$3.5b needed for expansion of Noi Bai AirportVietNamNet Bridge – The Civil Aviation Authority of Viet Nam (CAAV) has said that it will need close to VND80 trillion (US$3.5 billion) for the proposed expansion project of Noi Bai International Airport. The expansion project is being carried out in order to brace against overloading that is expected in just a few years. US$3.5 billion is needed for the proposed expansion project of Noi Bai International Airport, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Viet Nam. At the meeting, transport minister Nguyen Van The stressed the importance of Noi Bai Airport as the central airport of the country and the front door from which to welcome domestic and international tourists. Noi Bai Airport now has a capacity of 25 million passengers per year, with two terminals and two runways.

Deputy PM leads Hai Phong customs bribe probeDeputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh will oversee an urgent investigation into bribes to speed up customs clearance procedures at ports in the northern city of Hai Phong. A group of Lao Dong Newspaper reporters played the role of being apprentices at a company in Hai Phong which specializes on rapid customs clearance. The reporters' investigation showed that more than 300 companies provide customs services in Hai Phong. Dung said that he always had to pay bribes twice for customs fees and for customs procedures. According to statistics from the General Customs Department, Hai Phong customs officers receive and deal with around 7,600 customs declaration forms with the colour categories being 60%, 35% and 5% respectively.

Soc Trang: Primary school headmaster resigns as many pupils can’t readThe headmaster of a primary school in the southern province of Soc Trang Province has just resigned because many grade 2 pupils at his school still can’t read. Lich Hoi Thuong A Town Primary SchoolHuynh Ha Thang, headmaster of Lich Hoi Thuong A Town Primary School in Tran De District, on April 9 submitted his resignation to the district Department of Education and Training. Thang said that he resigned for failing to be a good headmaster, so he wanted to return to work as a teacher. The Tran De District’s Department of Education and Training has agreed and are completing procedures for his resignation. An earlier a check by the provincial Department of Education and Training at Lich Hoi Thuong A Town Primary School under Thang’s management showed that many grade 2 pupils couldn’t read.

Traders protest over Dong Xuan Market rumourHundreds of traders in Hanoi gathered on Monday to protest against the proposal to turn the Dong Xuan Market into a shopping centre. Hundreds of traders in Hanoi gathered to protest against the proposal to turn the Dong Xuan Market into a shopping centre on April 9. Hoan Kiem District People's Committee held an urgent meeting with nearly 100 traders yesterday afternoon to announce that they will not build a shopping centre to replace Dong Xuan Market. "We had recently held a discussion to consult opinions on how to keep traditional trading at Dong Xuan Market," vice chairman of the committee, Pham Tuan Long told traders at the meeting. Dong Xuan Market was opened in 1889 and it used to be the biggest trading place in the north.

Comedy drama a top-grossing Vietnam filmVietNamNet Bridge – Now showing in cinemas, Nhung Thang Nam Ruc Ro (Go-Go Sister) is one of two movies released this year that have been included in the five top grossing Vietnamese films. Go-go sisters: A still from Thang Nam Ruc Ro which ranks among the top five highest grossing Vietnamese films. Thang Nam Ruc Ro is a Vietnamese adaption of the Korean blockbuster, Sunny. Thang Nam Ruc Ro is still on showing with English subtitles in cinemas across the country. The movie turnover reached VND106 billion becoming the second highest grossing film in the country.

Real estate M&A deals hindered by bad debtsVietNamNet Bridge - Foreign capital flow into the real estate market has accelerated M&A deals, but analysts warn that bad debts for property loans are a hindrance in the M&A market. Capital keeps flowing into real estate projectsA report from the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) said that by January 20, foreign investors had poured $53.2 billion into Vietnam’s real estate market. Dang Xuan Minh, CEO of AVM Vietnam & Vietnam M&A Forum, said the total value of the M&A deals in the real estate market in 2017 reached $2 billion. There is no official report about real estate bad debts, but analysts believe the figure is high. US$1=VND22,000RELATED NEWSReal estate market to prosper thanks to stock upswingWhy do real estate developers want to legalize condotels?

Turkish tales come to Vietnamese readersA book of Turkish tales, containing 200 small humorous stories about Nasreddin Hodja, was launched in Hanoi recently. Humorous Tales About Nasreddin Hodja comes to Vietnamese readers with 60 beautiful illustrations by artist Nguyen Toan. — Photo vietnamnet.vnThe 127-page book, titled Humorous Tales About Nasreddin Hodja, was translated from English version into Vietnamese by writer Di Li, with 60 illustrations by artist Nguyen Toan. “Nasreddin Hodja is a satirical Sufi,” said Turkish ambassador Akif Ayhan at the launch of the book last Saturday. Li, who reads a lot of books on Turkey and its people in English, including small tales about Hodja, finds a similarity between the tales of Hodja and Vietnamese Trang Quynh.

Vietnam’s space industry makes strides in 10 yearsVietnam’s space industry has gained significant development in the 10 years since the launch of its first satellite Vinasat-1 (April 18, 2008). Ariane 5 rocket with Vinasat-2 on board on its way to the launch pad in Guiana Space Centre in 2013In 2006, then Prime Minister Phan Van Khai approved the strategy for Research and Application on Space Technology for Vietnam’s socio-economic development. Almost two years later, Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group signed an agreement with Lockheed Martin of the US on the creation of the Vinasat-1 satellite. The launch of Vinasat-1 in 2008 marked a milestone of the country’s space industry. The Hanoi-based Vietnam Space Centre under the Vietnam National Satellite Centre (VNSC) is a significant project which will be responsible for research and management of small satellites observing the Earth and Vietnam.

New expressways ferry confusion and dangerVietNamNet Bridge – Expressways constructed at a cost of several trillions of dong have become staging grounds for serious safety violations, mainly due to drivers’ and local people’s ignorance of the roads’ design and signage, Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper reported. Disappearance of safety barriersLocal people living along expressways often destroy safety barriers and sell them for scrap. Animals run freely along the Hanoi-Lao Cai Expressway. However, in Vietnam, many expressways do not meet this standard because the majority of expressways run through farming areas. Traffic experts proposed widening the distance so that people can no longer encroach on land to run businesses along expressways.

Moody’s also raised the baseline credit assessment (BCA) for four Vietnamese commercial joint stock banks. — Photo thuongtruong24h.vnThe banks are Asia Commercial Joint Stock Bank (ACB), Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank (MBBank) and Viet Nam Technological and Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Techcombank). Moody’s also raised the baseline credit assessment (BCA) for these three banks from B2 to B1. At the same time, Moody’s has affirmed the long-term local- and foreign-currency deposit and issuer ratings of Viet Nam Prosperity Joint Stock Commercial Bank (VPBank) at B2 and upgraded the bank’s BCA to B2 from B3. The upgrade of VPBank’s BCA takes into account the bank’s high profitability, as well as its improved capital buffer.

Designer Cong Tri to open Vietnam Int’l Fashion WeekVietNamNet Bridge – Fashion designer Nguyen Cong Tri will present his latest collection at the four-day Viet Nam International Fashion Spring-Summer Week 2018 (VIFWS 2018) in HCM City on April 19. He participated in Tokyo Fashion Week 2016 and 2017. He has also taken part in leading fashion events at home and abroad, including Viet Nam Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, Origin Passion and Belief Fair in Vicenza, Italy. At the four-day event VIFWS 2018, Tri will join 30 other foreign and Vietnamese fashion designers and brandname labels. The VIFWS 2018 will include more than 100 items to be worn by dozens of fashion models from Hanoi and HCM City.

District official jailed for stealing from the poorVietNamNet Bridge – The provincial People’s Court in the southernmost province of Ca Mau yesterday sentenced former head of Tran Van Thoi District’s Labour Department to 16 years in prison for stealing more than VND2 billion (US$87,700). According to the verdict, between 2008 and 2013, Nguyen Minh Canh and three other district officers falsified invoices to steal VND2 billion that should have gone to social welfare beneficiaries. Canh’s accomplices were also sentenced from nine months to six years for the same charges. Police also found that Canh stole VND77 million ($3,400) from the district Gratitude Fund - a fund through which individuals and organisations donate to help the Government care for people who contributed to the nation. Source: VNS

Vietnam's US$2 billion cosmetics market controlled by foreign brandsVietNamNet Bridge - Vietnamese spend an average of $4 a month per capita on beauty products and services, while women spend VND140,000 (nearly $6) a month. Every Vietnamese woman spends $6 a month on cosmeticsA report from Mintel shows that the value of the cosmetics market may reach $2.35 billion by 2018. Noting that the figure was $1.78 billion, Vietnam has had the highest growth rate in the cosmetics industry. However, Vietnam-made products are still unpopular.Foreign brands are dominating the cosmetics market, especially the high-end market segment. RELATED NEWSAnother cosmetics brand bought by foreign companyNatural cosmetics are vitalisedKim Chi

Vietnamese cyclist wins Tour of Thailand’s second stageNguyen Thi That of Vietnam overcame powerful rivals to win the second stage of the Tour of Thailand on April 9. Nguyen Th​i That ( first left) and other cyclists on podium of the Tour of Thailand’s second stage. The Vietnamese cyclist, who wore the jersey of the World Cycling Centre, took over the 117km stage from Bung Kean Nakhon to Baan Fang in two hours, 46 minutes and five seconds. She was followed by Kajihara Yumi of Japan and Maneephan Jutatip of the hosts. The last stage, is due to be held on April 10, is 113km around Bung Kean Nakhon.

Vietnam to defend against Australia at Asian CupVietNamNet Bridge – Coach Mai Duc Chung asked his players to forget their loss to Japan and focus on the upcoming match against Australia at the Asian Women’s Cup tomorrow. — Photo vff.org.vnIn their first match of Group B, Vietnam were defeated 0-4 by the defending champions. In the coming matches, these mistakes must be limited as the Asian runners-up Australia were also a very strong team. Stajcic praised the mental fortitude of the Southeast Asian Games champions, saying Vietnam conceded an early goal but fought hard for the whole 90 minutes. It doesn’t matter if we’re playing Vietnam or the USA or Germany or France – we want to win every one.”Source: VNS