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Archive for May 10th, 2010|Daily archive page

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Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi on hot list of famous travel magazine

In Uncategorized on May 10, 2010 at 4:53 pm




Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi on hot list of famous travel magazine


QĐND – Monday, May 10, 2010, 22:19 (GMT+7)

Conde Nast Traveler, one of the world’s most prestigious travel magazines, has recognized the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi on its 2010 Hot List.


After four years of renovation to upgrade its facilities, an investment of US$20 million, the hotel has been voted on the annual 14th compendium of the most compelling hotels in the world.


In addition, Le Spa du Metropole is also nominated as ‘One of the World’s Top Spas’ in 2010. It is the only spa in Vietnam to be voted in this year.


With the long history and high quality of service, the Metropole Hanoi has gathered a lot of international prizes through out the years.


It was voted among the best hotels in the world and was included in the Conde Nast Traveler’s “Gold List” in 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009.


Source: HNM


Translated by Duy Minh


Source: QDND

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Developing orchard tours in Mekong Delta

In Uncategorized on May 10, 2010 at 4:53 pm




Developing orchard tours in Mekong Delta


QĐND – Monday, May 10, 2010, 22:19 (GMT+7)

With a favorable location, an interlacing river system, a variety of delicious fruits and rich indigenous culture, the Mekong Delta has many advantages to develop orchard tours. But, orchard tour development is still unproportional with the potential due to a number of planning problems. 


With 269,000 hectares of fruit, the Mekong Delta is the largest fruit growing area in Vietnam, which accounts for 70 percent of the country’s total fruit area. With a diverse range of fruits, which have high economic value such as Lo Ren Vinh Kim star apple, Hoa Loc mango, Cho Gao dragon fruit, Tan Phuoc longan and Cai Be mandarin and attractive tourist sites such as Thoi Son Island, Cai Be floating market…, the Mekong Delta has a lot of advantages to develop tourism. At a Vietnam Fruit Festival which recently took place in Tien Giang province, managers, scientists and businesses discussed weaknesses and suggested solutions to develop the region’s tourism.


According to associate professor, Dr. Luu Thanh Duc Hai, the deputy head of the Economics and Business Administration Department of the Can Tho University, Mekong Delta’s tourism should not only rely on available advantages. The delta needs to invest in infrastructure and technological development, strengthen human resources, diversify its range of tourist offerings, improve service quality, promote advertising and expand the market. In addition, it is necessary to focus on environmental protection based on inter-regional and interdisciplinary cooperation.


In reality, the Mekong Delta has not fully taken its available advantages. Nguyen Ngoc Minh, the director of the Tien Giang Province Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that the biggest difficulty is the lack of an overall plan for orchard development that pertains to eco-tour development. Especially, the region does not pay proper attention to transport infrastructure system, including roads to orchards. Therefore, it is necessary to have inter-regional cooperation to overcome difficulties and utilize the advantages.


According to Dr. Tran Van Ngoi, the director of the management board of the Mekong Tourism Development Project, the region’s tourism development is still unproportional with the potential. A matter of concern is cooperation among provinces to establish brands for tourist offerings and create development breakthroughs. In addition, it is necessary for the Mekong Delta to invest in infrastructure and human resources and improve tourism services towards professionalism. Unqualified tourism staff and tourist sites, which are facing with the risk of degradation, are creating a lot of obstacles to tourist attraction.


Recently, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism approved the Mekong Delta Tourism Development Project to 2020. According to the project, investment capital in tourism from 2010-2015 is estimated at US$959.6 million, while US$963.7 million being demanded for the 2015-2020 period. The region is striving to attract 7.7 million tourists (including 2.7 million foreign visitors) by 2015 and 10.4 million (including 3.9 million of foreign visitors) by 2020 and create 236,600 jobs for local people. To reach the target, it is important to issue proper development policies and avoid inconsistent investment.


Source: Vietnam Economic News/VNN


 


Source: QDND

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Nation mulls broader tourism cooperation

In Uncategorized on May 10, 2010 at 4:52 pm




Nation mulls broader tourism cooperation


QĐND – Monday, May 10, 2010, 22:20 (GMT+7)

The national travel chief has confirmed broader cooperation with regional partners in promoting the industry, cultural identity of each country and working out specific products for sustainable development in the region.


The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Hoang Tuan Anh, made the statement before 300 senior travel officials from 17 countries and territories in Asia and the Pacific, international travel organisations, foreign diplomatic corps in Vietnam and the domestic hospitality industry at a meeting in Hanoi on May 10.


Tuan added the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) would work with the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) in boosting the exchange of experiences in promoting tourist brand names and launching promotion campaigns.


Cooperation will also be sought for conducting feasibility surveys of virgin sites of great potential such as Ba Be and Thac Ba lakes as well as community tourism in the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang, the travel chief emphasised.


In the recent past, the UNWTO has helped Vietnam develop local traditional craft villages, boost MICE tourism and draft a tourism law.


At the meeting, policy makers, experts and entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry discussed measures to address challenges and increase the industry’s contributions to the socio-economic development such as jobs and income generation and poverty reduction.


Tourism nets 4.05 billion USD a year, ranking in the list of top five hard-currency earners in Vietnam.


Source: VNA


Source: QDND

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Support for poor children in HCMC

In Uncategorized on May 10, 2010 at 4:52 pm




Support for poor children in HCMC


QĐND – Monday, May 10, 2010, 22:18 (GMT+7)


PANO – More than 500 million VND and 40,000 toys will be presented to poor children, orphans and handicapped children in Ho Chi Minh City.


This activity is under a program named “Cute Doll 2010” launched by the Vietnamese Association to protect children’s rights, marking Children’s Day (June 1st) and in response to this year’s month-long campaign for children.


The program will raise funds to support about 1,000 children living in centres in Ho Chi Minh City.


Under the program, many activities will take place such as presenting gifts and supporting needy children at three pilot schools in three provinces in the north, central and southern Vietnam.


“We will try to launch the program every year to help to protect children’s rights better,” said Le Thi Thu, Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnamese Association for the Protection of the Rights of a child.


Translated by Duy Minh


Source: QDND

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Power from rice husks wins UN environment award

In Uncategorized on May 10, 2010 at 4:51 pm




Power from rice husks wins UN environment award


QĐND – Monday, May 10, 2010, 22:19 (GMT+7)

Vietnamese technology has won the 2009 Energy Globe Awards (EGW)-sponsored by the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) for using rice husks to replace fossil fuels.


The award ceremony will take place in Rwanda on June 3.


The technology, with ceramic kilns fed by rice husks, was put into operation in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap in 2009 by the Centre for the Research and Development of Energy Savings (ENERTEAM) under the Ministry of Science and Technology.


The ENERTEAM said the project has provided ‘green brick’ technology for the Mekong Delta, home to thousands of traditional ceramic kilns in threat of being closed for using old technology that seriously pollutes the environment.


]The application of this new technology will also help businesses to increase their output, improve the quality of their products and ensure stable employment for their workers.


Producing ceramics is a traditional craft and provides a good income to people in many Mekong Delta provinces.


The project was part of a showcase programme initiated by the Asia-Pacific Forum on Environment and Development (APFED).

In 2006, Vietnam also

won an EGW prize for another bio fuel project.


Source: VNA


Source: QDND

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Da Nang hosts regional meteorology conference

In Uncategorized on May 10, 2010 at 4:50 pm




Da Nang hosts regional meteorology conference


QĐND – Monday, May 10, 2010, 22:19 (GMT+7)

Meteorologists from ASEAN countries, Japan and the Republic of Korea gathered in Da Nang City on May 10 to discuss, study and forecast natural disasters and how to respond to them.


The 32 nd meeting of the ASEAN Sub-committee on Meteorology and Geo-physics (SCMG) reviewed the progress of projects and initiatives that were ratified at the previous meeting in Thailand in 2009.


During the three-day conference, the participants will discuss three principal topics; earthquakes and tsunamis, tropical storms in the East Sea and trans-border ash clouds.


Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Van Duc, told the gathering that Southeast Asia is one of the regions to be most frequently hit by natural disasters, which occur because of both meteorological and geophysical reasons.


He also said the meteorology and geo-physics sub-committee has taken part in many projects and stepped up international cooperation to improve member countries’ capacity in this area, especially weather forecasting, to deal with the socio-economic impacts of natural disasters around the region.


Source: VNA


Source: QDND

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HCM City to host largest int’l telecom, IT expo

In Uncategorized on May 10, 2010 at 4:50 pm




HCM City to host largest int’l telecom, IT expo


QĐND – Monday, May 10, 2010, 22:19 (GMT+7)

The 2010 international and conference on telecom, IT, Internet and electronics, which will take place in Ho Chi Minh City from November 17-20, is considered to be the ever largest event and most prestigious of its kind in Vietnam.


Speaking at a press briefing in Hanoi on May 10, Bui Quoc Viet, Director of the Centre for Information and Public Relations under the Vietnam Post and Telecom Group (VNPT) stated that Vietnam has been considered as the world’s most attractive market for telecom, IT and electronics as the event will see the participation of telecom firms and groups from Singapore, France and China.


Vietnam Telecomp/ Electronics-Internet & IT 2010 is expected to draw 200 enterprises from 15 countries and territories. Vietnam’s giant telecom and IT providers, including VinaPhone, MobiFone, VDC and FPT, will participate in the event.


In 2010, Viet said, the country’s connectivity index increased by 16 levels, the most impressive achievements among developing countries. The result is considered as prerequisite for the nations’ telecom sector to fulfil a target of 10 billion USD in revenues this year.


Besides introducing products that benefit the socio-economic life like broadband, television and Internet and software, Vietnam Telecomp/ Electronics-Internet & IT 2010 will include several symposiums on developing the 3G services, broadband, multimedia and activities of providing information in the areas of radio and television broadcasting.


The International Telecommunications Alliance said Vietnam was among nations with highest telecom growth rate in the world in recent years.


By the end of April, the country’s number of telephone subscribers reached 143.8 million, a year-on-year increase of 56.2 percent. Of the figure, 123.9 million were mobile phone subscribers. The country also has about 3.2 million Internet subscribers with nearly 24.3 million users, making up 27.5 percent of the population.


Source: VNA


Source: QDND

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GE Energy rolls out first wind turbine generators in VN

In Uncategorized on May 10, 2010 at 4:49 pm




GE Energy rolls out first wind turbine generators in VN


QĐND – Monday, May 10, 2010, 22:21 (GMT+7)

The first wind turbine generators to be built in Vietnam rolled off the assembly line owned by GE Energy on May 10 at its factory in Nomura-Hai Phong Industrial Park in the northern city of Hai Phong .


After a year under construction the factory is now producing generators for wind turbines for export.


The plant, which was built at a cost of 61 million USD, will export GE Energy’s turbines and services around the globe.


The Hai Phong facility will provide an installation, maintenance and repair service for the components it produces.


Around 500 local people are expected to work at the factory.
GE Energy is a subsidiary of the global infrastructure, finance and media company General Electric, which employs more than 300,000 people worldwide.


Since 1960, GE Energy has provided technical support for a number of power generation projects in Vietnam.


Under a draft national power development strategy, currently being considered by the government, renewable energies will account for 5 per cent of the nation’s energy output by 2020, with wind and solar power accounting for half of all renewable energies.

According to a survey, 8.6 per cent of Vietnam’s land mass is suitable for generating power from the wind.


Source: VNA


Source: QDND

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UAE, Vietnam strengthen ties

In Uncategorized on May 10, 2010 at 4:48 pm




UAE, Vietnam strengthen ties


QĐND – Monday, May 10, 2010, 22:19 (GMT+7)

A delegation from the Vietnam National Assembly visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from May 3-8 at the invitation of the UAE Federal National Council (FNC).


On May 6, the delegation, led by Nguyen Minh Thuyet, Vice Head of the Committee for Culture, Education and Children, met with a FNC delegation, headed by Sultan Saqer al Suwaidi, who is President of the Committee for Education, Youth, Information and Culture.


Both sides briefed each other on their respective country’s situation and discussed ways of stepping up cooperation in this field.


During their stay in the UAE, the Vietnamese delegates visited various economic and cultural establishments in the capital city of Abu Dhabi and the city of Dubai, including the country’s largest university – Sharjah.


At Sharjah, they were warmly welcomed by the lecturers and students from the Faculty of Technology. They met with some female students who had come to Vietnam to help build houses for poor people in My Tho in 2009.


Both the lecturers and students at the university said they would like to set up links with Vietnamese colleges and universities.


Source: VOV


Source: QDND

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Nam Dinh promotes advantages of developing human resources

In Uncategorized on May 10, 2010 at 4:46 pm




Nam Dinh promotes advantages of developing human resources


QĐND – Monday, May 10, 2010, 22:19 (GMT+7)

Nam Dinh should promote the advantages of human resources to accelerate the application of advanced technologies in production and quickly develop industry, agriculture and high-quality services.


Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung made the statement during a working session with Nam Dinh provincial leaders on May 10.


He praised Nam Dinh province’s socio-economic achievements in recent years, such as the annual economic growth rate of 10 percent, industrial and services proportion of more than 70 percent and the number of poor households at 6 percent. This is a significant result but the province should not be selective, Mr Dung said, as its average per capita income and competitiveness are still low and there are no key products.


PM Dung asked provincial leaders to make a breakthrough in the next years. In the initial period, the province must fulfill set socio-economic development targets for 2010, step up industrial and agricultural production and services, and continue to develop handicraft industry. PM Dung said leaders should encourage all economic sectors to invest in industries of high added value, such as electronics, and accelerate disbursement of investment capital as well as better carry out social welfare policies and administrative reform. They should also make careful preparations for organisation of Party congresses at grassroots level.


Also on the same day, PM Dung made fact-finding tours of a project to build a new road linking Nam Dinh and Phu Ly, and a landslide on the Dao River. The province is asking the Government to provide around VND200 billion to build the 8km-embankment of the Dao River.


Source: VOV


 


Source: QDND