Many people are familiar with grilled pork, but far fewer have ever tasted grilled pork wrapped in grapefruit leaves. The dish is even unfamiliar to many food connoisseurs in Việt Nam, but not for the Mường ethnic group in Hòa Bình Province, the third largest among Việt Nam’s 53 minority groups.  Unique: Chả cuốn lá bưởi can only be found in Hòa Bình Province.-VNS Photo Thái Hà The dish, known as chả cuốn lá bưởi, is very poplar in the country’s northwestern region. Bùi Văn Thào, a Mường resident of Bàn Ngòi Village in Tân Lạc District says he saw his grandparents making it since he was a child. Previously, the dish was only prepared on festive days, but now it has … [Read more...]

Increasing the regional minimum wage has raised concerns over a potential trade-off with social allowances that would block the new wages from increasing employees' real income.  Hugaco  expressed concerns that the minimum wage increase might actually decrease employees' real income Cutting allowances to increase wages At the final meeting organised on August 7 to discuss regional minimum wages increases in 2018, relevant authorities reached a compromise of 6.5 per cent to submit to the prime minister for approval. If approved, the increase will come into effect on January 1, 2018, however, questions were still raised whether employees will actually benefit from the increased regional minimum wage. According to Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs cum chairman of the National Salary … [Read more...]

A peaceful corner of Tien Yen town Tien Yen town on a summer afternoon. The roads and ancient houses had just been washed by a rain shower.  The town contains two types of ancient houses: those built by the Chinese in the early 20th century and those with French architecture. The streets are laid out in a grid pattern, like a chessboard. There are no sidewalks.  The 2-story tube houses are covered with clay roof tiles. The 40-centimeter-thick walls are made of rocks or of bricks made with lime, red soil, and sand, while the ceilings are made of wood.  Each house has a small wooden staircase, a balcony, and a backyard, making the house cool in summer and warm in winter.  Tien Yen’s residents are Kinh - the majority people of Vietnam –as well as Chinese and people of … [Read more...]

Video by Nhat Tan Thoi Son Islet The small islet sits downstream on the Tien River, one of the two tributaries of the Mekong River in Vietnam, which the province is named after. Visitors can pay to take a boat ride under coconut canopies along canals that zigzag through the islet. Photo by Huan Phan Or you can take a horse and cart. The islet is known for its tropical orchards which fruit between July and October. Photo by Huan Phan Vinh Trang Pagoda This Buddhist pagoda is hidden in an orchard of nearly two hectares (4.9 acres) outside My Tho, the provincial capital. The scenic backdrop adds to the religious experience, and the pagoda combines Asian and European designs. Photo by Thanh Tuyet Flower village The flower village in Man Dinh Hong is four kilometers (2.5 miles) to the west of My Tho. It is the main supplier of flowers and ornamental trees during the Lunar New Year in … [Read more...]

VietNamNet Bridge – Authorities in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta province of An Giang on Tuesday discovered a newly eroded area extending 270 metres along the Hau River on An Thanh Islet. Authorities in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta province of An Giang on Tuesday discovered a newly eroded area extending 270 metres along the Hau River on An Thanh Islet. — Photo tuoitre.vn The section, located in Cho Moi District’s Hoa An Commune, is near another eroded area of 2,000 square metres that fell into the river on August 10. The land was being used to grow flowers for Tet (Lunar New Year) next year. At least 19 erosion spots, covering a total length of 1,738 metres along the riverbank, have been detected, according to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The Cho Moi People’s Committee has asked residents to move … [Read more...]

With a strong passion for mobility, discovery and experience, modern people can go anywhere at any time. In summer, they prefer going to the sea. In winter, upland tours are well-liked. Vietnam expects to see a 15 per cent growth in upland tours this year. Mr Nguyen Ngoc Thien, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, noted that “The top task of the tourism industry in the second half of this year is to exert all the strengths to achieve the growth of least 30 per cent and this cannot be a better time for the Vietnamese tourism industry to take wings to fly.” Therefore, in addition to maintaining the charisma of central and southern coastal tourist attractions, it is also very important to boost the competitiveness of northern upland tours during the autumn-winter season to achieve this growth target. Diversified upland tours woo visitors National Day … [Read more...]

The Pagoda – the Heart of the Khmer Community We followed a Khmer friend, Thach Ri Con, to his place in Tra Vinh, on the occasion of the Khmer traditional New Year’s festival – Chol Chnam Thmay. The place we went to first was not his home but a pagoda called Xoai Xiem Moi. Thach Ri Con bowed down in front of the head monk, Thach Nhut, his former teacher, showing his deep respect and gratitude to the old monk. Thach Ri Con said pagodas are the most sacred and important places for Khmer people who have been a part of them throughout their lives. As most Khmer follow Buddhism, pagodas have become extremely sacred and important in their lives. Photo: Nguyen Luan/VNP Some pagodas were built several centuries ago, which are recognised as national cultural and architectural relics such as Ang, Met, … [Read more...]

As State Capital Investment Corporation gets ready to sell 3.3 per cent of its shares in Vinamilk, the market expects to see a different outcome from last year’s unsuccessful bidding. Investors expect improvements in Vinamilk's upcoming share sale         (Photo: Le Toan) This October, State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC) will divest 3.3 per cent of its stake in Vinamilk, the largest Vietnamese dairy firm ruling over more than half of the market. The state investor wants to earn at least VND7 trillion ($308 million) from the withdrawal. The announcement has set the market abuzz, not only thanks to Vinamilk’s appeal as a fast-growing firm, but also due to lingering concerns about SCIC’s auction style. Last December, the state investor offered 9 per … [Read more...]

Shortly after taking over and consolidating the operation of An Giang Tourism Joint Stock Company, Sao Mai Group has embarked on a strategy to rebuild the entire Dong Thap Tourism Joint Stock Company. This is not only an internal reform but also shows the determination of Sao Mai Group to blow a new wind and arouse tourism potential in Dong Thap province, which is popularly dubbed the Realm of Pink Lotus. Comprehensive changes With a total budget of nearly VND200 billion, Sao Mai Group is resolute to reshuffle almost all infrastructures for the hotel chain and complete other items unfinished by the old company. The 3-star Song Tra Hotel is being totally rebuilt with a sophisticated and scientific architectural design. Every item like the administrative area, reception hall, kitchen, massage room, karaoke, bedroom, garden cafe, Hanh Phuc Restaurant and rooftop … [Read more...]

A lull in the HCM City real estate market is pushing developers to offer promotions to bring back buyers.(Photo: nguoiduatin.vn) HCM City (VNA) - A lull in the Ho Chi Minh City real estate market is pushing developers to offer promotions to bring back buyers. Tuoitre.vn quoted an unnamed developer as saying that in the last two months it has been difficult to sell apartments. His project in District 6 has 450 units but only 140 have been sold since the beginning of this year. His company had planned to begin a new project in the second quarter of this year, but it has been put on hold as a result of the market slowdown. All his employees have been put on the job of selling apartments at old projects, he said.  Pham Lan, general director of Danh Khoi A Chau Company, said the land segment has slumped since last month since customers have become apprehensive … [Read more...]

A lull in the HCM City real estate market is pushing developers to offer promotions to bring back buyers.— Photo nguoiduatin.vn A lull in the HCM City real estate market is pushing developers to offer promotions to bring back buyers. Tuoitre.vn quoted an unnamed developer as saying that in the last two months it has been difficult to sell apartments. His project in District 6 has 450 units but only 140 have been sold since the beginning of this year. His company had planned to begin a new project in the second quarter of this year, but it has been put on hold as a result of the market slowdown. All his employees have been put on the job of selling apartments at old projects, he said. Pham Lan, general director of Danh Khoi A Chau Company, said the land segment has slumped since last month since customers have become apprehensive after prices skyrocketed in districts 2 and 9. Besides, many … [Read more...]

A lull in the HCM City real estate market is pushing developers to offer promotions to bring back buyers. A lull in the HCM City real estate market is pushing developers to offer promotions to bring back buyers.- Photo nguoiduatin.vn Tuoitre.vn quoted an unnamed developer as saying that in the last two months it has been difficult to sell apartments. His project in District 6 has 450 units but only 140 have been sold since the beginning of this year. His company had planned to begin a new project in the second quarter of this year, but it has been put on hold as a result of the market slowdown. All his employees have been put on the job of selling apartments at old projects, he said. Pham Lan, general director of Danh Khoi A Chau Company, said the land segment has slumped since last month since … [Read more...]

A congested expressway in southern Vietnam is frustrating travelers who depend on the thoroughfare to ease their commute. The construction of Long Thanh International Airport in the namesake district in Dong Nai Province, about 40 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City, is causing bumper to bumper traffic in the area. The most serious of these congestion problems takes place on an expressway connecting Ho Chi Minh and Long Thanh, with commuters finding themselves trapped in hours-long gridlock each weekend. According to an observation by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters, endless lines of vehicles stretched endlessly down the expressway beginning at the Long Phuoc toll station in District 9. “We pay a toll for the expressway just to be caught in traffic jams even more severe than on regular roads,” a car driver complained. Truck drivers who … [Read more...]

The construction of Long Thanh International Airport in the namesake district in Dong Nai Province, about 40 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City, is causing bumper to bumper traffic in the area. The most serious of these congestion problems takes place on an expressway connecting Ho Chi Minh and Long Thanh, with commuters finding themselves trapped in hours-long gridlock each weekend. According to an observation by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters, endless lines of vehicles stretched endlessly down the expressway beginning at the Long Phuoc toll station in District 9. “We pay a toll for the expressway just to be caught in traffic jams even more severe than on regular roads,” a car driver complained. Truck drivers who depend on the route also complain that the bottleneck is causing them to fall behind schedule. During the weekend, it … [Read more...]

VietNamNet Bridge – In the southeast region, a curious phenomenon of foreign direct investment firms ‘recommending’ long-time employees to resign has cropped up. In return, these employees receive a hefty one-time payment. Workers assemble small-sized electric motors at the Japan-owned Mabuchi Motor Viet Nam at the Bien Hoa II Industrial Park in Dong Nai Province. — Photo: VNA/VNS  The companies don’t force the workers to resign but merely recommend it, and the workers consent, making the practice perfectly legal. However, workers might not be aware that by doing so, they relinquish many of their rights, and some are urging authorities to get involved. Nguyen Thi Sen, 51, from Bien Hoa City of Dong Nai Province, worked at Pouchen Viet Nam – a manufacturing factory of the Taiwan-based … [Read more...]

Returning home after a busy afternoon in the peach field, my father wearily sat down on the wooden plank bed and rubbed the dirt off his trousers. Then, he picked up the thuốc lào (tobacco pipe), put a small pinch of tobacco into its bowl, struck a match and began smoking. He seemed so lost in thought that he nearly forgot my presence in the hut. To me, he was worrying about his peach field. In these silent moments he remembered how he had given up everything behind in the city: his profitable job as a doctor in a renowned hospital and his beautiful home close to his parents’ place, so he could settle down here on a rented plot of land near the river bank in the countryside to grow peach trees, whose blossoms he liked best. * * * Growing up, I was often a silhouette beside him, always busy at work in the field. Most of my memories about the brilliantly-lit city, about my father, with his spectacles and scrubs were vividly etched in my … [Read more...]

VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese-American musician Vu Thanh An, 74, begins a five-city tour in Viet Nam this week.  Wily vet: Vietnamese- American musician Vu Thanh An, 74, begins a five-city tour in Viet Nam this week. — Photo thegioidienanh.vn An will hold a fan meeting at Book Street (Nguyen Van Binh Street) in HCM City today before flying to Quy Nhon City for his first show. He will then move to Quang Ngai Province and Da Nang City. The shows will feature veteran singers, Vietnamese-Americans Vu Khanh and Thanh Lan, both of whom were famous in the 1960s and 70s.  Young singers Lan Nha and Le Ngoc will also be included. His show, Chuyen Tinh Khong Ten (Unnamed Love Story), will be staged at the Majestic Hotel Saigon in HCM City on August 18.  The event will include Vietnamese-American singer Quang Dung and the girl … [Read more...]

VietNamNet Bridge – Six months after being introduced, the online registration of foreigners’ accommodations in Viet Nam has yielded effective results, according to police authorities and hotels. Foreigners take a selfie at Ha Noi’s Hoan Kiem Lake on New Year’s Eve 2016/2017.  The online registration has been used since mid-February, allowing those who host or provide accommodations for foreigners residing in Viet Nam to create accounts on the websites of immigration management offices of provincial and municipal police forces. They can then update the information - name, gender, nationality, date of birth and passport numbers - of the foreigners staying with them or at their accommodations upon their arrival. Nguyen Hoang Thai, a receptionist at the Splendid Hotel on Hang Hanh Street in Ha Noi, … [Read more...]

The nationwide growth of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) slowed down in the second quarter of the year, after reaching a record peak in the previous quarter. Nationwide FMCG grew 5.8 per cent this quarter versus one year ago, according to the Nielsen Quarterly Market Pulse report released by Nielsen Viet Nam, a global performance measurement company. All six super FMCG categories--beverages, food, dairy, household care, personal care and cigarettes--showed positive growth in the quarter. Both food and dairy sectors grew 8.1 per cent, while home care grew 5.7 per cent, beverage grew 5.4 per cent, personal care grew 5 per cent and cigarettes grew 4.7 per cent. However, in comparison with the last quarter, these numbers reflected a decline across categories. Beverage still accounted for a large proportion of total FMCG sales in quarter two at 42 per cent. Food, cigarette and milk-based accounted for slightly … [Read more...]

VietNamNet Bridge – The Supreme People’s Procuracy announced it has indicted Chau Thi Thu Nga, former National Assembly deputy, and nine accomplices for their role in a VND377 billion (US$16.8 million) property scam. Chau Thi Thu Nga, former National Assembly deputy, has been indicted for her role in a massive property scam.  Nga, chairwoman of the Land and Housing Construction and Investment JSC (Housing Group), and nine others will be prosecuted on charges of “fraudulent appropriation of assets” under Article 139 of the Penal Code. According to the indictment, the B5 Cau Dien project (North Tu Liem District, Ha Noi City) was within the land assigned by the state to the Ha Noi Import-Export Investment Construction and Development Single-Member Co., Ltd. (HAIC) for production and business … [Read more...]