Conversations on Vietnam Development
Hon Kho is one of the Cham Islands (Cù lao Chàm), a cluster of islets located near the city of Hoi An in Quang Nam Province.
 The Cham Islands are recognised as a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. |
 The Cham Islands collectively are comprised of eight separate islets that have a combined population of 3,000.
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VOV/Zing
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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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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English: The bitter truth behind sticky-tape wrapped luggage headed for Vietnam Nếu bạn bắt gặp những túi hành lý được dán băng dính chằng chịt trên băng chuyền tại sân bay, rất có khả năng các vali hành lý đó đang được chuyển về Việt Nam.
Kim Van, một bạn đọc của báo Tuổi trẻ, nhớ lại việc cô đã cố gắng bảo vệ hành lý của mình khỏi bị lục lọi bởi các nhân viên kiểm tra hành lý khi về Việt Nam như thế nào – một tiết lộ cho thấy người Việt Nam đã mất niềm tin vào dịch vụ ở sân bay. Tiếp tục đọc “Sự thật cay đắng phía sau những bọc hành lý dán băng dính chuyển về Việt Nam” |
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”
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| A doctor at HCM City’s Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology treats a patient. Photo Sơn Hà |
By Sơn Hà
HCM CITY— With a pool of highly-skilled practitioners, state-of-the-art facilities and affordable costs, HCM City is rapidly emerging as a dental care tourism destination.
A full range of dental services is available, including cleaning, teeth whitening, dental implants, bone reconstruction orthodontics, ceramic veneers, crowns and bridges.
Dương Quốc Chí, 58, an overseas Vietnamese from Italy, combines a quick vacation in HCM City with a visit to a dentist.
“Dental care in Việt Nam costs about a third of the price compared to Italy,” he said. Tiếp tục đọc “HCM City keen to develop dental tourism”
Updated : 05/21/2017 14:48 GMT + 7
Sidewalks in Ho Chi Minh City are once again in disorder as the initiator of the sidewalk clearance movement says he is not allowed to continue leading the campaign.
Locals complain vendors and business owners have re-occupied the sidewalks after seeing inaction from city authorities over the past few weeks.
“At first, there were drastic measures taken by authorities [to clear the sidewalks], but after a month or so they stopped enforcing the rules,” said Nguyen Thi Nhiem, a business owner on Bach Dang Street in Binh Thanh District. Tiếp tục đọc “Doan Ngoc Hai barred from leading campaign; disorder returns to Saigon sidewalks”
LĐ – 109 9:22 AM, 14/05/2017
Những giếng Chăm, những miếu mạo, đình chùa ở Nam Ô đang được kiến nghị giữ lại. Dẫu vậy, những di tích này sẽ không còn “sống” bởi đã bị tách khỏi cộng đồng.Ảnh: T.Hải
Đà Nẵng vốn hình thành từ những làng chài như Nam Ô, Nam Thọ, Hà Khê, Nại Hiên, Hải Châu… nhưng theo thời gian, cùng với sự phát triển kinh tế xã hội, các làng chài đang bị xoá dần đến mất dấu tích. Quá trình đô thị hoá thần tốc thời gian gần đây, những làng chài cuối cùng đã phải nhường đất cho các dự án đô thị, du lịch…
Những nhành hoa giấy đủ sắc màu trải dài hàng chục cây số khiến con đường nối giữa trung tâm Sài Gòn với huyện ven biển Cần Giờ như được phủ lên sự dịu nhẹ, nên thơ giữa mùa nắng gắt.
Sài Gòn được biết đến với rất nhiều con đường hoa lãng mạn. Đó có thể là đường hoa kèn hồng tại đại lộ Võ Văn Kiệt (quận 1) hay những hàng bò cạp vàng làm nao lòng người dọc bờ kè Hoàng Sa – Trường Sa (quận Bình Thạnh). Nhưng có một con đường trải dài hơn 30 km được phủ lên mình đủ sắc màu những nhành hoa giấy mà nhiều người vẫn ngang qua nhưng ít chú ý đến.
Đó là tuyến đường Rừng Sác, nối giữa huyện ven biển Cần Giờ xa xôi với khu vực trung tâm TP.HCM.
Tiếp tục đọc “Ven Sài Gòn, có một con đường thơ mộng ngập tràn hoa giấy”
Mùa hè thường được báo hiệu bằng tiếng ve, tiếng tu hú… nhưng ở Hà Nội, một trong những dấu hiệu đặc trưng của mùa hè là sắc hoa tím biếc của bằng lăng bung nở. Ít ai biết, bằng lăng gắn liền với một sự tích buồn, là loài hoa của sự chia ly, xa cách, nhớ nhung. Khi bằng lăng nở, cũng là thời điểm mà người ta nhớ về những kỷ niệm xưa cũ của tuổi học trò hồn nhiên với mối tình đầu thuần khiết nhưng dễ xa lìa.
Từ những ngày đầu tháng 3,4, những hàng bằng lăng thay lá, không còn là những nhánh cây khẳng khiu trơ trọi như hồi mùa đông.
Tiếp tục đọc “Sắc tím hoa bằng lăng khiến Hà Nội thơ mộng hơn giữa mùa hạ cháy”
An amateur photographer recently took a drive through the Tua Chua Karst Plateau and shared these beautiful images of the scenic plateau sandwiched between the high mountains of north-western Vietnam.
 A view of the Tua Chua Karst Plateau seen from high above. Tiếp tục đọc “Tua Chua Karst Plateau scenic drive” |
CVD 