One of two Lexus cars given by a private company to Cà Mau provincial authorities, prompting public concerns and a Government promise to investigate. — Photo dantri.com.vn Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — The Government will direct authorities to investigate the controversial gifting of luxury cars by private companies to officials in the southern province of Cà Mau and the coastal city of Đà Nẵng. This was promised by Mai Tiến Dũng, head of the Government Office, at the monthly cabinet meeting held recently. The Prime Minister has tasked the Ministry of Finance, Government Inspectorate and Ministry of Justice, to look into the matter. The findings will then be made available to the media. According to media reports, two Lexus GX 460 currently in use by the Cà Mau People’s Committee – each costing about VNĐ3 billion (US$131,000) – were given as presents by Công Lý Ltd last March, ostensibly strictly for use in “inspecting and directing climate change response activities.” … [Read more...] about Luxury car gifts to be probed
Car
Car accident kills three, injures eight
At least three people died and eight others were injured after a seven-seat car plunged into an abyss in the northern mountainous province of Lạng Sơn yesterday. — Photo vnexpress.net LẠNG SƠN — At least three people died and eight others were injured after a seven-seat car plunged into an abyss in the northern mountainous province of Lạng Sơn yesterday. The accident happened when the passenger car was travelling from the border area to the province’s Lạng Sơn City. All injured passengers were admitted to a nearby hospital. The injured driver Mè Văn Thưởng said he lost control when trying to avoid a car from the opposite side of the road and hit a stone before plunging into the 30m abyss. The driver does not hold a driving licence. The case is under investigation. — VNS … [Read more...] about Car accident kills three, injures eight
Tourist electric cars to run in more provinces
A tourist electric car is seen in Hà Nội City. The car will part of a pilot project in Quảng Nam and Kiên Giang provinces. — Photo vnexpress.net Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — The Prime Minister has agreed to a pilot project to run electric cars to serve tourists in two more provinces. Under the programme, the electric cars will be introduced to serve tourists in Hội An City in central Quảng Nam Province and in southern Kiên Giang Province’s Phú Quốc District. The two provinces will be responsible for implementation of the project in the area and to ensure traffic safety. After six months of trial operations, the provincial authorities will report the results of the project to the government for effective implementation in the next round. The Transport Ministry has also asked the locals to assess the utility of electric cars and to recommend solutions to the government this month. The ministry said the pilot model of tourist electric cars had earlier been … [Read more...] about Tourist electric cars to run in more provinces
Cà Mau returns two Lexus gift cars
The southernmost province of Cà Mau has returned two Lexus cars presented by a local private company, the chief of the provincial People’s Committee office. — Photo tuoitre.vn CÀ MAU — The southernmost province of Cà Mau has returned two Lexus cars presented by a local private company, the chief of the provincial People’s Committee office, Nguyễn Đức Thánh, said yesterday. Thánh said that the move followed a regular meeting on Wednesday where Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc asked localities not to receive cars presented by enterprises. The province also informed the PM about the return of the cars, Thanh said. Local media had earlier reported on the two luxury Lexus GX 460 cars that the Công Lý Construction, Trade and Tourism Company presented to the Cà Mau People’s Committee ostensibly to be of service in preventing and controlling disasters like floods and forest fires in the province. — VNS … [Read more...] about Cà Mau returns two Lexus gift cars
Uber, Grab cars banned on 13 streets
Workers set up a car ban pole on Giảng Võ Street, Hà Nội. - Photo zing.vn Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội has decided to ban Uber and Grab cars on 13 streets during rush hours in an effort to tackle increasing traffic jams. The city’s Department of Transport has, so far, installed signs prohibiting taxis and nine-seater commercial cars and smaller ones, including those of popular transportation networks Uber and Grab, on nine out of 13 streets. The ban is due to go into effect from Thursday. Accordingly, commercial cars will not be allowed to run between 6 and 9am and from 4.30 to 7.30pm. The streets on which the cars are banned are Hoàng Hoa Thám, Mai Xuân Thưởng, Giảng Võ and Láng Hạ, as well as Lê Văn Lương, Trường Chinh, Khâm Thiên and Hàng Bài, in addition to Phủ Doãn, Xuân Thủy, Cầu Giấy, Giải Phóng and the Chương Dương Bridge on the lane from Long Biên District to the city centre. Department director Vũ Văn Viện said the ban was aimed at reducing the … [Read more...] about Uber, Grab cars banned on 13 streets
Car ban in Cát Bà Island lifted
Under 12-seated cars are allowed to go back to Cát Bà Island. — Photo laodong.com.vn Viet Nam News HẢI PHÒNG — After a five-day ban, under 12-seater cars were allowed to go to Cát Bà Island via Gót-Cái Viềng Ferry in the northern city of Hải Phòng. This was announced by Hoàng Triệu Hùng, deputy director of Hải Phòng City’s Department of Transport. The decision came into effect from Tuesday midnight. Previously, the Hải Phòng People’s Committee had banned all cars to Cát Bà with the intention of building a smoke-free, ecological tourism island. Under the ban, the Gót-Cái Viềng ferry had refused to transport cars to the island. Meanwhile, cars from Quảng Ninh Province via Tuần Châu Ferry are allowed onto the island. Instead, the People’s Committee permitted Đất Cảng Trade and Transport Service Company to put into operation 40 buses transporting passengers from Cái Viềng Ferry to Cát Bà Township. The bus runs every 10 minutes, with a fare of VNĐ25,000 for a single … [Read more...] about Car ban in Cát Bà Island lifted
World’s longest sea cable car route launched in Kiên Giang Province
A cabin travels on the world’s longest sea cable car which was inaugurated in Phú Quốc Island District in the southern province of Kiên Giang yesterday. — VNA/VNS Photo Lê Sen Viet Nam News KIÊN GIANG — The world’s longest sea cable car route connecting An Thới Town and Hòn Thơm Island in the southern province of Kiên Giang’s Phú Quốc Island District was inaugurated yesterday, reducing travel time by half compared to speed boats. The sea cable route is nearly 8.9 kilometres long, thought to be the longest in the world, with one end in An Thới Town and the other in Hòn Thơm Island, the largest in the An Thới island cluster to the south in Phú Quốc. The maximum speed of the cable car system can reach 8.5 metre per second so the total time from the start to the final station is just 15 minutes. The system has 69 cars capable of carrying 30 passengers each and uses modern three-rope cable car technology. The cable car system is the first item of the Sun World Hòn Thơm Nature … [Read more...] about World’s longest sea cable car route launched in Kiên Giang Province
Chinese tourist cars allowed in Hạ Long City
Cars driven by Chinese tourists enter Việt Nam through Móng Cái border gate. — Photo dantri.com.vn Viet Nam News QUẢNG NINH — The People’s Committee of northern Quảng Ninh Province has allowed cars driven by Chinese nationals to enter Hạ Long City through Móng Cái border gate for tourism purposes. The entry of Chinese cars will be allowed on a trial basis until December 31 this year, Vũ Văn Hợp, Chief of the Secretariat of the provincial People’s Committee, told the Tiền Phong (Vanguard) newspaper. Since January 1, 2017, the province has only allowed cars with less than nine seats owned by Chinese nationals and enterprises to enter Móng Cái City and vice versa during a trial period of one year. Chinese tourists are not allowed to stay beyond three days per entrance. In case of accidents or broken-down cars, the stay is extended by another day. In 2017, there were 93 cars ferrying 256 Chinese tourists to Móng Cái City and 38 cars with 110 tourists from Việt Nam to … [Read more...] about Chinese tourist cars allowed in Hạ Long City
Management agencies must be taken responsibility of illegal car parking lots
Illegal car parking spot in Mạc Thái Tông Street of Cầu Giấy District. — Photo vietbao.vn Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — There are more and more illegal parking spots for cars and motorbikes in the inner city of Hà Nội, reported the Kinh Tế và Đô Thị (Economy & Urban). The illegal car parking spaces are located on empty land of awaiting construction areas, desserted argicultural land areas and in sidewalks, streets and residential areas. Notably, the illegal parking spots have been blatantly existing despite many fines being dished out. According to urban management experts, one of the main reasons for the problem was weak managament of authorised agencies. A case of car parking space in Mạc Thái Tông Street of Cầu Giấy District was one example. The district’s transport inspection told the paper that since earlier this year, the car parking spot was fined twice but it has been still illegally used. Another spot in Trần Hưng Đạo Street, Hoàn Kiếm District has been … [Read more...] about Management agencies must be taken responsibility of illegal car parking lots
Car parking banned in all school premises
The car that the teacher of Vân Hồ Primary School reverses and kills one student last Thursday.— VNA/VNS Photo Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — National Committee for Traffic Safety has ordered the Ministry of Education and Training to direct all schools nationwide to ban car parking in school premises or on pavements near schools. The order is to be enforced during school hours. The move comes in the wake of the death of a primary school student and injury of another when a teacher was reversing her car, with the registration number 26A-054.29, in Vân Hồ Primary School in the northern mountainous province of Sơn La last Thursday. In December 2016, a second grader in Hà Nội’s Nam Trung Yên Primary School was hit by a taxi while playing on the school grounds. The taxi, carrying the principal and vice principal, rammed into the student and fractured his right leg. The committee has, therefore, decided to issue the order to tighten safety for students … [Read more...] about Car parking banned in all school premises