Conversations on Vietnam Development
Hanoi Cathedral, one of the first Western architecture works in Hanoi, is the oldest church that has witnessed changes of the capital city over the past three centuries.
 The church is on Nha Chung street, five-minute walk from Hoan Kiem Lake Tiếp tục đọc “Hanoi Cathedral over three centuries” |
A painted manhole covers in Saigon
Around 30 manhole covers in District 5, Ho Chi Minh City have been turned from cement and metal eyesores to exquisite paintings by a group of young people hoping to raise awareness of the city’s battle against litter.
>> Look out: Rhinos ‘invade’ Saigon streets
Old, hideous manhole covers on Hai Thuong Lan Ong, Tan Da, and Trieu Quang Phuc Streets have become relics of the past, replaced by scenes of fish ponds and nature’s beauty.
The project was initiated by Youth Union members from the district’s Ward 10, with fine art students from Saigon University serving as the primary artists for the campaign.
“We have ask private businesses and individual donors to sponsor the paintings,” said Nguyen Ngoc Uyen Phuong, deputy secretary of the ward Youth Union,
“If we are able to raise more funds, we can expand the program to other streets in District 5.”
It is not uncommon for manhole covers to double as dumpsters in districts throughout the city.
“Since the covers were changed to art, people have stopped littering on them,” Nguyen Phuong Hoa, a 54-year-old street vendor on Tan Da, said.
“It is also relaxing to look at the paintings while I sell here every day.”
Architect Ngo Viet Nam Son said artwork and its contribution to the urban landscape should be respected.
Vo Thi Minh Hue, a psychological expert, believes the beautiful manhole covers, as well as walls featuring colorful murals, will encourage more walking amongst local residents.
“Residents will also feel the need to keep the street clean,” she said.
However, some are concerned that the paintings will do more harm than good.
“Many Vietnamese like to stop and watch anything unusual they see on the street. These people will cause traffic jams if they’re distracted by these exquisite manhole covers,” one Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reader said.
Another reader believes that it is more important to have clean sewages and safe manholes than beautiful covers.
Below are some pictures of the new artwork.
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Reuters/Tuoi Tre News
Updated : 05/23/2017 13:52 GMT + 7
The United States has transferred six patrol boats to the Vietnam coast guard, to help build security cooperation between the two countries, the U.S. embassy in Hanoi said in a statement on Tuesday.
U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed his hope for a stronger relationship with Vietnam, after the Obama administration put ties on a stronger footing amid Hanoi’s territorial dispute with Beijing in the East Vietnam Sea.
The patrol boats, which were included a defense cooperation memorandum agreed in 2011, will help Vietnam in intercoastal patrols and law enforcement, the statement said. Tiếp tục đọc “U.S. delivers patrol boats to Vietnam to deepen security ties”
Updated : 05/23/2017 10:42 GMT + 7
A 19-year old British man was found hanged on a tourist boat in the northern Vietnamese city of Hai Phong on Sunday night.
Leaders of the local People’s Committee confirmed the tourist’s death on Monday night, saying the 19-year-old had hung himself on a Cong Nghia tourist boat during a trip around the Cat Ba archipelago, located in Cat Hai District, Hai Phong.
Preliminary information revealed that the ship had departed from the northern province of Quang Ninh, and was carrying 16 foreign tourists including a group of three close friends from the United Kingdom. Tiếp tục đọc “British man found hanged on tourist boat in northern Vietnam”
Update: May, 23/2017 – 17:00
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| Fishing in Cẩm Thanh nipa palm near Hội An city. VNS Photo Công Thành |
HỘI AN — Cẩm Thanh administrators, scientists, local residents and businesses have signed an agreement to manage and protect the commune’s nipa palm forest – the first-ever joint environment protection deal between an administration and its community in the central region.
The deal, which was signed last week in Hội An, aims to boost strict management in environment protection and sustainable measures in tourism service in the city’s Cẩm Thanh Commune. Tiếp tục đọc “Cẩm Thanh seek a joint protection of nipa palm forest”
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| Swedish Ambassador Pereric Högberg gives a speech at the handbook launching ceremony. — VNS Photo Thu Trang |
HÀ NỘI — A handbook titled “Respect! My Body!”, a guide for adults and teachers to talk to children about body boundaries and sexual abuse, was launched on Tuesday in Hà Nội.
The event was organised jointly by the Swedish Embassy, Save the Children in Việt Nam and Việt Nam Programme for Internet and Society. Tiếp tục đọc “Việt Nam launches book to prevent child abuse”
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| The Đà River water pipeline keeps rupturing, causing a water shortage for some 177,000 households in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo |
Bình, who is also former vice chairman of the city’s People’s Committee, was found to be responsible for the mismanagement during the time he held the position at the company.
State-owned Vinaconex was the investor of the Đà River water pipeline, with total investment of VNĐ1.45 trillion (US$64.4million). The pipeline was put into operation in 2009 and has been ruptured several times in the past several years, causing serious impact on some 177,000 city households due to the water shortage.
Former CEO of Vinaconex Nguyễn Văn Tuân and five other executives also face charges for violating construction and investment regulations.
They are all on bail due to old age and poor health.
The decision has been handed over to the Supreme People’s Court.
Previously, the Police Investigation Agency had announced the results of the investigation on the Đà River water pipeline. Construction of the pipeline, which carried water from Đà River to Hà Nội, was completed in 2004 and put into use five years later.
However, the pipeline was ruptured 14 times between 2012 and 2015, leading to a shortage of water for 177,000 households for nearly 350 hours and an estimated loss of 1.5 million cu.m of water. The company has spent more than VNĐ13 billion ($572,900) to fix the incidents.
The investigation’s results revealed that members of the Vinaconex’s board of directors, including Phí Thái Bình, Nguyễn Văn Tuân, Tô Ngọc Thành, Hoàng Hợp Thương and Vũ Đình Chầm, decided to use substandard untested fiberglass composite, causing massive ruptures, and chose a disqualified and inexperienced contractor to supply the poor quality pipeline for the project.
In March 2016, the Supreme People’s Court prosecuted nine officials for violating regulations on investment and construction management. Several months later, Bình and his former partners were proposed to be exempt from criminal prosecution, leading to outrage among the public. — VNS
Update: May, 23/2017 – 18:00
Singer Trọng Tấn, who specialises in performing revolutionary songs. VNS File Photo
HÀ NỘI — Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam has asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to update its legal documents and regulations on musical performance.
The Deputy PM said that already popular songs that have no words against traditional culture values and do not go against national interest should not need any permission for public performance, regardless of when and where they were composed.
Đam also asked the ministry to enhance its management capabilities over its Performing Arts Department, which recently issued some unpopular regulations that had to be retracted. Tiếp tục đọc “No permissions needed for popular songs: deputy PM”
![Duterte's four-day trip to Russia was cut short because of the brazen attack on Mindanao [Reuters]](https://i0.wp.com/www.aljazeera.com/mritems/imagecache/mbdxxlarge/mritems/Images/2017/5/23/364a9f9130734c12b6ef284d9598f43d_18.jpg "Duterte declares martial law after Mindanao attack")
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has declared martial law on the southern island of Mindanao after about 100 Muslim fighters laid siege to a major city following a deadly gun battle with government forces. Tiếp tục đọc “Duterte declares martial law after Mindanao attack”
By Z.K RUBIN, G.M. KONDOLF, AND P. CARLING (2014)
Dam locations are indicated for two scenarios: definite future, and full-build.
Main stream dams are included in full-build scenario, but represented separately.
Bedrock channel of the Mekong River with surficial sand deposits 1-2 m thick, near Xayaburi, Laos. (photo by Kondolf, January 2012) Tiếp tục đọc “ANTICIPATED GEOMORPHIC IMPACTS FROM MEKONG BASIN DAM CONSTRUCTION”
In District 1, away from all the upscale restaurants and swanky bars of the financial and entertainment districts is the first underground market of Saigon, where authentic Vietnamese food is crafted and enjoyed daily.
 Sense Market is located at the centre of District 1, B Park 23/9 and below Sen Hong Stage. The market opened January 7.
The entry road to the Sense Market is lush with green vegetation bordering it. It is just a short 10-minute walk to the popular Ben Thanh Market. Tiếp tục đọc “Saigon underground market” |
Bai Tu Long National Park in the northern province of Quang Ninh has been named the 38th ASEAN Heritage Park.
The title awarding ceremony was held by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the local People’s Committee in Ha Long city on May 19, coinciding with a ceremony to mark International Day for Biological Diversity (May 22) and International Migratory Bird Day (May 10). Tiếp tục đọc “Bai Tu Long National Park becomes ASEAN’s 38th heritage park”
Phu Quoc used to be an almost unknown island, but in recent years, the southern beaches of the island have turned into a worldwide vacation paradise thanks to the investment of many domestic and foreign companies. One of the biggest investor is Sun Group, with up to VND20 trillion ($881 million) of investment capital. Tiếp tục đọc “Giant projects transform the face of Phu Quoc”
Updated : 05/22/2017 15:01 GMT + 7
With the help of around VND100 million (US$4,400) and a good connection, a hotel built in violation of its permit can be ‘legitimized’ in Ho Chi Minh City.
Last month, T., an estate developer in Ho Chi Minh City, had planned on taking over a small hotel on Nguyen Thi Thap Street in District 7.
According to the building’s construction permit, the hotel is licensed to include one ground floor, one mezzanine, three floors and a partial roof. Tiếp tục đọc “Ho Chi Minh City estate official ‘rescues’ buildings violating construction permits”
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| Health officials spray chemicals to kill mosquitoes. One person has been confirmed dead from dengue fever in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Ngọc |
HÀ NỘI — The Hà Nội Health Department has announced the first death from dengue fever since the beginning of this year.The Central Tropical Diseases Hospital on Sunday confirmed that a 19-year-old student who rented a house in Đống Đa District’s Trung Liệt Ward died of dengue.
In Hà Nội, the number of patients with dengue fever has shown a tendency of increasing since early this month, with 27 cases recorded in the last two weeks. Tiếp tục đọc “Hà Nội reports first death from dengue fever”
CVD 