East Sea tensions may impact civil aviation

China’s illegal placement of a drilling rig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone in the East Sea is an “extremely serious action and will definitely impact the aviation market between Vietnam and China”, a senior airline official has warned.

The aviation market “may face a decline caused by the serious incident in the East Sea”, Lai Xuan Thanh, director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, told the Vietnam News Agency on May 12.

According to the official, airspace over the East Sea is one of the most bustling international air routes in the world. He said that the sudden increase in non-regular flights in the area could hamper the operation of normal flights.

The Vietnamese authority has instructed the Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation to pay special attention to ensuring safety at the highest level along air routes crossing the flashpoint.

According to Vietnam Airlines, China is among its key markets, with 80 flights per week between the two nations.

Mother, two children killed in road accident

A woman and her two small children died yesterday afternoon after being hit by a truck on national highway 21B in Ung Hoa District, Ha Noi.

The accident occurred when the 34-year-old woman, who lived in Van Thai Commune in Ung Hoa District, was taking her 7-year-old daughter and one-year-old son on a motorbike to buy a birthday cake for the toddler.

All three were run over by the truck and died instantly.

Initial investigations indicated that the truck driver had lost control of the vehicle and the accident occurred at a curve in the road.

Further investigations are being conducted.

Nearly 4,400 cases of measles reported nationwide

The country reported 41 new incidences of measles on May 12, bringing the total number of cases to 4,395 since the beginning of the year.

The Preventive Medicine Department (PMD) also said that measles claimed the life of a young child at Hanoi's Bach Mai hospital on May 12.

On the same day, 26 suspected cases were hospitalised at the National Hospital of Paediatrics, Hanoi’s Bach Mai Hospital and the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases.

No measles fatalities or incidences of measles were reported in 17 provinces and cities nationwide.

The disease, virus-borne infection of the respiratory system, immune system and skin, has so far attacked 62 out of the country’s 63 provinces and cities.

Health experts warn vaccination is the most effective way to prevent the disease spreading across the community.

By May 12, the rate of measles immunization coverage reached 93.5% and 35 provinces and cities have obtained rates higher than 95%.

Only four provinces – Binh Dinh, Binh Phuoc, Gia Lai and Dien Bien – had immunization rates of 65-80%.

The Hanoi Department of Health expanded immunization campaigns for children aged 2-10, at all districts and precincts and deployed its staff to monitor the activity.

Illegal gold miners fined $242,000

The Tuyen Quang Province Department of Natural Resources and Environment issued a decision yesterday to fine five people for illegally exploiting gold in the Lo River.

All residents of Tuyen Quang Province, they were fined more than VND5.1 billion (over $242,000) for using dredgers and digging tools to exploit gold in the part of the river

running through Vinh Loi Commune. Five dredgers will also be confiscated.

This is the largest case of gold exploitation along the Lo River that authorities have so far addressed.

Weigh stations crack down on drivers

Authorities in the southern province of Lam Dong revoked the licenses of more than 330 drivers in the past two months for driving overloaded cars.

After a weigh station was set up on the section of National Highway 20 running through Dam B'ri Town in Da Huoai District, over 4,300 cars were inspected and 380 overloaded cars were found.

Violators had their licenses suspended for at least one month and paid fines that topped VND1 billion (US$47,600) in total.

Two trans-national drug trafficking rings nabbed

Border guards in Nghe An province, in collaboration with Laos police, have bust two trans-national drug trafficking rings, seizing 34 heroin cakes, over 2,000 ecstasy tablets and illegal weapons.

On May 9, Nghe An’s drug prevention force and police from Samtay district, Houaphanh province in Laos arrested 35yr old Chan Thong Lo Chay Ho for possessing 16 heroin cakes (5.3kg), 170 ecstasy tablets and 10 grams of opium.

Authorities seized a CKC gun, 20 bullets, a musket and other contraband, and continued investigations into the case to break up the drug trafficking ring from Viengxay town to Samtay district centre.

Three suspects were caught red-handed on May 10, transporting 18 heroin cakes (7kg) and 2,000 ecstasy tablets.

The men were Thao De Ho (19 years old), from Phu Xay hamlet, Viengxay town, Thao Xong Vu (30) and Thao Ly Phenh Mua (28), from Na Cay hamlet, Viengxay town, Houaphanh province.

Vietnamese authorities handed over the detainees to Laos police for further interrogation.

Fire destroys several hectares of pine forest

A fire destroyed several hectares of a pine forest in Ha Long City's Hung Thang Ward in coastal Quang Ninh on Sunday evening.

The fire, which broke out around 7pm, was controlled after two hours because the sloping area and strong winds prevented the fire engines from approaching the blaze.

On Saturday, the firefighters had detected and extinguished another forest fire in the city's Cai Lan Hill.

The weather in the last few days has been very hot and humid, with the temperature hovering above 36 degrees Celsius.

Remains of soldiers repatriated from Laos

The remains of 27 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Laos during wartime were laid to rest at a cemetery in Ba Thuoc district in the central province of Thanh Hoa on May 12.

The remains had been collected in Laos’ Hua Phan province since October 2013 by a team from the provincial Military High Command.

DNA tests were carried out to identify the war heroes in order to facilitate the search for their families.

On May 11, a requiem for war martyrs who died in Laos was organised in the province.

Norway funds community football

Over 1,700 children, including 500 underprivileged, 100 coaches, football team manages and referees in Thua Thien-Hue, will benefit from the Football for All in Vietnam (FFAV) project in 2014-2015.

The US$50,000 project, funded by the Football Association of Norway will help build the central province as a model of community football development in Vietnam, Chau

Hong Tinh, head of the project’s communication said on May 12.

The project covers the establishment of a women’s football team in the province, improving the capacity of staff of the Thua Thien-Hue football federation and organizing football festivals for children.

Last June, the first FFAV football tournament was held in the city with the participation of over 3,100 children from 320 teams.

The city has constructed 12 artificial turf pitches to meet the demand of playing football among young people in the city.

Dam stores water without license

The Ia Krel 2 hydropwer plant in Gia Lai has begun storing water without a license, nearly a year after a dam breach flooded a village, destroyed crops and inflicted huge losses.

The plant, which is located in the Central Highland province's Duc Co District, has also ignored a request by the district administration to stop the illegal activity, local reports say.

When the plant's dam broke in June last year, water flooded the whole village five kilometers away and 10 local residents were swept away by the torrent. Fortunately, they did not drown.

The damage caused was estimated at more than VND3 billion (US$143,000).

The project's construction was suspended following the dam's collapse, with authorities saying work could only recommence after the dam was re-checked and verified by relevant authorities and consultants.

However, local reports say that the project investor, Bao Long-Gia Lai Hydroelectricity Industry Co., has started to operate the dam to store water in the reservoir without permission from relevant authorities.

Local residents are worried about their safety, the reports say.

Trinh Van Thanh, Vice Chairman of the Duc Co District People's Committee, said the committee is yet to receive any document from provincial authorities about the

company's water storage activity.

People's Committee Chairman Vo Thanh Hung told the Nguoi Lao Dong (The labourer) that the company has disobeyed an order to stop storing water in the dam, so the matter has been reported to the Gia Lai Province People's Committee.

Roan Loan, a resident of Mok Den Village, said that all their crops had been swept away last year when the dam collapsed.

The villages have just begun to return to normal life and production, and they don't know what they would do if the dam broke again, he said.

Senior officials of the company told a Vietnam News Agency reporter in Gia Lai that they have not restarted work on the project, but taking measures to deal with the aftermath of last year's dam collapse.

The officials claimed that they explained that they were building dyke to protect the Ia Krel 2 plant's dam during the upcoming rainy season, and to store water again.

Work on the Ia Krel 2 project started in 2009. It was expected to begin operations in the third quarter of this year.

Drought mitigation

Several reservoirs in the central region will release water for agriculture and household use until August end to mitigate the impact of an ongoing drought, according to the central Department of Irrigation.

A Vuong, Dak Mi, Song Tranh 2, Song Ba Ha, and Don Duong will supply water to Quang Nam, Phu Yen, Binh Thuan, and Ninh Thuan provinces and Da Nang city.

Around 25,000ha of crops in the Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) and central regions face a water shortage, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The include 6,000ha of rice and 6,500ha of coffee.

If the regions are not promptly provided water for irrigation, the parched area would increase further, it added.

Meanwhile, rainfall in most parts of the central region is likely to be below average this year, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

In the Central Highlands and southern regions and Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan provinces, the rains are also expected to arrive late this year.

Many places in the two provinces are reeling under the drought.

Most central provinces have set up steering committees to combat the drought, especially to safeguard agricultural production.

Local authorities do not let farmers cultivate in areas not earmarked for crops so that the water shortage is not exacerbated.

Most rivers in the central region are flowing 30 -90 per cent below normal levels, according to the meteorological office.

Le Thanh Hai, deputy director of the office, said the water levels in rivers from Nghe An to Ninh Thuan would continue to decline until August and to record lows in some cases.

Dong Van Tu, deputy head of the Department of Irrigation's Irrigation Work Management Division, said the storage in large reservoirs in the south-central and Central

Highlands regions was only around half of their designed capacities.

In the smaller ones, it is around 10-40 per cent, while many small reservoirs have dried up, he said.

In Dak Lak, for instance, only 10 per cent of small reservoirs still have water, he added.

Indian Buddhist delegation pays tribute to General Giap

A Buddhist delegation from India led by His Holiness the 12th Gyalwang Drukpa, Djigme Padma Aungchen, paid tribute to General Vo Nguyen Giap at his final resting place

in Quang Trach district, the central province of Quang Binh on May 12.

The delegation also visited Thien Duong cave - one of the most beautiful grottos in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.

During the visit, the 12 th Gyalwang Drukpa offered public teachings to local Buddhist monks, nuns and followers, and released doves to pray for peace and freedom.

The 12 th Gyalwang Drukpa and his entourage hosted a requiem for martyrs and disaster victims at the Ba Doc cemetery, Bo Trach district.

Earlier on May 11, the delegation had a meeting with the province’s key officials.

Gyalwang Drukpa is the honorific title of the head of the Drukpa School, one of the independent Sarma (new) Schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Djigme Padma Aungchen is the twelfth and present incarnation of the Drukpa lineage.

He first visited Vietnam in 2007.

Hanoi studies Indonesia’s public administration experience

Hanoi hopes to learn from Indonesia’s experience in the field of public administration, said Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Vu Hong Khanh.

While working with officials from the Indonesian National Institute of Public Administration in Hanoi on May 12, Khanh said Indonesia is running 33 investment projects in the capital, mainly in finance, banking and hotel.

The city is encouraging investment partnership with other Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia, Khanh told the guests.

As the first locality nationwide to implement the one-stop-shop policy in the field, Hanoi has helped people save time and money when dealing with administrative procedures, he added.

Chairman of the Indonesian institute Agus Dwiyanto unveiled that his country is working hard to curb corruption, improve personnel competence and reform public administrative services.

New state-of-the-art patrol boat presented to Vung Tau Coast Guard

The Vietnam Coast Guard has received a high-speed patrol boat worth 12 billion VND (570,000 USD) which will be of use infighting crimes and protecting fishermen at sea.

The PetroVietnam Fertiliser and Chemical Corporation paid for the vehicle and presented it to the Coast Guard Zone 3 stationed in the southern province of Ba Ria – Vung Tau on May 12.

Equipped with two 600 horsepower engines, the boat is able to travel as far as 32 nautical miles per hour and can seat 12 people, including two sailors and 10 passengers.

It was put on a trial run in February.

The Coast Guard Zone 3 has been assigned to train sailors in operating the boat.

Vietnam coast guard, fisheries forces receive praise

The Foreign Ministry joined the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) on May 12 to present gifts to Vietnam coast guard and fisheries surveillance forces in

Hanoi as a gesture of gratitude towards officers who are safeguarding national sovereignty in the East Sea.

At the event, PetroVietnam Deputy Director General Nguyen Quoc Thap said he highly values the unyielding spirit of the armed forces and coast guard at sea, especially over the past days when they have made the entire nation proud.

On behalf of their officers, Vice Political Commissar of the Vietnam Coast Guard, Maj. Gen Hoang Van Dong, and Deputy Director of the Vietnam Fisheries Resources

Surveillance Force, Nguyen Van Trung, vowed that they are determined to firmly safeguard the sea, no matter how dangerous it is, as they have been entrusted by the Party, State and people nationwide.

The two forces received 1.2 billion VND (570,000 USD) from the ministry and the PetroVietnam in total.

Ha Tinh forms subcommittee on fisheries safety

The central coastal province of Ha Tinh has introduced a subcommittee on fisheries safety at sea, as part of efforts to ensure safety for both fishermen and their resources in operations.

The body will assist the provincial People’s Committee and other agencies in inspecting and supervising the implementation of State regulations on ensuring safety for fishermen and fishing vessels.

Meanwhile, the subcommittee, headed by Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Duc Nhan, will coordinate with local authorities in coastal districts and communes to manage the number of boats and fishermen in the locality.

It will undertake the task of better ensuring the safety of people and property at sea, based on specific conditions and types of vessel in each locality. It will also update fishermen on weather conditions at sea.

Together with giving guidelines for boat owners on their way to find safe shelter in bad weather, the subcommittee will also work with the provincial Border Guard command to conduct search-and-rescue missions at sea.

Central Highland officials congratulate top Buddhists

A delegation from the Steering Committee for the Central Highlands region on May 12 visited the Executive Board of the Buddhist Sangha in Dak Lak province on the occasion of Buddha’s 2558th birth anniversary.

Lu Ngoc Cu, a permanent member of the committee, recognised the role and contributions of Buddhist monks, nuns, and followers to the local socio-economic development.

He affirmed that the Party and State always pay attention to implementing policies and laws on religion and Buddhism in particular.

Cu said he hopes the Buddhist clergy and followers will accompany the nation in building a happy life for all people, helping maintain the political security in the region.

Most Venerable Thich Chau Quang, head of the board, said the local Buddhists will actively participate in programmes promoting national unity and building a society of peace, prosperity and happiness.

Buddhism has been practised in Vietnam for over 2,000 years. The country is home to more than 12 million Buddhist followers, 40,000 monks and nuns and almost 15,000 temples, monasteries or places to worship Buddha.

Childcare project shows first success

The central city of Da Nang is running a project focusing on the empowerment of mothers in the field of childcare.

Jointly conducted by the Republic of Korea’s Chung-Ang University, the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), and the municipal Departments of Health, and

Education and Training, the project supports local teachers and mothers through the provision of skills necessary for raising and educating children.

Training courses have been held since April 7 in local nursery schools, providing information on childhood diseases and respective treatments, and sharing experiences on bringing up children in the RoK.

Won Hee Jung, the project manager, said the courses have taught participants different methods for boosting child development at all stages, as well as nurturing their children’s creativity.

Binh Dinh works hard to improve environment

The central province of Binh Dinh is making every effort to hasten the implementation of a World Bank (WB)-funded environment project, which is expected to help improve the quality of sanitation and environment in its Quy Nhon city.

During a working session between the province’s leaders and representatives from the bank on May 12 in the city, the two sides reviewed the progress of the project.

As scheduled, it will be completed on June 30 with work finishing on the Nhon Binh and Bau Lac waste water treatment plants and the Long My dumping ground.

The WB’s representatives suggested that the local authorities should consider the establishment of a centre for communicating information on environmental protection in the Nhon Binh waste water treatment plant, thus raising public awareness of environment.

Provincial People’s Committee Vice Chairman Ho Quoc Dung affirmed that the locality will solve shortcomings completely in order to put the project into operation as soon as possible.

He also proposed the bank provide an additional 47 million USD for the province to speed up the fulfillment of the project’s remaining items.

Approved from 2006 with the WB’s support, the project has been conducted in the central cities of Quy Nhon, Nha Trang and Dong Hoi at a total cost of 250 million USD.

Once completed and put into operation, it is expected to bring better sanitation conditions to 600,000 people in the cities, while also contributing to ensuring a sustainable foundation for developing economy and tourism in the cities.

Heart check-ups given to Phu Yen children

Medical check-ups have been provided to about 500 children with congenital heart diseases in the central province of Phu Yen to select around 50 for free surgeries.

The children were all under 16 years old and from disadvantaged backgrounds across the province.

The free check-ups and surgeries are conducted under the Prime Minister’s Decision 55a on support for children with congenital heart diseases.

This time, the Swiss-based Children Action organisation will give financial support covering 20 surgeries, worth 50 million VND (2,380 USD) each, according to Nguyen Van Trac from Phu Yen’s provincial Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.

Since 2003, nearly 600 children in Phu Yen have received free heart operations.

Poor to get cash subsidy for electricity use

The Ministry of Finance plans to provide poor households a cash subsidy of VND42,000 per month for electricity use.

It is drafting a decree on subsidizing low-income households with an amount equivalent to 30kWh a month.

The government will make quarterly payments.

Vietnamese living in Russia vow to support sovereignty

The pledge was made in an open letter that will be sent to Party and State leaders. It was drafted at a meeting of the Vietnamese Association in Russia on May 9 discussing

its 2013 activities and working out orientations for 2014.

In the letter, they expressed their protest over China’s brazen placement of an oil rig in an area deeply within Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone, and said they feel angry

that the Chinese media has distorted the dispute and incited hatred between the two nations.

They also strongly condemned China’s provocative acts which have blatantly violated Vietnam’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, against the 1982 United Nations

Convention on the Law of the Sea and the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of the East Sea issue reached by both nations’ leaders.

The association fully believes in the leadership of the Party and State and the heroic tradition and strength of Vietnam in firmly safeguarding independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, it said.

Students’ programme promotes patriotism and national sovereignty

Nearly 900 students representing over two million students nationwide are set to participate in the ‘Students towards nation’s sea and islands 2014’ programme, scheduled for May 15-18 on Phu Quoc and Tho Chau Islands, Kien Giang province.

Organised by the Vietnam Student Association, the annual programme has been held on islands with important strategic positions to educate young generations on the national tradition of patriotism and activate students’ responsibility in preserving national sovereignty over Vietnam’s seas and islands.

During the programme, students will learn more about the history of the nation by visiting Phu Quoc prison, meeting with former prisoners and watching movies on the Dien Bien Phu campaign. They will also be equipped with knowledge on Vietnam’s seas and islands.

Many social activities have also been planned, including presenting gifts to policy beneficiaries and donating essential items and scholarships to students in the localities.

Participating students will join in meaningful volunteer activities to clean up the environment, remodel schools and provide medicines to people on Tho Chau Island.

They will also participate in a gala night to meet with soldiers and islanders and sing songs praising the land and people of Vietnam.

On this occasion, the Vietnam Student Association will commence the construction of a national flag tower on Tho Chau Island to assert patriotism and evoke a sense of responsibility among students in protecting the country’s sea and islands. The construction is to cost over VND1 billion, which has been donated by students and businesses nationwide.

AmCham supports female engineering students

The HCMC chapter of American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (AmCham Vietnam) in cooperation with Intel Products Vietnam, Coca-Cola Vietnam and Axcela Vietnam last week awarded scholarships priced at VND550 million to female engineering students of four universities in HCMC and Can Tho.

Organizers said there were 50 merit-based scholarships valued at VND8 million each and 15 scholarships of VND6 million each for studying English at Axcela Vietnam for the qualified students of HCMC University of Technology, University of Technical Education HCMC, Can Tho University and Industrial University of HCMC. These are leading universities in developing high-tech human resources in the south.

The AmCham Women in Engineering Scholarship, which was formerly known as AmCham-Intel Female Engineering Scholarship, was launched in 2011 for AmCham member companies in production and engineering sectors to contribute to female human resource development for the high-tech sector in Vietnam. So far, 150 scholarships worth VND1.3 billion have been granted to excellent female engineering students under the program.

Besides financial assistance, the program also offers the scholarship recipients a chance to get inside into the participating companies of the program and to approach a variety of job opportunities from high-tech companies.