Vietnam Deel 2

[FredVN]

Ik denk eerder, dat ze me dat met veel liefde overhandigen en het me vervolgens "heel moeilijk gaan maken".

Nee, ik heb me vooraf heel goed gerealiseerd waar ik mee bezig ben. Ik heb ook geen enkele behoefte meer om nog een keer terug te gaan. Bovendien zijn er nog wel een paar Aziatische landen die ik nog niet goed ken. Of nog eens terug naar mijn eerste liefde; Bali. Nee, dat komt wel goed.

 

[FredVN]

Vietnam, een kijkje van binnenuit

In 2013 heb ik in Word mijn eerste boek over Vietnam gemaakt en bij een copyshop laten printen. Het was een A5-boekje geworden van 160 pagina’s. Ik heb dat toen tijdens een vakantie in NL aan familie en wat vrienden en bekenden cadeau gedaan.

Het leek me wel aardig om dit, ter gelegenheid van het “10-jarig bestaan”, nogmaals uit te brengen. Nu als e-book in de serie “Een kijkje van binnenuit.

De bestaande Word-file ingelezen in Affinity Publisher, het pakket dat ik tegenwoordig gebruik, en een klein beetje gefatsoeneerd. Inhoudelijk heb ik nauwelijks iets aangepast. Ook heb ik niet elke pagina in detail bekeken of alles wel exact juist is, zoals ik bij alle andere boeken wel heb gedaan. Ik zie overigens niet veel “rare dingen”. Waarbij ik negeer, dat … is omgezet in ……………………………………. Maar verder sluit ze ook zeker niet uit.

Hou er rekening mee, dat informatie inmiddels nogal gedateerd kan zijn. Veel is veranderd. Maar allerlei algemene feiten kloppen vaak nog wel.

En anders is het gewoon leuk om te lezen, hoe het vroeger was.

Helaas, er kwamen wat spoedklussen voor mijn kleinzoon, dus nog even geduld voor de downloads. Dit blijft dezelfde pagina als hieronder genoemd bij de handtekening.

 

[FredVN]

Garnalenpelfabriek

Deze foto zag ik op Pinterest. Onmiddellijk moest ik aan de garnalenpelfabriek denken, die ik altijd als afschrikwekkend toekomstbeeld gebruikte voor Minh’s leerlingen. “Dat moet je je hele leven doen, als je niet goed studeert”.

Helaas was “geld verdienen” meestal een veel attractiever idee. Ongeacht waarmee.
En “gamen” een veel leukere tijdsbesteding.

Helaas mocht ik nooit de fabriek van binnen bekijken (en al helemaal niet fotograferen), maar deze foto toont perfect, hoe ik het mij voorstel:

• Grote stapel garnalen
• Zeven dagen per week, van 07:00 tot 17:00.
• Ca. 50 weken per jaar. Alleen met Tet vrij.
• Vanaf je 18e (of (veel) eerder als je teveel met gamen bezig bent) tot -zo ongeveer- aan je dood. Of minimaal tot je eruit ziet als de dame op de foto.

Toegegeven, het is wel afwisselend werk: als je met de ene garnaal klaar bent begin je aan de volgende.

Veel leerlingen hebben helaas niet mijn “beeldend vermogen”.
Zou het tonen van deze foto wel geholpen hebben…???

 

[FredVN]

Vietnam president steps down following National Assembly meeting

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on the sidelines of a National Assembly meeting, January 18, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Hoang Phuc

The National Assembly dismissed President Nguyen Xuan Phuc from his position per his request in an emergency session on Wednesday.
Phuc left his seat as president at the age of 69, following nearly two years of holding it. He is the first president to retire from his post mid-term since 1976.

(From L, front row) Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, standing member of the Secretariat Vo Van Thuong, and Chairman of the Fatherland Front Committee Do Van Chien, attend a National Assembly meeting on January 18, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Hoang Phong


An extraordinary meeting by the Communist Party's Central Committee on Tuesday saw President Nguyen Xuan Phuc resign from his positions as president, member of the Politburo and the Central Party Committee, as well as chairman of the Council for National Defense and Security of the 2021-2026 term.

The committee said that as the prime minister during the 2016-2021 period, Phuc made great efforts in leading, directing and administering the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, the results of which were effective, a statement from the committee meeting said.

However, as the efforts' primary leader, he was responsible for letting several officials, including two deputy prime ministers and three ministers, commit violations that caused severe consequences.

Two deputy prime ministers Pham Binh Minh and Vu Duc Dam were dismissed at another National Assembly extraordinary meeting on January 5.

Two former ministers Nguyen Thanh Long and Chu Ngoc Anh and several other officials are facing criminal charges.

Phuc was a member of the Central Party Committee, the Politburo and the National Assembly for multiple terms.

From 1997 to 2006, he was the chairman of the Quang Nam Province People's Committee.

He was appointed head of the Government Office in 2006 and deputy prime minister in 2011, before becoming the prime minister five years later.

He was voted president in April 2021.


Bron: Vietnam president steps down following National Assembly meeting - VnExpress International


Goh, iemand die echt op eigen verzoek stopt? Zo maar? Helemaal uit zichzelf? Vooruit, misschien met een klein duwtje…

En dan mag hij blij zijn, dat hij niet op de 10e verdieping voor een raam staat, zoals een paar jaar geleden de zoon van een hooggeplaatste figuur, die zich bezig hield met corruptiebestrijding.

Er gaan verhalen rond, dat hij een redelijk goede naam had omdat de corruptie tijdens zijn bewind niet veel erger is geworden. Ja, ja, je verzint het zelf niet. Maar als ik het verhaal lees…

Inmiddels is een nieuwe president gekozen: Vietnam swears in new state president
Filosofie als achtergrond. Tja, ben benieuwd hoe filosofisch het beleid gaat worden.

 

[FredVN]

Downloaden

Jawel, de nieuwe download-pagina is klaar.

Op deze pagina staan zowel de (foto)boeken over Vietnam als een paar over fotografie. Ik heb twee boekjes toegevoegd, die ik voor de modellen Ngoc, Thanh en Kim van hun shoot heb gemaakt.

Verder een uitgebreid moodboard “Tijdgeest” voor een aantal shoots in het resort. Tja, dat zit er niet meer in.

Alle lees- en kijkvoer is nu te vinden op Fotograferen - Webitup.nl

 

[FredVN]

HCMC karaoke parlors close amid long wait for fire safety certification

Many karaoke parlors in Ho Chi Minh City have been forced to close after failing to meet new fire safety requirements.

Su Van Hanh Street in HCMC’s District 10 was once a bustling place in the evenings with its dozens of karaoke parlors.
But most are now closed and some have even returned the premises to their landlords amid uncertainty surrounding their reopening. The new stricter rules were imposed after a fire at An Phu Karaoke in the city’s neighboring province of Binh Duong in September 2022 killed 32 people.

The interiors of a karaoke parlor at 768 Su Van Hanh Street are being dismantled for returning the premises to the landlord. The landlord said the place with a usable area of 400 square meters has been closed for half a year. Its monthly rent was VND150 million (US$6,350).

The dismantling has been going on for several days, with the owner carting away equipment but leaving furniture and decorative plastic items piled up.

Workers are busy demolishing walls, removing false ceilings and cleaning up for the new tenants. The work is expected to be finished in a week.


# # # # #

Voor de tussenliggende foto’s zie de bron.
De laatste foto vond ik dan weer te mooi om niet te plaatsen. Zou dit echt praktisch zijn in noodgevallen?

# # # # #

Corridors have been equipped with protective equipment, gas masks, emergency hammers, and fire extinguishers. The chain had sought safety certification for its parlors last October, but is still waiting for it. The manager said the long shutdown has caused heavy losses, and most employees have been forced to quit. According to a senior official at the Department of Fire Prevention, Fighting, Relief and Rescue, many karaoke parlors have been repaired and renovated but still do not meet fire safety requirements because the original construction is difficult to change. That was why they have not been certified yet, he said. "These facilities are required to fully comply with requirements to reopen."


Bron: HCMC karaoke parlors close amid long wait for fire safety certification - VnExpress International


Grrr…
Weer een mooie uitbreiding van mijn boek Verlaten plaatsen in Vietnam gemist.

Dat de gehele actie hard nodig was bewijzen de velen doden bij brand en koolmonoxidevergiftiging.

Alleen vrees ik, dat de karaoke-overlast nog veel groter gaat worden dan die nu al is. Bij de enkele karaokebar, die ik zelf -noodgedwongen- heb bezocht na etentjes met oud-collega’s van Minh, was er buiten de kamers nauwelijks iets te horen.

Nu zal de ellende zich denkelijk nog meer verplaatsen naar cafés en thuis. Ofwel nog meer overlast voor de burgers.

De nieuwe president zal wel zeggen, dat we dit probleem filosofisch moeten bekijken: “er komen nu geen slachtoffers van brand meer”.
Nee, wel miljoenen tinnitus patiënten en meer doodgestoken karaoke-krijsers.

 

[FredVN]

HCMC eyes use of ChatGPT for improving public services

A response by ChatGPT, an AI chatbot developed by OpenAI, is seen on its website in this illustration picture taken February 9, 2023. Photo by Reuters/Florence Lo


HCMC wants to use ChatGPT in public administration to improve services and efficiency, the Department of Information and Communications said .

The department said Wednesday that authorities want to use the AI language model for things like replying to citizens’ queries and supporting officials by creating AI assistance systems and summarizing documents.

In education, ChatGPT can be used to create AI study assistants for use by both teachers and students.

It can also be used by organizations to find solutions for cybersecurity and data management problems.

City authorities are enlisting the help of scientists, businesses and other experts to consider ways to use the chatbot. Their ideas will be actualized through scientific missions set up by the Department of Science and Technology.

Duong Anh Duc, deputy chairman of the city People's Committee, said ChatGPT could be used as a tool to help people, and one needs to understand its strengths as well as weaknesses to use it effectively.

Dinh Dien, director of the Computational Linguistics Center at the Vietnam National University in HCMC’s University of Science, said as a quick responding tool with high accuracy and personalization, ChatGPT could be utilized in public administration to relieve humans' workload.

Developed by OpenAI, the chatbot has been making waves in the tech world since its arrival last November, thanks to its ability to carry out tasks like writing and programming.

Data from SimilarWeb shows it has already garnered 100 million users.


Bron: HCMC eyes use of ChatGPT for improving public services - VnExpress International


Ehhh… wordt er nu in dit artikel gesteld, dat een AI programma als ChatGPT de burgers een beter antwoord geeft dan de ambtenaren? Want zo lees ik het in ieder geval.

En sluit het ook zeker niet uit.

 

[FredVN]

ChatGPT

“ChatGPT is een prototype van een chatbot met kunstmatige intelligentie, ontwikkeld door OpenAI en gespecialiseerd in het voeren van dialogen met een (menselijke) gebruiker.[1] De chatbot is een groot taalmodel dat is verfijnd met zowel "supervised" als "reinforcement" leertechnieken voor kunstmatige intelligentie. Het is gebaseerd op het GPT-3.5-model van OpenAI, een verbeterde versie van GPT-3.

ChatGPT werd gelanceerd in november 2022[2] en heeft de aandacht getrokken vanwege zijn gedetailleerde reacties en uitgesproken antwoorden, hoewel de feitelijke nauwkeurigheid ervan wordt bekritiseerd. De chatbot is gratis te gebruiken, al bestaat ook een professionele versie met meer mogelijkheden.[3]

Begin 2023 kwam het tot een overeenkomst tussen Microsoft en OpenAI om 10 miljard dollar in ChatGPT te investeren. Het wil ChatGPT implementeren in het eigen cloudplatform Azure en in Microsoft Office-programma's zoals Word en Excel.[4]

Bron: Wikipedia”


Ondanks mijn misschien wat cynische commentaar van gisteren ben ik al heel lang geïnteresseerd in AI. En wil op termijn ook wat meer met ChatGPT gaan spelen. Ik denk dan met name aan een combinatie met de fotografiehobby.

Alvast een eerste voorzet met wat links, die ik heb verzameld:

Seven ways photographers can use ChatGPT

Some Notes on AI, ChatGPT, and the Photography World

5 Ways ChatGPT Can Help Photographers Shoot Photos that Sell

OpenAI's ChatGPT can write songs, pass MBA exams, plan trips, and more — here's how to use it

How Photographers Should Be Using ChatGPT and other AI Assistants in 2023 - Fuel Your Photos

 

[FredVN]

Monitorkap

Bij duurdere monitoren, zoals bv. onderstaande Eizo, wordt soms een kap (mee)geleverd om het invallen van licht tegen te gaan.

Helaas, voor mijn BenQ-monitor bleek een dergelijk nuttig toebehoren niet leverbaar. Dus was het een kwestie van lamellen sluiten bij het nabewerken van de foto’s.

Totdat ik de torso van Truus ging ophalen. Zie Vietnam Deel 2

Tijdens een wandeling door de winkel zag ik grote platen in verschillende kleuren. Gelukkig ook in zwart. Redelijk stevig en wegen niets.

Dus eentje meegenomen met in het achterhoofd dat dit wel eens geschikt materiaal voor een monitorkap zou kunnen zijn. De gegevens:

Bij een bouwmarkt een paar zwarte kunststofprofielen van 2x2 cm. gekocht. Hiervan een soort frame gemaakt. Met een snijmes drie stukken uit de plaat gesneden -gaat probleemloos- en deze met popnagels aan het frame bevestigd.

Omdat iedere monitor weer anders is geef ik verder geen details. Een ieder kan per monitor dan voor de beste oplossing kiezen.

Wat foto’s van het uiteindelijke resultaat.

Boven het voorlopig resultaat: de popnagels moeten nog zwart geverfd worden. Onder een detailopname van het gebruikte materiaal: 3,5 mm. dik.

 

[jaap43]

Kan de scharnier van het scherm dat gewicht aan

 

[Badgast]

Nu nog een bijpassende Eizo erbij kopen.. ;-) (Volgens mij is die Benq zo slecht nog niet).
Ziet er netjes uit.

 

[FredVN]

Kan de scharnier van het scherm dat gewicht aan

Probleemloos.

Het spul weegt 650 gr/m2. De kap meet 0,3 x 1,5 m. = 0,45 m2. Ofwel incl. profielen ca. 300 gr.
Zoals ik al zei: weegt niets.

 

[FredVN]

Nu nog een bijpassende Eizo erbij kopen.. ;-) (Volgens mij is die Benq zo slecht nog niet).
Ziet er netjes uit.

Ik had in de door mij gekozen ranges (32 inch en ~€1200-€1300) de keuze uit een BenQ en een Eizo. De eerste had betere specs en beoordelingen. Dan is de keuze niet zo moeilijk.



Dank, dank.

 

[FredVN]

Crab races popular in Vietnamese province

Ca Mau crabs no longer purely serve as seafood, but also enter fiery races. Photo: Quoc Rin



Besides their reputation as a delicious seafood choice among Vietnamese diners, crabs from Vietnam’s Ca Mau Province are now being trained for entertainment races.

Athlete crabs go through meticulous selection, training, and proper treatment to ensure their chances of victory.

Crab is considered a key product in Ca Mau and is well known among seafood lovers for its outstanding meat quality.

The recent provincial step to organize crab races was aimed at promoting their delicacy to both Vietnamese and foreign visitors.

With the growing popularity of this activity, certain people have opened racer crab farms.

In 2019, Peerpaol Triyakasem – an expert in tourism – once proposed an idea to local people in Ca Mau regarding their high quality crab products.

“Why don’t you host an annual day to honor the Ca Mau crab? It’s basically an outstanding seafood type,” he said.

The man was then chairman of Vietnam Center in Thailand and chairman of Virgo Solution tourism company.



Crab’s speed and other attributes

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, that idea was not realized until 2022.

However, local people promptly saw the shortcomings of a crab festival simply full of crab dishes.

They discussed extra activities where the crabs could exhibit their full potential.

The idea of crab racing popped up as a once popular river boat race in the area sprang to mind, and that was the birth of a brand new racing game.

The Ca Mau crabs are well known for their cleverness and stamina, which are only reduced if they are drugged or trapped.

In their best state, they elude human hunters whether in muddy puddles or in rivers and streams.

Considering such noticeable features of the crabs, the speed needed for racing was a certain feature.

Vo Trong Nguyen from Nam Can District is a racer crab keeper.

“The crab can even catch swimming fish in the water. I dare any man here to successfully catch a crab on the run,” he said.

More importantly, Nguyen appreciated the natural habitat of the Ca Mau crabs that contributed to their strength, competitiveness, and confidence in the face of human beings.

Ca Mau crabs tend to display hostility toward humans they encounter, raising their claws and getting into positions.

The racer crabs, therefore, have the self-esteem and physical ability needed to become professional racers.

The entrants are categorized according to their weight, 300 grams, 400 grams, and 500 grams, for each race.

They appear well-practiced and ready for the hour.

Their owners are genuine farmers with a thorough understanding of this animal.

Vo Van An from Dam Doi District believes that the hairy crab race is the most suspenseful.

“They’re small, but run like the wind,” he explained.

Each crab keeper has a small stick to physically push their crabs if they appear to have lost focus or have stopped dead in their tracks.

The weight is the only criteria for crab races, so entrants can be both male and female.

The crab race in Ca Mau highlights a sense of fairness.

“I take my female crabs to the race because they are much cleverer and faster than the male ones,” said Pham Ty Ni from Thanh Tung Ward, Dam Doi District.

“I’m pretty sure the females have a higher chance of winning in this type of racing game.”

The first crab race hosted in Ca Mau Province, southern Vietnam.



Training racer crabs

To ensure safety and boost their speed, crab racers have their claws tied up, which is similar to the protective gear for human athletes.

However, it is no mean feat producing a winning racing crab.

It takes keepers months to train their athletes.

Nguyen Minh Hien from Nam Can District owns the champion of the 300-gram crab race.

“Racer crabs have to be well selected and go through rigorous training,” Hien said.

“We have to look at their physique first, and we only choose the naturally grown ones.

“Then comes the practice phase.”

The training program for racing crabs is quite challenging, and athlete crabs are kept in a separate tank.

Part of the training includes feeding the crabs with live fish, prompting them to catch their meals.

The daily sun baths and trips to simulation racing tracks improve the crabs’ confidence with humans all around.

These also help to check their progress.

According to Hien, only a few out of a dozen crabs meet the criteria for race entrants.

The crabs stay on a healthy diet as well. Those eating more than necessary will be disqualified, and so will the weak ones that fail to catch their prey.

Special care is given to the racers as the racing day approaches.++

Each crab trainer has a stick to physically push their entrant in case they stop dead in their tracks.



An, from Dam Doi District, owns a 400-gram racing crab.

“We have to take care of its mentality before the race. The crabs also have their personality,” he said.

“We can’t take ones that are too fierce, or those too timid.

“During my trial races, I opt for the crabs with stable performance and not easily distracted by external factors.”

At the race, all the athletes appear energetic and ready to prove themselves. Their owners rejoice over their victories and take a delight in the trophies earned.

Others whose entrants did not make it are determined to try again next season.

Such racer crabs have a far different experience than their tank-confined counterparts merely sold as seafood.

The owners all agree that these crabs will be either released into the wild or taken care of at home, but will not become dinner.

Racer crab raising, therefore, has become a job in Ca Mau.

Winning racer crabs are lifted by their owners following the race. Photo: Quoc Rin



The scope expands

The people here boast profound understanding of crab behaviors.

From unofficial sources, the crab races in Ca Mau will not only be here to stay, but also expand in scope.

The future crab athletes are highly promising thanks to the constant efforts of racer crab keepers.



The crab racer training zone

Training racer crab is a meticulous process.

The local keepers create an agenda for their training and feeding, with a focus on the crab’s reflex based on their know-how of this crustaceous animal.

Some keep their crabs in separate tanks or ponds to avoid in-group fighting.

Also, the keepers make sure their crabs get exposed to more nature despite their captivity, in order to boost their weight and racing skills.

Those owners with better funding can create their own racing tracks and keep daily track of their crabs’ performance, based on which they select the best candidates.

The key to success is the quality of living foods and proper timing of meals to increase the crabs’ physique and confidence.

Female crabs, especially virgin ones, tend to have an edge in races due to their superior speed and reflex compared to male athletes.


Bron: Crab races popular in Vietnamese province


Hier had ik zelf nog nooit van gehoord. En de post voldoet meteen ook aan de zondagse provocatie: zie de laatste zin.

 

[FredVN]

Foreign tourists find Hanoi streets too dangerous to walk

It is dangerous to walk in Hanoi as the sidewalks there are crowded with motorbikes, cars and stalls, foreign tourists say.

Many foreign tourists say they feel worried while strolling in the city as most of its sidewalks have been commandeered by local businesses, forcing pedestrians to walk on the street and dodge motorbike drivers.

Sitting on the sidewalk in front of a restaurant in the Ta Hien backpacker street on Tuesday afternoon, Glenn, an Australian tourist, was feeding his small son banh mi, a Vietnamese-style sandwich.

Glenn prevents his son from playing on the sidewalk because he worries it's "too dangerous."

Glenn and his son sit on the sidewalk in front of a restaurant in the Ta Hien backpacker street in Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi on March 7, 2023. Photo by Tu Nguyen


He said he had almost "no way" to walk on the sidewalk in Hanoi as all the spaces for pedestrians have been turned into parking areas for motorbikes or seating for coffee shops.

"In Australia, sidewalks are only for pedestrians," he said.

The Australian tourist said he does not know what it is like in other places in Vietnam, but in Hanoi the sidewalks are always packed and it is difficult for tourists to walk.

"This is really dangerous for tourists with young children like me," says Glenn.

Anna, a French tourist who has a strong passion for photography, is interested in walking on streets in Hanoi to capture daily moments in the capital.

But she always has to be on high alert because the sidewalks are "almost impassable." She often has to walk in the roadway to take pictures. Sometimes, a motorbike honking its horn behind makes her "panic."

Anna said the sidewalks in Hanoi are not as safe as in her hometown in Paris.

In Paris, no motorbikes are allowed to park on the sidewalks and people feel free to walk and take photos.

"Sidewalks should be pedestrian-only," she said.

Foreign tourists walk on the roadway in Hanoi, March 7, 2023. Photo by Tu Nguyen


Dima, a Russian tourist who has been in Hanoi for four days, said he felt quite pressured on the first day because he had to walk along the street and compete with motorbikes.

"Hanoi is a beautiful city with a rich history and ancient architectural works," he said. "However, the confusion on sidewalks affects the city's tourism image."

VnExpress has noticed that along the axis of the Ta Hien and Luong Ngoc Quyen intersection and downtown streets around the Hoan Kiem Lake area are occupied by street vendors that allow their customers to occupy the sidewalks.

Unable to walk on the sidewalks, many foreign tourists are forced to walk in the street, raising safety concerns.

The Hanoi authorities is relaunching its sidewalk cleanup campaign this month by removing obstacles such as billboards and awnings that encroach on streets and sidewalks; resistance will be met with forced removal.

Glenn said he hoped that the campaign will be successful so that tourists like him no longer have to worry about facing danger when walking on the road.

He said with large sidewalks, people can also park their motorbikes there, but that they need to be orderly. With narrow and crowded places such as the Old Quarter, sidewalks must be for pedestrians only.

Hanoi recently ranked fifth out of 20 tourist cities in Southeast Asia in terms of safety according to Numbeo, which claims to be the world's largest database of user-contributed data about cities and countries worldwide.

Hanoi received 1.5 million foreign tourists last year, just more than a quarter of arrivals in 2019. The capital hopes to attract three million foreign tourists this year.


Foreign tourists find Hanoi streets too dangerous to walk - VnExpress International


Dit probleem spelt niet alleen in Hanoi, maar zo ongeveer in elke plaats in Vietnam. In ieder geval in die waar ik ben geweest.

En het probleem is eigenlijk nog veel groter. De stoepen zijn dermate slecht met kuilen, loszittende tegels en allerlei op- en afstapjes, al dan niet man-made, dat ook die levensgevaarlijk zijn.

En vergeet de motorrijders niet, die en masse luid toeterend over de trottoirs raggen om stoplichten etc. te ontlopen. Of blind uit uitritten knallen.

Naar mijn mening zijn trottoirs misschien nog wel gevaarlijker dan op de straat lopen. Zolang je niet zonder kijken van de stoep af stapt of tijdens het lopen onverwachte bewegingen maakt is er meestal weinig aan de hand.

Morgen een -soort van- vervolg.

 

[FredVN]

Only technology can save our stolen sidewalks

To Thuc Lecturer


Hanoi authorities are conducting another campaign to make sidewalks for walkers, mobilizing multiple enforcement authorities to inspect the sidewalks and punish violators.

I don't remember how many times the capital city has conducted such campaigns. But I remember how many of these campaigns were successful: zero.

Since 1995, Hanoi has regularly mobilized forces to prevent sidewalks from being encroached upon. Officials and police officers usually perform inspections that chase away the encroachers, but the sidewalks return back to their normal crowded, unwalkable state in a few months' time. The biggest problem is that the city claims it cannot sustainably employ enough salaried officials and police officers to maintain sidewalk order. The same has happened in other big cities, like HCMC.

I think that to deal with this, there should be a clear plan to ensure the interests of both pedestrians and those who rely on sidewalks to make a living.

Once an appropriate plan is built, technologies should be applied to help handle violations.

Foreign tourists walk on the street as the sidewalk serves as a car parking lot in Hanoi, December 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Viet An


To prove that my idea could be a feasible one, I used MATLAB to count the number of vehicles and pedestrians on a street in Hanoi. MATLAB is a programming and numeric computing platform used by engineers and scientists to analyze data, develop algorithms, and create models.

The software can identify which vehicles have parked over five minutes on the street and which objects are encroaching the sidewalk. It operates on a basic database that can easily be built by my senior students.

Thus, sidewalk encroachment can be handled more scientifically. Instead of a fight to restore streets and sidewalks to their original state, the city authorities can install surveillance cameras and smart devices to capture evidence of violations. By then, each household is responsible for keeping the streets and sidewalks in front of their house clear. The local authorities will be informed of violations through the camera footage and date provided by smart devices.

In addition, the fine for households running businesses on the sidewalk instead of in their homes should also be higher to stop them from using the sidewalk as if it were their own property and no one else's. Those who refuse to pay the fine should have their business license revoked so that they won't ever dare to break a regulation again.

Artificial intelligence is not perfect, but it is meeting our demands gradually. The MATLAB software I used made no errors when identifying objects on sidewalks, and only 2% of the plate numbers it read were incorrect. Based on evidence captured by the software, the city authorities can send SMS messages to violators, allowing them to fix their mistakes within five minutes, or receive a fine.

I believe that information technology firms would come up with much better solutions than the software I used if the city were to start taking this method seriously.

The cost of such cameras and devices is much lower than paying for a huge personnel force. The automatic process also helps avoid conflicts between law enforcement officers and the citizenry. In addition, surveillance cameras on streets will also contribute to helping police officers arrest criminals and ensure social order.

Technology solutions are increasingly bringing us practical benefits and it is our outdated mindsets that have restricted them from developing.

*To Thuc is a lecturer at James Cook University in Australia.


Bron: Only technology can save our stolen sidewalks - VnExpress International


Tja, klinkt goed. De praktijk zal een stuk weerbarstiger blijken. Want het woord “handhaven” is nooit in het Vietnamees vertaald.

Ik twijfel er geen moment aan dat je met bestaande technologie kunt herkennen waar voertuigen verkeerd geparkeerd staan. Voertuigen, want het zijn niet alleen de paar auto’s op bovenstaande foto, maar meer nog de miljoenen motorfietsen, die gewoon lomp ergens neer worden gepletterd.

En dan?
Vriendelijk vragen om het voertuig elders te plaatsen?
Voor alles en iedereen bonnen uitschrijven?
Voertuigen wegslepen?

“I think that to deal with this, there should be a clear plan to ensure the interests of both pedestrians and those who rely on sidewalks to make a living.”
Met de ongelooflijke egocentrische mentaliteit van de gemiddelde Vietnamees kun je vergeten, dat er zelfs maar iets van de contouren van een eerste kladversie voor een mogelijk voorstel op papier zullen komen.

Over een daadwerkelijke soort van oplossing zullen we het dan maar helemaal niet hebben. En mocht die er ooit komen, dan zal handhaven ook een utopie blijken.

Denk daarbij bv. aan:
het zero-tolerance beleid v.w.b. alcohol in het verkeer en dan aan de 36% drankmisbruik bij ongelukken. Weinig bemoedigend.
Of de immense geluidsoverlast. Morgen een goed voorbeeld.
Het pesticidengebruik. “Parkinson? Wat is dat?”
Etc., etc., etc…

Handhaven?

Hoebedoelu…

 

[FredVN]

My noisy neighbors are driving me mad

A woman covers her ears. Illustration photo by Pexels


I have finally going mad thanks to the ridiculous noise pollution caused by my selfish and inconsiderate neighbors.

I cannot sleep, it is difficult even to eat and I am losing an unhealthy amount of weight.

When I visited my neighbors for a polite discussion of the issue, they threatened me.

I am a very serious victim of noise pollution. Over the past year, I have been sonically tortured by my upstairs neighbors. The father stomps his feet with every step, and often plays table tennis and football inside the house. The son pushes and pulls the metal door at every opportunity, jumping around and screaming all the way through the hallways day and night.

I could not stand it any longer, so I decided to go upstairs and speak with the family about the problem I was having. But it only went downhill from there.

The neighbor, who I heard is the boss of a car shop, later even came down to my apartment and threatened me.

"I will make you go crazy," he told me.

I was fearful and powerless. I tried to report the matter to the local police, but have yet to receive any reply.

I tried everything to block out the noise, but I still cannot stand it. For months, my mind has been thrown into disarray. I began to lose weight and lose sleep. I am worried about my and my son's health, and I do not know who I can count on right now.

What should I do? Should I share my story on social media and ask the community for help? Or should I stay silent and wait for authorities to step in?


Bron: My noisy neighbors are driving me mad - VnExpress International


Uit eigen ervaring: dit is de mentaliteit in Vietnam.
Dom, egocentrisch en ongeïnteresseerd.
En als antwoord op haar laatste alinea: het maakt niet uit wat je doet. Het volstrekt incompetente zooitje, dat zich overheid noemt, interesseert het niet. Dus er gebeurt niets. Het wordt alleen nog maar veel erger. En je bent en blijft volslagen machteloos.
Geloof me, ik ben ervaringsdeskundige.

 

[FredVN]

Man murdered over loud karaoke in Vietnam’s Da Nang

Le Cong Binh is seen at the police station in Da Nang City, Vietnam. Photo: H.B. / Tuoi Tre


A man in Da Nang City, central Vietnam has been arrested on suspicion of murder following a violent confrontation over loud karaoke noises.
Officers under the municipal Department of Public Security confirmed on Tuesday they had arrested Le Cong Binh, 31, on murder charges.

Preliminary information showed that M.N.P., 34, and T.V.T., 32, were drinking alcohol and singing karaoke in front of their tenanted room in Lien Chieu District, Da Nang on Monday evening.

At around 10:00 pm the same day, Binh, who lives nearby, demanded that P. and T. stop the loud singing so that people could rest.

An argument broke out between T. and Binh and quickly turned violent.

During the physical confrontation, Binh took out a knife from his pocket and stabbed T.’s neck, causing the latter to die on the spot.

Binh later turned himself in to local police.

Further investigation is ongoing.


Bron: Man murdered over loud karaoke in Vietnam’s Da Nang


Dit bericht van gisteren zal zeker niet het laatste zijn. Met het sluiten van de karaoke-zaken verwacht ik nog veel meer huiselijke overlast met bijbehorend geweld.
Geloof me, op een gegeven moment ben je in staat om zonder gewetensbezwaren ergens een handgranaat naar binnen te rollen.
Boem.
Rust.

En gewoon met naam en foto. Ach, waarom ook niet…

 

[FredVN]

Foreign tourists flock to another section of Hanoi Train Street

Six months after Hanoi authorities set up barriers at the famous Train Street, foreign tourists are flocking to another section of railroad tracks nearby.

Hanoi Train Street runs around two kilometers from Le Duan through Tran Phu, Cua Dong and Phung Hung Streets. While one part of its was blocked off last September, another part between Tran Phu and Dien Bien Phu streets is not and draws foreign tourists in droves.

The tourists usually arrive in the morning before the first train comes. There are three train trips across the section on weekdays and seven during the weekends.

Tourists pose for photos on the rail track. Most say they come for the thrill of standing close to a running train.

A group of Japanese tourists take selfies on the tracks.


Etc.


Bron: Foreign tourists flock to another section of Hanoi Train Street


Zie de bron voor meer foto’s + een filmpje over het passeren van een trein.

 

[FredVN]

Toeristen op Bali mogen niet langer scooters huren vanwege vele ongelukken

Het Indonesische eiland Bali is klaar met verkeersongelukken die buitenlandse toeristen op scooters veroorzaken. Daarom mogen zij op het eiland, dat ook onder Nederlandse vakantiegangers populair is, niet langer scooteren.

De autoriteiten van Bali hebben besloten dat toeristen alleen nog mogen reizen met hun reisagenten. Die rijden vooral in auto's en bussen. Zelf rijden op een scooter of motor mag in elk geval niet, dus die mogen ook niet meer verhuurd worden aan toeristen.

Dat laat de Balinese gouverneur Wayan Koster aan lokale media weten. Of buitenlandse toeristen zelf nog in een auto mag rijden, maakt hij niet duidelijk.

Het huren van scooters is populair onder toeristen die Bali willen verkennen. Maar vanwege "wanorde en misdragingen" is dat niet langer mogelijk, zegt Koster.

De gouverneur meldt verder dat buitenlandse toeristen verkeersregels overtreden, zoals met een ontbloot bovenlichaam op een scooter rijden. Ook hebben ze vaak geen rijbewijs waarmee ze op Bali op een scooter mogen rijden en dragen ze geen helmen.

Meerdere ongelukken met toeristen op scooters en motors
Het verbod moet volgens hem de kwaliteit van het toerisme hoog houden. Hoe het verbod wordt gehandhaafd, is nog niet bekend.

Koster vraagt het Indonesische ministerie van Justitie om steun bij het intrekken van visa van toeristen die betrapt zijn op scooteren of andere overtredingen, zoals illegale arbeid of misbruik van verblijfsvergunningen.

Op Bali, de populairste toeristenbestemming in Indonesië, zijn recent meerdere ongelukken met toeristen gebeurd. Een beschonken toerist reed vorige maand een lokale motorrijder aan. Het slachtoffer moest worden opgenomen in het ziekenhuis. In januari stierven twee buitenlanders, nadat ze met motors tegen elkaar waren gebotst.


Toeristen op Bali mogen niet langer scooters huren vanwege vele ongelukken | Buitenland | NU.nl


Goh, de hoofdreden dat ik een Vietnamees motorrijbewijs heb. Ook daar was het plotseling verboden om motor te rijden zonder Vietnamees rijbewijs. Sinds dat moment is de wet met enige regelmaat aangepast. Ook voor het gebruik van een internationaal rijbewijs. Wat de regels nu zijn heb ik al een tijd niet meer bijgehouden.

Het is wel nog steeds zo dat je in Vietnam als westerling zelden zal worden aangehouden omdat Engels niet echt een wijdverbreide vaardigheid is onder het politievolkje.

Maar dit is wel een gegronde reden om Bali-plannen voorlopig in de ijskast te zetten.

 

[FredVN]

Danger lurks at Nha Trang interchange construction site (1)

The Ngoc Hoi rotary interchange construction site in Nha Trang is not sealed off though there is constantly heavy traffic beneath it, posing a threat to vehicles.

Work on the VND1.3-trillion (US$55.3 million) interchange started in 2017.

Considered a major work to ease congestion, the interchange will go above October 23rd Street and the railway tracks.

It was originally set for completion in 2019 but has been delayed due to land acquisition issues.

Despite being built in a congested area, the site is not properly sealed off and gapes open on all sides.

People drive motorbikes right next to the site with its scaffolding and huge metal bars with nothing to hold them in place.

"I usually drive my kid back home from school through this section. For those who travel by cars, it is ok but for motorcyclists it is really concerning, especially at nights [as there are no street lights]," a man named Nguyen Thanh said.

On the morning of March 15 a 1.7-meter-long iron bar fell from a height of seven meters even as many vehicles were driving below.

Two motorcyclists were injured, with a woman suffering a head injury after the bar broke her helmet and a man getting injured in his arm. Both are recovering.

 

[FredVN]

Danger lurks at Nha Trang interchange construction site (2)

Besides the obvious safety threat, the work, dragging on for too long now, also causes severe traffic jams during rush hour.

At certain times, drivers have to wait right under a giant crane for trains to cross.

Construction materials and debris tossed carelessly along the street pose further threats.

A closer look at what drivers go through.

Dang Huu Tai, director of the management board of traffic projects of Khanh Hoa Province, home to Nha Trang, said the project contractor, Phuc Son Group JSC, has been warned about safety issues several times.
"If the investor fails to follow safety protocols, the board will order it to stop construction," he said.


Bron: Danger lurks at Nha Trang interchange construction site


Op één van de punten van deze ellende kwam ik ook af en toe langs. Gelukkig geen bouwmaterialen op mijn hoofd gekregen.

Maar het toont wederom luid en duidelijk de complete desinteresse. Zoals vaker gezegd: “veiligheid” is nooit in het Vietnamees vertaald.

En dan kan Tai in de laatste alinea wel een hele grote mond hebben, dat is als bij zoveel van dit soort situaties uitsluitend voor de bühne. In de praktijk zal er helemaal niets aan de situatie veranderen: Tai wil echt niet de schuld krijgen van vertragingen of stopzetten van dit project.

 

[FredVN]

Does your boss yelling at you count as workplace harassment?

A man yells. Illustration photo by Pexels


Many of my acquaintances have nightmares about their bosses yelling at them at work. That seems to be a common issue for many workers.

One of my siblings said he has been facing pressure at his work for months, so severe that it affects his physical and mental health. It is not the work itself, but the fact that every day, his boss yells at him, embarrasses him and threatens to fire him, all in public.

Another acquaintance was humiliated by his boss to the point that he lost sleep at night. The man took over the workload of a former employee, but this particular employee had already done some questionable things before quitting. Ever since, my acquaintance has always been harassed by his higher-ups, who let their attitude be known and who hurt his self-esteem every chance they get. After three months, my acquaintance decided to quit. At least he seemed to be doing much better when I met him for a coffee a few days ago.

I understand their feelings. I too have been a victim of this abuse at work. There are some who hurl expletives at you, while others opt for more sarcastic remarks. Still, their words all hurt the same.

I believe this is a common thing in many workplaces, but not all workers have the means to just walk away. I do not think we should tolerate this harassment all the time, and there should be a code of conduct against such intimindating boss behaviors.


Bron: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/reader...ou-count-as-workplace-harassment-4581368.html


De eerste voorzichtig-opstandige woorden over dit onderwerp, die ik lees. Het begin is er. Nu doorpakken: is hard nodig. Want in Vietnam “schreeuwen” ze zelfs in winkels naar je.
Sowieso niks "klant is koning". Meestal alleen een zeer hinderlijke onderbreking van kloten op de smartphone.

 

[FredVN]

Street vendors see no end to sidewalk wars

Three times a day on average, whenever Hanoi street vendor Han Le gets wind of an approaching police patrol, she quickly deconstructs and hides her sidewalk shop beside West Lake.

After about an hour of hiding all her tables and chairs in her house, Han, the owner of a 20-year-old sidewalk cafe on the capital’s most famous lake, goes back out to the street and arranges everything back on the sidewalk as usual.

Han, 45, said she was too familiar with Hanoi's sidewalk clearance campaigns.

"Every year there are one or two periods like this, which can last for a few weeks or several months. But when it’s over, everything comes back to normal and nothing changed," she said.

Hanoi is conducting a sidewalk cleanup campaign by removing obstacles such as billboards and awnings that encroach on streets and sidewalks starting from this month.

Compared to previous campaigns, Han said this year’s sidewalk clearance enforcement was more strict. Instead of patrolling once a day, now it's three times a day and normally coordinated to hit vendors at peak hours, right when they’re enjoying their largest number of customers.

Motorbikes park on the sidewalk of Hang Ga Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi on March 9, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Nguyen


Whenever inspection teams are spotted, sidewalk vendors, like Han, have to stop everything and scurry to hide their shops. Those who are caught by police have to halt operations altogether and move to another part of the city.

According to Thanh An, 70, who owns a small tra da (Vietnamese iced tea) shop on Hang Ga Street, Hoan Kiem District, sitting on the sidewalk to enjoy tra da and food associated with Hanoi culture is difficult to give up.

"If I don't sell tra da here, someone else will. Instead of chasing us away, why don't the authorities find a way for us to keep our business on the street without violating the regulations?" An said.

The sidewalk clearance campaigns are no longer strange to the people of Hanoi. However, they are only effective for a few months. When the inspection teams are gone, the sidewalks return to their normal state, which is being occupied by makeshift shops.

According to traffic expert Nguyen Xuan Thuy, former director of the Transport Publishing House, the fact that these sidewalk clearance campaigns only last for a short time doesn’t help solve the problem.

"If they are banned in this place, they will go to another location to do business. Not only does it affect the interests of those involved, but it also takes up a lot of resources from the authorities," Thuy said.

A ward leader (who asked not to be named) in Hanoi shares the same opinions, saying that these campaigns are like "throwing a small stone into the ocean". The patrol teams cannot be on duty 24/7 due to a lack of human resources. In addition, shopping and selling goods on the street and in local markets has become an entrenched part of Vietnamese culture.

"Even when we chase them away or fine them, they are only temporary solutions. Instead, I think there should be other solutions such as setting up a market, leasing space or finding a plan to support people who make a living on the sidewalks," the ward leader said.

Since the coffee shop is the only source of income for four people in her family, Han said she is willing to pay a fee to use the sidewalk properly instead of being sneaky during the clearance campaign. The revenue from her coffee shop decreased by one-third during a clearance round in February alone.

Quoc Tuan, 40, owner of a phone shop in Hoan Kiem District, doesn’t do business on the sidewalk but he wants to use the area in front of his house as a parking space for customers.

"My store is often crowded, but parking on the sidewalk is prohibited and there isn’t any parking lot nearby, which shows customers away and affects my business," Tuan said.

Requests like Han’s and Tuan’s have been somewhat recognized by authorities. The Department of Transport proposed a project to the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City in February that would collect fees for parking, advertising and doing business on sidewalks.

But expert Thuy said that according to Vietnam’s Law for Road Traffic, sidewalks don’t belong to anyone, so they "must be used for pedestrians and not a place for business or parking."

Nearly 3,000 VnExpress readers shared Thuy’s opinion and said they didn’t like the idea of collecting sidewalk parking fees, according to a survey reported on February 7.

A vehicle of sidewalk patrol team in Hang Ca Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi on March 8, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh


Dr. Phan Le Binh, a lecturer in Infrastructure Engineering at Vietnam Japan University, said that solutions to the sidewalk problem should be flexible and adaptable to different and changing conditions, instead of applying the same rigid and extreme measures everywhere all the time.

"For decades, we couldn’t resolutely deal with the sidewalk problem. It’s not feasible to apply extreme measures now and suddenly make it difficult for households who make a living on sidewalks," Binh said.

According to Binh, there should be a different measure for each specific case. For streets with wide sidewalks but low pedestrian flow, it’s not necessary to save all the space for pedestrians. For example, some hospitals in the city lacked parking space, while the sidewalk is very large. Authorities could easily calculate and then fairly allot the right amount of space for hospital parking and another amount where street vendors could legally operate.

He added that places where many foreign tourists gather in the evening show also allow street vendors.

For small-scale businesses such as tra da stalls or motorbike repair shops, Binh recommends drawing lines on the sidewalks to clearly specify the areas for business and the space for pedestrians. If it’s approved, these households would need to sign a commitment not to cross the line and be responsible for their space.

"Over time, as the sidewalk increases, we will consider the option of gradually extending the area for waking and returning them to pedestrians," Binh added.

For Han, she still thinks that the sidewalk clearance campaign this time will share the same result as the previous ones.

"This is a never-ending war if both sides can’t find a common solution," she said.


Bron: Street vendors see no end to sidewalk wars - VnExpress International


Geloof me, dit is echt heel erg in geheel Vietnam.

"A ward leader (who asked not to be named) in Hanoi shares the same opinions, saying that these campaigns are like "throwing a small stone into the ocean". The patrol teams cannot be on duty 24/7 due to a lack of human resources. In addition, shopping and selling goods on the street and in local markets has become an entrenched part of Vietnamese culture."
Veel slechte zaken als dronken in het verkeer en herrie maken zijn volgens de veroorzakers onderdeel van de "Vietnamese cultuur". Ikke, ikke, ikke...

En er komt nog meer.

 

[FredVN]

Lentekriebels

Ik heb met stijgende verbazing naar alle ophef rond de week van de lentekriebels gekeken. Met als dieptepunt moeders, die school willen boycotten. Hoe verzin je het!

Angela de Jong heeft in haar column voor het AD Dave Roelvink al vakkundig gefileerd.

Haar opmerking over uiterst debiel en eng land sta ik volledig achter. Want dit gaat op deze manier richting Vietnam.

• waar ze het hoogste abortuscijfer ter wereld hebben. 83,3 per 1000 vrouwen. Wat aardig in de buurt van 1.000.000/jaar komt, die in een ander artikel worden genoemd. Of er zelfs zeer ruim overheen gaat.
• het hoogste aantal nieuwe HIV-infecties van het vasteland van Zuidoost-Azië
• meer dan een derde van de mensen die leven met HIV onder de 30 jaar is.

Bron: Seksuele en Reproductieve Gezondheid & Rechten

Er worden trouwens verschillende cijfers voor tiener-abortussen gegeven. Een paar jaar geleden lag het officiële cijfer op 6000/jaar. Mijn eigen inschatting is, dat dit werkelijke aantal vele malen hoger ligt.
Zie: Vietnam Deel 2

Ook is het aantal kind-huwelijken, met name bij de minorities, schrikbarend hoog.

Vietnam, waar seksueel grensoverschrijdend gedrag schering en inslag is en waar je tot voor een paar jaar berichten kon lezen over boetes voor aanranding van wel VND 200.000 (=ca. €8). “Kun je nog eens een aanrandinkje voor plegen” riep ik dan. Gelukkig worden er de laatste jaren meer volwassen straffen uitgedeeld. Of daarmee het gedrag ook verbeterd heb ik mijn twijfels over.

Ook seksuele voorlichting is nihil en ver onder iedere maat.
In Vietnam Deel 2 een verslag van een gesprek dat ik had met drie leerlingen uit de hoogste klas van de middelbare school.
Het gebrek aan kennis is gigantisch. Zelf denk ik dat dit ook voor het onderwijzend personeel geldt. Dus eigenlijk wel logisch dat ze er in lessen niets over zeggen.

En ja, een enkeling heeft de klok wel horen luiden en gebruikt een (stevig?) plastic zakje als condoom. Met vervelende bijwerkingen, zier https://www.flair.be/nl/self-love/seks/jong-koppeltje-eindigt-in-het-ziekenhuis-na-de-eerste-keer/

En daar willen grote groepen mensen -laat ik ze politiek correct maar conservatief noemen- echt naar toe?

Hoe gestoord kun je wezen.

Nou, heel erg. En niet alleen hier.

Schooldirecteur VS moet weg nadat leerlingen ‘David’ van Michelangelo te zien kregen
https/www.ad.nl/buitenland/schooldirecteur-vs-moet-weg-nadat-leerlingen-david-van-michelangelo-te-zien-kregen~aba692c2/
Kunst mag niet meer bekeken worden.

En in de laatste alinea van bovenstaand artikel begint één van de oerconservatieve presidentskandidaten in Amerika ook al ongenuanceerd om zich heen te slaan. Waarschijnlijk moeten voor Florida nu alle biologieboeken worden herschreven. Zou “bloemetjes en bijtjes” ook verboden zijn? Want dan is het gemakkelijk: gewoon alle biologieboeken op de brandstapel.

Goh, waar zouden op termijn de meeste abortussen plaats gaan vinden, Amerika of Vietnam? Oeps, dat vergat is. Abortus is al bijna overal verboden in Amerika. Mwah, heb je ook geen biologieboeken meer nodig.

Zelfs in Vietnam zijn ze vooruitstrevender dan in Amerika, het beloofde land voor veel Vietnamezen.

En voor de Rotterdammers (en andere bezoekers): ga nog snel even naar Nakie van Blakie kijken voordat ze ook van de muur wordt gehaald of achter een scherm verdwijnt:
Rotterdam - De welvaart
En geen kinderen meenemen, anders wordt je ook ontslagen.

Zal het ooit weer goed komen?