Floating on the delta

Every visitor to Can Tho will inevitably spend at least a morning at Cai Rang floating market, a vibrant, colourful and revealing symbol of the Mekong Delta’s largest city.

Life at Cai Rang floating market rises before the sun. By 5am the market is up and running. It is essentially a floating, wholesale greengrocer’s. Traders come from across the Mekong’s network of waterways and canals to buy and sell fruit and vegetables.

To see the market come alive, we decide to rise at the ungodly hour of 4am – it’s only a 6km trip from the centre of Can Tho. You have two options. You can take a boat from Ninh Kieu Quay, a small boat with 5-7 seats can be rented for VND300,000 ($15), while larger boats cost VND500,000 ($25). The second option is taking a bus from Binh An market and hiring a boat at the market for VND30,000 per person ($1.50). You can also hire the whole boat for VND150,000 ($7).

It’s our first time to the market. At first we’re not interested in buying anything. We just soak up the atmosphere as the sun, noise and excitement rise simultaneously. The din of the boat engines makes it hard to hear much; nevertheless, our boatman endeavours to tell us about the market. Each boat advertises its wares by hanging a sample off a long upright pole. This way you can see from a distance what is on offer and nobody really needs to shout. The boating skill of the traders is impressive. They suddenly twist their boat to sidle in alongside us with just the tiniest of gaps on offer. One boat catering for tourists calmly crosses our path. Cold water? Coconuts? Yes, please!

The floating market is like a village. People come for the wholesale market but additional trades flourish as a result of this mercantile gathering. You can buy breakfast – half-hatched egg, hu tieu or pho noodle soup, chao ca (rice porridge with fish). You can also find medicine, clothes, cosmetics, and many other odds, and ends. You can even find people selling lottery tickets.

The boats also double as homes. People hang washing ‘on the line’ or place potted plants on the deck. Inside you will find furniture – tables and chairs, and beds.

Our boatman is Huynh Van Phuoc, who has lived by Cai Rang market for 50 years. He tells us that life at Cai Rang market is not easy. He lives in a boat by the river’s edge. His children were born and raised there.

“We still have enough to support the family in sending children to school, but hardship and poverty have always stayed with us. It is not a spiritually rewarding life,” says Phuoc.

Here and there, by piles of pumpkins, corn, oranges or watermelons, we see women washing clothes over basins or cooking up breakfast over a charcoal stove. A group of kids play with a dog while a young mother coos her baby son to sleep.

Some locals tell us that the floating market is not as crowded as it used to be as many merchants sell their products on the river bank. Although it is still an appealing destination for visitors, many of the traders want the market to be managed more carefully in order to preserve the market and improve living conditions.

There are also environmental issues for the people of Cai Rang with the twin threats of climate change and low water level in the Mekong (caused by hydro-power works further upstream) enhancing the risk of floods and droughts downstream in Vietnam.

After visiting for the first time, I hope this fascinating symbol of the Mekong Delta will survive, in order to save something which seems to be quintessentially Vietnamese.

Timeout

Gaddafi killed in gun battle as Libya's ruling NTC controls Sirte

Libya's fallen leader Muammar Gaddafi died of wounds around Thursday noon after his capture in Sirte, after nearly two months on the run, as fighters of the ruling National Transitional Council (NTC) claimed control of Gaddafi's hometown.

Mahmoud Jibril, head of the NTC's executive committee, confirmed Thursday at a press conference held in Tripoli that Gaddafi, who has ruled the North African country for 42 years, was killed in his hometown Sirte, some 450 km east of Tripoli. NTC troops had surrounded the Mediterranean coastal town of Sirte for weeks to break the last stronghold of Gaddafi. However, the NTC forces faced tough resistance of Gaddafi loyalists.
NTC field commander Momhemed Buras Ali Al-Maknee told Xinhua earlier that Gaddafi was found trying to flee by a group of NTC fighters from the western Libyan city of Misrata in Sirte, who was then severely injured.
At an evening press conference in the capital, Jibril said that Gaddafi was pulled out from a drainage hole in Sirte on Thursday morning, and that he was "completely in good health" when he was captured by NTC fighters.
Wearing his underwear and trousers and armed with a gun, Gaddafi, the former ruler of the North African country did not resist the arrest, Jibril told reporters.
Gaddafi was shot by a bullet in his right hand as he was to be sent onto a NTC pickup truck, Jibril said, stressing that he had no other injuries before the truck moved.
But when the vehicle started moving, there occurred "a cross- fire between the revolutionaries and the (Gaddafi) loyalists," when Gaddafi was shot and injured in his head, Jibril said, without confirming on whether the shot was made by the NTC fighters or Gaddafi's troops.
VietNamNet/Xinhuanet

U.S. Senate approves Bryson as commerce secretary

The U.S. Senate Thursday confirmed seasoned businessman John Bryson as U.S. Commerce Secretary, one week after the Democratic and Republican lawmakers approved free trade agreements with Republic of Korea, Colombia and Panama.

File photo shows the nominee for U.S. Secretary of the Department of Commerce John Bryson attends a hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation at the Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., capital of the United States, June 21, 2011. (Xinhua File Photo)

U.S. President Barack Obama in May nominated John Bryson as the next secretary of commerce, replacing Gary Locke, the current U.S. ambassador to China. His confirmation was delayed partly because some conservative Republicans objected the nomination, as they branded Bryson as an environmentalist.
Bryson is the former chairman and chief executive officer of Edison International, a California-based public utility company, from 1990 to 2008. He also serves on several leading U.S. corporate boards, including The Boeing Company, The Walt Disney Company and among others.
"As secretary of commerce, John Bryson will be a key member of my economic team, working with the business community to promote job creation, foster growth, and help open up new markets around the world for American-made goods," Obama said in a statement after the Senate confirmation.
"At such a critical time for our economy, I nominated John because I believe his decades of experience both in the public and private sector have given him a clear understanding of what it takes to put America on a stronger economic footing and create jobs," Obama added.
VietNamNet/Xinhuanet

Officials, readers back Transport Minister’s golf-playing ban

VietNamNet Bridge – Many officials from the Ministry of Transport said they support Minister Dinh La Thang’s golf-playing ban because golf is a costly, time-consuming and inappropriate sport at the time many transports are deadlocked.

TransportMinister bans his inferiors from playing golf

“Head of the Ministry of Justice’s Legal Document Checking Department Le Hong Son, said Mr. Thang’s ban is violation of civil rights and public servant rights, but it is not true. This is an internal ban, which doesn’t affect many people so it is not a by-law document,” said Tran Ngoc Thanh, chief of the Ministry of Transport’s Transportation Department.

According to Thanh, Minister Thang’s request of his subordinates to not play golf is reasonable, because many transport projects stagnate now while gridlocks are popular in big cities. Transport officials, thus, need to concentrate their time and efforts in dealing with these problems, instead of playing golf.

“I can play golf but I have not played this sport for two years to focus on my job. During business trips, I have to take advantage of waiting time at airports or on airplanes to write reports. During weekends, I have to make bus service survey. I have no time to relax not alone playing golf,” Thanh said.

Tran Van Cuu, head of the Ministry of Transport’s Waterway Transport Department, said he and many other officials of this department agreed with Minister Thang’s ban.

“Golf is an expensive sport, which is only suitable to entrepreneurs and very rich people, public servants cannot afford this sport. I don’t know how to play golf and nobody has called for me to play this sport,” Cuu said.

He said many directors of companies under the Ministry of Transport play tennis or badminton. These sports are acceptable because they are not costly and time-taking.

Pham Huu Son, Chairman of Transport Design and Consultation Corporation, said that officials of the transport sector are very busy so they do not have time to play golf.

“I don’t play golf so the Minister’s ban doesn’t affect me. This regulation is based on officials’ self-awareness, no need any supervisory measure,” Son added.

Trinh Hong Quang, Deputy General Director of Vietnam Airlines Corporation, said that he and his subordinates will stop playing golf to focus efforts on their duties.

“I understand the Minister’s command. In this situation, each person needs to sacrifice their personal hobby for the common goal. This is not a general appeal. Vietnam Airlines completely support the Minister’s instruction,” Quang said.

Public servants complain of low salary, why they play golf?

According to the survey of VNExpress, an online newspaper, over 60 percent of readers agreed with Minister Thang’s golf-playing ban. Behind Mr. Thang’s time-consuming reason, many readers questioned “how can public servants play that expensive sport?”

“Many people always complain that the salary of public servants is very low, which is not enough to cover fundamental needs of life. Where does money come from for them to pay golf club memberships and buy expensive equipment? I have to pay personal income tax but I cannot afford to play tennis so my sport is running. People are poor but officials play golf. What is the ethics? I think it is needed to ban officials from playing golf,” a reader named Dang wrote.

Another reader named Quang Tuan, who works at a State-owned enterprise, also agreed with Mr. Thang’s ban. He wrote: “Our country is very poor. Many projects are implemented slowly, causing heavy losses for the state and stirring up discontentment among people. Any decision will be protested by some people, but let’s sacrifice the self for the country’s development.”

Many employees of the Ministry of Transport backed the golf-playing ban. Reader Luong Son wrote: “I agree with the Minister’s point of view and I think that he should have more power to make reforms in the transport sector.”

Reader Tran Manh Toan wrote that Mr. Thang only mentioned “time-consuming” as the reason for his ban but there are other reasons, especially “how can officials afford this expensive sport?”

“How is the salary of transport officials? Do you need to relax to work better then? It seems that it is not true,” Toan wrote.

A reader named Huyen commented that Minister Thang’s decision proves the spirit “dare to think and dare to do” for the country’s development and suggested that Mr. Thang should call for peoples support to his policy, no need to issue the ban.

Some readers disagreed with Mr. Thang’s decision. Reader Tran Van Phu wrote: “Many companies have special treatment policy for high-ranking personnel, such as giving them cars, houses, etc. to create excellent working conditions for them. Golf is just a sport that they like. It is absurd to ban golf!”

This reader said Minister Thang can punish any official who plays golf during working hours and he cannot intervene in their activities outside working hours.

Some readers said Mr. Thang’s ban is extreme but they still back it. “The best way is how to prevent officials from doing their personal tasks during working hours. For example, the Minister can ban them from playing golf from Monday through Friday only. Anyone who violates the regulation will be heavily punished,” a reader suggested.

PV

Tour operators downbeat on int’l arrivals

Most tour operators in the inbound segment worry about a fall in international visitor arrivals though the high season has started, as the global economic slump has taken its toll on the hospitality industry.

The high season for inbound tourism lasts from October to March, but the number of customers from Asian markets this season is estimated to fall 20%-30% year-on-year at Lac Hong Voyages Co., Ltd.
Similarly, Vietravel has recorded a sharp fall in the number of tourists from Europe and the United States. Some other tour operators forecast a slump of up to 30% in arrivals from Europe.

“Sometimes, we receive no bookings from customers even though we have done our best to attract them,” said Vietravel’s general director Nguyen Quoc Ky.

The global crisis has forced many travelers to cut down on spending, he said.

Europe known as the main visitor-generating market for Vietnam is now mired in the sovereign debt crisis, while Japan among other Northeast Asian nations is suffering from heavy damages caused by natural disasters.

Travel firms also attributed the fall in foreign visitors to the uncompetitive price on the local tourism market coupled with boring tourism products.

Most travel agencies reported a price hike of at least 15%-25% for package tours compared to the same period last year. Consequently, the local industry players find it hard to compete with foreign rivals who offer customers better prices.

“In other countries, when the price of gasoline increases, members in the tourism industry join forces together to overcome the difficulty, which hasn’t been seen in Vietnam so far,” Ky of Vietravel complained.

Another woe of the domestic tourism industry is poor products, pointed out Tran Vinh Loc, director of Lac Hong Voyages.

Local travel agencies have merely offered tours based on natural attractions along with shopping venues only, instead of arranging attractive entertainment services and other night programs for visitors.

Loc took the case of South Korea and Thailand as examples, in which the former offers a wide selection of shows to travelers and the latter often enriches its artistic programs with the participation of foreign art troupes in a bid to lure tourists.

“Given poor programs, we have failed to satisfy our customers who are offered only the Cu Chi Tunnels-Binh Tay Market-Ben Thanh Market route for one-day travel,” Loc said.

SGT

Vietnam’s travel firms anxiously awaiting foreign tourists

VietNamNet Bridge – It is now the high inbound tourism season. However, travel firms seem to be not too optimistic about the number of travelers.

The high inbound tourism season in winter lasts from October to March. While some travel firms put high hopes on the new season, many others only wish they will have the same number of clients as the same period of the last year. Especially, some have reported sharp falls in the number of travelers who have booked tours so far.

According to Lac Hong Voyages, travelers from Asian markets may decrease by 20-30 percent in comparison with the last year’s winter. Vietravel has reported little increases from South East Asian and Japanese markets, but sharp falls have been anticipated for other markets, including Europe and the US.

The same situation is occurring with many other travel firms. Especially, some of them have predicted the sharp decrease of 30 percent of the European market.

“We feel worried now and we have been trying to attract more travelers. It is very difficult to find the partners who can provide travelers,” said Nguyen Quoc Ky, General Director of Vietravel.

The gloomy picture of Vietnam’s tourism proves to be not a surprise at all. The bad global economic performance has forced consumers to cut down their expenses. Meanwhile, Vietnam’s key markets are facing some serious problems. Europe, which includes the US, Germany, France, Spain and Italia, is in big economic difficulties. The US, Australia and North East Asian countries, including Japan, are also facing the same challenges.

The best solution to lure more tourists to Vietnam, according to travel firms, is lowering tour fees. However, the firms believe that this is “an impossible mission” for now, when everything is getting more and more expensive, which has made the input costs higher.

Regarding the tour fees, most of international travel firms have affirmed that the fees would increase at least by 15-25 percent this season in comparison with the same period of the last year, even though travel firms have to accept lower profits.

In the global economic downturn, foreign partners have continuously asked Vietnamese travel firms to reduce fees. Meanwhile, service providers (road transport, restaurant, hotel, meals) in Vietnam all are attempting to raise fees, which make it impossible to design competitive products to lure more travelers.

According to Ky of Vietravel, the fees of the tours to Vietnam are always higher than the tours to other neighboring destinations. However, the tour fees keep increasing year after year.

“In other countries, the petrol price increase has also badly affected the tourism industry. However, the involved parties can sit together and cooperate to lower tour fees to attract more travelers. But in Vietnam, no cooperation agreement can be reached,” Ky said.

Meanwhile, Tran Vinh Loc, Director of Lac Hong Voyages, believes that the biggest weakness of Vietnam’s tourism is the lack of attractive products. Foreign travelers come to Vietnam mostly to enjoy natural beautiful landscapes and go shopping, while they have nowhere to go if they want to enjoy entertainment services at night.

This proves to be quite different from South Korea, where travelers have 12 choices every night. Meanwhile, Thailand and Singapore also have diversified art performance shows.

In fact, the travelers to HCM City do not have many places to go, except some familiar places. They go to Cu Chi tunnel, a historical site, in the morning, then to the Binh Tay Market in the afternoon and then to Ben Thanh Market in the evening to enjoy special food and buy some souvenirs.

Vietnamese travel firms also feel worried because of the competition of other regional destinations such as Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand which have launched continued noisy marketing strategies.

Vietnam has witnessed considerable decreases in the number of foreign travelers to Vietnam recently, after it saw sharp increases in many months. The number of foreign travelers to Vietnam in September 2011, dropped by 25.3 percent from the same period of the last year. Especially, China and Cambodia, two of the five markets with the highest growth rates of 35.9 percent and 68percent in August, also saw decreases.

Source: TBKTSG

Saigon’s trade streets

vietNamNet Bridge – Saigon has streets of Chinese traditional medicines, ornamental birds and fish, wedding invitation cards, etc.

Nguyen Thong has been the street for ornamental fish, fish tanks and everything related to ornamental
 fish for around 20 years.





Trieu Quang Phuc Road is the home for scissors making and repairing enterprises
and scissors shops for 35 years.





3/2 and Nguyen Dinh Chieu roads are called the “happy roads” because there are many
shops providing wedding services there.





Nguyen Thien Thuat Street in district 3 is the street for musical instruments. Many shops
have been working for 30-40 years.





Ly Thai To is the street for wedding invitation cards.





Le Thanh Ton street in district 1 is the street for shoe repair.





Le Hong Phong road in district 10 is the street for ornamental birds and pets.





Hai Thuong Lan Ong is the street for Chinese traditional medicines.

VNE

Ba Na - “the green fairy”

Sitting 1,487km above sea level and within spitting distance of Da Nang City, the Ba Na resort area offers a wonderful respite for any weary traveller.

With its awesome landscape and year-round cool, Ba Na serves up the perfect alternative to the hustle and bustle of the city. However, the resort’s only accessible by a tortuous but spectacular 20km road running from the foot of the mountain across mist-covered hillsides.

The first attraction to thrill tourists is the clear skies and puffy clouds floating over the valleys below and spectacular panoramic views of Da Nang City, Thung Bay (with its semi-circle coastline from the foot of Hai Van Pass Tunnel to Son Tra Peninsula), My Khe Beach, Ngu Hanh (Marcle) Mountains, and Thu Bon River (embracing fertile fields in Quang Nam province).

The blue waves of the Eastern Sea lapping Cham Island are visible and the picturesque landscape is breathtaking.

Tourists can enjoy four seasons in one day: spring in the morning, summer at noon, a little of autumn in the afternoon, and a cold winter bite at night. Ba Na’s weather is unique. In Ba Na, rain often falls only halfway up the hill, leaving the peak and the sky above clear and the views spectacular.

The French turned Ba Na into a resort in 1901. In 1912, a progressive governor general of Indochina designated the area as a forestry reserve. However, in 1930, the French reclassified Ba Na as a holiday resort for French officers and built hotels and villas. After decades of war and neglect, the structures fell into disrepair. Then, in 2000, developers reclaimed Ba Na from the jungle. A tourist town rose from the ruins.

The areas greatest asset is its pristine eco-system and temperate climate. Ba Na is famous for its bio-diversity. Its flora and fauna contain over 544 tree species (including six rare species) and 256 vertebrates, all of which are recorded in Vietnam’s Red Book.

Endangered vertebrates include the crested argus, the Asian black bear, the yellow-cheeked gibbon, and lignum aquilariae, along with several other species yet to be listed that are thought to survive in small numbers, protected only by the pristine wilderness.

Stone steps lead adventuresome tourists to 18th century Linh Ung Pagoda, which houses ancient documents about the temple’s history and boasts a 30m tall statue of Buddha.

French wine cellars built during the colonial period which are still used for aging the locally grown products, are another attraction. Wine-tasting tours are popular with many visitors.

Suoi Mo (Mo Stream) near the magical Thach Tien Waterfall is another favourite spot for tourists during muggy summer days. Mist created by the waterfall looks like “fairy hair”.

The Ba Na area has many facilities, including villas, hotels, restaurants, tennis courts, and many other services. Most impressive is the new cable car that links the Ba Na Peak to Mo Stream. Strung between 22 pillars, its 94 cars can carry 1,500 people on a wonderful journey through the jungle.

People often call the unspoiled environment of Ba Na “Green Fairy”, for it provides a great opportunity for visitors to Da Nang to savor the jungle and enjoy an unforgettable experience among the clouds.

Ba Na in pictures:

PV/VOV

Big hotel chains snub Tourism Awards

Famous hotel brands such as Sheraton, Sofitel and Hilton snubbed the Vietnam Tourism Awards 2010 which announced its winners last week.

Any hotels keen to win awards have to register and then be examined by Vietnam Tourism Association or local tourism management agencies.

However, several five-star international hotels did not apply, according to Vietnam Tourism Association.
Saigontourist Holding Co. has up to 12 hotels earning awards with New World, Caravelle, Rex, Majestic, Palace, Grand, Yasaka Saigon Nha Trang, De Nhat, Continental, Saigon-Halong, Saigon-Phu Quoc Resort and Bong Sen.

The top 10 five-star hotels were New World, Caravelle, Rex, Renaissance Riverside, Hanoi Daewoo, Majestic, Ana Mandara, Vinpearl Resort and Spa, Windsor Plaza and Six Senses Ninh Van Bay.

The top 10 four-star hotels were Palace, Grand, Yasaka Saigon Nha Trang, De Nhat, Continental, Hoi An Beach Resort, Saigon-Halong, Palace, Saigon-Phu Quoc Resort and Lang Tre Mui Ne Tourist Site.

The top 10 three-star hotels were Bong Sen, Victory, Vien Dong, Vung Tau Intourco Resort, Hoa Binh, Petro Song Tra, Rex, Festival, Cuu Long and Cong Doan Vietnam.

The annual tourism awards are granted based on criteria of room occupancy rate, business result, food hygiene and safety and environment hygiene.

Together with granting Vietnam’s leading hotels in 2010, the association has also announced leading tour operator awards.

Winners received their awards at the Hanoi Opera House on October 17.

SGT

Vietnam to open new embassy, consulates general

The Government on Feb. 11 issued a resolution to establish an embassy and two consulates general abroad.
Under Resolution no 09/NQ-CP, the new establishments will include the Vietnamese Embassy in Colombo , Sri Lanka and the Vietnamese Consulates Generals in Perth, Australia and Vancouver, Canada./.

Eurozone finance ministers meet to discuss Greece, EFSF reform

Eurozone finance ministers met on Monday to discuss the situation in Greece and reform of the temporary rescue fund in a bid to contain spill-over of the sovereign debt crisis.

A joint mission from the troika, namely the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund, is in Athens now to assess the situation in Greece and whether to deliver the next tranche of loans to the debt-laden country. The Greek government has said that if it doesn't receive the 8 billion euros by mid-October it could go bankrupt.
"We are currently assessing whether Greece will meet its fiscal targets with the current measures," Rehn said before the meeting, adding "it seems that Greece is likely to miss the target."
The ministers will not make a decision on whether to pay the sixth tranche of loans to Greece before the troika makes an assessment of the Greek situation, but the worsening debt crisis of Athens will surely dominate their meeting on Monday night.
German Finance Ministers Wolfgang Schaeuble said on arrival for the meeting that speculating about payment of the loans to Greece made no sense.
Besides Greece, the ministers are also discussing reform of the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), which analysts said was hard to cover the cost of bailing out larger economies such as Italy and Spain should the sovereign debt crisis spreads.
It was reported that European officials are thinking of increasing the capacity of the EFSF to about 2 trillion euros through leveraging of the EFSF.
Finnish Finance ministers Jutta Urpilainen said that the ministers will discuss leveraging of the rescue fund but he said "we don't want to increase the capacity of the EFSF."
"We will talk about the implementation of the EFSF reform," Schaeuble said, but he insisted that only 10 percent of the EFSF has been tapped and there is no point in speculating now.
The eurozone is under great pressure to prevent the crisis from spreading to bigger economies since turbulence on the financial market is threatening to hamper economic growth of the 17-member bloc.
European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Olli Rehn said: "We have a very important meeting at a critical juncture today. We are facing three main challenges: stalling growth, stressed sovereigns and still vulnerable banks."
VietNamNet/Xinhuanet
online visa service: http://myvietnam-visa.com/

‘Yellow autumn' draws visitors to Mu Cang Chai

VietNamNet Bridge – In autumn, the fields of Mu Cang Chai turn varying shades of brilliant yellow and are filled with life as ethnic Mong farmers, wearing traditional attire, harvest the abundance of ripe rice and shoulder bags of the grain home over mountains and hills and across swinging suspension bridges.

Making hay: Mong farmers in traditional attire harvest a bumper rice crop. (Photo: VNS)

Terraced fields, which rise and fall on hills and mountainsides as well as streams and rivers, are beautiful all year round. Visitors in March are treated to the sight of glittering ponds. Locals transplant rice seedlings from April to May. After that, all hills are covered by an everlasting green. Rice fields start to turn yellow with ripeness from early September. "Harvest lasts from now to mid October. You will see the full beauty of terraced fields during that time," says Vang A Doi, chairman of the De Xu Phinh Commune People's Committee.
Terraced rice fields are visible from virtually everywhere in the district as they expand over 2,200ha, including 500ha in Che Cu Nha, La Pan Tan and De Xu Phinh communes. The terraced fields in these villages were recognised as a national heritage in 2007 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
A trek through these villages offers a fabulous view inside the lives of the Mong people. Young boys are often seen joyfully playing on the roadside. In the distance, huts used to provide cover as farmers watch over their harvest dot the vista.
From Trong Tong Hamlet in La Pan Tan, terraces pour onto each other from above like yellow stairs calling people to heaven.
"As I think about the wonder of Mu Cang Chai, I find it hard to restrain my happiness as I take in the beauty before my eyes. In fact, this scene has inspired me to love life and labour. I love my country more because of the simple things it offers," says 20-year-old Bui Xuan Giang, an adventurous traveller.

Misty mountain: Clouds shroud the Khau Pha mountain pass to present a picturesque fairy tale scene. — File Photo

Rice fields are not only a source of food and income for the Mong; they are an intrinsic part of their culture and of Mu Cang Chai, which is itself a quiet district on the bank of the Nam River. "If any one asks me where I plan to go this autumn, I will reply without hesitation that I plan on visiting Mu Cang Chai, a district in Yen Bai Province, some 300km north of Ha Noi," says Giang.
To reach Mu Cang Chai from Ha Noi, you should follow the beautiful route of Road 32. Do not forget to stop at Tu Le Town in Van Chan District on harvest days to enjoy the outstanding flavour of sticky rice with chicken. In this town, local people harvest unripe rice to make green rice flakes which have the aromatic flavour that speaks of the beginning of autumn.
At this time, some of the rice fields scattered in the valley are turning a dark yellow which brings a sweet-scented ambience throughout the vast valley.
After leaving Tu Le, you will follow the Khau Pha mountain pass to travel the 27km between Van Chan and Mu Cang Chai. The name of the mountain pass literally means "sky's horn".
In the morning, the pass is typically hidden in a thick fog, making it impossible to see more than two metres in front of you.
"Sometimes, I have to close my eyes because of the curves. However, when I reach the summit, where cool breezes blow throughout the year, I have a sense that I've reached the gates of heaven and am standing on a cloud. In fact, when I stand at the top of Khau Pha pass, I can barely believe my eyes. Off in the distance, I see rooftops peeking out among tree covered hills and yellow rice fields. The fluffy clouds swirling below me are like a beautiful props from a fairy tale," says Giang.

Mellow yellow: In autumn, the fields of Mu Cang Chai turn varying shades of brilliant yellow. (Photo: VNS)

In addition to terraced fields, Mu Cang Chai was blessed with naturally beautiful flora and fauna and outstanding geographic features, including vast mountain ranges with high peaks which have protected the people for ages, says Doi. With forest area covering 80,000ha, researchers have found 22 reptile species, 127 bird species and 53 animal species, notably 200 individual black lemurs. There are animal reserves in Mu Cang Chai's Che Tao, De Xu Phinh and Pung Luong hamlets.
"I used to think that Mu Cang Chai was an isolated and desolate land with ethnic people living silently near the base of the mountain. However, my mind changed when I finally had the change to visit," says Giang.
Giang recommends a stop at the Giang stream in Van Chan for a soak in the jacuzzi to relax after a long day of adventure. You can also buy some aromatic San Tuyet tea to take home as a gift for family and friends at home.
VietNamNet/Viet Nam News

Google quarterly earnings top estimates

The Internet search giant Google on Thursday released its third fiscal quarter earnings report, posting strong numbers that beat analysts' estimates.

The Mountain View, California-based company reported revenue of 9.72 billion U.S. dollars for the quarter ending Sept. 30, 2011, an increase of 33 percent on a year-on-year basis. Google reported a profit of 2.73 billion dollars, compared to 2. 17 billion dollars in the same period last year. The earning per share, excluding certain items, is 9.72 dollars, topping the average estimate of 8.74 dollars per share polled by Thomson Reuters.
"We had a great quarter," said Google co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Larry Page in a statement. "Google+ is now open to everyone and we just passed the 40 million user mark. People are flocking into Google+ at an incredible rate and we are just getting started."
Many analysts took the third quarter to examine the company's progress towards expanding its core business beyond advertising which accounted for 96 percent of its revenue last year. In the past quarter, Google made major investments in several key businesses, such as social networking and mobile.
In August, Google announced a 12.5-billion-dollar acquisition of Motorola Mobility, a move widely seen to get Motorola's patent portfolio to protect its Android software against a growing number of infringement lawsuits by rival mobile platforms. The deal is expected to close later this year or early next year.
Since its late-June launch, the Google+ social network has been receiving a good response, posing to shake up the social networking space dominated by Facebook.
In September, Google also officially launched Google Wallet, a mobile payment allowing users to pay by tapping an Android smartphone against a compatible card reader.
VietNamNet/Xinhuanet

Hong Kong and Vietnam Tourism Ambassadors vote for Ha Long Bay

VietNamNet Bridge – In her first business trip as Vietnam’s Tourism Ambassador, actress Ly Nha Ky and Hong Kong Tourism Ambassador, famous singer and actress Joey Yung, held T-shirts with Ha Long Bay pictures to call for Hong Kong people to vote for this landscape as the new world natural wonder.

From the left: Hong Kong billionaire Anne Shek, Ly Nha Ky, Vietnam’s Consul General in
Hong Kong Nguyen Thi Nha and a Hong Kong businesswoman.





Ly Nha Ky (white ao dai) in Hong Kong.

Ly Nha Ky’s business trip to Hong Kong on October 9 was her first event at the Asian Tourism Ministerial Forum. In front of Hong Kong investors, journalists and artists and some Vietnamese investors in Hong Kong, the Vietnam Tourism Ambassador spoke about the beauty of Ha Long Bay, the way to vote for this site and presented attendants with T-shirts with Ha Long pictures.

Ly Nha Ky and Mr. Luis Chavit Singson.

On October 12 in Manila, the Philippines, Ky met with Luis Chavit Singson, national security advisor and governor of Ilocos Sur province. The Filipino official said he would call for his citizens to vote for Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay. His wife was also very keen on this activity.

Ky also talked with Xuede Lu, director of the Asian Development Bank, who committed to organize an event for his staffs to vote for Ha Long Bay.

Ly Nha Ky and Xuede Lu, director of the Asian Development Bank.

Earlier, Ky met with over 500 students of the Hanoi Tourism College, on October 6.

Two American economic professors share 2011 Nobel Prize for Economics

Two American economic professors shared 2011 Nobel Prize for Economics, announced Staffan Normark, Permanent Secretary of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm on Monday.

The screen pictures show US Thomas Sargent (R) and Christopher Sims who were awarded the 2011 Nobel economics prize in Stockholm, Sweden, Oct. 10, 2011. The two American economists won the 2011 Nobel Prize in Economics, announced Staffan Normark, Permanent Secretary of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm on Monday. (Xinhua/Liu Yinan)

"The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel for 2011 to Thomas J. Sargent from New York University of USA and Christopher A. Sims from Princeton University of USA for their empirical research on cause and effect in the macroeconomy," said Normark. This year's Laureates in economic sciences have developed methods for answering many questions regarding the causal relationship between economic policy and different macroeconomic variables such as GDP, inflation, employment and investments, the Nobel Committee said in a statement.
Policy affects the economy, but the economy also affects policy. The expectations of the private sector regarding future economic activity and policy influence decisions about wages, saving and investments
Economic-policy decisions are influenced by expectations about developments in the private sector, the statement explained.
The Laureates' methods can be applied to identify these causal relationships and explain the role of expectations. This makes it possible to ascertain the effects of unexpected policy measures as well as systematic policy shifts, the statement said.
Sargent has shown how structural macroeconometrics can be used to analyze permanent changes in economic policy such as macroeconomic relationships when households and firms adjust their expectations concurrently with economic developments.
Sargent has also examined the post-World War II era, when many countries initially tended to implement a high-inflation policy, but eventually introduced systematic changes in economic policy and reverted to a lower inflation rate, according to the statement.
Sims has developed a method based on so-called vector autoregression to analyze how the economy is affected by temporary changes in economic policy and other factors.
Sims and other researchers have applied this method to examine, for instance, the effects of an increase in the interest rate set by a central bank.
It usually takes one or two years for the inflation rate to decrease, whereas economic growth declines can be reverted to its normal development at a slower pace.
The Nobel Committee said that although the two carried out their research independently, their contributions are complementary in several ways.
The laureates' seminal work during the 1970s and 1980s has been adopted by both researchers and policymakers throughout the world. Today, the methods developed by Sargent and Sims are essential tools in macroeconomic analysis, the committee said.
Born in 1943 in the United States, Sargent got his Ph. D from Harvard University in 1968 and is Professor of Economics and Business at New York University.
Sims is also a U.S. citizen and graduated from Harvard University in the same year as a Ph. D. He is Professor of Princeton University in the United States.
The two laureates will equally share the 10 million Swedish kronor (about 1.5 million U.S. dollars) prize.
The economics award, established in 1968 and officially called The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, is the last of the six prizes announced this year. It is not part of the original crop of Nobel Prizes set out in Alfred Nobel's 1895 will.
VietNamNet/Xinhuanet

Jetstar Pacific suspends Hanoi-Nha Trang service

VietNamNet Bridge - Jetstar Pacific Airlines has called off its daily flights between Hanoi and Nha Trang City after more than three months of flying to the city in Khanh Hoa Province in summer.

The local low-cost carrier confirmed suspension of the flights between Noi Bai Airport and Cam Ranh Airport that it began in late May this year, attributing to low seating occupancy after the National Day holiday from September 2 to 4.

According to airlines and travel firms, demand for air demand increased dramatically for the flights from Hanoi to Danang, Nha Trang, Hue, Phu Quoc and Con Dao, and vice versa last summer when tourists flocked to seaside sites for their vacations.

Daily flights with high factor enabled Jetstar Pacific to register a year-on-year rise of 14% to around 1.3 million passengers in the first seven months of this year. In this period, the second biggest carrier operated more than 8,100 domestic flights.  
Jetstar Pacific said the Hanoi-Nha Trang service suspension had not impacted on passengers and travel companies as they were informed in advance of its plan to operate flights between Noi Bai and Cam Ranh airports before it serviced this route on May 24. The airline also blocked bookings for this route after September 4.

Last year, Jetstar Pacific flew between the capital city and the central coast city of Khanh Hoa Province within three months to make full use of high travel demand in summer. The airline suspended this route in other periods of the year.

Currently, Jetstar Pacific has flights to Danang, Hue and Vinh in central Vietnam. The country’s second largest carrier operates approximately 40 daily domestic flights a day, including those to and from HCMC, Hanoi and Haiphong cities.

Vietnam Airlines is now the only operator of daily service between Hanoi and Nha Trang. This national flag air carrier performs three daily return flights between the two destinations.

SGT

Germany, France vow to further integrate eurozone, expedite bank recapitalization

France and Germany will present new proposals to stabilize the eurozone by the end of this month and push forward some "important changes" in the European treaties, visiting French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Sunday.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L) and visiting French President Nicolas Sarkozy attend a press conference in Berlin, Germany, Oct. 9, 2011. Merkel said Sunday that Germany and France have agreed to recapitalise banks according to common criteria. (Xinhua/Ma Ning)

While addressing a joint news conference with Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, Sarkozy said France and Germany stress even more steps towards the further integration of the euro single currency zone, and to exert closer and more binding cooperation of eurozone countries to forestall any wanton spending extravagance. "We are fully aware of that France and Germany are especially responsibility for maintaining the stability of the single currency of euro," Sarkozy said, adding both sides need to respond to sustainability and comprehensiveness of eurozone prospect by the end of the month as "Europe must solve its problems by the G20 summit in Cannes."
Both leaders expressed the willingness to have a plan for recapitalization of commercial banks in Europe to be in full swing in a bid to expedite the economic coordination in the eurozone and solving Greece's debt crisis.
Germany and France are jointly take more concrete measures to have the commercial banks recapitalized in a more systematical method with regard to basic standard, said Merkel at the joint press conference, while vouching Germany's willness push through the recapitalization of its commercial banks with whatever measures necessary.
"We will present a complete package" for stabilizing the eurozone at the end of the month, Merkel added.
Sarkozy and Merkel met in Berlin for a much anticipated talk elaborating on European debt crisis, as both leaders agreed to settle the problems on the G20 leaders summit in the French Riviera resort of Cannes in early November.
Sarkozy said "global, lasting and quick response" to the crisis must be imminent.
Both leaders reached a concensus on immediate recapitalization of commercial banks once it is necessiated in a bid to guarantee the granting of credit to the normal economic activity.
However, the two leading economies in Europe disagree on the concrete measures to support commercial banks vulnerable to the spiralling sovereign debt crisis, to which the IMF estimates some 100 to 200 billion euros (135 billion to 270 billion U.S. dollars) to cover potential losses.
Germany wants the banks in trouble first resort to investors' funds, while France, on account of its concern of top-notched AAA credit rating, would get into European funds initially.
VietNamNet/Xinhuanet

Tourism growth in Vietnam depends on better infrastructure

Growth of tourism in the country depends on adequate and appropriate infrastructure, which serves the needs of tourists and encourages further investment by enterprises in the competitive tourism industry.

The government had tried to help the tourism industry to mobilize investment capital for infrastructure with its strategic promotional program “Vietnam tourism development, 2001-2010” that eventually attracted investments for 316 projects.

However, progress on many of these projects has either stalled or stopped and in many cases the construction progress is moving at a snails pace. Most of the projects face difficulties such as lack of capital and lack of synchronization and coordination between investors and local authorities.

Saigon Tourist, Vietnam's leading tourism company, currently runs 70 hotels and resorts nationwide. The travel corporation has implemented many projects, such as the four-star Sai Gon-Vinh Long hotel with a capital investment of VND157 billion, the four-star Sai Gon- Rach Gia hotel at VND177 billion and the five-star Sai Gon-Phu Quoc tourist complex worth US$85 million.

However, any investment by tourism companies in hotels and resorts will not yield the desired profits if local authorities do not pay attention to the basic infrastructure such as electricity, water and road transport, said Mr. Tran Hung Viet, general director of Saigon Tourist.

Recently the Ministry of Transport approved the construction of an airport project at a total investment cost of VND3.4 trillion in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang.

Neighboring provinces and cities are also calling on investors to build regional airports or expand and upgrade existing domestic airports to international status, even without any specific requirement.

The demand for airports by the Mekong Delta provinces and cities is not even rational, added Mr. Viet.

Economic experts say that local authorities will suffer huge losses if airports only fly one or two planes per day. Provinces need to spend more on excellent roadways and river traffic to make travel faster and more comfortable for tourists.

In addition, the government should encourage local authorities to join hands with each other to link traffic infrastructure across provinces to develop effective means to transport tourists and create favorable conditions for potential investors.

SGGP

Travel agents worried about Tourism Ambassador

The name of Vietnam’s first Tourism Ambassador, “Ly Nha Ky”, is likely a Chinese name, so it is difficult to help market Vietnam’s tourism to the world, said Viet Circle Tourism Company’s director, Phan Dinh Hue.

Actress Ly Nha Ky.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on September 21, appointed actress Ly Nha Ky as its first tourism ambassador for one year, starting from September 2011. The actress started her new role by a press conference in Hanoi on September 28. The decision has stirred up a public outcry.
Hue said that if Vietnam needs to have a beauty to welcome international visitors, Ly Nha Ky is a good choice, but she is not appropriate to be the country’s Tourism Ambassador. “Whether Ly Nha Ky has good knowledge of Vietnam’s tourism and the world tourism to do her job?” he wondered.
Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai, Fiditour’s representative, said that the tourism sector made a decision that is related to thousands of travel firms in Vietnam but it did not consult their opinions.
Phan Xuan Anh, director of Vietnam Travel Company, said that it is not important to have a tourism ambassador at this moment. He said the tourism sector should focus on key markets and profound activities rather than on surface activities.
“Ly Nha Ky does not make any considerable contribution to popular art, culture or tourism. On hearing her name, I can only think of someone who likes to expose her body,” said Ta Thi Cam Vinh, from the Ben Thanh Tourist.
Vu Huy Ngoc, from Vacation Travel Company, said that he wondered how Ly Nha Ky could persuade foreigner tourists to visit Vietnam when she herself is unpopular among travel agencies.
Cao Tri Dung, from Vitour, said choosing ambassadors should be publicized so that tourism businesses can nominate and vote.
Tran The Dung, from Young Generation Travel company, said a cultural ambassador should have a clean past while Ly Nha Ky involves with many scandals.
In May 2011, the actress angered many audiences when she wore a dress that showed part of her chest in a play titled “General Vo Nguyen Giap”, and the symphony of Dien Bien which was broadcast live on the national television channel.
At the Nha Trang Sea Festival in June, she was criticized for exhibiting 500 photos of herself in swimsuits and revealing clothes for a charity event. She is also criticized for taking many sexy photos. In addition, Ly Nha Ky is rumored with some love scandals.
Nguyen Van Tinh, head of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Department of International Cooperation, explained why Ly Nha Ky was appointed as the Tourism Ambassador.

According to Tinh, a tourism ambassador needs to be a celebrity who contributes to the society. Ly Nha Ky had nominated herself and expressed a strong desire to contribute to Vietnamese tourism. She can also speak English, German and Chinese. Besides, Ky was an ambassador for Operation Smile Organization in 2009, and vice-chairwoman of the Sheen Hok Charitable Organization in Vietnam in 2008. She is thus capable of raising funds to promote tourism.
This official also said that Ly Nha Ky has agreed to campaign for Ha Long Bay, suggested inviting Jackie Chan to come to Vietnam and promote this campaign, and said she would herself sponsor a conference on cultural industry in Hong Kong to promote Vietnam tourism.
As for the several scandals Ly Nha Ky had gotten herself into, Tinh said they belonged to the past.
The decision to appoint Ly Nha Ky as Vietnam’s first tourism ambassador for a year, therefore, will remain unchanged despite her past scandals, confirmed the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s spokesman To Van Dong.
“It’s not that everyone is against the decision. I read online news and saw many people supporting Ly Nha Ky. Her scandals aren’t about burning up anyone’s house or related to murders,” said Tinh. He said that his department had invited 10 beauty queens but none wanted to join them.
In an interview with local press, Ly Nha Ky affirmed that she would be prudent with everything she does and says.
“Everyone has two sides: instinctive and controlled. With a new role attached to national image, my words and actions will be adjusted accordingly. I hope everyone will look at the present me and the future me instead of the past me,” she said.
Born in the beach city of Vung Tau, Ly Nha Ky moved to Germany to pursue studies when she was 16. At 24, she returned home, started her acting career and became known for several TV series and movies.
Robert Tan, a Singaporean tourism expert, who has had close attachment with Vietnam’s tourism, said that some countries have chosen famous Vietnamese singers and actors as their tourism ambassadors in Vietnam, for example singer My Linh as tourism ambassador of South Korea and singer Hong Nhung as tourism ambassador of Malta. “Vietnam, thus, is impatient to seek someone as its tourism ambassador?” he questioned.
“If the tourism body chooses Ly Nha Ky as tourism ambassador, it should tell travel firms about tourism marketing programs that are based on her image. What will we advertise in the coming time? Her scandals should also be considered. However, the most important thing of Vietnam’s tourism now is keeping domestic tourists, because more Vietnamese choose foreign countries as their destinations,” Robert Tan said.
Some countries also appointed famous characters as their tourism ambassador, for example Jackie Chan of Hong Kong or Hello Kitty cat of Japan. Some others appointed tourism ambassador for specific markets.
Representative of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in HCM City said: “We only choose tourism ambassadors for specific markets that need promotion, for example India or Malaysia. It is very difficult to select a national tourism ambassador for the global market because each market has its own characters.”

Source: Tuoi Tre/VNE/VNN

China to launch "Heavenly Palace" on way to space

China will next week launch an experimental craft paving the way for its first space station, an official said on Tuesday, bringing the growing Asian power closer to matching the United States and Russia with a long-term manned outpost in space.

Photo illustration, Photo: Internet

The Tiangong 1, or "Heavenly Palace," will blast off from a site in the Gobi Desert around September 27-30, adding a high-tech sheen to China's National Day celebrations on October 1, the Xinhua news agency said.
The small, unmanned "space lab" and the Long March rocket that will heave it skyward have been readied on a pad at Jiuquan in northwest Gansu province, Xinhua said, citing an unnamed spokesperson for the country's space program.
It will be the latest show of China's growing prowess in space, and comes while budget restraints and shifting priorities have held back U.S. manned space launches.
The big test comes weeks after its launch, when the eight ton craft attempts to join up with an unmanned Shenzhou 8 spacecraft that China plans to launch.
"The main task of the Tiangong 1 flight is to experiment in rendezvous and docking between spacecraft," said the Chinese spokesperson, who added that this would "accumulate experience for developing a space station."
China's government will hope to set a successful Tiangong mission alongside other trophies of its growing technological prowess, including the launch of a trial aircraft carrier. And the launch, just before China's National Day holiday, is sure to come accompanied by a blaze of proud publicity.
"I would say there's a lot of political pressure to make sure that it's launched before the birthday party," said Morris Jones, a space analyst based in Sydney.
"The real test of Tiangong doesn't come with its flight as a solo mission. The real objective of this mission will come later on when it tries to dock with another spacecraft," said Jones.
"Without rendezvous and docking, you really cannot run an advanced space program. You're confined to launching small spacecraft that just operate by themselves," he told Reuters.
Russia, the United States and other countries jointly operate the International Space Station, to which China does not belong. But the United States will not test a new rocket to take people into space until 2017, and Russia has said manned missions are no longer a priority for its space program, which has struggled with delays and glitches.
Beijing is still far from catching up with space superpowers. The Tiangong launch is a trial step in Beijing's plans to eventually establish a space station.
"Tiangong-1 is, I think, primarily a technology test-bed," said Joan Johnson-Freese, an expert on China's space program at the U.S. Naval War College on Rhode Island, in emailed answers to questions.
"Technically, it has been compared to where the U.S. was during the Gemini program," she added, referring to NASA's manned space flights in the mid-1960s.
Over the next two years, China will probably attempt a Tiangong mission piloted by astronauts only after two initial missions, Gregory Kulacki, the China Project manager for Union of Concerned Scientists, wrote.
That feat will be followed by the launch of the Tiangong 2 and 3 space labs in following years, and preparations for a space station weighing 60 to 70 tons, wrote Kulacki.
"The real story is that when they eventually get around to building a space station it will look nothing like Tiangong," said Jones, the Australian expert.
"It's a test of a spacecraft that will one day be used as a cargo carrying vessel to a larger space station," he said.
This week, NASA unveiled plans for a deep-space rocket to carry astronauts to the moon and Mars. President Barack Obama has called for a human expedition to an asteroid by 2025 and a journey to Mars in the 2030s.
China launched its second moon orbiter last year after it became only the third country to send its astronauts walking in space outside their orbiting craft in 2008.
It plans an unmanned moon landing and deployment of a moon rover in 2012, and the retrieval of lunar soil and stone samples around 2017. Scientists have talked about the possibility of sending a man to the moon after 2020.
China is also jostling with neighbors Japan and India for a bigger presence in space, but its plans have faced international wariness. Beijing says its aims are peaceful.
"With most space technology dual-use -- of value to both civil and military communities -- anything done by China in space will have spillover to the military, much the same as NASA's technical advancements do in the U.S.," said Johnson-Freese, the expert from Rhode Island.
"Tiangong is not going to immediately or directly provide China any military capabilities," she said.

Source: Reuters

Thai PM's Twitter account hacked

came under fire from her own Twitter account on Sunday when it was briefly taken over by an anonymous hacker who accused her of incompetence.

Thai prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra came under fire from her own Twitter account on Sunday when it was briefly taken over by an anonymous hacker who accused her of incompetence. , Photo: AFP

Thailand's Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) ministry said it was investigating the hijacking of the PouYingluck tweet feed for around 20 minutes early Sunday.
Yingluck, the sister of ousted former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, was lambasted on a variety of subjects in eight posts, including her response to recent serious flooding and a number of key government policies.
"How can she protect the country, if she cannot protect her own Twitter account? Think about it," said the final post.
Yingluck, who was propelled to victory in a July 3 election with Thaksin's backing, has put forward a raft of measures, including a rise in the minimum wage, aimed at her poor and rural support base.
One of the hacked posts questioned a high profile promise to give tablet computers to schoolchildren, saying it was no substitute for education reform, while another accused Yingluck and her government of cronyism.
The tweets said that rather than "image building", the premier should look to find long term solutions for two months of flooding that has left more than 200 people dead and inundated huge swathes of the country.
Thailand deployed about 10,000 soldiers on Friday after Yingluck ordered the army to take action to assist flood victims.
The username PouYingluck refers to the Thai leader's nickname, Pou, which means crab.
ICT spokesman Songkran Taechanarong said the ministry was hunting for the hacker and was considering closing the prime minister's twitter account.
Thaksin, who remains a highly controversial figure in politically-divided Thailand, was removed from office by royalist generals in 2006 and lives abroad to avoid a jail term for corruption.

Source: AFP

Exploring Cuc Phuong National Park

Coming to the northern province of Ninh Binh, after spending time on historical sites of Hoa Lu Capital (968-1009) such as temples of King Dinh Tien Hoang and King Le Dai Hanh in Hung Yen Commune, Hoa Lu District, visitors should not miss Cuc Phuong National Park in Nho Quan District, about 120 kilometers from Hanoi.

Established in 1962, Cuc Phuong is the oldest national park in Vietnam. Nestled between the provinces of Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa, Cuc Phuong boasts engaging cultural and wildlife heritage and enchanting scenery. 
Covering over 22,000 hectares at a height of 300-600 meters above sea level, the forest has magnificent limestone mountains rising majestically from the green rice-terraces and traditional stilt houses of the Muong hill-tribe and a rich habitat for some of Asia’s rarest species. That is why it is no wonder that researchers, naturalists, enthusiasts and conservationists alike are drawn to this corner of the world.
The forest is also an archaeological site as there are many relics dating back 12,000 years such as tombs, arrows, axes and knives.
To Cuc Phuong, travelers firstly will be guided to visit the Cuc Phuong fauna garden where 2,000 fauna species grow. Then move onto the home of flora systems with 100 animals, 300 birds, 36 reptiles and fish, butterflies and insects. Some of the rare animals are panthers, bears, gibbons, flying squirrels and pheasants.
Lying in a limestone area, Cuc Phuong includes numerous caves, in which the highlights are ‘Nguoi Xua’ where two ancient tombs have been discovered, along with Neolithic remains and evidence of stone implements. There have been similar finds at Trang Khuyet (Crescent Moon), Thanh Minh and Con Mong Caves. While Hang Dan Cave is known for its bat population and Con Mooc Cave is famous for its biodiversity.
The forest is also known for centuries-old giant trees and giant lianas.
Hiking in Cuc Phuong will see you follow long trails and passing through old-growth forests with long vines wrapped around strangled trees, where you will visit caves, waterfalls and streams in the forest or stop over at a Muong ethnic village. Tourists will see stilt houses, waterwheels, bamboo rafts, brocade looms and insights into the unique Muong culture.

Source: SGT

Hạ Long Bay enters New7Wonders final

President of the NewopenWorld Bernaro on September 27 in the northern province of Quảng Ninh handed over a certificate to local authorities to confirm that Hạ Long Bay entered the final round of the online poll for seven new world natural wonders (New7Wonders).

 A corner of Hạ Long Bay – Illustration photo

Mr. Bernaro expressed his impression of the natural picturesque beauty of Hạ Long Bay, affirming that he would vote it for the UNESCO World Heritage Site. He also promised to send voting message to the outside world.

In the coming time, Quảng Ninh province will sprint to gather more votes for Hạ Long Bay, especially via short message service (SMS), said Mr. Phạm Minh Chính, Quảng Ninh Provincial Party Secretary.

In addition, Quảng Ninh will invest more in tourism activities and preserve the environment for Hạ Long Bay to become an attractive and impressive destination for both domestic and foreign visitors.

NewopenWorld will officially announce the voting outcomes of the New7Wonders on November 11, 2011./.

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Source: VGP News

Hanoi, Hoi An among best Asian destinations

Hanoi and Hoi An ancient quarter in the central province of Quang Nam have been named among the top ten destinations in Asia for 2011, in an online poll conducted by Hong Kong-based travel and trade journal, Smart Travel Asia.

Hoi An

Hanoi is ranked equal sixth with Shanghai, China while Hoi An was jointly rated seventh with Rajastan, India and Seoul, Republic of Korea, according to the poll organised by the magazine which is regarded as a leading authority on the regional travel industry.
The Metropole Hanoi and The Nam Hai shared the first position in the travel magazine’s list of Top 25 Leisure Hotels and Resorts.
Last year, the Nam Hai ranked second while the Metropole was third.
Coming second this year is the Peninsula in Hong Kong . The Amandari Hotel and the Bulgari Resort, both on Indonesia ’s island of Bali , shared third.
In addition, the Caravelle Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City claimed 23rd on the list of top business hotels in Asia .
Aside from being named Asia’s Top Leisure Hotel and Resort, the Metropole was also ranked 18th on the list of Asia’s Top 25 Business Hotels and 8th among Asia ’s Top 25 Conference Hotels. The Nam Hai collected an additional award as one of Asia ’s three Top Spa Hotels and Resorts.
A total of six Vietnam properties made the poll lists, including the Park Hyatt Hotel Saigon, the Furama Resort Danang, and Princess d’Annam Resort and Spa in Ke Ga Bay of Binh Thuan province.

Vietnam’s Internet Protocol TV market will boom in two years

Though IPTV now has many good conditions to develop, including the cheap terminal devices and the issuance of the paid-TV legal framework, IPTV still has not become popular in Vietnam, because the service users still complain about the low quality of pictures and the poor content of programs.



According to Multimedia Research Group, the number of IPTV subscribers worldwide may reach 92.8 million by 2012 (the figure was 24 million in 2008), while the annual growth rate would be 31 percent. Of these, the number of subscribers in Asia would reach 40 million by 2012, which is equal to that of Europe, while the figure was 8 million by the end of 2008.
In Vietnam, FPT Telecom is considered the pioneer in commercializing IPTV services in the country. Since March 1, 2006, FPT Telecom began officially provided IPTV services under the name of iTV, which was then later named into OneTV in 2011.
On May 12, 2009, VTC Digicom, in cooperation with Hai Phong Telecom, launched IPTV services in Hai Phong City. VTC Digicom has also joined forces with local telcos to provide services in six more provinces, including Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Binh Duong and Hue City.
Meanwhile, VASC Company, a subsidiary of the Vietnam Post and Telecommunication Group (VNPT) began running IPTV in a trial basis in 2008, and then has been officially providing IPTV nationwide since 2009, under the brand MyTV.
According to Nguyen Van Hai, Director of VASC, with the high growth of the number of subscribers year after year, MyTV has obtained 500,000 subscribers after two years of providing the services. Especially, the proportion of left subscribers is very small, i.e…only one or two subscribers leave in every 1000 subscribers.
“It is estimated that MyTV has 100 new subscribers every day and 30,000 subscribers every month. The average revenue per subscriber is 70,000 dong,” Hai said.
He added that MyTV has 90 TV channels, including 13 HD channels and on-demand services, including feature films, music, karaoke, games, sports, reading books, education and healthcare.
The representative of FPT Telecom said that its oneTV has 74 channels and many other types of services, including replay TV (users can replay programs within 48 hours), video on demand, programs for children, English for children, music and art performance…
The representative said that the number of subscribers of OneTV has reached over 30,000, while the figure is expected to rise to 70,000 by the end of 2011. Regarding the revenue, the package service fees are from 40,000 to 80,000 dong a month, depending on the localities. FPT Telecom has been trying to collect 30,000 dong more from subscribers on their use other kinds of services.
Meanwhile, Viettel’s IPTV under the NetTV brand has got 15,000 subscribers, while the company hopes to obtain 300,000 subscribers in the next few years. The subscribers are mostly from southern provinces such as Tay Ninh, Binh Duong and Can Tho, where cable TV has not developed, instead of big cities like Hanoi or HCM City.
The representative of FPT Telecom said that though pioneering in the IPTV market, it has realized that IPTV did not bring big profit and had not paid much attention to developing the services since 2008.
Later, in 2010, FPT Telecom reconsidered the market performance and decided that the IPTV market would really witness a boom after three more years. However, a lot of good conditions which back up the development of the IPTV have appeared: terminal devices for IPTV have become cheaper, while the legal framework on paid-TV has been issued which would help people get familiar to paid-TV, while the technical infrastructure has become good enough to run IPTV with stable quality.
Meanwhile, experts say they have every reason to believe that the IPTV market would boom in just two years instead of three.
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