VietExplorer2021

According to Visa’s Consumer Payment Attitudes Study 2022, over 70% of Vietnamese consumers are generally receptive to open banking, especially fintech and non-bank service providers that can open an account for them using their existing data with banks. Illustrative image Vietnamese banks are among the earliest in the world to make the digital transformation, VNA citied experts. Speaking at the Financial Services – Retail Banking Forum in Ho Chi Minh City last week, Vu Viet Ngoan, former chairman of the National Financial Supervisory Commission, said the habit of using digital products had become more prevalent than ever in Vietnam. More than 30% of the population uses banking apps, second globally only after China (41%), according to Ngoan. Vietnam’s banking and financial sectors would continue to play a key role in establishing a “fully digitized, human-centered system”. He also pointed out that the digital transformation in the country would be an important process...

Mai Chau Culture Resort, Grand Tourane Nha Trang Hotel, and Ambassador Cruise Restaurants are several brands among the finalists of the Asia Architecture Design Awards 2023 (AADA). AADA categories include Best Resort Architecture Design, Best Hotel Architecture Design, Best Resort Interior Design, Best Lighting Design, and Best Furniture Accessories, among others.  Tre Dining in HCM City is listed as one of the Best F&B Architecture designs. Photo: Tre Dining Those from Vietnam made an impressive display on the shortlist, demonstrating their architectural prowess. From May 30 to June 25, the jury will begin their work with 20 influential experts from various fields, including architecture, design, and real estate from Singapore, Thailand, Italy, and the UAE.  The Ngõ Alley House is listed in the categroy: Best Residential Architecture Design. Photo: Alley House The Asia Architecture Awards 2023 winners will be officially announced on the of...

Commencing in July 2020, the project was aimed at conserving 500 deteriorated woodblock plates at the National Archives Center IV.  The initiative, which received more than US$88,000 in funding from the United States Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), has now been completed. Following the approval of the AFCP grant in July 2020, a technical team conducted a thorough study and assessment of the level of damage sustained by the degraded woodblocks.  Newly-treated Nguyen Dynasty woodblock plates are conserved at the National Archives Center IV in Lam Dong Province, Vietnam, May 25, 2023. Photo: M.V. / Tuoi Tre The evaluation showed that approximately 5,000 woodblock plates had suffered damage as a result of historical factors, the natural aging process, the tropical climate, wars, floods, as well as fungal and insect activities over the centuries. From January to the end of August 2021, the team implemented conservation treatment on the decaying w...

‘Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell,’ which vies for the Camera d’Or Award against 17 other competitors in the Directors’ Fortnight section, was premiered at 4:45 pm in France. Directed by Pham Thien An, the movie tells the story of a journey taken by a young man named Thien, who is tasked with delivering his sister-in-law’s body to their countryside hometown following a tragic motorcycle accident. Amid the mystical landscapes of rural Vietnam, Thien begins a search for his older brother, who vanished years ago.  As the debut screening of the movie ended after three hours on Wednesday, audiences rose and stood applauding for five minutes. According to AP News , a five-minute standing ovation would count as a dream response in most places in the world although it is supposedly tepid in Cannes. For An Nguyen, a Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reader, who experienced such standing ovation first-hand, the responses were deeply emotional.  “This can be considered as [Vietnam’s] shini...

The park will be situated in a 60,000-square-meter ancient pine forest in a tourist area in the district. Ho Chi Minh City-based travel company Ben Thanh Tourist signed a memorandum of understanding for the construction of the park with two South Korean partners on Tuesday. The unique park is aimed at making tourism products in Da Nang, which is one of Vietnam’s popular destinations, more abundant. The digital tourism product, with light performances using Newto Company’s virtual reality technology, will bring new experiences and exciting entertainment activities to visitors. Nguyen Xuan Binh, deputy director of the Da Nang Department of Tourism, said that the park would help lure more tourists to the coastal city. “The virtual reality light theme park will contribute to diversifying tourism products and driving up the city’s tourism, which is back on track after the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Binh. Kim Woon Tae, director of the Da Nang office of the Korea Trade and Investment Prom...

The Taiwan Excellence Concert is being directed by Conductor Honna Tetsuji and is expected to entertain audiences in the capital with a colourful musical programme. Several famous works will be performed during the show, including Longing for Spring Breeze, William Tell Overture, Hungarian Rhapsody no. 2, along with popular classical works written for the orchestra. During the programme, female pianist Liao Hsin-Chiao will perform the Piano Concerto in C minor (Tyzen Hsiao). Liao Hsin-Chiao was born in Taichung and has been known by audiences and notable music critics from a very young age. She has performed at several famous music festivals such as Music@Menlo, Heifetz International Music Institute, Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival, Olympic Music Festival, and Icicle Creek Chamber Festival. She is now working in Hanoi and  recently completed a record of a piano concerto by Robert Schumann together with the VNSO. The same day will also give Hanoians the opport...

“We encourage Vietnamese students to get Singapore scholarships,” said Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Singapore to Vietnam Jaya Ratnam at the Friendship Exchange program with students of Vinh Phuc High School for the Gifted on May 29. The program is part of the activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam – Singapore diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the strategic partnership between the two countries. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Singapore to Vietnam Jaya Ratnam spoke at the Friendship Exchange program The most discussed topics at the Friendship Exchange program are how to get into Singapore’s scholarship programs and the unique learning experiences in Singapore. The Ambassador stressed that the people-to-people exchange relationship is an important pillar in the strategic partnership, besides economic cooperation. Also, Vietnam has always been a po...

Overview of the forum. The forum attracted more than 100 delegates who are leaders of large investment funds, corporations, and large, medium, and small enterprises (SMEs) in many fields such as finance and banking, green energy, green industry, construction and development of cities, Industry 4.0, and high-tech agriculture. Trinh Thi Mai Phuong, deputy director of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the focal point of the Department of Foreign Affairs to organize the local promotion of Vietnam in the RoK from May 29, 2023 to June 1, 2023. The event aims to promote the friendship and cooperation between Vietnamese localities, local government, and businesses of the RoK. The forum of local cooperation, investment promotion, and trade connection between Vietnam and the RoK 2023 is one of the strong highlights and important activities this time in the RoK”. At the forum, Tran Hai Linh, head of the Vie...

Lam Nguyen Hai Long (middle), chairman of Ho Chi Minh City Computer Association, shared information with the press about the organization of Vietnam Space Week on the afternoon of May 29. Photo: L.H Vietnam is the first country in Southeast Asia selected by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for this event. Visitors to this week will have the opportunity to interact with former NASA astronauts and explore space, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). At the press conference on the afternoon of May 29, the representative of the organizing committee, Lam Nguyen Hai Long, chairman of Ho Chi Minh City Computer Association (HCA), said that Vietnam Space Week aims to inspire the young generation by the story of astronauts in their working and living environment in space. The event is also intended to help the public learn more about NASA’s scientific advances. It is conveyed through shared stories from scientists about research aimed at...

At the reception. Photo: Quang Nam newspaper The People’s Committee of central Quang Nam province on May 29 hosted a reception for a delegation of the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) led by the Chairman of its Prisoners of War and Missing in Action (POW/MIA) Committee Grant Townsend Coates, VNA reported. The VVA’s delegation including Grant T. Coates and Margaret Pratt Porter, Director of Communications and Public Affairs of the VVA, who are in Vietnam from May 16 to June 5. Tran Anh Tuan, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said Quang Nam is among the localities severely hit by wars, with 6,300 victims of Agent Orang e (AO)/dioxin. Up to 226 communes in Quang Nam, which make up 34.6% of the provincial area, have been affected by war-left unexploded ordnance, he added. The official attributed contributions of US investors to the province’s socio-economic development, saying Quang Nam is now home to eight US projects with a total investment capital o...

Phan Anh Son, Vice President, General Secretary of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations received Sarah Goring, Country Director of Mines Advisory Group in Vietnam (Photo: Valerie Mai) “We want to hold a discussion among foreign non-organizations in the field of overcoming war consequences in Vietnam, properly appropriate and having a better plan to allocate resources.” This statement was made by Phan Anh Son, Vice President, General Secretary of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations in a meeting with Sarah Goring, Country Director of Mines Advisory Group (MAG) in Vietnam on May 29. Phan Anh Son acknowledged MAG’s contribution to demining and overcoming war consequences in Vietnam. He said the People’s Aid Coordination Committee PACCOM (a unit of VUFO) wanted to organize a discussion among foreign NGOs operating in Vietnam in dealing with war consequences, including MAG. The event is expected to be a forum for NGOs to discuss their works and plans, thu...

Lonely Planet, the world-renowned travel guide, named Vietnam National Railway the most incredible rail trip in the world. The 1,730-kilometer journey from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City offers breathtaking views of the country’s diverse landscapes, making it a must-see for foreigners coming to Vietnam, the magazine said. “Some railways rattle through historic cities; others swoosh beside spectacular coastlines. A few have an epic history, and one or two are remarkable for the colorful characters onboard. The Reunification Express line, known as the North–South Railway, fulfills all these criteria,” it stated. The railway is one of Southeast Asia’s best-loved railways and the world’s most epic overnight train journeys. It’s also one of Vietnam’s tourism highlights that attracts many international visitors.  Vietnam’s North-South Railway ranks as the world’s most incredible rail journey. Photo: Lonely Planet  Regarding tourism, data from Agoda showed tha...