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$131,000) – were given as presents by Công Lý Ltd last March, ostensibly strictly for use in “inspecting and directing climate change response activities.” … [Read more...] about Luxury car gifts to be probed
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Thaco opens luxury car plant in Quang Nam
Thaco opens luxury car plant in Quang Nam By Le Hoang A Peugeot car is seen at Thaco luxury car plant. Thaco has put into operation the Thaco luxury car plant at the Chu Lai Open Economic Zone in the central province of Quang Nam - PHOTO: THACO HCMC – Truong Hai Auto Corporation (Thaco) on May 5 put into operation the Thaco luxury car plant and launched a Peugeot Traveller model at the Chu Lai Open Economic Zone in the central province of Quang Nam. The facility, receiving total funding of VND4.5 trillion, covers an area of 7.5 hectares and has a designed capacity of 20,000 cars per year. The Thaco luxury car plant has a modern production chain and the latest technology meeting the technical requirements of French auto manufacturer PSA Group. The investor noted that the vehicles manufactured by the plant will undergo strict checks and inspections through a quality monitoring system connected directly with Peugeot in France prior to being rolled out on the market, … [Read more...] about Thaco opens luxury car plant in Quang Nam
Man arrested for smuggling luxury cars
HA NOi — Ha Noi Police arrested Ngo Doan Phuc, 33, of Hoang Mai District, for allegedly illegally importing luxury cars from Laos and Cambodia for sale in Viet Nam. The police seized four cars, including a Hummer, Land Rover, Toyota Prado and Lexus, worth a total of VND6.3 billion (US$ 315,000). Initial investigations showed that Phuc had colluded with officials to take advantage of a policy that allows goods to be imported temporarily before being re-exported. Two face prosecution for drug trafficking HCM CITY — The Department of Investigative Police on Drug Crimes have proposed the Supreme People's Procuracy prosecute two people for drug trafficking. The married traffickers, Nguyen Thi Hai Anh and Nigerian Michael Ikenna Nduanya, lived in HCM City. Hai Anh was arrested last December when allegedly smuggling drugs from HCM City to China. Before that she is said to have smuggled drugs to Cambodia five times and received US$5,000.-VNS … [Read more...] about Man arrested for smuggling luxury cars
A woman driving a luxury car steals two flower pots worth just $22 at midnight
Having money doesn’t mean you’re civilised, and some rich people are like a school in summer: no class. One woman in Hà Nội City proved this point recently, stopping in front of a shop in the city at 1:00 am on October 14. Spying two beautiful flower pots outside, she drove close to the shop, popped out of the car, grabbed the two pots with bonsai trees in them, put them in her car and drove off. As her luck would have it, the whole thing was all recorded by the shop’s security cameras. The shop owner who got the pots stolen quickly posted the clip on Facebook, with the caption "You are so strange, you have VNĐ700 million to buy the car, VNĐ15 million to get driving license, why do you steal two flower pots worth VNĐ500,000 of mine?” “I don’t miss the few hundred thousand đồng , but the bonsai tree pots I put in front of the shop are the lucky charms for my business.” Hopefully justice will be served and the thief is prosecuted, but while money doesn’t buy you class, in … [Read more...] about A woman driving a luxury car steals two flower pots worth just $22 at midnight
Toyota Vietnam hands over 200 cars to Futa Bus Lines
Toyota Vietnam hands over 200 cars to Futa Bus Lines By Hung Le Toyota's Hiace minibuses - PHOTO: HUNG LE HCMC – An HCMC-based dealership under Toyota Motor Vietnam has handed over 206 cars, including 170 Hiace 2018 minibuses worth VND200 billion to Futa Bus Lines Phuong Trang Inc (Futa). Dang Trong Hien, general director of Futa, stated that the handover was part of the firm’s plan to add high-quality cars to the fleet to serve travel demand during the 2019 Lunar New Year. Launched in Vietnam in 1996, the Hiace model has rapidly gained popularity among Vietnamese customers in the compact passenger vehicle segment due to its quality and durability. The Hiace minibuses, imported from Thailand, have a 3.0L petrol engine and a four-speed automatic transmission and are fuel efficient. Hiace cars, which are available at all dealerships of Toyota across the country, are priced at VND999 million each, inclusive of value added tax. … [Read more...] about Toyota Vietnam hands over 200 cars to Futa Bus Lines
Court puts away car smugglers for long time
Three men who got a luxury car smuggled from Cambodia receive long jail terms at their trial in Tây Ninh on Sept 18. VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Tân. Viet Nam News HCM CITY – Three people who got a luxury car smuggled from Cambodia to HCM City and forged its papers have received stiff prison sentences. The Tây Ninh Province People’s Court on Tuesday sentenced Nguyễn Đắc Tuyên, 41, of Hà Nội to 16 years in jail. Two other men, who conspired with him and abetted him in the criminal acts, Phùng Viết Đông, 38, and Phùng Tuấn Anh, 29, got 14 years apiece. They were charged with smuggling and forging seals and documents of official agencies. According to the indictment by the province People’s Procuracy, on April 20, 2015, law enforcement authorities caught the three in a Lexus RX350 with a fake Cambodian number plate as they were travelling from HCM City to Hà Nội. The trio confessed that Tuyên had asked Đông and Anh, brothers, to smuggle a luxury car at a low price from Cambodia … [Read more...] about Court puts away car smugglers for long time
Luxury British sports car enters Vietnam
Luxury British sports car enters Vietnam By Hung Le Guests have a look at an Aston Martin sports car at the launching event in HCMC on March 16 – PHOTO: HUNG LE HCMC - Aston Martin - the iconic luxury British sports car brand - made its debut in the Vietnamese market today, March 16, marking a new milestone for the luxury sports car segment in Vietnam. The Aston Martin is being displayed at a showroom in the Deutsche Haus building on Le Duan Blvd in HCMC’s District 1. Phan Manh Ha, general manager of CT-Wearnes Vietnam, the official Aston Martin authorized dealer in Vietnam, said at the launching that there is a rising demand for luxury cars in Vietnam, not only for collecting, but for daily commuting. “It’s time for Aston Martin, the iconic British sports cars brand, to set its footprint on the local market,” Ha said. According to High Net Worth Handbook 2019 of Wealth-X, Vietnam is expected to join the top four rankings of fastest-growing high net worth … [Read more...] about Luxury British sports car enters Vietnam
New fuel option left many gassed off
An E5 bio fuel station. Saigon Petro Co., Ltd has proposed halting the sale of popular 95-octane gasoline A95 and replacing it with E5 bio fuel. - VNA/VNS Photo Huy Hùng Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI - Saigon Petro Co., Ltd has proposed halting the sale of popular 95-octane gasoline A95 and replacing it with E5 bio fuel – but experts and customers have voiced concerns. Early this year, the Government decided to replace RON 92 petrol with E5 bio fuel, a mix of RON 92 (95 per cent) and bio-fuel ethanol (5 per cent) alongside A95 fuel. However, the E5 fuel has not convinced the public. In the first two months of the year, the eco-friendly fuel’s use accounted for 42 per cent of consumption, compared to 58 per cent of more popular A95, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Many customers claimed that E5 is suitable for low-engine vehicles only. The high-engine ones need A95. Others are gradually getting used to and in favour of E5, but because of … [Read more...] about New fuel option left many gassed off
Proposal to raise emissions standards for cars
Vietnam Register has proposed raising the emissions standards for cars to level 2 in order to minimise increasing environmental pollution. — Photo vov.vn Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — Vietnam Register, under the Ministry of Transport, has proposed raising the emission standards for cars to level 2 in order to minimise the increasing environmental pollution in the country. The department has completed and submitted a new vehicle emission control plan based on the current situation as instructed by the Ministry of Transport, vov.vn online newspaper reported. Specifically, the department has proposed reducing the CO (carbon monoxide) emissions ratio for vehicles using gasoline fuel from 4.5 (level 1) to 3.5 (level 2); and HC (hydrocarbon concentration) from 1,200 ppm to 800 ppm. Vehicles using diesel fuel will have to reduce their emissions from 72 per cent HSU to 60 per cent HSU. Nguyễn Hữu Trí, deputy director of Vietnam Register, said the emissions standards in Việt Nam have … [Read more...] about Proposal to raise emissions standards for cars
‘Say no to cars as gifts’: PM
A car worth VNĐ2.7 billion (US$118,400) was recently given to the People’s Committee of central Nghệ An Province by a construction corporation. — Photo tuoitre.vn Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has reiterated that all ministries and central authorities act to end the practice of State-owned agencies accepting luxury cars as gifts from private firms or individuals. This was one of the steps in fighting corruption and avoiding tax exemptions given to imported vehicles, he said at a regular Government meeting. He said the ministries, sectors and state-owned agencies should strictly follow the standards and mechanisms on the use of automobiles as contained in government Decision No. 32, that was issued in 2015. He asked the Ministry of Finance (MoF) to review the total number of spare cars and allocate them to sectors and localities with real needs. The MoF has also been asked to collaborate with the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the Government … [Read more...] about ‘Say no to cars as gifts’: PM