The Mekong River Commission (MRC) said in a statement released on Monday that another reason could also be because of the presence of algae at the river bottom. The sections in Thailand's northeastern province of Nakhon Phanom and Laos' south-central town of Thakhek are now aquamarine, and the MRC said this could also be true of other parts of the river where low flows occur. The river flows through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam, and the region is experiencing one of its worst droughts ever. The MRC has done a preliminary analysis of the causes and potential impacts of the phenomenon. The fine sediments normally found in the fast flowing river and the great depth that give it its usual brownish color are conspicuously absent, making the water clearer. This means that, when sunlight hits the river, the water absorbs what is known as the "long-wavelength colors" at the red end of the light spectrum and makes the river look blue. This occurs only if the water level … [Read more...] about Mekong River turns aquamarine due to low flows
Cambodia
Games glory awaits Việt Nam: coach Park
Việt Nam’s head coach Park Hang-seo (right) and Indra Sjafri of Indonesia at the press conference ahead the final match of men’s football category of the SEA Games. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoàng Linh HÀ NỘI — The Việt Nam men's U22 football team are one win away from the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games’ title, and head coach Park Hang-seo says they'll be throwing to kitchen sink at Indonesia in search of glory. The final at Rizal Memorial Stadium, Manila kicks off at 7pm today (Hà Nội time). In the semi-finals on Saturday, Việt Nam beat Cambodia 4-0, while Indonesia defeated Myanmar 4-2 after extra time. The final will be Việt Nam's first in 10 years in a competition Vietnamese fans are still waiting for a title. “The whole team are only one step from the SEA Games’ gold medal. Fans, training board as well as Vietnamese footballers can be proud of what Việt Nam did at this … [Read more...] about Games glory awaits Việt Nam: coach Park
Vietnam textile industry orders hit by African competition
Normally, by the end of a year they would have enough orders for the whole of the following year, Nguyen Van Thoi, chairman of TNG Investment and Trading JSC, which makes garments, said. But this year many businesses have said they do not have enough orders for 2020, with some reporting a 20 percent drop in orders from last year. Besides, many have not signed long-term contracts for products, only monthly or quarterly, Thoi said. A Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS) official, who did not wish to be named, said many orders have shifted to emerging countries in Africa, while competition with textiles superpowers like China, India and Bangladesh is becoming increasingly fierce. "Even China’s orders are being transferred to countries with preferential tariff rates such as Bangladesh and Cambodia." Not only Vietnamese textile and garment producers, but also its fiber industry is facing increasing competition from foreign businesses and rivals in countries such as … [Read more...] about Vietnam textile industry orders hit by African competition
Lawmakers support one more public holiday
A previous proposal to make July 27, the Vietnamese War Invalids and Martyrs' Day, a public holiday did not enthuse the NA delegates, so Dao Ngoc Dung, Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, chose to exclude the option and proposed that the current number of public holidays be kept as it is. But since several delegates have expressed their support for an additional public holiday, the NA’s Standing Committee is presenting two options for delegates to vote on: to keep the number of public holidays as it is, or to add one extra holiday on June 28, the Vietnamese Family Day, said Nguyen Thuy Anh, head of the parliamentary Social Affairs Committee. Delegate Nguyen Anh Tri, former director of the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, supported the second option, saying an extra holiday was an opportunity that families need to get together. Tran Van Tien, a delegate of the northern province of Vinh Phuc, agreed with the addition of public holidays and … [Read more...] about Lawmakers support one more public holiday