen 123%.

Meme coins have a market cap of $51 billion, according to CoinGecko, and the MarketVector index tracks $44.67 billion of it.

Some investment managers who previously spoke to CoinDesk believe that the meme coin craze will continue due to low fees on Solana, allowing users to make small bets for potentially large profits, unlike previous manias hindered by high Ethereum fees.

Recently, a new category of meme tokens called PoliFi has come into the spotlight. The market cap of the new token category surged to $586 million as the election season heats up.

One token in particular, BODEN, is up 16% after former President Donald Trump made a comment about it at a campaign event, while Trump-themed MAGA is up 28% and TREMP 142%.

Crypto Monthly Trading Volume Drops for First Time in Seven Months to $6.58T

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Bitcoin, the leading cryptocurrency by market value, fell nearly 15% in April, ending a seven-month streak.

Cryptocurrency trading volume cooled in April, registering the first decline in seven months as escalating geopolitical tensions and slower inflows into U.S.-listed spot ETFs weighed over the digital assets market.

The cumulative volume in spot and derivatives markets fell by 43.8% to $6.58 trillion, a sharp retracement from March’s record high of $9.12 trillion, according to a report by London-based digital assets data provider CCData.

Derivatives fell out of investor favor again as activity in the futures and options market declined by 47.6% to $4.57 trillion. Meanwhile, the spot market volume suffered a relatively measured drop of 32.6% to $2.01 trillion.

“This decline followed unexpected macroeconomic data, an escalation in the geopolitical crisis in the Middle East, and negative net flows from U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs, leading to major crypto assets retracing the gains they made in March,” CCData said in a report shared with CoinDesk.

Bitcoin (BTC), the leading cryptocurrency by market value, fell nearly 15% to under $60,000 last month, snapping a seven-month winning trend. The sell-off came as an overheated bull market ran into broad-based risk aversion characterized by renewed tensions in the Middle East, dwindling probability of rapid Fed rate cuts this year and strength in the dollar index.

The CoinDesk 20 Index, a measure of the most liquid digital assets, traded nearly 20%, and the total crypto market capitalization slipped by 16.8% to $2.177 trillion.

While Binance remained the largest crypto exchange by volume, its combined spot and derivatives market share fell to 41.5%. The exchange’s spot market trading volume tanked 39.2% to $679 billion in April, recording the first decline since September 2023.

“The decline in Binance’s market share also coincided with the news that its founder and previous CEO, Changpeng Zhao, was sentenced to four months in prison for the violation of U.S. money laundering laws,” CCData noted.

Binance CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao stepped down after pleading guilty to U.S. criminal charges in November and was replaced by Richard Teng. Since then, Binance’s spot market share has increased from 30.8% to 33.8%, CCData said.

MSB’s Digital Leap: Revolutionizing Banking with AI-Driven Solutions and Open Banking Integration

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At the forefront of the 2024 Banking Industry Digital Transformation summit, Vietnam Maritime Commercial Joint Stock Bank (MSB) showcased a suite of innovative technological solutions aimed at fully catering to the evolving demands of their clientele, with a particular focus on corporate entities, organizations, entrepreneurs, and family-run businesses in today’s digital landscape.

For individual clients, MSB offers the luxury of conducting transactions entirely online, encompassing everything from account creation to the application, issuance, and oversight of financial products like debit/credit cards, insurance policies, and loans.

For its commercial clients, MSB unveiled two key offerings: MSB Pay, a versatile payment platform aligned with open banking principles, facilitating seamless integration with enterprise systems such as hospitals, educational institutions, and e-commerce platforms to bolster large-scale billing and payment operations; and M-Flash, a swift credit facility for businesses, providing up to 2 billion VND with immediate, AI-driven approval in a mere 4 minutes.

Leveraging its technological prowess and extensive data from the national data ecosystem, including tax, invoicing, and demographic information, MSB has revolutionized the credit process with its M-Power and M-Flash products, delivering an exceptional user experience. This digital transformation has led to a surge in new customers via online channels, accounting for roughly 70% of the total in the past year, and a customer satisfaction index of 80.2 out of 100. Nearly 5,000 enterprises have secured credit through digital avenues, with a cumulative credit limit nearing 52,000 billion VND, including close to 1,000 billion VND facilitated through embedded solutions on digital platforms like Misa and Solv.

MSB’s Pay solution has garnered impressive outcomes, with 9,000 businesses, family shops, 127 educational entities, and 10 medical facilities utilizing its payment and cash management services via the MSB Merchant app, resulting in approximately 400,000 transactions and a monthly turnover of around 800 billion VND.

Moreover, MSB has harnessed its technological edge and rich data resources to streamline the entire credit issuance process. Over 5,000 businesses have benefited from 52,000 billion VND in loans distributed through digital channels, with the assessment process taking just minutes.

Ms. Dinh Thi To Uyen elaborated: “Harnessing machine learning and robust data analytics, we’ve developed a system capable of granting approvals within 4 minutes. By integrating our solutions with Fintech partners like Misa, we’re not just tapping into a business’s financial records but also linking with tax databases, allowing us to instantly refresh our understanding of a business’s health. This results in a dynamic information system that enables us to extend immediate credit offerings to clients upon their initial registration and provision of basic details.”

The Saigon – Phan Thiet train runs daily from May 2024

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The SPT2/SPT1 Saigon – Phan Thiet train pair runs daily starting from May 2024, accompanied by various services such as 3-4-star resort accommodation, bus services, and motorbike rental to serve tourists during the summer season.

The railway industry increases train operations to serve tourists during the summer. Illustration photo: TTXVN

Starting from May 2024, the railway sector operates the SPT2/SPT1 train pair on the Saigon – Phan Thiet route daily instead of only running on certain days of the week as before. This increase in train services aims to meet the high demand for passenger travel during the summer, with prices ranging from 169,000 to 294,000 dong per ticket per trip depending on the seat type and departure date.

The SPT2 train departs from Saigon station at 6:30 a.m., arriving at Phan Thiet station at 10:50 a.m. The SPT1 train departs from Phan Thiet station at 1:00 p.m., arriving at Saigon station at 5:30 p.m. The train stops to pick up and drop off passengers at Saigon, Di An, Bien Hoa, Long Khanh, Gia Ray, Gia Huynh, Binh Thuan, and Phan Thiet stations.

Furthermore, upon arrival at Phan Thiet station, passengers can utilize additional services for easier transportation, such as bus services from Phan Thiet station to Long Son, Suoi Nuoc, and vice versa, or renting motorbikes directly at the station. Passengers can purchase bus tickets at Saigon station, on the Saigon – Phan Thiet train, or through the ticket sales hotline.

Passengers traveling by train are also provided with a new all-inclusive service package including round-trip train tickets, bus tickets, and one-night stay at a 3-4-star resort, priced from only 1,110,000 dong per combo.

Additionally, the SPT1/SPT2 trains have added passenger pick-up stations at Gia Ray station (Xuan Loc district, Dong Nai province) and Gia Huynh station (Tanh Linh district, Binh Thuan province).

@Thesaigontimes

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