Intellasia - News Highlights of Vietnam – June 29, 2004ContentsGeneral
news General newsVietnam man kills wife over euro '04 bets28/Jun/2004 Reuters A Vietnamese man has stabbed his wife to death after an argument over his loss of nearly 7,000 pounds in bets on euro 2004 soccer matches. Police in the central city of Vinh, about 300 kilometres (185 miles) south of the capital Hanoi, arrested the 64-year-old man on June 24 and charged him with murder of his wife. Soccer betting is illegal but widely popular in Vietnam. Female gold smugglers nabbed in north28/Jun/2004 VNA Two gold smuggling cases on the same day involving 80 kilograms of gold worth nearly eight billion dong (about US$500,000) were discovered recently at the Mong Cai border gate, the northern Quang Ninh Province. The two traffickers were Pham Thi Mai and Nguyen Thi Nghinh. They were caught each carrying 40 kilograms of 99,99% pure gold. Police uncover Vietnam-Australia drug ring28/Jun/2004 VNA The police of central coastal Phu Yen Province and the Anti-Drugs Police Department have arrested an Australian man of Vietnamese origin and a Vietnamese woman for trafficking drugs from Vietnam to Australia. The two drug traffickers have confessed to smuggling drugs from Vietnam to Australia 17 times. Hanoi taxi fares increased29/Jun/2004 Giao Thong Van Tai page 2 Hanoi taxi fare are to rise 15% this week following an agreement struck on a new floor price by the city’s taxi association. The floor price is 6,000 dong a kilometre for smaller taxis and 7,800 dong a kilometre for sedans but fares will vary depending on each taxi company’s service. Cuts in inter-regional calls charges28/Jun/2004 VNA The Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Corp (VNPT) has recently submitted to the Ministry of Post and Communications for approval a project to apply the one-price calculation for all calls via MobiFone and VinaPhone. With the proposal, users of VinaPhone and MobiFone, the country's two largest mobile networks, hope to pay 850 dong for a 30-second block for both inner-city and inter-regional calls as from July 1. More cash sent abroad for education purposes29/Jun/2004 Tuoi Tre page 2 HCM City branch of the State Bank of Vietnam reports that in the last six months, city residents sent US$28 million abroad for foreign study or living costs purposes or for medical treatment. About 80% is for studying. ASEM youth to talk development in Hanoi28/jun/2004 VietnamNet Youth representatives from Asian and European countries will hold their own assembly on sustainable development ahead of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Hanoi from June 29 to July 1. Organised by the Vietnam Youth Union and the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), the meeting is expected to draw 68 delegates from 22 ASEM member countries. The first such conference was held two years ago in Copenhagen, when globalisation was the theme of the day. 1.4tr dong for Tay Nguyen culture28/Jun/2004 Thoi Bao Kinh Te Vietnam page 3 The Ministry of Culture and Information (MCI) has submitted its project of “Tay Nguyen culture development to 2010” to the government. The ministry is looking to revive traditional houses, cong music, and traditional crafts of five Tay Nguyen provinces. The ministry expects the government to agree on the project’s budget of 1.4 trillion dong. Giant tortoise found in Quy Nhon28/Jun/2004 Thanh Nien page 2 Ho Van Thong and Doan Ngoc Minh, two fishermen residing in quarter No 39, Tran Phu commune, Quy Nhon city, on June 25 caught a large tortoise in offshore in Quy Nhon Sea. The tortoise, one metre long, 0.8 metre wide, and 60 kilograms of weight, was defined as a rare tortoise and protected from hunters. Last seven rhinos survive in Vietnam29/Jun/2004 Tuoi Tre page 2 The latest surveys of natural observers have shown that the Cat Tien National Park has only seven rhinos to survive. What is concerning is that the seven rhinos seem not to be fertile. Experts say that the surviving rhinos need wider habitat. Their 5,000 hectare surrounding has been continuously in danger of disturbing from penetrates, lumber cutters and illegal hunters. Child burns cases rise in summer27/Jun/2004 Lao Dong page 3 The National Institute of Burns (Hanoi) reports that there have been up to 150 children sent to hospital for burns treatment in June, which is considered a common number every summer. Repeated warnings about burns have had little response from parents. Prof Dr. Le Nam, director of the institute, says that summer is traditionally the cruellest season for the institute. For this summer alone, hospitals have admitted 32 children suffering from burns from electric shock. He suggests more education for parents about treating burns, especially those who are poor. Women and child trafficking reported28/Jun/2004 VietnamNet A total of 1,758 Vietnamese women and children were reported taken from 16 provinces and cities last year, reported the police at a regional meeting on fighting against trafficking of women and children held in Hanoi last week. Of that figure, 263 were juveniles, including 11 who were under 10 years old. Some 870 people managed to return home. The women and children were sold abroad, mainly China, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore, to work in the sex industry, unwilling brides or as slaves. 54,000 youths register to join summer volunteer campaign28/Jun/2004 VietnamNet As many as 54,000 young people and students from HCM City have registered to take part in a “green summer” campaign in the city’s 24 urban and suburban districts. The young volunteers will spread information about laws, health care protection, and schools and detox centres. The city’s Youth Union has also set up a team of volunteers to teach computer skills to people in some poor communities in Laos. Artist heads for US opera contest28/Jun/2004 VietnamNet Thang Long, an opera singer with the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet Theatre, will head to a contest in the US in November, becoming the first Vietnamese artist to participate in an international competition without state financial support. Vietnam Airlines and the US Embassy in Hanoi have agreed to help out, with the airlines providing a free ticket from Hanoi to Los Angeles and the embassy covering his visas fees and airfare from Los Angeles to Washington DC. The singer will still have to pay around US$35,000 for accommodation and other expenses. World Heritage Committee meeting opens28/Jun/2004 VNA The 28th session of the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation opened in Suzhou, Jiangsu province of China, on Monday with the participation of more than 500 delegates and experts. Chinese President Hu Jintao sent a letter to the session, stressing that China will continue expanding international cooperation to ensure natural and cultural heritage sites to be protected and used properly. The session will last ten days to examine 48 resorts for addition to the World Heritage List. Social insurance for business people rises 6%28/Jun/2004 VNA According to the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the number of social insurants in the business sector rose 6% between January and June compared to last December, bringing the sector's total insurants to 1.8 million. The rise was attributed to the exercise of a number of measures to tighten the implementation of Labour Code in businesses across the country. TopEconomyHCM City trade gap reaches record US$1.3 billion25/Jun/2004 Thoi Bao Kinh Te Sai Gon page 9 Total payments for imports including trade and non-trade payments made via HCM City banks in the first half 2004 exceeded export receipts by over US$1 billion, five times compared with the same period last year and 1.5 times compared with the full 2003. TopIndustry & investmentFDI increases in HCM City29/Jun/2004 Lao Dong page 1 As reported from HCM City Department of Planning and Investment, since early this year, there have been 110 foreign investment projects with approved capital of US$93 million registered in HCM City, raising total new FDI to US$304 million including increased capital of existing foreign invested enterprises. Investment approvals fall at HCM City IZs29/Jun/2004 Tuoi Tre page 11 According to HCM City Export Processing Zones and Industrial Zones Authority (HEPZA), since early this year, IZs and EPZs in HCM City have attracted more than US$67.78 million of foreign investment, or 33% of the full year’s target, down by some 5% compared with the same period of last year. This reduction is attributed to the instability of macro-economic policies, particularly arbitrary changes in corporate income tax, VAT, red-tape strewn license granting procedures, and prolonged land transfer procedures, said HEPZA. Chamber launches business admin CD–ROM29/Jun/2004 Saigon Times Daily Page 2 Business administration skills and useful information for the corporate world in Vietnam are now available in a CD–ROM which the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hanoi on June 28. The three-set CD sells for 250,000 dong. VCCI chairman Vu Tien Loc says small and medium enterprises (SMEs) made up 90% of the number of enterprises in the country. Dry dock construction starts28/Jun/2004 Thoi Bao Kinh Te Viet Nam page 3 Vietnam Machinery Construction an Installation Corp (Lilama) started to build dry dock of 6,500 DWT, which is a key item of shipyard upgrade of Lilama. The dry dock will cost 205 billion dong and is part of master plan of the national shipbuilding master plan until 2010. PwC helps in business re-engineering28//Jun/2004 The Saigon Times Daily page 2 A PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Vietnam manager has urged local companies to make use of business solutions PwC is providing free of charge at <www.globalbestpractices.com> for Business Process Reengineering, or BPR. BPR means fundamental re-thinking and radical re-design of the business to achieve dramatic improvements and benefits in performance areas such as cost, quality and service,” Robertson said. It includes transformation of organisation, job responsibilities, information systems and performance standards. TopFinance & bankingVietcombank equitisation scheme29/Jun/2004 Lao Dong page 1 The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) on June 28 said the SBV has instructed Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (Vietcombank) to issue some 2–2.5 trillion dong of preference shares to increase its chartered capital. The equitisation scheme has been finalised the SBV said, however the official name of the preference shares and the interest rate is still under consideration before sending to the government for approval. The SBV is also looking for some foreign financial organisations as strategic partners for Vietcombank to carry out equitisation. Salaries via ATMs take off28/Jun/2004 Thong Tan Xa Vietnam The State Bank of Vietnam-HCM City Branch reported that at present, 36,000 workers mainly in foreign-invested enterprises at export-processing zones (EPZs) and industrial parks (IPs) in HCM City can withdraw their salaries via automatic teller machines (ATMs). After two years of issuing ATM cards, banks have installed 19 ATMs at EPZs and IPs in and around HCM City. Gold price range tipped at 7.5-8m dong28/Jun/2004 VNA The price of gold will fluctuate between 7.5 and eight million dong per tael (a tael equal to 1.2 ounce) on the domestic market this year, Huynh Trung Khanh, a representative of the World Gold Council, said recently. The fluctuation of the gold price in Vietnam is caused by changes in the exchange rate of the US dollar and euro as well as the world's political situation. TopGovernment & legalNew G-bonds traded28/Jun/2004 Ministry of Finance A new issue of 550,000 government bonds coded CP1_0904 worth 55 billion dong were listed for trading on the HCM City Securities Trading Centre on June 28. The government bonds carry a maturity of five years and a coupon of 8.4% per year. Date of issue is June 14, 2004. Interest of the bond will be paid annually in June. Belgian citizen receives medal28/Jun/2004 VNA2 Zenon Kowal, Head of the Walloon-Bruxelles Delegation in Vietnam, was presented with the Vietnamese Medal for the Cause of Education in Hanoi on June 28. The distinction was made in honour of Zenon's contributions to Vietnam's education and training service in the past four years. Zenon Kowal donated French scientific and humanity publications to 15 universities and colleges in Hanoi and HCM City, 150 pictorial books to Le Hong Phong senior high school in HCM City and 12 computers to hearing-impaired students in Hanoi and HCM City. TopODAUS funds HCM City urban development29/Jun/2004 Thanh Nien page 2 HCM City Fund for Urban Development Investment and US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) on June 28 signed an agreement to fund a project on HCM City’s urban and infrastructure development. Under this agreement, the USTDA will offer a non-refundable technical aid worth US$350,000 to develop the project. Selection of consultant for Finnish-funded bridge28/Jun/2004 Lao Dong page 7 Hai Phong Bridge Project Management Unit reported on June 26 that construction on Rao II Bridge funded with 240 billion dong of official development assistance (ODA) by the Finnish government will start on May 13, 2005. Currently, the board has completed procedures of selecting a Finland consultant for design, supervision of bridge and terrain. Top…ends
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