Prompted by floods triggered by heavy rains for days, the Phu Quoc International Airport was closed temporarily from 9 a.m. on Friday. The airport, which connects Vietnam's largest island with major cities Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and several Asian destinations, saw its runway submerged by 0.3 meters on Friday. "The airport could not receive arriving flights. The weather conditions did not ensure safety so we had to suspend all flight services," said Nguyen Minh Dong, director of the airport. Dong said right after the airport resumed operation at 8:30 p.m., five flights took off, carrying around 1,000 passengers out of the island off Kien Giang Province. However, a number of flights scheduled for Friday evening and night were canceled, leaving 1,560 passengers stuck on the island. Vietjet Air suspended two flights on Friday evening to Hanoi and two others to HCMC. Vietnam Airlines and Vasco canceled all flights to and from the island on Friday while Jetstar Pacific called off four … [Read more...] about Over 1,500 stuck on flooded Phu Quoc island as airlines cancel service
Station 9 phu quoc
Leaders question whopping $44 bil price tag for new special economic zones in Vietnam
Vietnam needs to raise a massive $44 billion to develop three special economic zones (SEZs), authorities said at a meeting on Monday. Members of the legislative National Assembly were discussing once again whether to launch the SEZs, Van Don in northern Quang Ninh province, Bac Van Phong in central Khanh Hoa province, and Phu Quoc in southern Kien Giang province. The Ministry of Finance has calculated that $44 billion will be needed to develop the zones, with the state budget covering from 10 to 19 percent of each one and the rest coming from investors. The total figure amounts to 65 percent of Vietnam’s total government spending last year, which hit $67 billion, and is more than four times as much as the country spends on education each year. The sheer size of the figure was questioned by leaders of the National Assembly at the meeting. “What benefits will these areas bring to our country?” asked Phung Quoc Hien, the National Assembly's vice chairman. The … [Read more...] about Leaders question whopping $44 bil price tag for new special economic zones in Vietnam
Google trends show Vietnamese big on weather, Asian pop culture
Vietnam was hit by some extreme weather conditions this year. With mercury levels soaring to record highs, the country experienced a summer that could be described the hottest in its history. Average temperatures eclipsed those of previous years by 0.5-1 degrees Celsius, hitting an average 39-42 degrees in many parts. Huong Khe District in central Ha Tinh Province reported a record 43.4 degree Celsius, or 110 degrees Fahrenheit, the highest temperature ever measured locally. Air quality in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi soared from bad to worse this year with pollution indexes in both cities nearing "dangerous levels" to create widespread health concerns. HCMC was hit by record high tides late September while historic flooding struck in unusual spots like Phu Quoc and Da Lat. Topping the most-searched news list this year was typhoon Nakri, forecast to be the strongest East Sea storm of the year with wind speeds of 115 kph. The storm made landfall in central Vietnam between Phu Yen and … [Read more...] about Google trends show Vietnamese big on weather, Asian pop culture
National transport strains under holiday rush
The upcoming National Reunification Day - May Day holiday (April 30-May 1) this year falls right after the weekend, so most people will have four whole days off work, prompting many families to either go back to their hometowns for a family reunion or travel to kick off the summer. Out of seats Having expected the rocketing demand for travel in the long holiday, transport providers tried to expand their services to prepare, but the situation is close to breaking point. Saigon Station Director Do Quang Van told the Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper on April 26 that the station increased the number of trains by 30 percent, or 13,000 seats to the same period last year. However, trains running from HCM City to tourist destinations like Phan Thiet, Nha Trang or Quy Nhon on April 27 and 28 had only few dozens seats left as of April 26. Hanoi Station was in no better condition. A quick check on the online ticket selling site of the Vietnam Railways showed that four out of five trains … [Read more...] about National transport strains under holiday rush
Polluted air lingers in Ho Chi Minh City
The Air Pollution And Climate Change Research Center ( APAC ) of the Institute of Natural Resources and Environment yesterday announced the level of particulate matter considered most harmful to human health is rising. Associate Professor Ho Quoc Bang who heads the center said that the fine dust concentration in the above-mentioned airport, the bridge and the district has exceeded the limitation causing harm to city dwellers. The culprit of polluted air is traffic, but factories and power plants also continue to contribute to some extent By MINH HAI - Translated by UYEN PHUONG Tags: Polluted air Ho Chi Minh City PM2.5 particles Tan Son Nhat Airport Phu My Bridge Phu Nhuan District … [Read more...] about Polluted air lingers in Ho Chi Minh City