Vietnam Deel 2

[FredVN]

Opvallend

Schokkende cijfers en foto:
Family members lurk behind most cases of child abuse - VnExpress International


Tja…
Da Nang top official loses Party positions over extramarital affair - VnExpress International


En ook hier geen gebrek aan luxe-problemen als:
Vietnam runs out of luxury cars - VnExpress International
en
Hanoians willing to spend big on professional wardrobe organizers - VnExpress International


Nog steeds wereldtop:
Men and their worsening drinking habits - VnExpress International

 

[FredVN]

I had a dream…
...sinds ik acht jaar oud was: een huis op Bali na mijn pensionering, als het even kan op een rustige plek bij de rijstvelden en de bergen. Die droom is blijven leven tijdens mijn werkzame leven in Nederland. Ik spreek nog steeds wat Bahasa Indonesia dat ik rond mijn achtste leerde: tellen in Bahasa gaat nog steeds gemakkelijker dan in Vietnamees. Die droom leefde absoluut nog toen Minh en ik de droom veranderden en besloten in Vietnam te gaan wonen. Inderdaad, in the middle of nowhere in de buurt van de rijstvelden.


I have a nightmare...
...sinds ongeveer zes jaar. De voortdurende geluidsoverlast en karaoke terreur.

• Gebonk en gekrijs luid en duidelijk hoorbaar op minstens 400-500 m. van de betreffende huizen (getest tijdens fietstochten)
• Een stuk of 7 van deze huizen staan slechts zo'n 15-80 m. van mijn huis
• Drie van hen schreeuwen dagelijks gedurende vaak vele uren
• Geluiden gaan regelmatig door dubbele beglazing, koptelefoon of waterdichte oordopjes!
• Metingen in huis gaven pieken van 110 dB, net buiten het huis gaf 110 dB gemiddeld!

I have no future here.
Mijn lifetime dream is definitief naar de kloten.
Mijn verhuisplan is klaar en haalbaar.
Er ligt een afspraak met een verhuisfirma om zaken definitief te maken.
Een datum is nog niet geprikt, dat is ook afhankelijk van een aantal officiële handelingen. Hopelijk over max. 1-3 maanden...
Minh blijft in Vietnam.

Het hersenloze lawaaituig heeft weer, als zo vaak in dit land, gewonnen. Ik wens ze een heel, heel lang leven met de meest heftige vorm van tinnitus toe. Het is ze uit volle overtuiging gegund. En nee, niet voor die vrachtwagen of van die flat springen…

Over het zooitje, dat hier eigenlijk wat aan zou moeten doen maar daar te … voor is, hebben we het later nog uitgebreid. Voorbeelden met –in de meeste gevallen- ook man en paard genoemd. Als de container weer op Nederlandse bodem staat: ik blijf paranoia hier.

Blijf dit topic dus volgen. Er liggen voor dan al wat stukjes klaar: ongenuanceerd en met de botte bijl.

Op hulp van de dociele en apathische rest van de bewoners hier hoef je niet te rekenen: je gaat niet tegen de overheid in.

Op de korte termijn zal ik denkelijk nog wel wat posten. Hangt van mijn bui en de teringherrie af.


Doos van Pandora
Maar de doos van Pandora staat wagenwijd open. Ontsnapt zijn in ieder geval:

• Aanrandingen (zelfs ik 4 keer!?!?!?)
• Aanzien, status, uiterlijk vertoon
• Anarchie in het verkeer
• Antibiotica-misbruik (wereldtop)
• Drinken (wereldtop)
• Egocentriciteit
• Gamen (wereldtop)
• Geluidsoverlast (wereldtop)
• Incompetentie
• Korte-termijn-denken
• Luchtverontreiniging
• Ongeïnteresseerdheid
• Onkunde bij plannen en risico-analyses
• Pesticiden-gebruik (wereldtop)
• Peter Principle: het ultieme bewijs
• Roken (wereldtop)
• Seksueel grensoverschrijdend gedrag (wat mij betreft ook wereldtop)
• Slecht onderwijs
• Tiener-abortussen
• Verdrinkingsdoden (wereldtop)
• Verkeersdoden (wereldtop)
• “Vriendendiensten”
• Wetteloosheid

En omdat de doos nooit meer dicht kan is “Hoop” ook ontsnapt en wordt het in dit doodzieke en totaal verrotte land alleen nog maar erger.

Mijn heilige en rotsvaste overtuiging.


“Ik heb natuurlijk al veel dingen gehoord en je kan je hier nauwelijks voorstellen dat dit gebeurt.”
Dat schreef mijn broer kort geleden.

Mijn antwoord:
“Je beschrijft exact mijn “angst”: mensen zullen wel denken dat ik overdrijf, dat ik het rotter maak dan het in werkelijkheid is, etc.
Wonend in NL kun je je niet voorstellen dat bij veel huizen de geluidsinstallatie zo hard staat dat hij op vele honderden meters te horen is.
Dat je in huis 93 dB gemiddeld meet en 110 dB piek. Direct buiten het huis op 20 m. afstand van de boxen 110 dB continu. En daar zitten mensen uren lang vlak voor te zuipen en stappen dan op de motor.
Mensen zetten een geluidsbox voor het huis en gaan een paar honderd meter verder op het land werken.

En voor wie nog steeds twijfels heeft de volgende post.

 

[FredVN]

Investigative reporter jailed for 'abusing democratic freedoms'

Former reporter Nguyen Hoai Nam, 49, stands before the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court, April 5, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Thao Mi



The HCMC People's Court sentenced a reporter to three and a half years in jail on Tuesday for "baseless attacks" online on some government officials.

At his trial on Tuesday it found Nguyen Hoai Nam, 49, guilty of "abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State and lawful rights and interests of organizations and/or citizens."

Nam had pleaded not guilty, but the court found the evidence convincing.

In 2018, while working as a reporter for a newspaper in HCMC, he wrote several stories about violations at the Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration and sent documents to the Ministry of Public Security for investigation.

He posted several of his articles on Facebook and criticized the police’s investigation into the case, saying 15 people had committed violations, and not three as claimed by the police.

He accused the investigators of "letting the criminals off the hook."

The HCMC Department of Information and Communication said Nam’s posts on Facebook affected the reputation of some police and other officials.

He put up a spirited defense saying posting his articles on Facebook was not illegal.

"Facebook is a tool to inform the public. I fought for the state, not for any person. I wrote articles with evidence, so it cannot be said that I lied or fabricated things."

Prosecutors said his actions "negatively affected social security and order," and recommended a jail term of four to five years.

The court said it would show leniency and give him 3.5 years due to him "having good background and having won many merits and awards as a journalist."

Nam denied the accusation that his actions negatively affected social security and order, and demanded further investigation into his case.

He was a reporter for several newspapers like Thanh Nien (Youth), Phap Luat TPHCM (HCMC Law), Vietnam Television, and Phap Luat Viet Nam (Vietnam Law).

He was a feted investigative reporter who busted several criminal cases involving government entities and crime rings and received accolades and merit certificates from government agencies for them.


Investigative reporter jailed for 'abusing democratic freedoms' - VnExpress International


Alleszeggend, nietwaar?

 

[FredVN]

Who is to blame when kids drown?

Truong Chi Hung Writer

Kids play in a river on the outskirts of Hanoi during the summer. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy



Schools often get all the opprobrium when children drown, but they are not the only ones responsible for their students' safety; parents are as well.

My father taught me how to swim when I was five.

He took two coconuts and secured them together with a cloth to make a makeshift buoy. I used it to keep afloat as I flailed at the water in the middle of a flooded field.

When I figured out how to stay afloat, my father took away the coconuts and planted two poles, two meters apart, in the water. I had to swim from one to the other.

With each passing day the poles got further apart. One day I was able to swim all the way to the furthest part and make it back to land safely.

It was how I and my siblings learned to swim. It was how all the kids in the Mekong Delta did. Our parents were not professional coaches, and merely passed down their experience to their children. Yet I rarely heard of anyone drowning in my hometown.

My father said parents started thinking about teaching their children how to swim as soon as they were able to walk. It only takes a small mistake to lose one's life in the waters of the delta. We used to get flooded for months every year. When all you see around you is water, swimming is the difference between life or death.

Nowadays, even as flooding is becoming less frequent in the delta, I start to see an increase in the number of drowning deaths.

According to a report by the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, over 2,000 children in Vietnam die of drowning every year, much higher than in many other countries. Not even 30 percent of kids in primary and middle schools know how to swim.

Several of the drowning cases I have seen lately involved multiple deaths. Kids often go in groups, and if one of them is swept away by the water, others are likely to jump in to help.

But the survival instinct means they hold on to each other, dragging them all down. Even a good swimmer would not be able to stay safe during a rescue attempt.

Drowning deaths are often attributed to a lack of adult supervision or unfortunate accidents. But the core reason for the tragedy is that many kids these days simply do not get swimming lessons, and are not equipped with the skills or knowledge required to recognize danger in the water.

A retired friend, who used to be a ferry captain, often swam in the many rivers of the delta, like the Tien, Hau and Co Chien.

He knows just how dangerous water can be for someone untrained. So he spent his retirement teaching kids in his hometown Tien Giang to swim for free. But many parents were unwilling to let their children attend his class. If adults do not see the importance of swimming, how can children?

Schools often shoulder the blame when a kid drowns. Why aren't there swimming programs? Why have they not taught students basic survival skills? It is obvious that swimming needs to be a compulsory subject in school.

But the truth is that schools have great difficulty with lack of teachers, funding and even a single pool for their students. How will they teach them swimming then?

The labor ministry says over 55 percent of children who drown are from poor families, mainly in rural areas. Rural kids are twice as likely to die of drowning as their urban peers. Rural schools also find it much more difficult to have resources to teach their students how to swim.

We cannot blame the education system for everything. With swimming not a compulsory subject in school, each of us could do our part to equip our children with the basic means to survive in water.

Every step counts.


*Truong Chi Hung is a writer. The opinions expressed are his own.


Bron: Who is to blame when kids drown? - VnExpress International


Zoals bekend één van mijn stokpaardjes hier.

En ter vergelijking een stukje met aantallen uit de AD-app.

 

[FredVN]

Opvallend

Niet de eerste keer…
Education ministry requests handling of violence at intl’ school in Ho Chi Minh City
…en ook niet de laatste ben ik bang.


Goh, merkwaardig…
$653,000 kindergarten found with subsidence, wall cracks in central Vietnam


Heavy rain causes chaotic traffic in Hanoi
Met heel veel foto’s. Zie m.n. de tweede.

 

[Badgast]

Nou, met zulke scheuren.... dat is maar 1 oplossing,... afbreken en opnieuw beginnen.
Beginnend met grondonderzoek en een stevige basis en ingecalculeerde ruimte voor verzakkingen.
Ben benieuwd hoe de juridische procedures in dit geval gaan verlopen..... ;-)

 

[FredVN]

Afbreken? Doen ze zelfs niet met illegale, landschap-verpestende gebouwen.

Grondonderzoek? In mijn omgeving wordt dat alleen gedaan door de bewoners van de lokale begraafplaats. Zal daar niet veel anders zijn.

Juridische procedures? Wat zijn dat? Gebaseerd op persoonlijke ervaring wordt de school verteld, dat ze maar een bedrijf moeten inhuren om de schade wat te repareren (en daarna een ander bedrijf om de reparatie te repareren…). De kans is heel groot dat de school geen poot heeft om op te staan.

Onvoorstelbaar nietwaar?

 

[FredVN]

After brush with death, this swimmer is on a mission to keep Vietnamese children afloat

Red River Love’s free swimming classes are offered across the Red River Delta region, from Lao Cai to Thai Binh Provinces, in northern Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre


Red River Love is a campaign run by Exploring Swimming – a volunteer group which provides free swimming and first aid lessons to children in Red River Delta provinces in northern Vietnam.


Three years ago, Nguyen Ngoc Khanh, 35, a resident of Hanoi, nearly drowned during a long-distance swim in the Red River.

The incident was an eye opener for Khanh, who has since changed his approach to swimming and now works to share his water safety knowledge with children and adults throughout the northern region.



Free swimming classes
After nearly drowning in 2019, Khanh began working with a team of coaches to improve his swimming skills so that he could be both a safer and more efficient long-distance swimmer.

His passion for long-distance swimming in the ocean, lakes, and rivers was so strong that he launched Exploring Swimming – a club where he and other swimming enthusiasts could connect.

Red River Love volunteers install lifebuoys along a bridge across the Red River in northern Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre



However, when Khanh and other club members realized just how prevalent drowning was in Vietnam, they began shifting the club's focus to water safety by posting warning signs near rivers, lakes, and beaches.

In March 2022, the club launched its Red River Love campaign, an initiative which offers free swimming classes to people in need.

Within one day of posting information about the initiative on social media, Red Rive Love was able to lure 50 volunteers and a wide group of benefactors who contributed funds toward the campaign’s free swimming classes.

“We have so much support. It shows me how meaningful our work is and encourages me to do more,” Khanh said.

Red River Love’s free swimming classes are offered across the Red River Delta region, from Lao Cai to Thai Binh Provinces.

Currently, Khanh and his fellow Exploring Swimming club members are teaching swimming to middle and high school students in Lao Cai, Yen Bai, and Tuyen Quang Provinces.

Aside from their free classes, Exploring Swimming launched an initiative on May 6 which aims to place 400 lifebuoys along the bridges which cross the Red River in 10 provinces.

So far, more than 100 lifebuoys have been installed in Lao Cai, Yen Bai, and Tuyen Quang Provinces, as well as in Hanoi.

In Hanoi alone, 33 lifebuoys now hang on six of the city’s bridges, including Thang Long, Nhat Tan, Long Bien, Chuong Duong, Vinh Tuy, and Thanh Tri Bridges.

“We hope these lifebuoys will give rescuers a helping hand in saving lives,” Khanh shared.



Sharing his passion
According to Khanh, 99 percent of drowning victims are people who overestimate their swimming skills.

Nguyen Ngoc Khanh teaches swimming and first aid lessons. Photo: Tuoi Tre



These people often do not realize that swimming in rivers and lakes is much more dangerous than swimming a few laps in a pool.

“Several swimming coaches have told me that being able to move just 20 or 50 meters is all it takes to be considered a 'swimmer,'" Khanh said.

“Misconceptions like this make it risky for people to test themselves in rivers and lakes.

“I want to share my knowledge and passion for swimming with everyone, from kids to adults."

In the future, Khanh hopes to transform the Red River Love project from a local initiative to a nationwide campaign.


Bron: After brush with death, this swimmer is on a mission to keep Vietnamese children afloat


“Several swimming coaches have told me that being able to move just 20 or 50 meters is all it takes to be considered a 'swimmer,'" Khanh said.
Eén van de problemen is, dat veel mensen hier zelfs dat niet eens halen. Maar wel denken dat ze kunnen zwemmen. Ik vroeg het afgelopen zondag aan drie van Minh’s leerlingen van 10-11 jaar. Niemand kan zwemmen!

En het moet daarnaast van dit soort vrijwilligers-organisaties komen. Over de intentie tot het plaatsen van borden en hekken op gevaarlijke plaatsen hebben we het dan maar niet eens. Voor zover die al blijven staan. Borden over gevaarlijk zwemwater bij hotels en resorts nodigen niet bepaald uit tot boeken.

En iedere Nederlander weet hoe gevaarlijk de zee kan zijn, zelfs voor geoefende zwemmers.

Tijdens het maken van een projectplan voor de bouw van een zwembad in mijn dorp had ik al contact met een dergelijke organisatie, die ook zwemleraren opleidt. Zelf beheers ik na -heel lang geleden- ruim 10 jaar zwemmen bij de Rotterdamsche Reddings Brigade nog steeds een aantal vervoersgrepen voor reddend zwemmen. Avondje theorie studeren en een middagje oefenen en ik kan zo les gaan geven.

Maar ondanks zelfs een opmerking over bereidheid tot sponsoring maakte het niemand hier wakker en is het rapport ongetwijfeld ongelezen in een prullenbak verdwenen.

Vast veel te moeilijk!

Maar het goede nieuws zoals al eerder opgemerkt: met een afname van 100 per jaar zijn er hier over ruim een eeuw geen verdrinkingsgevallen meer.

 

[jaap43]

Een paar dagen geleden gaf je al aan dat je nog enige kennis hebt van Bahasa. Heeft het geen zin voor jullie om te verkassen naar Bali. Is wel Indonesië maar geen moslims, maar hindoe, en wat minder radicaal dan we soms van moslims gewend zijn. Gezien het toerisme zal daar ook door de plaatselijke bevolking voldoende engels gesproken worden zodat ook Minh zich verstaanbaar kan maken.

 

[FredVN]

Ik ben er eigenlijk al een jaar of wat mee bezig. Zaken zijn o.m. uitgesteld door Covid-19. In mijn eigen tuin kon ik zaken gemakkelijk onder controle houden. Bali is één van de plaatsen die uiteindelijk om diverse redenen toch is afgevallen. Wat het wel gaat worden weet ik nog niet. Daar zijn wel wat ideeën over maar die moeten nog worden uitgewerkt.

 

[FredVN]

Opvallend

Wives allergic to housework - VnExpress International
Tja…


Concrete maker proposes industrial complex adjoining world-recognized national park - VnExpress International
Dit wordt hier vaak pas “ontdekt” als de bouw al bijna voltooid is. Maar het levert geld op dus…


Volgens mij is het hier nog erger dan in de bible-belt:
LGBTQ people detail trauma from pressure to change gender identity - VnExpress International

 

[FredVN]

Vietnam ranks 9th among world’s highest intelligence countries, territories

A screenshot shows that Vietnamese people rank ninth globally, with an average IQ score of 109.37 and a standard deviation of 12.49. Photo: Worldwide IQ Test



Vietnamese took ninth place on a list of countries and territories with the highest average intelligence quotient (IQ), with its average score of 109.37, according to the 2022 Worldwide IQ test results released by Finnish enterprise Wiqtcom Inc. on May 16.



Among over 100 countries and territories whose residents participated in the IQ test, Taiwanese ranked first with an average IQ score of 116.07.

Japan was the second-most intelligent nation with an average IQ of 112.69.

Hungary came in third place with 111.42, followed by South Korea with 111.36, Iran with 111.33, Hong Kong with 111.01, Serbia with 110.09, Italy with 110.87, Vietnam with 109.37, and Finland with 109.02.

The World IQ Test website said IQ test takers in Taiwan scored an "astonishing" average IQ score of 116.07.

This was an enormous improvement on Taiwan's average score of 106.47 in 2019.

Back in 2019, the island ranked second among the most intelligent nations and territories in the world.

Its average IQ scoring was very close to Japan’s 106.49, with a mere 0.02 points separating the average IQ scores for the country and the territory.

Japan's ITMedia said that Taiwan was "one of the most highly educated societies in the world."

According to the Japanese media outlet, the university entrance rate in Taiwan in 2020 reached 84.2 percent and a large number of Taiwanese students continued to pursue their master’s degrees.

However, the Worldwide IQ Test website noted that the reliability of the score for Taiwan is weakened due to the lower number of tests taken in the territory.

The standard deviation for Taiwan was 14.26, which was higher than that of Japan at 12.16.

Wiqtcom Inc. has been testing intelligence on a global scale since 2019.

Its tests are designed to measure cognitive abilities of a person, such as their problem-solving skills, abstract thinking, and general knowledge.

As required by the IQ tests, a test taker needs to be able to speak a particular language, can understand complicated mathematical problems or certain meanings of an issue within the context of a culture.

The IQ tests are given to a number of residents in each country or region.

Wiqtcom’s Worldwide IQ Test website will work out the IQ average score of a nation based on the participants’ testing results.

Its tests currently have a global mean of 100.53 and a standard deviation of 15.14 among all the people who have taken them.


Vietnam ranks 9th among world’s highest intelligence countries, territories


Huh???????????

Schiet mij maar in een condoom…
Vast een “Vietnamees-aselecte” steekproef.
Zal wel 9e van onderen zijn, zeker als ze hem in mijn omgeving houden.

Want op VnExpress stond in een aanmerkelijk korter artikel nog de toevoeging:
“While the Worldwide IQ Test website did not reveal how it got the data, it claimed it has measured the intelligence of people in over 100 countries and territories since 2019.”
Vietnam ranks 9th in average IQ: report - VnExpress International


Trouwens, duidt het lijstje over de doos van Pandora van een paar dagen geleden op de aanwezigheid van enige vorm van intelligentie, die een 9e plaats rechtvaardigt?

En jawel, ik ken het verschil tussen IQ en kennis.

 

[FredVN]

Opvallend

Ach, waarom zou je ook…
90 pct of real estate brokers are unlicensed: realty association - VnExpress International


Dengue? “Dat bestaat niet”, riepen de buren in koor, terwijl ze de sloot blokkeerden om het smerige water op hun land te sproeien, de sloot ter hoogte van mijn waterput overstroomde en het stilstaande water ongetwijfeld een uitstekende voedingsbodem voor muskieten was.
Ho Chi Minh City sees 46% y/y increase in dengue fever cases


Gewoon een beetje badderen: toch niets mis mee?
Long-drawn urban planning issues blamed for Hanoi flooding - VnExpress International

 

[FredVN]

Northwest HCMC: land of disrupted lives, stalled projects (1)

The lives of tens of thousands of families have been disrupted by projects in Hoc Mon and Cu Chi districts that have stayed untouched two decades since approval.

Costing $3.5 billion, the international university urban area covers an area of 925 hectares in Tan Thoi Nhi Commune, Hoc Mon District.

Approved in 2008, it is the most important part of the Northwest Urban Area project, which covers an area of more than 6,000 hectares in Cu Chi and Hoc Mon, to create a modern urban area with an international standard learning and working environment.

Stretching along National Highway 22, the international university urban area has been stuck at the step of site clearance for two decades now.

Some houses in the project area have been demolished to make space for construction.

However, the project has yet to make any headway since.

The Northwest Urban Area was meant to become a satellite urban area with commercial, financial, medical, educational and other facilities, changing the face of the city's northwest region.

But the mega-project remains on paper until now and as a result, more than 56,000 families living in the project designated area have not been allowed to rebuild or repair their houses for two decades.

Dung, 58, said his family has been living in a degraded house with damp, cracked walls.

"Aside from a leaky roof, the house is usually flooded. I had asked for permission to lift the foundation of the house and repair some parts of it several times but the authorities do not allow that."

A family has abandoned their living room, using it only as a place to keep their chickens.

HCMC administration last year asked the central government to resize the project’s scale from 6,000 hectares to 4,400 hectares, but this has not happened yet.

 

[FredVN]

Northwest HCMC: land of disrupted lives, stalled projects (2)

Around 30km away from Northwest Urban Area, the Saigon Safari Park project, spreading over 457 hectares in Cu Chi District, was approved in 2004.

The $500-million project has not been completed because of numerous violations by various agencies including poor investor choice, as concluded in 2019 by the Government Inspectorate.

It said the HCMC People’s Committee did not follow legal procedures in appointing the Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden Company as the main project investor. The company was not competent enough, the inspectorate said. It held members of the city's Department of Planning and Investment during the 2001 and 2006 terms mainly responsible for the fiasco.

These days, locals use land designated for the project to raise cattle and grow vegetables.

The 18 hectares earmarked for the Bau Dung residential project to resettle 443 households affected by the Saigon Safari Park have remained vacant almost 20 years.

Doan Van Lanh, 62, has nearly 2.5 hectares of land in the resettlement area. These days, his family still lives in their house inside the resettlement area due to disagreement with the project investor over compensation. He is not allowed to make any modifications to his house or sell it to anyone.

"We cannot move and if we stay, we have to live in this crumbling house," said Lanh.

A map of the Saigon Safari Park that remains on paper.

At an investment promotion conference held earlier this month, Ho Chi Minh City called for and received pledges of $17 billion for 55 projects in Cu Chi and Hoc Mon districts.

Among those projects are the Saigon Safari Park and the international university urban area.

However, both district authorities and investors agree that the investment pledges are a preliminary step and that the municipal administration should make adjustments to resolve several development bottlenecks, allowing the districts to manage their land effectively.


Bron: Northwest HCMC: land of disrupted lives, stalled projects


Niet uniek. Zie
Hanoi parks remain unfinished for years - VnExpress International

 

[FredVN]

Opvallend

Higher costs to blame for lack of expressways in Mekong Delta: ministry - VnExpress International
Gevalletje plannings-onkunde? Past perfect bij de posts van gisteren en vandaag.


Zoals dat ook geldt voor:
5 million foreign tourists unreachable target: experts - VnExpress International


Jail very drunk drivers, expert proposes - VnExpress International
Mogen ze wel heel snel en heel veel gaan bouwen. Er is gelukkig nog plaats genoeg bleek de afgelopen posts. Zie de tweede alinea en bedenk dan dat er hier –maar blijkbaar alleen in principe- sinds 1½ jaar een zero-tolerance beleid is. En toch 1½ - 3 keer zoveel bezopen ongelukken als in andere landen. Misschien kunnen ze net als het briljante plan voor de geluidsoverlast vriendelijk gaan vragen of het wat minder kan.

Qua strekking een moedeloos makend artikel over een doodziek en door en door verrot land.
Want:
Transport official kills married couple, child in serious DUI crash in northern Vietnam
en met de bewegende beelden:
Family of 3 killed in drunk driving incident - VnExpress International

M.i. gewoon als drievoudige moord behandelen. Staat in Vietnam denkelijk de doodstraf op.

 

[FredVN]

Adolescents engage in early sexual activities at 'alarming' rate

Condom products in different colors. Illustration photo by Shutterstock



Tran Vu Mai, 16, was 16 weeks pregnant when she suffered from a uterine perforation and abdominal bleeding following an abortion at a private clinic.

She was recently admitted to the National Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Hanoi in critical condition.

Dr Phan Chi Thanh of the hospital’s department of examination says patients like Mai could require a hysterectomy and face the risk of no longer being able to have children if not treated promptly.

When Mai and her high school boyfriend discovered she was pregnant, they were both confused and scared, and decided to get an abortion done at an illegal clinic.

But the pregnancy was already too advanced and the procedure was done at an unsanitary facility.

Thanh says many adolescents do not want to get abortions done at public hospitals and so go to unlicensed clinics or do it by themselves at deserted places to prevent others from finding out.

After having sex without a condom at the age of 14, Nguyen Ngoc Ha Mai developed bumps on her body and the doctor diagnosed her as having genital warts, a sexually transmitted disease.

Mai’s boyfriend did not get the disease at first, but, fearful, the two had gone to the doctor without their family members.

He later noticed a few small pimples on his foreskin, was concerned, could not eat or sleep, but did not dare tell his family at first.

He later told them the truth and they took him to a hospital.

"Adolescents are not yet physically or mentally developed, and having sex too soon increases the risk of sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies," Thanh says.

According to a Ministry of Health and World Health Organization study in 2019 on student health behavior, the rate of having sex before the age of 14 more than doubled from 1.45 percent in 2013 to 3.51 percent in 2019.

Only 42 percent of students who had sex used condoms and 44 percent used other birth control methods, both much lower than in 2013.

Thanh points out that the rate of young people engaging in sexual activities is rising at an alarming rate and the true figure may be even higher.

Furthermore, the study only estimated the rate of children who used condoms during their most recent sexual encounter and not earlier times.

A 2020 study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found nearly half of all high school students in the country had sex in 2019. It said some 60 percent used a condom the last time they had sex while 14 percent did not use any form of contraception.

Medical experts say young adults have sex early since teenagers’ bodies change every day during puberty due to hormonal activity and children themselves are surprised and curious about their bodies.

Thanh says: "Sex education, protective measures... should be taught to children one to two years ahead of a child's physiological development. For girls it is between six and eight years and for boys it is seven to nine.

"However, in Vietnam, children get sex education later in life, and many families let their children grow up on their own, leaving them surprised, confused and curious."

Western countries begin sex education in preschool and provide children with knowledge that is appropriate for their physical and cognitive development, he says.

In Japan, sex education is provided to students aged 10-11 with an emphasis on topics such as menstruation and ejaculation.

Children in China and Sri Lanka are taught about reproduction in sex education classes.

Since 1942 Sweden has been providing basic knowledge about pregnancy and childbirth to children aged seven and above.

According to Dr. Le Duy Thao of Hong Ngoc General Hospital's department of andrology, most parents do not fully explain or avoid teaching their children about sex.

This leaves children curious but unable to select good information especially in this era of social media.

There have been no studies in Vietnam on the rate of children who discuss sex with their parents and its effectiveness.

In a recent study of 600 people aged 12 to 15 in the U.S., nearly a third said they had never discussed sex with their parents.

Another study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and based on more than 50 studies involving 25,314 adolescents over 30 years, discovered that adolescents who discuss sex with their parents are more likely to use condoms and other preventive measures.

"Sex is not a bad thing," Thao says.

"But it can easily lead to unpredictable consequences for minors who are not equipped with the necessary knowledge."

He says early sex has ramifications. Having unprotected sex or only using condoms increases the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV, gonorrhea, syphilis, HPV, and hepatitis B, he warns.

Girls' genitals develop rapidly after puberty, particularly when menstruating. However, Thanh says it takes a long time for the body to perfect the sexual organs to serve pregnancy and motherhood. Early and careless sex can damage the vagina and inflammation of the urethra and vulva leading to psychological disorders, affecting learning outcomes and relationships with family and society.

Girls who have sex without using protection run the risk of becoming pregnant. Premature birth, miscarriage, malnutrition, stress, depression are all more likely in a teen pregnancy than for a woman of reproductive age (18 to 35 years old).

Girls at this age evidently lack money while many hide their pregnancy from their parents, resulting in a lack of sharing, sympathy and emotional support.

Even in the best-case scenario in which both the young mother and the baby are healthy, becoming a mother too soon is a huge burden for people who are not prepared in terms of psychology, life skills or finances.

More dangerously, many young people do not dare go to a proper medical facility and instead risk a lot by going to dubious abortion clinics.

People under 16 are considered children under the 2016 Children's Law, and any act of sex before this age is illegal.

To be on the safe side, doctors advise men not to have sex before 20 and women not before 18, which is also the legal marriage age.

By this time a person’s body is fully grown, and they are prepared physically, psychologically and reproductively to have sex.

Related News:
Catch your children watching something sexy? Just chill
Lack of sex education taking its toll in Vietnam
Dim light at the end of sex education tunnel
It's not working: sex education makes teachers and students squirm
Parents concerned, distraught to find children consuming pornography


Bron: Adolescents engage in early sexual activities at 'alarming' rate - VnExpress International

 

[FredVN]

Opvallend

Doctoral dissertation on Vietnam civil servants’ badminton development provokes backlash
Thesis in de verkeerde shop gekocht?


Multiple choice getaway: a travel guide to Quy Nhon - VnExpress International
Veel foto’s


Health minister, Hanoi chairman caused huge loss to state budget: Communist Party - VnExpress International



Drunk driver arrested after accident kills 3 people - VnExpress International
“The department has suspended Thinh from work after the incident.”
Ja, ja, meteen harde maatregelen.

 

[FredVN]

Great Place to Work Vietnam introduces Certification methodology

Great Place to Work®, the global authority on workplace culture held its inaugural Vietnam Best Workplaces event on May 12 at Sofitel Saigon Plaza with the theme People-First, Purpose-Driven, acknowledging the approach that companies have adopted in their workplace practices over the past year.



The event was attended by 120 participants, including Vo Tan Thanh, vice-chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Delphine Rousselet, executive director of the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam.

In the welcome speech to the audience, Evelyn Kwek, managing director of Great Place to Work ASEAN and ANZ said, “The best way to do great business and take care of our customers is to take care of our people first.

“When we are purpose-driven, the company is here to do more, a lot more than just make money; we’re here to take care of each other, respect each other, build great teams, and help each other perform in a way that is better for people, better for business, and better for the world.”

In addition to honoring the 15 companies in the Vietnam Best WorkplacesTM List, certified companies across industries such as technology, agriculture, manufacturing, and electronics were also presented with a recognition of their certification journey because they had met the Great Place to Work Certified standard.

About 30 companies are Great Place to Work®-Certified in its first year of operations in Vietnam.

To determine the 2022 Vietnam’s Best Workplaces, Great Place to Work analyzed confidential survey feedback representing about over 20,000 employees across different industries in Vietnam.

Employees responded to over 60 survey questions describing the extent to which their organization creates a Great Place to Work For All.

Eighty-five percent of the evaluation was based on what employees said about their experiences of trust and reaching their full human potential as part of their organization, no matter who they are or what they do.

Great Place to Work analyzed these experiences relative to each organization’s size, workforce make-up, and what is typical in their industry.

The remaining 15 percent of the rank was based on an assessment of all employees’ daily experiences of innovation, the company’s values, and the effectiveness of their leaders, to ensure they were consistently experienced.

TTC Sugar, the agriculture arm of TTC Group, was one of the Certified companies who received the recognition.

“TTC Sugar is a Vietnamese company but we want to have global orientation as we export our sugar products to over 24 countries,” said Tai Quach, talent acquisition manager of the company, who oversees recruitment, employee branding for the head office and 22 business units of TTC Agricultural Industry.

“We want to build the best culture for the employees as they are also our decision-makers.

“The company will continue to grow and we want to have a workplace culture that can be compared to MNCs."

Cisco Systems Vietnam topped the Best Workplaces List in the small category (10 to 99 employees).

“We believe when people are given opportunities, they will shine!” said Luong Thi Le Thuy, general director, Cisco Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

“We honor the conscious culture we’ve been fostering for years.

“The work we’ve been doing isn’t just to serve our business goals or employees, it’s for the community and people who live and work within Vietnam.

“So this award is recognition that it’s a way to honor and celebrate the efforts we’ve put in.”

DHL-VNPT Express Ltd., who was given the top-ranked Best Workplace company in the medium and large category, shared, “Our highly motivated teams constantly strive for excellence.

“We work together to create a trusting environment that allows each person to feel empowered.”

The event also discussed the future of employee engagement in the ‘new normal’ with Luong Thi Le Thuy, general director, Cisco Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, and HR representatives Nam Phương, vice-president of Human Resources Association, and Le Hong Phuc, founder and president of Vietnam Human Resources Association.

The panel acknowledged that the post-pandemic way of working within companies have changed.

Many are adopting a hybrid and flexible work model complementing the younger generation’s increased pace of working.

Coupled with the impact of digital transformation, companies should develop HR policies that are agile, can cater to the current workforce, and to respond with timely measures and policies that are aligned with the companies and the individuals.

“We entered Vietnam in late 2020 and, over the past one and a half years, we are humbled and honored to have worked together with some of the most amazing companies here,” managing director Kwek said.

“We are committed to our mission and look forward to partnering you in building great places to work for all in Vietnam.”


Bron: Great Place to Work Vietnam introduces Certification methodology


En dit soort artikelen lees je dan als de afgelopen weken geen enkele reactie komt op vragen over:

• De aankoop van een Raspberry Pi + een aantal modules voor ca. €100 ("is het op voorraad?")
• Het willen kopen van een DJI Mini Pro 3 voor ruim €1000.
• Mijn acceptatie van een tandheelkundige behandeling van €1600

Er is nog een heeeeele lange weg te gaan voordat er ook maar iets van een mentaliteitsverandering te bespeuren zal zijn. Pessimist als ik in dit soort zaken ben denk ik niet dat die ooit nog zal komen. Ik heb het alleen maar op alle niveaus slechter zien worden.

Maar we laten ons allemaal graag verrassen.

 

[FredVN]

Abandoned admin buildings host animal husbandry in central Vietnam (1)

Following the integration of two districts in the central Quang Ngai Province, many administrative buildings that were abandoned have become fruit gardens, livestock and poultry farms.

Tay Tra was a mountainous district with over 20,000 people residents, most of them of Cor ethnicity. The district was merged into Tra Bong District in April 2020. When this happened, all of Tay Tra administration’s properties were handed over to Tra Bong authorities. This included dozens of administrative buildings with a total area of 589,000 m2, worth around VND516 billion ($22.2 million), along with numerous cars, machines and equipment worth around VND72 billion.

However, only a few of the buildings are usable, most of the others already dilapidated and abandoned. Among them, the premises of the red roofed building, which used to be the Tay Tra District Court, has become a garden to plant bananas and raise chickens. The building next to it, formerly the district's prosecutor's office, is being used to raise cows.

Mats used to cover vegetables from direct sunlight are hung on the fence at the old Tay Tra People's Court building.

Pipes used to water bananas and papaya trees lie in the front yard of the erstwhile People's Court.

Former office rooms of the court have become coops to incubate eggs.

Over the past year, the former district prosecutors' office has become a cow farm. Late last month, the cows were moved outside the building at the request of the Tra Bong People's Committee.

 

[FredVN]

Opvallend

Ho Chi Minh City to build 104 anti-flooding reservoirs
Ik moest aan kalf en put denken, maar die gaan ze nu juist graven als ik het een beetje snap.
Is dit een beetje te vergelijken met de weilanden in NL, die ze bij hoog water vol laten lopen?


En dus iets meer over water-reservoirs
Reservoirs, 'sponge city' model could mitigate Hanoi flooding: experts - VnExpress International


HCMC anti-flooding reservoirs remain on paper for years - VnExpress International
En het project blijkt dus al jaren “in ontwikkeling”.


Heavy rain leaves residents traveling by boat for 10 days in Hanoi neighborhood
De gevolgen…


Son Tung M-TP's company fined $3,000 for YouTube release of 'There's no one at all'


Bus driver has driving license suspended after traffic breach revealed in social media clip
Aan de heidenen overgeleverd…
De gemiddelde chauffeur van bus of truck is vaak rijp voor een dwangbuis hier.

 

[FredVN]

Abandoned admin buildings host animal husbandry in central Vietnam (2)

About 200 m away is another abandoned building that used to be the Tay Tra education center.

Many classrooms in the building are damaged and covered in dust.

About 500 m away from the school, an old commune office is now unused as people have moved to buildings in Tay Tra District instead.

Locals often enter similarly abandoned buildings for parties, or for a place to spend the night.

People place mats and blankets on the corridors of the building to sleep.
"Besides sleeping, some people also collect scrap metal from the building to sell and buy alcohol," said Ho Thi Nga, a resident.

Weeds grow in an abandoned corridor.

Trash inside abandoned rooms.

Dang Minh Thao, secretary of the Tra Bong Party Committee, said: "As much as we tried , we could not use all the buildings," adding that the current uses of the buildings were just a way to prevent them from being damaged further.

Thao said it was difficult to auction these buildings as they are around 100 km away from Quang Ngai's center, and are hard to manage. Some buildings were converted into schools, but students could not travel long distances to get there.


Bron: Abandoned admin buildings host animal husbandry in central Vietnam


Geweldig!
Eindelijk een nuttig gebruik van deze gebouwen.

Waarom de koeien van de laatste foto gisteren naar buiten moesten??? Zal wel weer een briljante reden aan ten grondslag liggen.

Dit zou een geweldige uitbreiding zijn van de uiterst moeizaam verlopende fotoserie “Verlaten gebouwen in Vietnam”. Helaas, vanaf mijn huis ca. 485 km. enkele reis. Zonder enige garantie dat ik foto’s mag maken.

 

[FredVN]

Een late post vandaag. Vanaf vanmorgen vroeg tot ca. 10 min. geleden hadden we weer eens geen prik. Het betekende wel een tijdje rust van de proleten. Wat een zeldzaamheid hier is, zoals de volgende post toont.

Helaas kon ik ook niet verder met wat ik aan het bouwen ben. Boormachine, draaibank etc. doen het ook niet uit zichzelf. En met mijn belangrijkste bestanden in de cloud is computeren ook niet direct een ideale optie.

Maar de stilte, die nu heerst, is ondanks alles toch wel geweldig.

 

[FredVN]

Noise at food joints in Ho Chi Minh City comes back 'with a vengeance'

Wednesday, June 08, 2022, 16:04 GMT+7

A female DJ is pictured playing deafening music, while an employee of a pub on Pham Van Dong Boulevard in Go Vap District invites customers into the establishment. Photo: Le Phan / Tuoi Tre



After a short peaceful period of time, many streets in Ho Chi Minh City have become unpleasant as noise from restaurants and food stalls is back and getting worse.



Music from high-power loudspeakers or portable speakers still echoes through the neighborhoods even though it is past 10:00 pm.



Carousing over ear-piercing music until midnight

“It is a great misery when my home is next to an area crowded with restaurants and beer stalls that make noise around the clock," said a resident living on the Pham Van Dong 'beer avenue.'

“Every night, they turn on loud music and raise the roof.

"I cannot sleep well due to the overly loud music that plunges me into insomnia, a headache, and ineffectiveness at work.

“I just hope that they tone down the music after 10:00 pm so that residents can take a rest after a hard-working day."

After a quiet period, noise has been revived at a series of pubs on Hiep Binh, Pham Van Dong, Nguyen Kiem, and Pham Van Chieu Streets in Thu Duc City, Binh Thanh District, and Go Vap District, causing a disturbance in many residential areas nearby.

Although grassroots-level authorities have repeatedly tackled loud noise at beer stalls on Pham Van Dong Boulevard, with a heavy hand, it has not been effective at all.

At 11:00 pm, a large number of pubs on the boulevard are still playing deafening music.

Stretching a 4.5-kilometer section of Pham Van Dong from Nguyen Thai Son Roundabout to Binh Loi Bridge are more than 25 beer joints of all kinds operating in Go Vap District’s Wards 1 and 11 as well as Ward 13 in Binh Thanh District.

Among them, Go Vap District’s Ward 1 sees the highest number of beer places, with numerous huge speakers and DJs playing ear-splitting music.

Many female DJs continuously adjust music to attract guests, while employees of the beer stalls spill onto the street to invite customers.

The noise at some restaurants and beer clubs is measured at 95-100 decibels by sound meter apps on mobile phones.

The figure exceeds the level for the highest fine for making noise (more than 40 decibels).

Meanwhile, in some areas in Hiep Binh Chanh Ward, many residents are discontented as their neighbors regularly drink and sing with portable speakers late into the night.



Regulation on seizing noise-causing objects is needed

A representative of the Binh Thanh Bureau of Natural Resources and Environment told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that noise violation complaints can be made via hotline 1022.

The switchboard will send complaints about noise to the authorities of the wards.

The ward authorities will handle noise violations before 10:00 pm, while the ward police will be in charge of tackling noise after 10:00 pm.

The authorities of Binh Thanh District have tasked the wards with inspecting and checking the activities of restaurants and stalls on Pham Van Dong to impose sanctions on noise violators.

The district wants to temporarily impound loudspeakers owned by restaurants and stalls committing noise violations, but the prevailing law excludes this regulation.

As such, the district is proposing the Department of Natural Resources and Environment report this issue to the city and the government in order to add some relevant rules.

Another solution suggests environmental police assign surveillants to oversee the operation of restaurants and beer stalls and handle noise violations.

Lawyer Vo Thi Man from the Ho Chi Minh Bar Association stated that the permitted noise level in special areas is no more than 55 decibels from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm and 45 decibels between 9:00 pm and 6:00 am.

Meanwhile, it is no more than 70 decibels from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm and 55 decibels from 9:00 pm to 6:00 am for common areas.

“It is necessary to impose a heavier penalty for manufacturing and trading businesses that cause a low level of noise, but have been punished several times," Man said.

"This is aimed at preventing them from accepting penalties to maintain business operations.

“Though being at a slight level, noise will affect the quality of life of residents and hurt their health if it is made continuously."

In 2022, the Ho Chi Minh People’s Committee ordered relevant agencies to intensify the handling of noise violations.

Under the order, the leaders of wards and districts will take full responsibility for failing to deal with noise pollution due to slack management and poor supervision that lead to negative effects on security and social order.

Pursuant to the regulations on administrative penalties, violators shall be fined VND1-5 million (US$43-215) for noise exceeding the standard level by 2-5 decibels, and VND5-20 million ($215-860) for surpassing the standard level by 5-10 decibels.


Bron: Noise at food joints in Ho Chi Minh City comes back 'with a vengeance'


Gisteren op internet, vandaag al op MF. Zodat jullie de ongelooflijke terreur ook van anderen horen.

“After a short peaceful period of time, many streets in Ho Chi Minh City have become unpleasant…
Ik geloof er geen moer van dat het de afgelop4en tijd rustig is geweest. “…that make noise around the clock…” zoals vlak erna staat. Hier is nauwelijks nog een rustig moment. En dan zijn er niet eens veel cafe's in de buurt. Het zijn praktisch allemaal woonhuizen.

“The noise at some restaurants and beer clubs is measured at 95-100 decibels by sound meter apps on mobile phones.”
Dat meet ik in huis al als de overbuurman een feestje geeft, buiten 110 db. En de bierzuipers zitten uren op 2-3 m. van de boxen. Is het gek dat je “normaal” gesprek zonder muziek al op tientallen meters woordelijk kunt volgen.

“The ward authorities will handle noise violations before 10:00 pm, while the ward police will be in charge of tackling noise after 10:00 pm.”
O ja? Nou, hier bedreigt de politie je als je over de pestherrie klaagt. En heeft jaren geleden een dorpshoofd al aangegeven dat ze niets aan de karaoke gaan doen.

“As such, the district is proposing the Department of Natural Resources and Environment report this issue to the city and the government in order to add some relevant rules.”
Wishfull thinking.

“Lawyer Vo Thi Man from the Ho Chi Minh Bar Association stated that the permitted noise level in special areas is no more than 55 decibels from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm and 45 decibels between 9:00 pm and 6:00 am.
Meanwhile, it is no more than 70 decibels from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm and 55 decibels from 9:00 pm to 6:00 am for common areas.”
Die wet is gewoon op internet te vinden en heb ik ook al hier geplaatst. Hij zit echt goed en logisch in elkaar. Maar niemand wil hem kennen, laat staan lezen en handhaven.

“In 2022, the Ho Chi Minh People’s Committee ordered relevant agencies to intensify the handling of noise violations.”
Het bekende afschuifsysteem.

En zolang men te belazerd is om er ook maar iets aan te doen en lulverhalen op blijft hangen over gekalibreerde apparatuur met gecertificeerd personeel en eigen interpretaties van de wet, zonder ook maar iets te weten over gehoorbeschadigingen en tinnitus zal het hier nog heel lang onrustig blijven. En slaat de laatste alinea als een l*l in een bord pap.
(Ik ben er van overtuigd dat hele volksstammen hier zullen zeggen, dat dit niet klopt.. Nog iemand die twijfelt aan het “immens botte domheid” van Paul de Leeuw?)

Omdat in NL tinnitus in een aantal gevallen een legitieme reden voor euthanasie is verwacht ik hier op termijn veel flat-en-voor-de-trein/vrachtwagen-springers.

Hopelijk is mijn land snel verkocht en kan ik het door en door verrotte en doodzieke zooitje achter me laten.

 

[FredVN]

Selling Hanoi's heritage: An economist's viewpoint

Martin Rama Economist


Recent news about the sale of 600 French villas by the Hanoi People's Committee triggered a flurry of exchanges in social media. Many of the comments were on whether these villas would be better protected by the government or by private owners. Many others were about the fact that these villas sit on "golden land" and their sale could be a source of unjustified profits.

The sudden public interest in this topic provides a good opportunity to discuss the potential and pitfalls of divesting state-owned assets with heritage value. Two thirds of the 600 villas have already been sold already, and it is unlikely that the terms to handle the sale of the other third will change much. But there could be important insights from this experience for the future.

Such insights become particularly important as several ministries may be moving out of central Hanoi in the coming years. These ministries occupy some of the most magnificent public buildings from the colonial period. It would be unfortunate if the handover of such buildings to private investors put the city’s heritage at risk, or if it led to illegitimate profits.

I want to reflect on the sale of heritage assets as someone who deeply loves Hanoi and wants to contribute to the preservation of its unique character. But I also want to comment on it as an economist. After all, the sale of heritage assets is essentially a privatization – a relatively well-understood instrument in development policy.

Two decades ago, when I was the Lead Economist of the World Bank in Vietnam, I had the honor of work with the government on the equitization of thousands of state-owned enterprises. Vietnam’s experience back then is relevant in this context.

The privatization of French villas and public buildings by the local government can certainly contribute to the preservation of the city’s heritage, at no cost to the local government. Constrained budgets have prevented the authorities from taking proper care of these assets. Some of them are by now in a bad state of disrepair. If nothing is done to preserve them, they could end up crumbling.

However, there have been numerous cases in which private investors have deliberately destroyed assets with heritage value, to make a profit. An obvious example is the beautiful French villa in which Tran Huy Dung, the first chairman of independent Hanoi used to live on Ly Thai To street.

A century-old villa in Hanoi, now used as home by many residents, is dilapidated. Photo by VnExpress


When state-owned enterprises started being equitized, two decades ago, their efficiency gradually increased. Products with better quality led to higher profits, benefiting both the new private owners and their customers. But when a French villa or a public building is demolished, the investor makes a large profit whereas the character of the city is damaged. Instead of a win-win situation there is a win-lose outcome.

Therefore, the privatization of assets with heritage value should be accompanied by stringent regulations on what the investor can do with them. In the case of the 600 villas, local authorities were right to mandate that whoever demolished or damaged one of these villas needed to rebuild an identical one in its place.

However, it is important to make sure that this regulation can be implemented in practice. Applying fines may not be enough for investors to abide by it, because the profits from demolition could be very large. There should also be a provision that any new unauthorized buildings will be demolished at the new owner’s expense. And the obligation to preserve a heritage asset should be transferred to its new owner every time the asset is sold again.

A second important issue is how to determine the price at which a heritage asset should be sold. One of the main pitfalls of privatization processes around the world has been the sale of state assets at cheap prices. In some countries, such discount sales have cemented the fortunes of oligarchs, and have ended eroding public confidence in the government.

In the case of the 600 villas, sales have been based on a government resolution that sets a price per square meter for different parts of the city. This was a way to facilitate their purchase by their residents, who were typically not rich. Indeed, most of these French villas had been used to address a housing crisis at independence, and often an entire family ended up living in each room.

However, with the administrative price being often much lower than the market price, this approach might have resulted in significant profits for the residents of the villas. Generosity with revolutionary families who committed sacrifices for the nation is understandable. But it is more questionable when it benefits private investors.

Public auctions are a more appropriate pricing mechanism for future sales than figures from administrative lists. A fully transparent process can be put in place through which restrictions such as the obligation to preserve the original architecture are clear, and potential investors can bid for the asset knowing in full knowledge of what they can do with the asset.

Typically, there is a pre-qualification of bidders, to make sure that they have the financial resources and the technical expertise to take proper care of the asset. Among pre-qualified investors, the one offering the highest bid wins the auction.

This mechanism is widely used by the government of Vietnam to commission infrastructure works, to purchase medicines, or to procure office supplies. Extending it to the sale of assets with heritage value should be relatively straightforward.

Effective regulations on the use of heritage assets, and transparent auctions to divest them, may seem matters of detail. But as an economist, I know that details make all the difference between privatization success and failure. And as someone who deeply loves Hanoi, I can only hope that the privatization of heritage assets will be done in a way that helps preserve the city’s unique character.

*Martin Rama is a consultant to the presidency of the World Bank and a project director at the Center for Sustainable Urban Development under the Vietnamese Academy of Social Sciences. The opinions expressed are his own.


Bron: Selling Hanoi's heritage: An economist's viewpoint - VnExpress International