News
Vietnam economy won’t be better next year: economist
Vietnam’s economy will continue to recover but at a slow pace next year, and the sustainability of its rebound appears weak, a senior economist has warned. Nguyen Dinh Cung, head of the Central Institute for Economic Management, said: “The recovery in 2013-15 was driven by the ...
Thousands sign petition against Mekong dam construction
Huynh Thi Kim Duyen said her community in Ca Mau Province has seen a significant decline in fish stocks and water levels in the Mekong River in the past decade. Duyen is among thousands of people in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand who have signed off on ...
Vietnam plans Hanoi-Vientiane highway project: report
Vietnam’s Ministry of Transport has started a feasibility study on a 760-kilometer highway to connect Hanoi and Vientiane, local media reported on 11 November. The study conducted by Transport Engineering Design Inc. will help decide whether the route should pass through Nghe An or Ha Tinh, two central ...
Ho Chi Minh City to spend $443 million on embankment, drains to fight flooding
Ho Chi Minh City is seeking the prime minister’s approval to spend VND9.85 trillion, or more than US$443 million, on a massive anti-flooding project that will include a seven-kilometer riverside embankment. Keep reading ...
Vietnam's ambitious education reform plans come in for praise
The education ministry’s plan to transform general education from a system that provides knowledge into one that develops capacity is necessary but not sufficient, experts say. Keep reading ...
Ho Chi Minh City eyes $380mln of loans for waterway expansion
Ho Chi Minh City has asked for the central government’s help in taking out loans worth around US$380 million for a major dredging program to deepen one of its key waterways, local media reported on 9 November. The Soai Rap, a tributary of the Saigon River, ...
Work starts on Vietnam's 'Silicon Valley'
The construction of a hi-tech park following the model of the US’s Silicon Valley began in Ho Chi Minh City on 10 November. Keep reading ...
Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia to ease visa rules for Chinese
Three of China’s neighbors in Southeast Asia are further easing their visa regimes to attract more Chinese tourists. Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance announced move to lower Chinese visitors’ visa-application fees in a new step to boost its tourism. Starting from 23 November, Chinese tourists’ visa fees ...
Luxury timber goes to Vietnam en masse
While crowds gathered in Phnom Penh to watch Cambodia’s Independence Day parade, a different sort of procession drew the attention of villagers in Ratanakkiri province on 9 November, with hundreds of motorbikes flooding across border checkpoints loaded with luxury timber. The spectacle, which on a smaller ...
Vietnam, Philippines to sign strategic-alliance pact
An official says the Philippines and Vietnam plan to sign an accord next week to elevate their relationship to a strategic level, allowing them to deepen economic ties and maritime cooperation. Keep reading ...
