Ross douthat new york times

Vietnam needs to raise a massive $44 billion to develop three special economic zones (SEZs), authorities said at a meeting on Monday. Members of the legislative National Assembly were discussing once again whether to launch the SEZs, Van Don in northern Quang Ninh province, Bac Van Phong in central Khanh Hoa province, and Phu Quoc in southern Kien Giang province. The Ministry of Finance has calculated that $44 billion will be needed to develop the zones, with the state budget covering from 10 to 19 percent of each one and the rest coming from investors. The total figure amounts to 65 percent of Vietnam’s total government spending last year, which hit $67 billion, and is more than four times as much as the country spends on education each year. The sheer size of the figure was questioned by leaders of the National Assembly at the meeting. “What benefits will these areas bring to our country?” asked Phung Quoc Hien, the National Assembly's vice chairman. The … [Read more...] about Leaders question whopping $44 bil price tag for new special economic zones in Vietnam

Hotel News Christmas and New Year promotions at Saigontourist’s hotels By Thanh Nguyen Thursday,  Dec 12, 2019,16:24 (GMT+7) Christmas and New Year promotions at Saigontourist’s hotelsBy Thanh Nguyen The Hotel Grand Saigon operated by Saigontourist is a perfect place to celebrate Christmas and New Year in HCMC - PHOTO: COURTESY OF SAIGONTOURIST HCMC – Hotels and tourist sites under Saigontourist Holding Company have rolled out numerous promotions in celebration of Christmas 2019 and New Year 2020. Hotel Grand Saigon Saigon Palace Restaurant on the second floor of the Hotel Grand Saigon will serve a Christmas buffet dinner from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., featuring turkey, lobster and other Christmas delicacies. Diners are entitled to a welcome Sangria cocktail and free flow of wine, beer, soft drinks and mineral water. Music and art shows will be performed during the buffet, accompanied by dance … [Read more...] about Christmas and New Year promotions at Saigontourist’s hotels

WHAKATANE — Intensifying fears of another eruption frustrated efforts to recover bodies from New Zealand's White Island on Thursday as the official death toll from the volcano disaster rose to eight. Police said two people died in hospital overnight, taking the confirmed number of fatalities to eight, with the bodies of another eight people believed to be on the island. Many more victims of Monday's explosion are battling to survive after suffering horrific burns at the popular tourist attraction, which police said was still too dangerous to land on. "Police remain focused on supporting families at this terrible time," they said in a statement. Health officials said that 23 survivors were being treated in New Zealand, 17 of them listed as critical, and another five had been transferred to Australia. Sydney high school Knox Grammar named the latest fatalities as brothers Matthew and Berend Hollander, saying their deaths were a "devastating loss for our community". It said the … [Read more...] about Fears of further eruption as New Zealand volcano toll climbs

With 60 weekly flights connecting Vietnam’s third largest city with major Thai destinations, the number of Thai arrivals to Da Nang quadrupled year-on-year in the first seven months of this year to almost 107,000. Thais accounted for 6 percent of Da Nang's total foreign arrivals, becoming the third largest group after South Koreans (1 million, making up 57 percent) and Chinese (500,000 or 26 percent), according to the city’s tourism department. Domestic and foreign carriers, betting on this trend, have been racing to launch more flights. Vietnamese budget carrier Vietjet Air last year launched flights from Da Nang to Bangkok. In April Malaysian-owned budget airline Thai AirAsia began a daily service from Chiang Mai to Da Nang. Da Nang is a major economy-tourism hub that attracts many foreign visitors, including Thai tourists, all year round, Santisuk Khlongchaiya, head of Thai AirAsia’s commercial operations, said. From Da Nang, tourists can easily travel to … [Read more...] about Surge of Thai visitors lifts Da Nang hopes for tourism market diversity

On song: Vocalists from the HCM City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera will perform the opera The Magic Flute at the Opera House on June 9 and 10. HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Mozart’s most famous opera The Magic Flute will be restaged at the Ho Chi Minh City Opera House on June 9 and 10. The two-act opera is a production of the HCM City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO) in collaboration with the Goethe Institute in Vietnam. The Magic Flute tells the love story of Prince Tamino and Pamina, daughter of the Queen of the Night. After Pamina is held in captivity under the high priest Sarastro, the Queen of the Night persuades Tamino to rescue his daughter. The opera premiered in 1791 in Vienna, and has been staged by hundreds of theatre companies in the world, such as The Metropolitan Opera, Opéra National de Paris, and Deutsche Oper Berlin. With the support of Norway’s Transposition Programme, HBSO introduced the concert version of The … [Read more...] about Magic Flute to be restaged at Opera House