PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc chairs the first session of the National Steering Committee on the Settlement of Post-war Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) and Toxic Chemical Consequences (Committee 701), Ha Noi, August 7, 2018 - Photo: VGP/Quang Hieu The committee was formed in April 2018 on the foundation of the State Steering Committee for National Action Program on the Settlement of Toxic Chemical Consequences. PM Phuc is head of the committee. The committee has directed the investigation and mapping of landmine/ UXO contamination nationwide for the first period, identifying polluted areas at 19 localities. Bombs and mines clearance has been launched at around 30,000-50,000 ha per year. The settlement of Agent Orange toxic chemical at Da Nang International Airport has been completed, which helped transfer 29 ha of clean land for the extension of the airport serving for the APEC 2017 and the city’s … [Read more...] about PM asks for establishing dioxin and landmine contamination map
Proposed 404 extension map
Health ministry proposes measures for guarding against Ebola
Health ministry proposes measures for guarding against Ebola HCMC – The Ministry of Health held a meeting on June 4, with the Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC), to provide updated information about an Ebola outbreak in West Africa and map out preventative measures, Lao Dong newspaper reports. A report from PHEOC indicates that 58 people contracted the Ebola virus, with 27 of them reported dead in the Central African Republic of the Congo. The General Department of Preventive Medicine, under the Ministry of Health, has worked with the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to monitor and evaluate the exposure and current status of the disease. The ministry issued a document to ask leaders of provinces and cities, which are home to international airports, to expand activities to prevent the spread of Ebola . In addition, provincial health departments and cities have been required to inspect and supervise … [Read more...] about Health ministry proposes measures for guarding against Ebola
Govt Inspectorate clarifying missing Thu Thiem zoning map
Govt Inspectorate clarifying missing Thu Thiem zoning map An artist’s impression of Thu Thiem new urban area in HCMC’s District 2 – PHOTO: TL HCMC – The Government Inspectorate has completed a draft conclusion of an inspection of land planning and use in HCMC, including a clarification of whether or not a zoning map of Thu Thiem new urban area is missing. The draft inspection conclusion has been sent to the HCMC government and relevant agencies for further explanation and clarification. A source told news website Dan Tri said that what Vo Viet Thanh, who served as HCMC chairman in 1996-2001, had shared with the media in the past few days is accurate based on evidence the Government Inspectorate had collected and included in the draft conclusion. Thanh told the local media that when presenting a Thu Thiem development proposal to the then Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet, Thanh used 13 maps. Thanh is still keeping all the files related to the Thu Thiem … [Read more...] about Govt Inspectorate clarifying missing Thu Thiem zoning map
Ho Chi Minh City seeks extension to visa waivers to boost tourism
NDO/VNA – Ho Chi Minh City wants the central government to extend the visa waiver period for tourists from key foreign markets in order to increase Vietnam’s attractiveness for foreign visitors.It has proposed that the Government extend the visa-free stay from the current 15 days to 21 or 30 days for those arriving from countries such as Sweden, Norway, Finland, Russia, Denmark, the Republic of Korea, Germany, the UK, France, Italy, and Spain. … [Read more...] about Ho Chi Minh City seeks extension to visa waivers to boost tourism
HCM City seeks visa waiver extension to boost tourism
It has proposed that the Government should extend the visa-free stay to 21 days or 30 days from the current 15 for travellers from countries like Sweden, Norway, Finland, Russia, Denmark, the Republic of Korea, Germany, the UK, France, Italy, and Spain so that they would have enough time to tour the country. Ho Chi Minh City targets 7.5 million foreign visitors this year. Photo: tienphong.vn At present, nationals of 22 countries and territories do not require a visa to enter the country. Ho Chi Minh City also suggested waiving visas for tourists from five western European countries - the UK, France, German, Italy, and Spain - for five years at a time instead of one year and for tourists from the visa-waiver countries re-entering Vietnam within 30 days of their last exit. The number of tourists from the five western European countries has been increasing at 14 percent a year since the visa-free policy took effect two years ago. Half of all foreign visitors coming to … [Read more...] about HCM City seeks visa waiver extension to boost tourism
HCMC proposes extending visa waiver
HCMC proposes extending visa waiverDao Loan HCMC – HCMC authorities have suggested the central Government extend the visa exemption for key source markets for the tourism sector to lure more tourists. The HCMC government proposed extending the visa-free stay from 15 days to 21 or 30 days for visitors from Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Russia, South Korea, the U.K., Germany, France and Spain so that tourists can take longer tours in Vietnam. The city also proposed extending the visa waiver for five European countries including the U.K., France, Germany, Spain and Italy from one-year to five-year validity and allowing for a visa-free stay of 30 days for tourists re-entering Vietnam. The municipal government said the visa waiver extension would help boost tourism development in the city and the country as a whole and contribute to making the tourism sector more professional, effective, competitive and sustainable. The number of visitors from Eastern Europe has risen 14% a year … [Read more...] about HCMC proposes extending visa waiver
HCMC proposes hiking sidewalk fees
HCMC proposes hiking sidewalk feesLe Anh HCMC – The HCMC Department of Transport has just mapped out a scheme for hiking the sidewalk usage fee to VND100,000 (US$4.41) per square meter per month and the parking fee on the roadside to VND20,000-50,000 each time. According to the department, the city allows temporary use of sidewalks or roadsides for parking lots on 345 roads. In particular, the sidewalks along 160 roads can be used for vehicle parking while those along 112 other roads can be used by vendors. There are 73 roads where vehicles can be parked on the roadside. The department said the sidewalk fee of VND12,000 (US$0.53) per square meter per month regulated in Decision 964/QD-UB is too low and is no longer suitable under the current circumstances. Similarly, the parking fee on the roadside in districts 1, 3 and 5 at VND5,000 per vehicle each time is too low, leading to the illegal use of road for parking. Therefore, the municipal Department of Transport suggested the new … [Read more...] about HCMC proposes hiking sidewalk fees
PM proposes measures to solidify ASEAN-India cooperation
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc proposes measures to solidify ASEAN-India cooperation (Photo: VGP/Quang Hieu) At the summit, themed “Shared Values, Common Destiny”, leaders agreed to enhance their strategic partnership by fully implementing the ASEAN-India action plan until 2020. They adopted the Delhi Statement, which maps out a vision for future ties. PM Phuc urged the two sides to strengthen trade and investment cooperation to drive the ASEAN-India partnership. He pushed land and sea connectivity, people-to-people exchanges, and cooperation for regional peace, and stability and coping with traditional and non-traditional security challenges. The PM urged ASEAN and India to strengthen coordination to enforce international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, build trust through joint measures to deal with maritime challenges, and develop a green sea-based economy. … [Read more...] about PM proposes measures to solidify ASEAN-India cooperation
Association proposes stopping temporary import of sugar
The Viet Nam Sugar and Sugarcane Association has proposed to the Prime Minister not to allow an extension for temporary sugar imports for re-export as the sweet industry was struggling with high stockpiles and slumping prices due to illegally imported sugar. This was in opposition to a recent proposal by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the People’s Committee of Lao Cai regarding the extension of temporary sugar import licences which expired on December 31, 2017 to the end of 2019. In 2015, the Government allowed the temporary import of 220,000 tonnes of sugar (mainly from Thailand) through certain border gates in Lao Cai Province until the end of 2017. However, a report by the province said that only 43.73 per cent of the permitted volume was imported and several companies temporarily imported sugar but had not re-exported. For this reason, the ministry and the northern province called for an extension to the temporary import licences. However, the proposal was worrying … [Read more...] about Association proposes stopping temporary import of sugar
Mai Linh Taxi plea for debt deadline extension denied
Vietnam Social Insurance Agency has turned down Mai Linh Taxi's proposal to extend their insurance payment deadline to 2038. Mai Linh Taxi incurring huge debtNguyen Thi Dai from Vietnam Social Insurance Agency said on January 18 that they had received Mai Linh Taxi's proposal.However, according to the Law on Social Insurance issued in 2014, only the government has the authority to reduce insurance debts, exempt interest or extend the deadline. Vietnam Social Insurance Agency only collected the payments.Mai Linh Taxi Company has asked for the government's help to pay insurance for employees as they have incurred more than VND180bn (USD7.9m) in losses as of October 31. They blamed the economic downturn in 2008, high interest rates and tough competition with Uber and Grab Taxi for the drop of 30% in revenue.Mai Linh asked for the terms of its debt of VND150bn to be renegotiated to extend to 2038, and are seeking to have any late payment fines wavered. It also want to exempt … [Read more...] about Mai Linh Taxi plea for debt deadline extension denied