Official holidays 2020

Labor may get extra time off for New Year’s Day 2020 The Saigon Times Daily Vice President of the Vietnam General Federation of Labor Ngo Duy Hieu speaks at a conference in Hanoi on September 9 – PHOTO: NLDO HCMC – Employees in Vietnam officially only have one day off during the New Year Holiday, but they may get an extra day off following a proposal from the Vietnam General Federation of Labor. The federation held a conference in Hanoi today, September 9, to discuss four types of labor issues, including the New Year's Day, reported Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper. “The issues being discussed at this conference are important, affecting the execution of our guiding principles and resolutions in taking care of union members and employees,” stated the federation’s president, Nguyen Dinh Khang. On behalf of the federation, its vice president, Ngo Duy Hieu, proposed adding one or more days off for employees across the country during the New Year holiday. Hieu explained … [Read more...] about Labor may get extra time off for New Year’s Day 2020

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Phạm Bình Minh meets with his New Zealand counterpart Winston Raymond Peters within the framework of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in Port Moresby, capital of Papua New Guinea.— Photo baoquocte.vn PORT MORESBY — Việt Nam and New Zealand yesterday agreed to coordinate in the Action Programme between the two countries. They reached the agreement during a meeting between Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Phạm Bình Minh and his New Zealand counterpart Winston Raymond Peters within the framework of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in Port Moresby, capital of Papua New Guinea. Minh suggested New Zealand increase the number of Vietnamese citizens taking part in the annual working holiday programme and thanked the country’s Parliament for approving the non-refundable official development assistance (ODA) provision for Việt Nam in the 2018-2021 period. Winston Raymond Peters spoke highly of Việt Nam’s … [Read more...] about Việt Nam, NZ agree to realise Action Programme for 2017-2020

Over VND2.2 trillion needed to pay metro contractors before Tet The Saigon Times Daily An elevated section of the city’s first metro line – Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien – PHOTO: THANH HOA HCMC – The HCMC Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR) has proposed the HCMC People’s Committee and the HCMC Finance Department advance VND2.245 trillion (US$97 million) from the city’s budget to make overdue payments to the contractors of the Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien metro line. MAUR stated in its proposal that the local government had allocated VND1 trillion from its own budget to make payments for the city’s first metro line last year. Meanwhile, the contractors demanded a total of VND2.481 trillion in overdue payments, which should be sourced from official development assistance (ODA) funds. As of late this month, only an estimated VND236 billion was scheduled to be paid to them. MAUR urged the municipal government to approve the proposal urgently, prior to the Lunar New Year … [Read more...] about Over VND2.2 trillion needed to pay metro contractors before Tet

Airlines start selling tickets for Tet flights By Le Anh Passengers disembark from a Vietnam Airlines aircraft at an airport. Vietnam Airlines Group began selling air tickets for domestic flights during the coming Lunar New Year 2020, or Tet, on September 16 – PHOTO: LE ANH HCMC – Vietnam Airlines Group, which comprises Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific and Vietnam Air Services Company (VASCO), began selling air tickets for domestic flights during the coming Lunar New Year 2020, or Tet, on September 16. National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific and VASCO will offer two million tickets for all domestic routes in total for the biggest holiday, with flights scheduled between January 9 and February 8, marking a year-on-year increase of more than 250,000 seats, equivalent to 1,100 flights. Of the total, Vietnam Airlines and VASCO are offering 1.4 million tickets for 7,600 domestic flights on the upcoming holiday, whereas Jetstar Pacific will put some … [Read more...] about Airlines start selling tickets for Tet flights

Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (right) receives Australian Senate President Scott Ryan in Hà Nội on Monday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc received Australian Senate President Scott Ryan in Hà Nội on Monday, saying Việt Nam-Australia relations are at their best level ever. Welcoming his guest’s visit to Việt Nam, Phúc expressed his belief the trip would help consolidate the two countries’ partnership and connections between the two parliaments. He said the Vietnamese Government would work with its Australian counterpart to realise the joint statement on the establishment of the strategic partnership. The two sides will maintain existing co-operation mechanisms and implement new ones within the framework of the partnership, including meetings between their foreign ministers, defence ministers and ministers in charge of economic affairs. Regarding measures to bring bilateral trade and investment on par with the strategic … [Read more...] about Việt Nam-Australia relations now at best level ever: PM Phúc

Passengers wait to check in at Tân Sơn Nhất airport’s domestic terminal just before Tết last year. — Photo baotintuc.vn Viet Nam News HCM CITY — The country’s busiest airport, Tân Sơn Nhất in HCM City, has taken measures to cope with overload inside as well as on roads outside during Tết (the Lunar New Year) next month. The airport is usually packed during Tết as people leave for their hometowns. According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Việt Nam, the number of passengers is expected to increase by 20 per cent this year to more than 4.1 million on a total of 26,288 flights. Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air and Jetstar Pacific will increase the number of flights during Tết by 10-15 per cent from a year earlier. Airport authorities have worked with airlines to improve ground services to cope with congestion during the year’s biggest holiday in three weeks’ time. At the international terminal, two more aerobridges leading from the terminal to … [Read more...] about Tân Sơn Nhất airport braces for Tết overload

The pilot of public vehicle rentals which took effect on May 1 is expected to save more than VNĐ100 million (US$4,404) per month for the State budget. — Photo nld.com.vn Viet Nam News HCM CITY — A HCM City pilot car rental service for Government officials that began on May 1 is expected to save more than VNĐ100 million (US$4,404) per month for the State budget. Lê Thành Khoa, director of the HCM City Voluntary Youth Public Benefit Service Company (BESCO) , said the company had begun receiving public cars and drivers from agencies for rent to State units. Phạm Khánh Phong Lan, head of the HCM City Food Safety Management Board , said the board was ready to rent public vehicles to the agency’s head and deputy heads. The two public cars previously managed by the agency will be handed over to the authorities or auctioned, she said. The rental price is VNĐ11,000 per km (based on the current average price of taxi companies) or VNĐ19.8 million per month per car, … [Read more...] about City pilots rental of public vehicles

Students of Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh Primary School in HCM City’s District 5. —VNA/VNS Photo Phương Vy Viet Nam News HCM CITY — HCM City will waive fees for secondary school students from the next academic year if it can balance its budget without collecting them, according to Party Committee Secretary Nguyễn Thiện Nhân. Speaking at a meeting with officials from the Department of Education and Training on Monday, he said the Department of Finance has been instructed to study the proposal and submit to the People’s Council by year-end for approval. City authorities think everyone has the right to study and have the responsibility to send their children to school, he said. HCM City is among the localities with the largest number of students in the country, yet its authorities take good care of students and modernise education, he said. He hailed them for ensuring there are enough schools to accommodate all school-age children. According to the education … [Read more...] about HCM City could waive secondary school fees this year

A traffic jam at a road leading to HCM City after National Day. The city plans to spend over VNĐ85 trillion to improve traffic conditions. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoàng Hải. Viet Nam News HCM CITY — The Department of Transport in HCM City has proposed a plan to invest over VNĐ85 trillion (US$3.65 billion) until 2020 to reduce traffic congestion and accidents. The plan calls for using VNĐ73.54 trillion for traffic construction works, and VNĐ11.51 trillion for public transport. The capital will come from city funds, ODA (Official Development Assistance) and Private – Public Partnerships (PPP). The city will focus on projects such as Metro Line No 1 (Bến Thành – Suối Tiên), Metro Line No 2 (Bến Thành – Tham Lương), and a bus rapid transit on Đông Tây Boulevard, as well as solutions to limit private vehicles such as collecting fees during peak hours, limiting motorbikes once public transport is more developed, and limiting vehicles from other provinces from entering HCM City during … [Read more...] about City to spend $3.65 billion on traffic improvement