Saigon Times Foundation urged to expand operationsBy Huynh Kim - The Saigon Times DailyThe Saigon Times Foundation (STF) should map out a strategy for marketing and communication and at the same time professionalize its staff to strategically manage its six social programs for human resource development, Trai said in his concluding remarks at a meeting of the sponsorship council held on the occasion of STF’s eighth anniversary on Tuesday.Over the past eight years, he said, the foundation has done a lot for the benefit of local communities but the publicity of its programs has yet to be strong enough to attract more donations.Trai took the opportunity to thank donors including enterprises, organizations and individuals for their generous support to implement the six programs: donor-assigned projects (short-term scholarships and school construction), long-term scholarships, Knowledge Bookcase, Green Painting contest, Master One Trade, and Mekong Program. Nearly 6,000 school … [Read more...] about Saigon Times Foundation urged to expand operations
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Work starts on Saigon-Hiep Phuoc Port
Work starts on Saigon-Hiep Phuoc PortBy Huu Thang - The Saigon Times DailySituated around 30 kilometers from the city center and 17 kilometers from Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone, the port will cover over 100 hectares in Hiep Phuoc Industrial Park in Hiep Phuoc Commune along the Soai Rap River.The port is designed by Portcoast Consultant and built by Vietnam Waterway Construction Corporation.The forthcoming port is expected to start service in 2011. In the second stage between 2011-2014, the port’s pier length will rise to 1,800 meters able to clear around 18 million tons of cargo a year.As the Soai Rap River is being dredged to the depth of 9.5 to 12 meters, Saigon-Hiep Phuoc Port will meet better transport services while Nha Rong and Khanh Hoi ports have no more space for expansion and cannot handle cargo upsurges, Saigon Port general director Le Cong Minh told the Daily.Saigon Port has plans to build a logistics zone on 15 hectares with investment of VND1 trillion in late … [Read more...] about Work starts on Saigon-Hiep Phuoc Port
Saigon Port to upgrade facilities for faster cargo handling
Saigon Port to upgrade facilities for faster cargo handlingBy Huu Thang - The Saigon Times DailyHCMC – Saigon Port on Thursday announced to review its organizing activities and invest in facilities to ensure highest loading capacity in the future, following outcries from goods owners over the port congestion.Till the end of this year, the port will be equipped with more devices to load and pack loose cargoes, transport trucks, and other kinds of vehicles, Saigon Port’s general director Le Cong Minh said at a meeting with the city’s government.The HCMC government on Thursday held a meeting with Saigon Port management to seek solutions for the current congestion at Saigon Port’s piers. The city’s vice chairman Nguyen Trung Tin asked the port to boost manpower and facilities to cope with the problem which has caused heavy losses to many enterprises.The sudden increase in loose cargoes arriving at the port last month over the past few weeks was confirmed as … [Read more...] about Saigon Port to upgrade facilities for faster cargo handling
Park Hyatt Saigon to be closed for refurbishment
Park Hyatt Saigon to be closed for refurbishmentLe Hoang By Le Hoang - The Saigon Times Daily HCMC – Park Hyatt Saigon will halt operations for three months starting from March next year for an overall renovation plan after nine years in service. The renovation plan is scheduled to start on March 3 and be completed in June 2015. However, the hotel said the upgrade of some rooms will not be finished until November of the same year. The general French architecture will be preserved but Indochinese-architecture decorations will be added to give a new look to the hotel overlooking the HCMC Opera House in downtown area. Guest rooms will be redesigned to combine classical and modern attractions. The renovation will be implemented one year later than scheduled. The hotel did not announce the investment in the refurbishment plan but said the room tariffs will be slightly higher than the current rates after the hotel is reopened. According to Park … [Read more...] about Park Hyatt Saigon to be closed for refurbishment
Tough times ahead for garment firms: association
Tough times ahead for garment firms: associationBy Van Nam - The Saigon Times Daily“The number of export orders will fall over 30% early in the first quarter of next year, especially those from the United States and Europe,” said Nguyen Duc Hoan, chairman of the association.Hoan told the Daily after the association’s 2008 review meeting last week that most of the association members said they were receiving less orders This is due mostly to the dampened consumer sentiment resulting from the global economic downturn, he said.The chairman of the association said many members of the association had seen a considerable decline in orders from France, Spain and Germany while orders from other markets such as Switzerland and northern European markets remained good at the moment.He expressed concern that layoffs would be unavoidable if orders from foreign importers decreased. The association has some 200 member companies which employ around 100,000 people.To ride out the … [Read more...] about Tough times ahead for garment firms: association
Saigon Newport marks the two millionth TEU
Saigon Newport marks the two millionth TEUBy Le Toan - The Saigon Times DailyThe outbound container was loaded on the vessel Hansa Centaur of Taiwan-based Wanhai Lines-voyage N165 on Tuesday, marking an important milestone in the port’s development. Two million twenty-foot-equivalent units Cat Lai Port is expected to welcome the three millionth TEU by 2011.With a market share of over 65% of containerized import-export goods through the ports in southern provinces and over 42% nationwide, Tan Cang-Cat Lai Port plays an important role in foreign trade of southern provinces and the country, said Nguyen Dang Nghiem, general director of the port. … [Read more...] about Saigon Newport marks the two millionth TEU
Draft law on SEZs needs more time to go before NA
Draft law on SEZs needs more time to go before NANgoc Lan By Ngoc Lan - The Saigon Times Daily HANOI – Submission of a draft law on special economic zones (SEZs), which is expected to be called the law on special administrative and economic entities, to the National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee has been delayed as relevant agencies need more time to improve the draft. Over the past two years, Quang Ninh, Kien Giang and Khanh Hoa and other localities have sought the Government’s approval to establish SEZs in line with their models. These SEZ models contain breakthrough mechanism and investment incentives aimed at attracting foreign investors to high-tech and casino projects to speed up development in their localities. The local government structure in some localities where SEZs are planned to go up such as Van Don in Quang Ninh, Phu Quoc Island off mainland Kien Giang and North Van Phong in Khanh Hoa will operate under a special people’s committee, which is … [Read more...] about Draft law on SEZs needs more time to go before NA
Saigon Co.op to open nine stores in next few months
By Quoc Hung - The Saigon Times DailyFive new supermarkets will be set up in HCMC’s Can Gio District, Bao Loc Town in Lam Dong Province, Bac Lieu, Vinh Phuc and Tra Vinh provinces, taking the total number of Co.opMart supermarkets to 57 nationwide.In addition, Saigon Co.op will put into service four new Co.op Food stores before Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday at the processing zones, the industrial parks and the outskirts of HCMC.Nguyen Thanh Nhan, deputy general director of Saigon Co.op, said the new supermarkets and stores are aimed to supply the products to consumers all over the country.As for rural and remote markets as well as export processing and industrial zones, Co.opMart will operate over 100 mobile sales during the Lunar New Year 2012. Products to be sold at these mobile sales are essential goods produced locally with good prices and guaranteed quality.Co.opMart will also launch promotion programs with discounts and gifts.To serve consumers’ demand in the high … [Read more...] about Saigon Co.op to open nine stores in next few months
Saigon Co.op launches co-branded card with three banks
Saigon Co.op launches co-branded card with three banksLe Hoang By Le Hoang - The Saigon Times Daily HCMC – Saigon Co.op supermarket chain and three banks Vietcombank, BIDV and DongA announced to launch the co-branded card last Friday. Saigon Co.op is the first local retailer which coordinates with local banks to offer the card to consumers. The card offers the benefits of supermarket chains Co.opmart and Co.opXtra of Saigon Co.op while also boasting key features of the local debit cards of the three lenders with an aim to increase benefits for customers and encourage them to make non-cash payments. Under the program, cardholders can use payment services offered by the banks including cash withdrawals at automated teller machines. They are also subject to the benefits of the customer programs at Co.opmart and CoopXtra like point accumulation and discounts. In addition, cardholders are able to enjoy incentives and take part in promotions designed for the co-branded card under … [Read more...] about Saigon Co.op launches co-branded card with three banks
April highlights at Caravelle Saigon
April highlights at Caravelle SaigonThe Saigon Times Daily The Caravelle Saigon has launched new programs at its F&B outlets for this month Sensational sliders at Café de l’Opera Guests are invited to savor mini burgers called sliders while admiring the views of Lam Son Square and sipping hand-picked Australian wines at the Cafe de l’Opera on the ground floor of the hotel from April 17 to 31. Each patty is popped on a crisp bun, and stacked with top-quality ingredients. Guests can choose abalone schnitzel, tempura barramundi, or Waygu beef – or all three in a combo plate. Five courses from Michelin-starred Beefbar HK For three nights this April, Michelin-star chef Andrea Spagoni will serve five courses from his acclaimed Beefbar restaurant to serve diners at Reflections restaurant on level 3 of the hotel. His ‘Great Meats of Beefbar’ and ‘Unrivalled Mashed Potato’ are just two highlights of what promises to be an exceptional experience … [Read more...] about April highlights at Caravelle Saigon