People celebrated Songkran holiday in Ayutthaya, Thailand on April 11 (Photo: AFP/VNA) Bangkok (VNA) – The Thai Government has instructed its police to comply with regulations to ensure safety and order during the traditional Songkran holiday which falls on April 12-16. Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said he has ordered police to charge speeding and drunk motorists who cause fatal accidents during the holiday with murder. The Thai Government will launch the “seven-day road safety” campaign from April 11 to 17, as police have been ordered to stay vigilant against traffic safety violations. Despite the intense road safety campaign for the Songkran festival in April last year, there were still 3,724 traffic accidents which killed 418 people and injured 3,897 others. Speeding and drink driving were cited as the most common causes. Bangkok Police chief Lt. Gen. Sutthipong Wongpin said that, as per the annual practice, city police would not take … [Read more...] about Thailand works to enhance safety during major festival
Road safety act
Two Koreas to pledge road, rail links on divided peninsula
A nine-car special train carrying some 100 South Koreans, including officials and five people born in the North, was seen leaving Seoul railway station early in the morning for a two-hour journey to the North's border city of Kaesong. South Korean President Moon Jae-in and the North's leader Kim Jong Un agreed to hold the ceremony by the end of this year when they met at their third summit in Pyongyang in September. Concerns arose that the train and other materials being brought into the North for the ceremony could breach various sanctions imposed on the isolated regime over its nuclear weapons program, but the U.N. Security Council reportedly granted a waver for the event. Seoul stressed that the ceremony would not herald the start of actual work on reconnecting and modernising road and rail links between the two Koreas - which remain technically at war after their 1950-53 conflict ended without a peace treaty. The event is a mere "expression of a commitment" to the projects, a South … [Read more...] about Two Koreas to pledge road, rail links on divided peninsula
Malaysia considers life bans on drivers in fatal accidents
Cars wait for the traffic lights at a junction approaching the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur on Jul 14, 2004. (Photo: AFP) Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke has emphasized the need to amend the country’s Road Transport Act to ensure that drivers responsible for causing deaths are banned from driving for life. Anthony pointed out that Section 41 of the Act states that a driver guilty of causing death by reckless driving cannot hold or obtain a driving licence for at least three years, stressing that this punishment is not strict enough. According to the minister, drivers who cause fatal accidents must be banned from driving for the rest of their lives. As for the amendment to the Act, Loke said such a change would take some time because it needed to be studied and brought to the Attorney General’s Chambers before being tabled in Parliament. Chairman of the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) Lee Lam … [Read more...] about Malaysia considers life bans on drivers in fatal accidents
Farmers incur losses due to cold
Illustrative image (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - A strong cold spell continues to wreak havoc on the northern and central provinces and the Central Highlands region in Vietnam. Heavy snowfall began in Sa Pa township in the northern province of Lao Cai on Wednesday, while ice covered the peak of Mau Son Mountain in Lang Son province. The temperature dropped to minus 1.6 degrees Celsius. According to Lang Son province authorities, the stream of tourists pouring in to witness snow on Mau Son Mountain, a rare sight in a tropical country, has caused temporary jams on the road leading to the mountain and up the mountaintop. The mountain’s tourist management authorities have deployed forces to inspect hygiene in food stalls scattered on the mountains and to ensure tourists’ safety in frosty weather. On the other hand, chilling weather has caused damage to agricultural production and animal breeding. Vietnam Television (VTV) reported that the cold spell has so … [Read more...] about Farmers incur losses due to cold
Social News 29/1
Exhibition praises victory of 1968 Tet OffensiveCommando Ba Mu (whose real name is Do Van Can) disguised himself as a rubber latex collector to fool the enemy. He used a tricycle to transport weapons to serve the South Vietnam liberation forces during the 1968 Tet Offensive.The tricycle is on display at exhibition that has opened in Hanoi.Entitled The Epic of the 1968 Tet Offensive, the exhibition celebrates the 50th anniversary of the victory of the campaign.The exhibition displays more than 300 images, documents and objects. Ba Mu’s tricycle is one among many objects showcased to the public for the first time.The exhibition is divided into three parts: devotion for the battlefield, the historical turning point and echoes of the epic. They depict the determination of Vietnamese people and soldiers in fighting for peace and liberation.“The Military History Museum of Vietnam organised the exhibition with the aim of asserting the historical magnitude and significance of the … [Read more...] about Social News 29/1
Ho Chi Minh City traffic police praised for rejecting bribes
A large number of traffic police officers in Ho Chi Minh City have received compliments for refraining from taking bribes in 2017. The officers were praised during a meeting on the review of traffic safety last year held by the municipal department of road and railway traffic (PC67) on Thursday. The body commended 143 groups of traffic police and 3,649 fellow officers who exhibited exemplary performance and behavior. Amongst the latter, 514 officers demonstrated integrity, refusing to receive bribes which otherwise amounted to nearly VND142 million ($6,250), and 110 others bravely fought back crime, PC67 head Huynh Trung Phong said at the meeting. No information was given about the rest of the force regarding the misconduct. A police officer uses a camera to spot traffic rule violations. Photo: Tuoi Tre A multitude of traffic law violations was reported in 2017, with more than 500,000 offences recorded which corresponded to a total fine of VND260 billion ($11.45 … [Read more...] about Ho Chi Minh City traffic police praised for rejecting bribes
BUSINESS IN BRIEF 23/1
Vietnam promotes trade, tourism in ChileVietnamese Chargé d'affaires a.i. in Chile Nguyen Minh Anh introduced the potential for cooperation between Vietnam and Chile in trade and tourism at a seminar in Chile on January 19.Anh highlighted the remarkable growth in bilateral trade exchange recently, with value reaching 1.28 billion USD. He noted that Vietnam is the 10th biggest foreign trade partner and the second largest Southeast Asian market of Chile.The diplomat underlined the trend among young Chilean entrepreneurs to seek investment opportunities in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam.A representative of the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Vietnam – Chile free trade agreement, effective in 2014, has made significant contributions to increasing trade exchanges between the two nations.Vietnam can serve as a gateway for Chilean products to enter ASEAN markets, while Chile as a bridge connecting Vietnam and Latin America.The seminar, jointly hosted by the Embassy … [Read more...] about BUSINESS IN BRIEF 23/1
Social News 16/1
Fire destroys thousand sq. meter wood factory in Dong NaiA huge fire suddenly occurred at a wood factory of Shing Mark Company in Bai Xep Industrial Park, Trang Bom district, Dong Nai at midnight on January 15. Because materials inside the wood factory are easily ignited, the flame quickly spread out causing the firefighters to meet difficulties in order to access the site and localize the fire. By 5am today, the blaze was extinguished.The initial information showed that there was no death in the fire; however, the flame destroyed thousand sq. meter factory and burnt wood materials inside the factory. At present, the functional agencies have investigated the cause of the fire. HCM City ensures traffic safety for TetThe Ho Chi Minh City Traffic Safety Committee has deployed various measures to ensure traffic safety and order in the city before and during the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday.Nguyen Ngoc Tuong, deputy chief of the committee, said, “The campaign aims to … [Read more...] about Social News 16/1
Experts call for arrest of drunk drivers
HÀ NỘI — Drunk drivers whose alcohol content exceeds 100mg for every 100ml of blood, or 0.5mg for every litre of breath, should be pressed with criminal charges instead of fines, experts suggested. According to Government’s Decree on fines for traffic violations issued last year, car drivers with alcohol exceeding 80mg for every 100ml of blood or 0.4mg for every litre of breath will be fined VNĐ10-15 million, and bikers will be fined VNĐ2-3 million. Violators will also have their driving licences revoked for two months. Nguyễn Văn Huyện, head of Directorate for Roads of Việt Nam, said the directorate had proposed criminal charges against drunk drivers in the amended Criminal Code in 2015. Huyện pointed out that in other countries, drunk drivers with excessive alcohol levels could face imprisonment in addition to fines and revoked driving licences, Giao thông ( Transport) newspaper reported. “In Việt Nam, … [Read more...] about Experts call for arrest of drunk drivers
18 dead, 254 injured as South Africa train slams into truck
KROONSTAD, South Africa: A passenger train smashed into a truck at a level crossing in South Africa on Thursday (Jan 4), killing at least 18 people, injuring 254 and throwing several carriages off the rails.Flames ripped through the twisted wreckage and choking black smoke rose into the air as desperate passengers clambered out of the train travelling from Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg to escape the inferno.Tiaan Esterhuizen, who was travelling on the train as he returned from holiday, attempted to rescue three women who were trapped in a burning passenger wagon."I saw around 12 cars on their side and one was already burning. We heard some women screaming when we came closer' so a few of us climbed over the cars," he told the Times LIVE news site."Two of the women were sort of on top of each other. Another was further back. Her legs were trapped. One of the women was shouting that there was a baby inside also."We searched but could not find the child ... I am quite sure those … [Read more...] about 18 dead, 254 injured as South Africa train slams into truck