Agribank employees charged for stealing over US$1 million

Prosecutors in Quang Nam Province in central Vietnam have pressed charges against leaders of an Agribank branch after more than US$1 million of the lender was stolen for gambling.

Nguyen Huu Khanh, deputy director of the district branch of the state-owned lender, received embezzlement charge, so as two other staff members, local media reported.

Investigation found they made regular football bets on the Internet between June 2010 and December 2013. They kept losing and thus colluded to steal more than VND25 billion (US$$1.17 million) from the bank to pay the debts.

The branch’s director Le Tu Ban and another deputy director were charged with negligence.Police accused Ban of mismanagement and failing to check the books regularly.

Vietnam Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (Agribank) is Vietnam’s largest state-owned bank and has been infamous for huge lapses in management.

Last December, a court in the Central Highlands sentenced two Agribank employees to prison for gambling away over US$560,000 of customers’ loan payments.

Executives at many of the bank’s branches in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have also been arrested for instances of mismanagement.

Street robbers who grabbed Australian woman’s bag arrested

Vietnamese police have arrested three suspects who snatched a handbag from a Vietnamese-Australian woman on a street in Ho Chi Minh City over 10 days ago.

City police officers on March 16 said they have tracked down and seized Pham Dinh Anh Khoa, 21, and Tran Quoc Tri and Phan Cao Tuan, both 34, on charges of “property robbery by snatching.”

After their arrest, the group confessed to police they had committed five recent street robberies in the city.

On searching their homes, police found and seized VND80 million (US$3,720) in cash, a necklace, two iPhones, a wristwatch, and some other valuable items.

The gang’s latest crime happened on March 5 in front of a house at 472 Cach Mang Thang Tam Street in Ward 11, District 3, and their victim was a Vietnamese-Australian woman, N.T.P.L.

That day, the three gang-members saw L. standing on the sidewalk with a handbag in her hand, so Tri and Khoa sped up their motorbikes to get close to the woman and one of them grabbed the bag from her.

They escaped the scene with the bag containing VND165 million (US$7,680), two cellphones, an iPad, a wristwatch, two earrings, and a necklace.

After receiving a report about the case, police launched an investigation and arrested the three members of the group.

All three have previous convictions of property robbery by snatching, police said.

On November 4, 2014, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court sentenced two young men to three years in jail each for snatching a cellphone from a Thai tourist in a case in which police had to fire five shots to arrest them.

The robbery occurred on April 7, 2014, when Ngo Van Thanh, 23, and Tran Hoai Thuong, 22, both from the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang, snatched the phone from Aungkana Apinyarat, a 39-year-old Thai woman, in District 1. 

MoH to ensure medical services during holidays

The Prime Minister asked the health ministry (MoH) to maintain regular medical services during weekends and holidays in a recent instruction.

In addition, the Viet Nam Social Insurance (VSI) has been asked to make insurance payments on these occasions.

The move aims to support those who have to work shifts and also to ease the work overload in certain hospitals.

The Prime Minister also asked MoH and VSI to achieve the goal of 75 per cent health insurance coverage of the population by the end of 2015 and 80 per cent by the end of 2020.

The focus of the universal health insurance programme is officers, non-commissioned officers, staff sergeants and professional soldiers, as well as students of universities and colleges under the ministries of defence and public security.

Students are required to have health insurance. The government will provide 70 per cent of the health insurance fee for those from near-poverty-line families and 30 per cent for those working in agriculture and forestry, and having average incomes.

By the end of 2014, about 71.6 per cent of the country's population had health insurance, while the National Assembly's target is 75 per cent.

In his instruction, the Prime Minister also asked the MoH to foster and encourage the development and production of local vaccines, so that the country could actively provide sufficient vaccines at affordable rates to meet the domestic demand.

The MoH has also been asked to study policies to foster public medical bodies' independence.

Ministry makes motorcycle helmets mandatory for students

The education and training ministry said all students riding electric bikes or riding pillion on motorbikes would have to wear helmets from April 10.

The ministry also sought to raise student awareness and change their attitude towards the use of helmets by children and towards compliance with the regulation that children should wear helmets.

The ministry said schools should promptly educate and warn students about all violations.

The education and training departments in localities have been asked to issue specific regulations to deal with students' violations and to increase the use of helmets by children.

The ministry also requested all primary and secondary schools to publicise and ask students' parents to sign commitments that their children would wear helmets while riding pillion on motorbikes or riding electric bikes.

In addition, the ministry will use helmet-use rates as a criterion to evaluate schools in the 2014-2015 school year.

Dong Thap destroys smuggled cigarettes

Authorities yesterday destroyed more than 540,000 smuggled and fake cigarette packs, mostly of Jet and Hero brands, in the southern Dong Thap Province.

Most of the destroyed packs had been found by the market watch and police forces, while they were being smuggled from Cambodia through the province's Hong Ngu and Tan Hong districts, since the beginning of this year.

The province's industry and trade department's Deputy Director Nguyen Chi Bac told the Vietnam News Agency that appropriate authorities would collaborate with localities to smash tobacco smuggling rings and strictly handle violators in 2015.

The People's Court of Thanh Binh District recently sentenced To Hoang Nam, a tobacco smuggler living in An Thach Ward in Hong Ngu Town, to nine months in prison for smuggling banned goods.

Nam was caught by the Hong Lanh Town authorities on December 21, 2014, when he was transporting 350 cigarette packs, bought in Cambodia, for sale in Viet Nam.

In February 2014, Nam had been fined VND25 million (US$1,200) for smuggling cigarettes.

Customs detain man after finding heroin in car

Customs officials of Quang Ninh Province reported that they caught a man transporting 10 heroin bricks, each weighing 339gm, late in the evening on Monday.

The alleged trafficker, 26-year-old Pham Khac Huy of Thuy Nguyen District in Hai Phong City, was discovered carrying the drugs when he stopped his sedan at the Km15 – Ben tau Dan Tien checkpoint in the border city of Mong Cai, for a customs check.

Huy allegedly confessed that he had taken the drugs to Mong Cai to sell them, but had failed. He was driving back home with the unsold drugs when he was caught.

Customs handed over Huy and the drugs to the Mong Cai City Police for further investigation.

Blaze destroys Dien Bien house, workshop

A fire destroyed a house and a workshop of Nguyen Van Sy, a woodsman in Nam Thanh Ward, Dien Bien Phu City, yesterday afternoon.

The city authorities sent 30 firemen and two fire engines to the scene and stamped out the blaze after 30 minutes.

No one was reported killed in the fire. However, the house and workshop were destroyed.

Witnesses said the blaze was caused by an electrical short circuit, and that the flames rose and spread rapidly as several inflammable materials were kept in the woodwork workshop.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.

USAID-funded project to improve care for HIV/AIDS patients

A 2-million USD project was launched in the northern port city of Hai Phong on March 16 to promote community connections in preventing and combating HIV/AIDS in northern coastal localities.

Funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the project aims to increase preventive health services and community-based care for people living with HIV/AIDS and contribute to realising the national programme for fighting the disease.

Apart from Hai Phong, the seven-year project also covers Quang Ninh and Nghe An province.

Targeted groups include drug users who have not been tested for HIV in six months, people living with HIV who have not registered for outpatient treatment or have failed to follow treatment schedules, sex workers who use drugs, the sexual partners of people living with HIV, and drug users.

The project’s objectives include improving preventive medicine services and care for people living with HIV/AIDS and increasing the capacity of the target groups.

In Hai Phong, 6,705 people are expected to benefit from the project, with 6,034 people tested for HIV.

To fulfil the target, the project will establish a network of community support staff, enhance communications to raise awareness among the target group and supply mobile testing and patient record services.

Hai Phong is one of the country’s most vulnerable localities in HIV/AIDS prevention and control. The city is believed to have about 11,000 people living with HIV with only 7,300 are currently receiving community-based care and treatment.

France helps upgrade landfill leachate treatment project in Hue

A French-funded project on upgrading the leachate treatment pond at Thuy Phuong landfill was inaugurated on March 12 in Huong Thuy district of Hue City, central Thua Thien- Hue province.

The project, implemented over two years, has a total investment of 520,000 EUR (552,000 USD), 350,0 00 EUR (371,200 USD) of which were provided by the Paris Wastewater Treatment Authority (SIAAP).

The project will improve environmental sanitation and living conditions for residents living in the vicinity of the dumping site.

On March 11, the city of Hue and the SIAAP signed an agreement on their cooperation for 2015-2017.

Accordingly, SIAAP will help finance the upgrade of the drainage system inside the ancient imperial citadel in Hue with a focus on Ngu Ha River, with 100,000 EUR (106,000 USD) to be granted this year and roughly 150,000 EUR (159,100 USD) each year over the next two years.

Major fishing centre to be built in Khanh Hoa province

The Prime Minister has approved the construction of a major fishing centre in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa as proposed by the local People’s Committee.

The Government leader tasked local authorities to work with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to complete the investment procedure in accordance with the Law on Public Investment and list the project in the mid-term investment plan for 2016-2020.

He designated the provincial People’s Committee to select a consultative unit to map out an investment plan for the project.

According to the national strategy for fisheries development through 2020, Vietnam is scheduled to develop five fishing centres in major areas, including Khanh Hoa province.

Khanh Hoa boasts advantages in natural conditions, geography, infrastructure and human resources; a strong capacity to attract financial resources and increase the added value of aquatic products; and unified development planning, strategies and policies.

Additionally, the local seafood industry plays a significant role in the south-central regional economy and national defence and security, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The locality and other central provinces including Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan will support one another to develop sustainable fisheries by exchanging information and experience in shipbuilding, cultivating and aquatic processing.-

Cartoon campaign launched against littering

The environmental news portal www.tinmoitruong.vn organised a cartoon drawing campaign on the theme “No littering”, from March 15 to May 5.

The campaign aims to raise awareness among the public, call on the entire society to create a clean and green living environment and send warnings to relevant agencies to seek solutions for the problem.

Nguyen Quang Minh, head of the organising committee, said all Vietnamese nationals and expats, regardless of their age and profession, can send their works.

All cartoons will be used for environmental communication campaigns and the best ones will be published in a book.

Further information on the campaign can be found at www.tinmoitruong.vn.

No Vietnamese deaths from cyclone Pam

No Vietnamese deaths were reported after cyclone Pam, a massive tropical storm, lashed the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu on March 13, according to Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Australia warned the Vietnamese community in Vanuatu, recommending ways to reduce loss during the cyclone and to contact the Embassy or local authorities in case of emergency following the storm warning.

The Embassy announced on March 15 that no large destruction of properties was reported among the society.

It has been watching the disaster situation closely and is prepared to provide emergency relief if necessary, the Ministry said.

The powerful Pam cyclone hit the island on March 13, damaging or destroying about 90 percent of buildings in the capital city of Port Vila.-

Hanoi sees drop in drug addicts

Hanoi has so far this year recorded nearly 16,000 drug addicts, 1,565 fewer than the number documented by the end of 2014, according to the municipal People’s Committee.

Of the figure, 4,390 are being monitored in rehabilitation centres while 2,458 other are being managed at detention centres.

Over the past years, Hanoi has set up 10 centres on a total area of 147 hectares, providing detoxification treatment and rehabilitation education for 11,150 drug users.

The model of family and community-based detoxification groups has also been applied in almost all districts and wards of the city, together with new Methadone treatment centres.

The city is also building a project to increase the quality of optional rehabilitation model in families, community, and detoxification centres to 2020, encouraging larger social involvement.

According to Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc, Vice Secretary of the municipal Party Committee, improvements were made but bottlenecks in the issue of policy and implementation still remained, requiring greater attention of the whole political system.

Vietnamese workers in Malaysia to enjoy better protection

Vietnam and Malaysia have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on labour immigration in an effort to protect Vietnamese workers in Malaysia.

Signed by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour and the Malaysian Trade Union Congress in Hanoi on March 16, the MoU covers the facilitation of dialogues to speed up the approval of conventions by the International Labour Organisation, policymaking, and addressing issues related to labour hygiene and safety, especially in labour-intensive and toxic-exposure areas.

Traditionally, Vietnamese workers have been met with difficulties including illegal recruitment, high living expenses, delays of or deductions from salaries and labour exploitation.

Over the past decade, Vietnam has sent over 220,000 labourers to Malaysia with an average of 12,000 low-skilled workers each year. Nearly 80,000 Vietnamese are currently employed in 12 out Malaysia’s 13 states, primarily in manufacturing, engineering, garments and construction.

Both countries signed a MoU on recruiting Vietnamese workers in Malaysia in December 2003.

Hanoi residents conserve energy in response to Earth Hour campaign

The Hanoi-based Electricity of Vietnam launched an action month on March 16 to conserve electricity in response to the 2015 Earth Hour campaign.

Participants to the event will ride bicycles along the capital city’s streets, hang posters in public places and deliver leaflets calling on agencies and city residents to join the drive.

The power company inaugurated a green classroom at the Hanoi -Amsterdam High School on the occasion, implementing a new environmental protection model applied in many countries.

It will alter the lighting system of 19 classrooms by Led Panel lights which are estimated to save 71.7 percent of the electrical energy required by the previous system.

On March 22, the city will launch the 2015 Earth Hour campaign by turning off decorative lighting and neon advertising boards from 8:30 pm to 21:30 pm at several public landmark venues, such as the Ngoc Son temple, Ly Thai To flower garden, Hanoi Opera House, and Truc Bach Lake.

In 2014, Hanoi saved 234 megawatt hours of electricity thanks to its efforts to raise public response to the drive.

Hoanh Mo-Dong Zhong Bridge to be completed by June

Quang Ninh provincial leaders and their Chinese counterparts from China’s Guangxi province have discussed the status of construction of the Hoanh Mo-Dong Zhong Bridge

At the talks on March 13, they agreed to pick up the pace of work on the bridge at the Hoanh Mo border gate to facilitate transport and boost cross-border trade between the two localities.

It is designed to have a minimum width of 9 metres with two lanes. Both sides also consented to set up a working group aiming  to  complete the bridge by June of this year.

In addition, leaders of both localities underlined the need to strengthen cross-cultural exchange and organize high-level meetings to deal with border related issues such as human trafficking and smuggling.

Paris requiem for soldiers killed during Gac Ma battle

A requiem for Vietnamese soldiers, who died during a battle to defend Gac Ma Island in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago 27 years ago, was organised in the Truc Lam Zen Monastery on the outskirts of Paris on March 15.

Monk Thich Phuoc Duong recalled the March 14, 1988 event when 64 Vietnamese naval solders laid down their lives to protect the country’s sovereignty over Gac Ma Island.

He told Vietnam News Agency reporters that the requiem is held annually to honour the sacrifices and to pray for peace and happiness for the nation and people.

This year’s event was participated by all monks and nuns of the Zen monastery and more than 200 Vietnamese, Vietnamese French and French as well.

Son My village revived 47 years post-massacre

The Son My village in Tinh Khe commune of central Quang Ngai province is showing signs of recovery 47 years after a massacre conducted by US troops.

In 2014, the total communal production value reached over 633 billion VND (30.1 million USD), climbing 12 percent from the previous year.

The commune yields more than 4,100 tonnes of food annually and has reduced the rate of impoverished households to 3.91 percent.

It has fulfilled 13 of the 19 critieria in the national programme on rural modernisation.

On March 16, 1968, American troops killed 504 unarmed civilians in Tinh Khe communue, mostly elderly villagers, women and children.

Hundreds of houses and thousands of cows and chickens were burned.

That day is marked as a day of rememberance in Son My, Vietnam and around the world.

This year the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism held an incence offering ceremony in Son My relic site in commemoration of the victims.

A common attendee, Roy Mike Boehm, a US war veteran, was present at the event. The sound of his violin symbolised a prayer for the salvation of the innocent souls and a message of peace from Son My to friends worldwide.

Jetstar to open Ho Chi Minh City-Phu Yen air route

Low-cost carrier Jetstar Pacific announced on March 15 that it is ready to launch a new air route between Ho Chi Minh City and Tuy Hoa city in the central province of Phu Yen later this month.

According to Jetstar Pacific Deputy Director Nguyen Anh Tuan, the airline will conduct 3 round flights on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday every week, using an Airbus A320.

The flights are scheduled to take off at 4:15 pm from Ho Chi Minh City and 4:15 pm from Tuy Hoa. The flight will take 1 hour each way.

Nearly 4,000 passengers have booked tickets on the route so far, Tuan said, adding that his firm will add more flights on the route in the future to meet the increasing demand of travelers. The company is also considering opening a new route between Hanoi and Tuy Hoa in 2015.

Chairman of the People’s Committee of Phu Yen province, Pham Dinh Cu, said the launch of the route will help promote images of the locality, thus effectively tapping its potential for developing tourism.

Worker safety spotlighted in Vung Tau city

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) held a workshop on labour safety in Vung Tau city in southern coastal Ba Ria-Vung Tau province on March 16.

The workshop reviewed the outcomes of the 2011-2015 national programme on improving the health and safety of employees and set tasks for the following 5-year period. The programme aims to reduce occupational accidents and provide improved health services for those working in the mining, construction, electricity, metalwork and chemistry industries.

Workshop participants, including officials, experts and businessmen from Germany, Singapore, the Republic of Korea and regional countries, discussed and shared their own practical experiences related to risk assessment, preventative measures and regular inspections.

The workshop, part of the 17th National Week on Occupational Health and Safety – Fire and Explosion Prevention, was co-hosted by the International Labour Organisation, the International Social Security Association and the ASEAN Occupational Safety and Health Network.

According to the National Steering Committee for Occupational Health and Safety – Fire and Explosion Prevention, there were more than 6,700 occupational accidents which led to 630 deaths and 1,544 injuries with a combined leave amounting to over 81,000 days in 2014.

The same year, the country reported 2,370 fires which claimed 90 lives and injured 143 others, representing an economic loss of over 1.3 trillion VND (62 million USD) and destroying over 1,300 hectares of forestry.-

Employees called to take self-protection measures

Every business and worker should prepare self-protection measures against labour accidents, occupational diseases, fire and explosion.

This is the theme of the 17th National Week on Occupational Health and Safety – Fire and Explosion Prevention, which was launched on March 15 in Vung Tau city, the central province of Ba Ria – Vung Tau.

The event brought together representatives from the Hanoi-based International Labour Organisation (ILO), the International Social Security Association (ISSA Mining), and over 4,000 local workers.

Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Doan Mau Diep said the Party and State place due attention to protect health and life of businesses and employees.

In 2013, the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee issued a direction on promoting labour hygiene and safety in the industrialisation, modernisation and international integration period.

The Prime Minister has also approved a national programme on labour hygiene and safety between 2011 and 2015.

Last year, the State President signed a decision on Vietnam ’s official participation in the ILO Convention 187 featuring the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, he said.

The Law on labour hygiene and safety is expected to take effect in early 2016, he added.

According to the National Steering Committee for Occupational Health and Safety – Fire and Explosion Prevention, more than 6,700 labour accidents occurred nationwide in 2014, killing 630 and injuring 1,544 workers.

The same year, the country reported 2,370 fires, claiming 90 lives, leaving 143 injured, damaging an economic loss of over 1.3 trillion VND (62 million USD), and destroying over 1,300 hectares of forest.-

Panasonic Vietnam gifts 630 solar-powered lights to Dien Bien

The northern mountainous province of Dien Bien on March 16 received 630 solar-powered lights gifted by the electronics company Panasonic Vietnam via the World Vision Vietnam project.

The lights will be delivered to schools, health centres and community groups in four districts – Dien Bien Dong, Tua Chua, Tuan Giao and Muong Cha.

Fukumori Eiji, General Director of Panasonic Vietnam, said the activity is part of the global project “100,000 solar-powered lights” initiated by Panasonic in 2012, which aims to provide the equipment to non-government and non-profit ogranisations to help solve social issues of residents in areas without electricity.

In the coming time, Panasonic will continue bringing light to households in remote villages without electricity, both in Vietnam as well as countries in Asia and Africa.

The solar-powered light distributed for the project is a device equipped with a solar penal with a capacity of 3.5w and a high-volume rechargeable battery which can be fully charged within six hours under direct sunshine.

Quang Binh distributes rice aid to poor people

Central Quang Binh province is working hard to distribute more than 1,200 tonnes of rice as aid from the Government intended to help poor people overcome the current between-crop food shortage.

The mountainous Tuyen Hoa and Bo Trach districts will receive the biggest quantity of rice, at 209 and 200 tonnes each.

Distribution has been experiencing many difficulties due to geographical distances as the beneficiary districts spread over large areas, said Nguyen Thi Kim Oanh, an official of the provincial Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.

However, the Department will do its utmost to finish the relief plan before April 1, she noted.

Earlier this year, the Government also allocated 1,000 tonnes of rice for distribution among poor people in Quang Binh province in order to help them have a decent Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday.

Binh Dinh’s tuna fishermen urged to renovate techniques

A Japanese tuna company has urged tuna fishermen in Vietnam’s central Binh Dinh province to update their fishing techniques and facilities if they are to export tuna to Japan.

In a tour of the locality on March 13, Kotaro Wakiguchi, President of Yamasa Wakiguchi, the largest tuna provider in Japan, said the poor quality of infrastructure was lowering the quality of local fish and preventing them from entering the Japanese market.

He proposed that Binh Dinh should buy or hire an advanced fishing vessel from Japan in a bid to improve the situation.

Tran Thi Thu Ha, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said the measure is hardly possible due to the price of hiring a modern ship costs up to 4 billion VND per month (168,411 USD).

She hoped for greater cooperation between her province and Japanese enterprises, including Yamasa Wakiguchi, through which fishermen can have opportunities to add more value to their fish.

In Japan, normal tuna is worth 8-15 USD per kilogram and high quality tuna costs up to 242 USD per kilogram.

Meanwhile, in Binh Dinh, one kilogram of tuna can sold for only 100,000 VND (5 USD), meaning local businesses are running at a loss. Even if the fish are of suitable standard to export to Japan, transporting and warehousing charges still surpass earnings.-

Seminar to seek ways for Ha Giang’s stronger development

A seminar will be held in the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang on March 20 to seek to foster the locality’s socio-economic development in close connection with the northeast and northwest regions.

The event will be organised by the Party Central Committee’s Economics Commission, the provincial Party Committee, the Steering Committee for Northwest region, and the State Bank of Vietnam.

Participants will discuss how to accelerate the province’s agricultural restructuring, in particular the development of local specialties as key commodities and turning the locality into a national key zone in growing and processing medicinal plants.

Measures will be sought to develop Ha Giang as one of the country’s key tourist centres, tapping its linkage with north-eastern and north-western localities.

Solutions and orientations to boost border trade between Ha Giang and China’s Yunnan province will also be on the agenda.

Ha Giang has a great potential and advantage for developing tourism, possessing numerous breath-taking landscapes and natural heritage site and its position between the northeast and the northwest.

However, unfavourable terrain and transport system is posing a hurdle to the province’s efforts to achieve its sustainable development target.

Gifts handed over to Phu Quy Island

Youth unions of State agencies in southern Dong Nai and central coastal Binh Thuan provinces jointly organized an exchange programme on the theme of homeland seas and islands on March 14 in Binh Thuan’s Phu Quy island district.

More than 200 union members attended the event, where they performed songs and dances and held discussions and knowledge contests about Vietnam’s sea and islands.

On the occasion, the organizing board granted 30 scholarships worth 15 million VND (705 USD) to poor students in Phu Quy.

Earlier the same day, the Youth Unions handed over 200 national flags to fishermen as gifts and presented a computer to the Radar Station 575 in the island.

Soc Trang province: Khmer pagoda has new sanctum

A Khmer pagoda - the Seray Ratanavong Bung Tung in Vinh Chau Town, the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang- inaugurated its new main sanctum on March 14 after six years of construction.

The sanctum was built at a total cost of 2 billion VND donated by local followers.

The 18.2m long and 16m high building is decorated with traditional Khmer carvings, with a statue of Keyno Goddess as the support of the roof and curvy Nagar Dragon figures on the roof.

Along with the sanctum, the house of monks, entrance building and some facilities were also launched the same day.

Soc Trang is home to more than 400,000 Khmer people, accounting for 30.7 percent of the province’s population, according to the provincial Committee for Ethnic Affairs.

There are 183 pagodas in the province at present with nearly 2,000 Buddhist dignitaries and monks.

VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TN/TT/Dantri