Improve road safety

Women in Tokyo are most in favour of having single-sex carriages on public transport, according to a poll in five of the world's biggest commuter cities released on Thursday, despite such policies face growing criticism. A Thomson Reuters Foundation survey of 1,000 female travellers in Tokyo, London, New York City, Cairo and Mexico City found less than half were in favour of women-only sections on trains and buses to boost safety. But nearly 70 percent of women in Tokyo backed single sex carriages that were introduced into the city in 2000 to combat a phenomenon commonly known as "chikan", or groping, on trains. More than half of women in the Japanese capital said safety was their top transport concern but seven in 10 were confident they could now travel without sexual harassment or violence. Women in Cairo and Mexico City also said safety was their biggest concern about using public and private transport and 60 percent and 55 percent respectively said women-only sections on trains and … [Read more...] about Women in Tokyo strongly back single sex transport amid security fears

Still the ‘engine’ of the country’s economic development, southern provinces have seen growth slowing down. After many years of waiting, Vam Cong, the second cable-stay bridge across the Hau River, after Can Tho bridge, has been put into operation. Analysts say that it would help the southwestern provinces improve their capability of connecting with HCMC and Cambodia. However, there are still many things that need to be done as the area now has only 11 percent of total highway length, though it makes up 55 percent of the country’s GDP. Hai Phong story Hai Phong City in the north is called a ‘rising star’. Many Vietnamese and foreign groups, including VinFast, Sun Group and BRG, have chosen the locality to set up their production facilities. In 2018, the city attracted $2.5 billion worth of FDI, or 2.7 times higher than the year before. The strong rise of Hai Phong has close relations with the development of a series of infrastructure projects. … [Read more...] about Infrastructure development to give southern region a push

Despite being considered as the driving force of Vietnam’s economic growth, agriculture has been held back by an incomplete logistics system which fails to ensure quality and connect farms with markets.  A container is loaded at Chu Lai Port in Quang Nam Province. Vietnam lacks a well-connected logistics network which can boost agricultural product trade and export. — VNA/VNS Photo Danh Lam Vietnam has recently opened its doors for agricultural products to be exported to the international markets, yet struggled to win over customers and couldn’t compete with products from other countries in terms of quality and price due to drawbacks of the existing logistics system. Most small- and medium-sized enterprises fail to afford the cost of logistics services. According to Viet Nam Association of Logistics Services Enterprises, the expenses for storing and transporting agricultural products account for up to 30 per cent of selling prices, higher than those of … [Read more...] about Poor logistics system hindering Vietnam agricultural products’ trade

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said the national public service portal will deal a blow to harassments and wrongdoings in processing administrative procedures. Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam (7th from left), Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (8th from left), Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung (9th from left) at the launching ceremony of the national public service portal in Ha Noi on December 9, 2019. Photo: VGP The Government chief made the above statement on Monday at the launching ceremony of the national portal. Phuc said the launch of the portal is an initial successful step, reflecting the Government’s determination to foster e-government development in a practical and effective manner. He urged the Government Office to continue efforts to provide level-4 public services and integrate more services into the portal while ministries, agencies and localities need to quickly develop and share their databases in a bid to further simplify … [Read more...] about National public service portal will deal blow to harassments, wrongdoings