Vietnam Deel 2

[FredVN]

Traffic congestion costs Ho Chi Minh City $6 billion each year

A traffic jam on Nguyen Huu Canh Street in Ho Chi Minh City at rush hour. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre



Ho Chi Minh City loses up to US$6 billion each year due to traffic jams, Tran Huu Minh, head of the office of the National Traffic Safety Committee, announced at a recent workshop on road traffic safety held in northern Vinh Phuc Province on Thursday.

The workshop, hosted by the National Traffic Safety Committee, saw the attendance of representatives of traffic safety boards, transport departments, and traffic police from Vietnamese cities, including Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Da Nang.

According to Minh, Vietnam’s extreme rate of urbanization has led to a boom in vehicle ownership, with nearly three million motorbikes purchased each year in the country.

Though the number of traffic-related injuries and fatalities has decreased in recent years, traffic congestion is getting worse.

Localities have adopted a variety of measures to deal with traffic congestion, but most of them are temporary.

In the near future, feasible long-term solutions are necessary.

“The reduction of traffic congestion and the improvement of traffic safety in Vietnam are vital to residents,” Minh stressed.

According to a report by the Ho Chi Minh City police, from January to August of this year, the city saw 1,360 traffic accidents which resulted in 429 deaths and 868 injuries.

As of the end of 2021, the city was home to more than 8.4 million vehicles, including 819,000 cars and 7.6 million motorbikes.

An average of 79 new cars and 309 new motorbikes are registered each day, Lao Dong newspaper reported.

Municipal authorities have come up with multiple solutions to cope with traffic jams, including controlling the number of private vehicles entering the downtown area and developing public transportation and traffic infrastructure projects.

However, these solutions seem unable to keep pace with the country’s rapid urbanization.


Bron: Traffic congestion costs Ho Chi Minh City $6 billion each year


“In the near future, feasible long-term solutions are necessary.”
Briljant!!!

Nog zo’n deur, die al heel lang open staat en altijd is genegeerd.
Tja, trek zelf je conclusies maar. Die van mij zijn in ieder geval snoeihard: veel te laat en nooit meer op te lossen.

 

[FredVN]

Opvallend

Ook hier:
16,000 teachers quit in 2022 - VnExpress International

Ho Chi Minh City health department warns of shortage of nurses

 

[Harvey Pijnappel]

Ik weet niet of er in dit topic nog veel over reizen in Vietnam gesproken wordt maar ik zag het topic toevallig en ben een paar jaar geleden in Vietnam onderweg geweest. Paar jaar geleden met een Honda Wave 110cc van Sa Pa via Si Ma Cai, Ha Giang, Dong Van, Cao Bang naar de Ban Gioc watervallen gereden aan de grens met China, vervolgens via een zuidelijke route (Viet Quang) weer terug naar Sa Pa. Denk 7 of 8 dagen onderweg geweest. Had toen nog geen rijbewijs overigens. Ik heb meerdere tochten gemaakt in Azië met de scooter maar dit was wel echt het hoogtepunt. Ik wil er dolgraag nog een keer heen met de motor nu ik mijn rijbewijs heb, hoewel de absolute droom zou zijn om van hier met de motor helemaal naar daar te rijden.

 

[FredVN]

Na Covid is het reizen naar en in Vietnam behoorlijk stilgevallen. Inmiddels komt het weer een klein beetje op gang, als ik de verhalen mag geloven. Dus mogelijk ook weer in dit topic. Als je hier wil rijden, neem dan in ieder geval een internationaal rijbewijs mee. Dat schijnt officieel toegestaan te zijn, al zal 99% van de politie daar niets vanaf weten.

 

[FredVN]

Cleanup starts after houses buried by flash floods, mud

Residents of mountainous Ky Son District in Nghe An Province have begun retrieving their belongings after their homes were submerged in mud following flash floods.

A group of men in Ta Ca Commune of Ky Son remove a trunk section of a large tree broken during the flash flooding of a house on Monday.

Heavy rains triggered by the aftermath of Storm Noru had caused floods in central Nghe An Province since last Thursday before flash floods attacked Ky Son District on Sunday.

A corner of Ta Ca Commune on the morning of Monday when the rains finally stopped.

Vi Nhu Cuong, a commune official, said flash floods hit the commune in different waves on Sunday, and that the strongest one appeared at 2 p.m.

At some point the "floods came so quick that one could not imagine, raising the water level by more than one minute within just 10 minutes," he said.

Lu Van Tuan in Ta Ca Commune collects his family’s belongings from under the mud.

A woman and her daughter remove mud from cooking utensils at a stream near their home.

Lo Van Son stands at what used to be his house in Ta Ca Commune.

"I've lost everything," he said.

Tam in Hoa Son Commune of Ky Son District cries as she holds a stack of books and notebooks of her grandchild, a 6th grader.

She said many valuable assets in the house including the television, gas stove and electric fans have been swept away.

Three men dig out a five-seat car buried in thick mud in Muong Xen Town, which was hit by flash floods around 7 a.m. Sunday.

People try to get a motorbike out of the mud.

Mud covers an ATM in Muong Xen Town.

On Monday, the floods have yet to recede, with authorities having established a makeshift bridge to cross a stream and deliver food and essential supplies to Son Ha Village in Ta Ca Commune.

In Ky Son alone, flash floods have swept away 56 houses, flooded and damaged 186 others, isolated 236 families, with 966 members.

Debris fill up the entrance to a building for training Party members in Ky Son District placed in Muong Xen Town.

A series of other government buildings, including the offices of the People's Committee and Party's Committee, have been damaged.

Eight people including a four-month-old infant have died and more than 17,400 houses flooded in Nghe An as side effects of Storm Noru, one of the strongest storms to hit Vietnam in the past two decades as it slammed the central region with winds of 133 kph.


# # # Zie de video in de bron


Though rains have stopped, floods still ravage Ta Ca Commune.


Bron: Cleanup starts after houses buried by flash floods, mud


Heftig!
Bij wijze van uitzondering alle foto’s geplaatst. Ik blijf me altijd afvragen in hoeverre dit te voorkomen is. Er wordt op gigantische schaal van alles illegaal uitgevreten en de daders interesseren de gevolgen totaal niet.

 

[Harvey Pijnappel]

Na Covid is het reizen naar en in Vietnam behoorlijk stilgevallen. Inmiddels komt het weer een klein beetje op gang, als ik de verhalen mag geloven. Dus mogelijk ook weer in dit topic. Als je hier wil rijden, neem dan in ieder geval een internationaal rijbewijs mee. Dat schijnt officieel toegestaan te zijn, al zal 99% van de politie daar niets vanaf weten.

Ik kom graag weer eens naar Vietnam toe. Een van mijn favoriete landen. Waar woon jij? Ik ben zelf erg fan van het noorden, dus Hanoi en daarboven, maar ik vond Dalat en omgeving ook erg mooi.

Ik had toen ik door Vietnam toerde met de scooter helemaal geen rijbewijs, zelfs geen autorijbewijs
Wel al redelijk wat ervaring met scooters in Azië en dat was wel handig, want zeker daar bij Ha Giang in de buurt is het geen gemakkelijk terrein. Je wil er geen bocht missen ofzo ...
Inmiddels heb ik zowel auto- als motorrijbewijs Het rijgenot dat ik heb ervaren in de bergen in Vietnam heeft mij echt gestimuleerd om mijn motorrijbewijs te halen.

Met de politie heb ik niet echt problemen gehad. Eén keer was er midden in de bergen een wegblokkade waar alle locals gestopt werden en om hun rijbewijs werden gevraagd, maar ik mocht als enige door rijden. Ook schenen ze bij Ha Giang in de buurt te controleren op rijbewijzen, maar volgens de eigenaar van mijn hostel was dat op te lossen door om 6 uur al te vertrekken, dus dat advies heb ik toen opgevolgd.

 

[FredVN]

Ik woon in the middle of nowhere in de buurt van Nha Trang. In de praktijk zul je zelden worden aangehouden: de politie hier spreekt maar mondjesmaat Engels.

Ik ben twee keer aangehouden. De eerste keer met Minh achterop. Maakte niet uit: de vrouwelijke agent sprak goed Engels.
De tweede keer met mijn kleinzoon achterop.Mijn "goedemorgen meneer de agent, wat zijn de problemen?" leverde een nijdige blik en een kwaad gebaar "doorrijden" met zijn knuppel.Sprak dus geen Nederlands en naar ik gok ook geen Engels.

Let wel op met het "betere bochtenwerk". Dat is hier letterlijk levensgevaarlijk. Er kan van alles in die bocht zijn: zand op de weg, koeien, geparkeerde voertuigen, slenterende opaatjes, bellende en appende motorrijders, bouwmaterialen, aan de verkeerde kant van de weg rijdende auto's (en nee, die dubbele doorgetrokken witte lijn heeft geen enkele waarde), etc., etc., etc..
Vandaar de zeer brede schaamranden op mijn banden.

 

[FredVN]

Opvallend

Two 340-kg bombs found meters away from central Vietnam highway - VnExpress International
In eerdere artikelen werd het op dezelfde manier beschreven: nergens staat dat ze het vervoeren de bom eerst onschadelijk maken. Ach, waarom zou je ook. Als het mis gaat is het niet jouw probleem meer...


Taxi robber caught not knowing how to drive - VnExpress International
Iemand die nog twijfelt als ik roep dat Vietnamezen dom zijn? Al gef ik toe, dit is buiten-categorie.


Police search for driver who escaped car pile-up in Vietnam’s Nha Trang
Kan Max nog wat van leren.

 

[Harvey Pijnappel]

Ik woon in the middle of nowhere in de buurt van Nha Trang. In de praktijk zul je zelden worden aangehouden: de politie hier spreekt maar mondjesmaat Engels.

Ik ben twee keer aangehouden. De eerste keer met Minh achterop. Maakte niet uit: de vrouwelijke agent sprak goed Engels.
De tweede keer met mijn kleinzoon achterop.Mijn "goedemorgen meneer de agent, wat zijn de problemen?" leverde een nijdige blik en een kwaad gebaar "doorrijden" met zijn knuppel.Sprak dus geen Nederlands en naar ik gok ook geen Engels.

Let wel op met het "betere bochtenwerk". Dat is hier letterlijk levensgevaarlijk. Er kan van alles in die bocht zijn: zand op de weg, koeien, geparkeerde voertuigen, slenterende opaatjes, bellende en appende motorrijders, bouwmaterialen, aan de verkeerde kant van de weg rijdende auto's (en nee, die dubbele doorgetrokken witte lijn heeft geen enkele waarde), etc., etc., etc..
Vandaar de zeer brede schaamranden op mijn banden.

Ja dat laatste heb ik gemerkt; het is altijd goed oppassen inderdaad. Gelukkig was het met die Honda Wave 110cc altijd makkelijk om overeind te blijven, ook als er wat troep op de weg lag. Bovendien zit je lekker rechtop, dus je gaat ook nooit heel erg strak door de bocht. Vooral kippen (ik noemde ze altijd suicide chickens omdat ze constant juist de weg op rennen als je er langs rijdt) en bussen vond ik erg gevaarlijk. In het noorden was het over het algemeen wel erg rustig op de routes die ik had uitgezocht.

 

[FredVN]

Hou vooral rekening met het enige weggedrag, dat de Vietnamees kent: als het niet recht voor je zit is het er niet! Dus sukkelen ze rustig vanuit een zijweg een grote weg op, waar jij met een iets te hoge snelheid aan komt zetten. En omdat je nog minstens 20 meter voor de zijweg bent zit je er niet recht voor en …

 

[FredVN]

Thousands of chickens killed by floods in Vietnam

Local people gather to help the owner of the poultry farm to clear dead chickens in Nghe An Province, Vietnam, September 30, 2022. Photo: Viet Phong / Tuoi Tre



Sympathizing with a couple whose more than 4,000 chickens died due to flooding during heavy rains in a province in Vietnam last week, neighbors rushed to help them remove the dead chickens and turn them into animal feed.

On the evening of September 30, dozens of people were still gathered in front of the culture house in Bau Xuan Village, Dien Doai Commune, Dien Chau District, north-central Nghe An Province.

They did a favor to Nguyen Duc The and his wife by caring for the more than 4,000 chickens that died in a flood. The dead chickens were a great asset to the couple.

Nguyen Thi Hien, The's wife, looked incredibly sad as she boiled hot water to process the dead chickens.


She and her husband had been taking care of the chickens for several months, hoping to sell them in the near future.

But the flood dealt a heavy blow to their poultry farm, killing their flock of chickens overnight.

Hien recalled that she and her husband were extremely worried when they heard that Typhoon Noru might bring heavy rains, but they did not know where to shelter the 4,000 chickens.

Without the help of neighbors, Nguyen Duc The and his wife could not have quickly processed the chickens into animal feed. Photo: Viet Phong / Tuoi Tre



On the evening of September 29, Hien fed the chickens as usual. At 9:00 that day, it was pouring rain.

Hien and her husband brought lights to check on the chicken farm, but the water level rose too quickly.

"Within just an hour, the water was up to our waists. We had to return home because we were afraid something dangerous might happen," Hien recounted.

It rained throughout the night, and Hien and The could not sleep out of concern for their farm.

"When I went to check the next morning, I found that all the chickens had been drowned by the floodwaters," Hien said sadly.

The said he bought over 4,000 chickens two months ago to raise them in a new flock. They had hoped to sell them soon, not expecting anything like this.

The couple planned to bury the dead fowl but the arduous work they had done to care for them made that too difficult.

When they learned about the poultry farm incident, a resort in Dien Chau District offered to help them and purchased all the dead chickens to feed its tigers on the condition that the poultry would have to be carefully prepared.

The couple could not do the work quickly themselves and had to race against time if they wanted to sell all the dead fowl. That is why all the neighbors came together to help them.

"My house was also flooded, but luckily the damage is less severe. We came to help The, hoping to support him to get as much as possible from the investment," said Tran Thi Tinh, a neighbor.

According to The's calculations, selling more than three tonnes of dead chickens for VND17,000 (US$0.71) per kilogram could not offset his investment in chicks, food, and medicine.

Neighbors processed dead chickens to clear more than 4,000 birds that died from a flood in Nghe An Province, Vietnam, September 30, 2022. Photo: Viet Phong / Tuoi Tre



An official from the Dien Doan People's Committee said heavy rains and floods over the past days have caused great damage to local people's crops, livestock, and poultry.

The's family has suffered the most damage. It is very gratifying that people in the community are supporting one another in this tricky situation, the official said.

According to the Nghe An Command Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Mitigation and Search and Rescue, six people had died in the floods by the afternoon of September 30, and another person is still missing.

In addition, upwards of 66,000 heads of livestock were washed away by the floods.


Thousands of chickens killed by floods in Vietnam


Voor kleine boeren als deze is het een enorme schadepost. En net als gisteren blijf je je afvragen of er niet wat meer aan voorzorgsmaatregelen kan worden gedaan.

Maar hoe erg ook, ik kon het niet laten…

 

[FredVN]

Opvallend

Ho Chi Minh City’s second metro fails to get off ground as loan contracts expire
Ze zullen het hier wel nooit leren…


Worker dies after scaffolding collapses in southern Vietnam - VnExpress International
Ik moest even denken aan het flauwe en hier eigenlijk ongepaste grapje, dat na het instorten de opzichter razend komt aanlopen: “ik heb nog zo gezegd: eerst behangen en dan pas de steigers weghalen!”.
Maar ik kan het moeiteloos herhalen: ze zullen het hier wel nooit leren…


Private vehicles cannot be part of Vietnam's long-term traffic strategy - VnExpress International
“Vietnam has been a bit late in developing public transport infrastructure in Hanoi and HCMC to keep up with its economic growth and urbanization. But it is never too late to change.”
BS!!! Het is inmiddels veel te laat. Er zijn overal dichtbebouwde woonwijken neergeplempt zonder rekening te houden met het feit dat daar ook mensen in wonen, die naar hun werk moeten. Bij voorkeur in een SUV, want dat geeft status. En het wegennet is nauwelijks ontworpen voor motorfietsen, laat staan auto’s. De meeste toegevoegde lezerscommentaren leggen de vinger op de juiste zere plek. Zoals “Hard to see locals giving up their bikes”.


Authorities in Vietnam’s Central Highlands scratch heads over former leader’s farm built amidst nature reserve
Goh, als ze niet weten hoe met deze situatie om te gaan wil ik met alle soorten van genoegen mijn weloverwogen, genuanceerde en politiek correcte mening geven.

 

[FredVN]

Blind massage in Vietnam: Not 'just a massage' service but a spirit of community

The reception counter at a massage spa in Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ray Kuschert



Vietnam is well known among tourists for massages. Across the country, there are a plethora of places where anyone can get a decent priced massage to their liking. But one type of massage service goes a little beyond 'Just a Massage' and takes us to a whole new world of the true spirit of the Vietnamese culture and community.

For decades, blind massage businesses have been operating across the country. They employ mostly vision-impaired people as massage therapists. These charities and businesses do wonderful things to help visually-impaired people develop skills.

Although it has been many years since I first experienced the pleasure and inspiration of the Blind Massage Association on Cong Quynh Street in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, my experience has taken me far and wide.

Blind massage spas can be found in almost every province in Vietnam. A little online search or asking your hotel will quickly locate one in any major center throughout the country.

Whilst all blind massage venues have their own unique heritage, there are two basic types of centers that usually stem from the same source. During Vietnam’s development, people realized that blind children were not being given enough opportunities because of the lack of services available to cater for their needs. This is where the idea of blind massage began.

Community leaders, religious groups, and caring supporters came together to open blind associations across the country. These nonprofit organizations gave opportunities for young visually-impaired people to learn skills and become an active member of the community. And one of the skills they found that these young people had natural abilities in was massage.

Caring and skilled massage practitioners took these young people and taught them the skills of massage. Buildings and businesses were set up to allow the young people a place to practice their skills and earn an income. Quickly, they became an icon of the spirit of this country with their commitment and tenacity to learn and be the best at what they do.

Recently, I took the time to visit a blind massage business not far from my home in Ho Chi Minh City. The business has been there for over 10 years and it has been many years since I last visited the spa. But my interest in them took me back and I wanted to learn more about their inspiring stories.

At the business, Massage Người Mù Kỳ Quang Minh, I met Miss Huong. She has been blind since birth and is in her mid-20’s. Unlike most of the staff at this business, Huong was taught by others back in her hometown in the central region of Vietnam.

Most of the staff in the Go Vap spa are trained by the business. They are brought from rural and regional areas where they were unable to obtain specialist education, and experience a full-time training course, first in a pagoda and later at the business. They receive all their training and support for free, by skilled teachers, to get them to the level of a professional massage therapist.

As they begin their career at the spa, and many similar spas across the country, they are able to develop an independent life outside of the business. Huong lives in Hoc Mon District, about 20km from the spa, and travels to work every day by xe om (motorbike taxi). Even the xe om drivers support these amazing people by often giving them free travel to support their development and career.

Huong tells me that she is paid a monthly salary by the business and any tips given to her by a customer is hers to keep. She has no requirement to share it or split it with the business. This gives her the motivation to deliver the best service to every customer.

Importantly, tips given by customers are very much cultural here in Vietnam. Salaries of the working class, generally, are rather low, so a tip is an important part of their survival. This is even more so for the amazingly skilled blind massage therapists. Personally, I don’t work by any general rule when tipping but for a massage in these businesses, I would not go below VND100,000 (US$5). To a tourist, it is not much but to them it feeds them and their family, so be generous because you will make a life better by giving a little more.

Whilst the days vary, with weekends being much more popular, Huong may have four or five customers a day. Between customers, she has a room set up where she gets together with her colleagues. They talk and spend time together which she says “makes the job more fun.”

Although Huong spoke no English, and my Vietnamese is basic at best, from the moment I met this young lady I could see, and feel, a confidence and pride in every bit of her being. She was dressed perfectly in her uniform, her hair perfectly prepared. She knew where everything was that she needed and she walked tall knowing that her customers appreciate the work that she does.

She prepared the table for me, and I laid face down. With laser-like precision, she started the massage, making sure each section of my back was accurately and expertly manipulated. She used her hands to understand my needs and concerns, even pointing out that I have something on my arm and I should visit the doctor to get it checked.

This hour with Huong was more than a massage. Sure, her service was excellent and, due to my over commitment of marathons and ultra-marathons, I appreciated every second of effort she gave to restore my muscles and bones to running condition. This hour with Miss Huong was a moment shared with a person that inspired me to give a little extra. She inspired me not to let my challenges control me, but I control my challenges. She showed me the art of not giving up and she definitely showed me what it means to give 200 percent to everything I do.

I left my massage with a bit less pain in my body and a whole lot more love and energy in my heart. You just won’t know that feeling until you experience it for yourself. Have a break, relax, and enjoy a blind massage somewhere in Ho Chi Minh City or across Vietnam.

Whilst there are many of these services across the country in places like Vung Tau, Phan Thiet, Nha Trang, Da Nang, Hue, Dong Hoi, and Hanoi, just to name a few, some of the businesses and charity organizations in Ho Chi Minh City include Massage Khiếm Thị Tiến Phát, Matxa Khiếm Thị – Xe Bus Yêu Thương, Massage Khiếm Thị Hoàng Triều and Massage Khiếm Thị Nhật Hảo, but there are many more so a search online will help you discover one close to your home or hotel. Of course, my favorite is my local spa and I really have a soft spot for the amazing Miss Huong.

Having had the experience of poor and good service as spas in Vietnam over the past decade, I highly recommend you consider a blind massage spa as your next place to visit anywhere in Vietnam. They are usually cheaper than the big commercial businesses, they will not try to overcharge, they will not try to sell you additional services during your massage, they are safe and they pride themselves on delivering the best they can for their customer. I always walk away from a blind massage service feeling better in my heart and body.


Blind massage in Vietnam: Not 'just a massage' service but a spirit of community


Ik ben in Nha Trang meerdere keren bij een blinde masseur geweest die als slogan “Eyes in hands” heeft / had. Een vrij harde massage. Geen idee of hij nog praktijk uitoefent. Toen de behandeling veranderde in een stukje massage door de man en de rest door een elektrische massagebank ben ik gestopt met bezoeken.

 

[FredVN]

Dubbel

 

[FredVN]

Opvallend

Vietnam’s Mekong Delta province allows illegally-built homestays to operate on famous tourism mountain
Hoe moeten we dit noemen? Met twee maten meten? Toerisme-bevordering? Vriendendienst?


HCMC teenagers set car on fire for $209 - VnExpress International
Nog een “vriendendienst”? Compleet met duidelijke video.


Thousands of university students join responsible drinking campaign - VnExpress International
De immense botte domheid strekt zich zelfs tot de universiteiten uit. Hoe kun je een campagne “The "Enjoy responsibly - Don't be drunk and drive"…” noemen bij een zero-tolerance-beleid? “Don’t drink and drive” zou het moeten heten, maar inmiddels is wel gebleken, dat dit in Vietnam een aperte onmogelijkheid is.

“As part of the company's commitment to responsible drinking, AB InBev Global established the AB InBev Foundation (ABI Foundation) in an effort to reduce the impact of harmful alcohol consumption.”
Ze proberen dan ook niet om het schadelijk alcoholgebruik te verminderen, nee, nee. Alleen de impact ervan. De gemiddelde Vietnamese zuipschuit zal daar zeker geen enkel bezwaar tegen hebben.

En als zelfs de universiteiten dat promoten…

 

[FredVN]

$29mn underpass congested following inauguration in Hanoi

Serious congestion occurs along Le Van Luong Underpass following its inauguration in Hanoi, October 5, 2022. Photo: Pham Tuan / Tuoi Tre



A VND700 billion (US$29.3 million) underpass in Hanoi faced serious congestion on Wednesday morning, just two hours after it was officially opened to traffic.

The inauguration of Le Van Luong Underpass was organized by the Hanoi People’s Committee on Wednesday morning.

The underground passage is considered a key project in the capital city which is aimed at mitigating congestion at the intersection of Le Van Luong Street - To Huu Street and Khuat Duy Tien Street - Ring Road No. 3, Duong Duc Tuan, vice-chairman of the municipal administration, said at the ceremony.

The inauguration of Le Van Luong Underpass is organized in Hanoi, October 5, 2022. Photo: Pham Tuan / Tuoi Tre



However, a serious traffic jam occurred along the underpass at around 8:00 am the same day, just two hours after it was opened to traffic, when a large number of vehicles entered the underpass from To Huu Street en route to the inner city.

“It took me quite a while to get through the short underpass,” Dang Minh Tuan, a resident in Ha Dong District, complained.

One of the first vehicles entering Le Van Luong Underpass in Hanoi, October 5, 2022. Photo: Pham Tuan / Tuoi Tre



Costing nearly VND700 billion, the construction of Le Van Luong Underpass was initiated in October 2020.

Stretching 457 meters, the passage is located under the busy intersection of Le Van Luong Street - To Huu Street and Khuat Duy Tien Street - Ring Road No. 3 in Thanh Xuan District.

It is one of four underpasses currently in operation in Hanoi.

Serious congestion occurs along Le Van Luong Underpass following its inauguration in Hanoi, October 5, 2022. Photo: Pham Tuan / Tuoi Tre

Serious congestion occurs along Le Van Luong Underpass following its inauguration in Hanoi, October 5, 2022. Photo: Pham Tuan / Tuoi Tre

A bird’s-eye view of the intersection of Le Van Luong Street - To Huu Street and Khuat Duy Tien Street - Ring Road No. 3 in Hanoi, October 5, 2022. Photo: A.H. / Tuoi Tre


$29mn underpass congested following inauguration in Hanoi


Een fenomenaal en doorslaand succes: maar liefst twee uur geen file en dat in de ochtendspits.

Het was een key-project, voortaan een key-congestion.

 

[FredVN]

Opvallend

Vietnam expresses views on Russia's annexation of four Ukraine oblasts
…


3 teens rob peer of e-bike at knifepoint in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta
Gebeurde jaren geleden ook hier in de omgeving. Ik ontweek die plaatsen zoveel mogelijk.
Ook werd door passerende motorrijders tegen het voorwiel van een rijdende motor geschopt, waardoor deze viel. Vervolgens werd dan door “behulpzame medeweggebruikers” annex handlangers “hulp geboden”, waarna iemand van de groep met de motor verdween.


Legal proceedings filed against former police officers for investigation of deadly fire in southern Vietnam
Ik heb het artikel drie keer gelezen en er staat echt helemaal niets. Maar ze willen denkelijk suggereren dat de twee zich hebben laten omkopen om ten onrechte veiligheidscertificaten af te geven.

 

[FredVN]

Terug naar Holland

Dit bericht komt vast niet als een verrassing: vrijwel iedereen is wel op de hoogte van de gigantische geluidsoverlast van muziek en karaoke-gekrijs in dit land. Iets waar de volstrekt incompetente overheid niets aan doet. Integendeel, als je in ons dorp daarover klaagt word je door de politie bedreigd.

Minh vindt dat ik alles maar gewoon moet accepteren, net als de rest van de dociele bevolking, die niet durft te klagen, bang als ze zijn voor de gevolgen. Al ruim 60 karaoke-gerelateerde doden. Maar ik heb geen zin om regelmatig in huis geluidsvolumes te hebben, die volgens tabellen na een half uur gehoorbeschadigingen tot gevolg kunnen hebben (90-95 dB) en buiten een directe kans (110 dB). Bassen zijn op meer dan 400 m. al hoorbaar, vrij over de rijstvelden nog een paar honderd meter verder. Of je wordt ’s morgens rond 06:00 al uit je bed gebonkt, dwars door de dubbele beglazing en de herrie van de airco heen.

Mijn voorspelling is dan ook dat op termijn vele miljoenen mensen hier last van tinnitus zullen hebben. Mede gebaseerd op de cijfers uit wetenschappelijk onderzoek in Nederland gok ik op 50% = 50 miljoen. Waarvan een groot deel alleen omdat ze vlakbij de aso’s wonen.

“Gehoorbeschadigingen zie je niet dus ze bestaan niet” is de stompzinnige redenering. Tja, Paul de Leeuw zei het al: immens botte domheid.

Maar er zijn meer redenen. Dus ben ik de afgelopen maanden druk bezig geweest met het maken van plannen voor een verhuizing en de haalbaarheid daarvan. En het lijkt mogelijk.

De opdracht voor mijn verhuizing is inmiddels gegeven: ergens eind oktober. Minh blijft in Vietnam.

OK, het zij zo. Ik krijg er hopelijk mijn rust door terug, wel tegen een onnoemelijk hoge prijs.

Helaas zal niemand van het asociale, egocentrische, ongeïnteresseerde en hersenloze zooitje hier ook maar een seconde geïnteresseerd zijn in het verkloten van mijn life time dream.

Het 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…

De eerste tijd zal ik in het huis van mijn dochter, verblijven. Eerst een poosje tot rust komen en alles verwerken.

Daarna ga ik in overleg bepalen wat en hoe verder. Er liggen een aantal globale ideeën waar we uitgebreid over moeten brainstormen, alle met voor- en nadelen. Wat het gaat worden zal van heel veel zaken afhangen.

Dit topic wordt zeker nog niet afgesloten. Ik wil voor alle zekerheid even wachten tot mijn container gearriveerd is. Ik blijf paranoïde hier. Daarna zal ik proberen om wat meer over de echte situatie te vertellen, waaronder –voor zover ik mij kan herinneren- de Terras- en Dalatwijn-zaken. Gewoon wat frustratie van mij afschrijven: niemand die er verder wat mee opschiet.

Wie zich nog specifieke situaties herinnert moet die maar even posten, dan kan ik er een verhaaltje omheen leuteren.

In principe zal ik alles anonimiseren. Niettemin kunnen er gevoelige zaken zijn, die op een specifieke persoon terug te voeren zijn. Als dat privépersonen zijn zal ik dat –afhankelijk van de persoon- niet openbaar maken.

Kortom, dit topic in de favorieten laten staan!

Laat me afsluiten met een toepasselijk raadseltje van Erich:
Waarom zie je in Vietnam geen zombies?
Zombies eten hersenen.

 

[FredVN]

What is it like to get a haircut on the street in Ho Chi Minh City?

A man has a haircut at a barbershop on the street in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ray Kuschert / Tuoi Tre News



Even in the back streets of District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, the hot sun of the early afternoon showers down on the roadway while the noise and tooting of the traffic flood your mind. But on a street corner there is a man who, for the past two decades, has been here cutting hair in the heat and the noise, a cornerstone of the local community.

The street haircut is not unique to Ho Chi Minh City, but for centuries, the streets of Saigon have been filled with these lone businessmen, servicing the community whilst fighting the heat, weather, and evolution of the city to stay in business and make a living.

Having lived in Ho Chi Minh City for almost a decade, I have ridden past these street haircut services around the city, and in the countryside, and not given them a second thought. When I get a haircut, I like the relaxation of a cool room, pleasant smells of the creams and lotions, and quietness of a room closed off to the outside traffic. But I just didn’t know what I was missing by avoiding the street barbers in Ho Chi Minh City.

In a backstreet of District 1, Vinh stands under a makeshift canopy. Every morning around 8:00 am, he brings his entire haircut operation on his motorbike, chair included, and spends about 30 minutes setting up for the day. Regardless of the weather, Vinh is there at the same time, seven days a week, to ensure anyone wanting a haircut, face shave or ear cleaning will be serviced at his small pavement business.

Opposite his set-up is a café. After saying hello to Vinh, he told me he had two customers waiting and I should go and have a coffee while I was waiting for him to finish. He even offered me the Vietnamese Tuoi Tre newspaper that is available to all his customers every day of the week.

As I sat for coffee while I waited, I was amazed at the flow of men, young and old, that were there. A young man sat and got a haircut, then an older man followed. Another simply stopped to say hello and read the newspaper for a few minutes.

A man has a haircut at a roadside barbershop in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ray Kuschert / Tuoi Tre News



Vinh, who comes from the central city of Da Nang, is now 37 years old. He arrived in Ho Chi Minh City 20 years ago with a dream to be successful and create a living for himself, and whilst this small street service may not make him rich, he certainly is a success in the local community.

He gave me a shout as the last customer handed him a small amount of money. I walked across the road to a smiling and energetic man. He doesn’t really speak much English but was so excited that I was able to communicate in Vietnamese.

Even before I sat in the chair, he told me of how he has serviced people from all over the world in his 20 years at this location. People from the U.S., England, Germany, South Korea, and many other countries have all sat in the same chair to have Vinh cut their hair and shave their face.

I was asked if I wanted my hair cut, but I declined and asked for just a face shave. I had not had a shave for a few days, so it was rather thick and heavy. It was going to be a challenge for any barber to clear my face of these whiskers.

As I looked around from the chair, I noticed how little he uses to deliver his services to his customers. Under the canopy of bamboo poles and plastic was a chair that was clearly 20 years old if not more. On the wall was a small mirror and to the left were a few items such as scissors, an electric cutter and other small old tools, plus the daily newspaper. On the floor sat a large red plastic water container that I was to find was the most important part of his service.

Even though meeting Vinh was the best part of my day, his skills were to surprise and delight me in a very unique way. He had no creams or lotions. He began by going to the red bucket on the floor and taking out a very cold wet towel. With it, he vigorously massaged my face and head. It was so cold, but in the hot sun, it brought some relief and surprising comfort.

After just a minute I found the noise of the traffic and the heat of the sun fade away. Vinh continued to massage my face with the support of a cold spray bottle. He was squirting freezing cold water from the bottle onto my hair face then vigorously massaged my face. I assumed this was to soften the whiskers to make it easier to shave.

As I was lying back under the heat of the sun with cold wet hair, time seemed to slow down a little. Then Vinh took a razor and, on my creamless face, began shaving. My trepidation of pending pain never eventuated. It just didn’t hurt like I thought it would. It was a little more intense than a regular shave, but I didn’t feel any pain.

With monotonous regularity, Vinh would grab the icy spray bottle from his red bucket and spray my face. Every time he found an area that was difficult, the spray bottle would chill the skin and he would continue shaving, without any discomfort.

I just seemed to learn so much from these 15 minutes in the chair with Vinh. I learned that this is not just a street haircut business, this is the center of a community. Then, an old man appeared on a bicycle. He took the newspaper and began to read it. At the same time, he was asking questions about me. Vinh replied with a smile, “No he is from Australia and he speaks really good Vietnamese,” to which the old man seemed to smirk and accept like he was accepting me into his community.

Then it was over and with a final wipe with the icy towel, Vinh said, “Finished already!” Normally, at the end, I will ask how much it is and pay the fee with a small tip. On this occasion, I was so overcome by the sense of community, the sense of acceptance, and the skill of this man that I just gave him a larger than expected note and thanked him for his service. I seemed to learn so much in such a short time, but I only learned it because, after 10 years of avoiding it, I lived it.

Ray Kuschert poses for a welfie with Vinh, owner of a barbershop on the street in Ho Chi Minh City.



For the last decade, I have been riding past the street haircut services and not giving them a thought. What I learned is that these dynamic small businesses operate as a window to the past. They operate as a cornerstone of the local community and they are at the very heart of what Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam are about, the people and the community.

If you don’t try this service at least once in your life, you will be missing out on a window to the past and a moment in time that will be forever remembered. It won’t be my last experience at a street haircut because the feeling of being part of a community, even for just a few minutes, gave me a feeling that I will never forget, and the shave I got was so much better than I expected.

Love comes in many shapes. The love shown by Vietnam comes from the centuries of struggles when everyone stood hand in hand to make sure everyone got ahead. The street haircut is a lingering part of the past culture when all they had was each other. And today, their numbers might be reducing but the feeling is just as strong. If you are visiting Vietnam, you need to make it a point to visit a street haircut service. In my mind, it’s more than a shave or a haircut, it is a connection to this culture and community, which share love to all.

A man is pictured having earwax removed at a barbershop on the street in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ray Kuschert / Tuoi Tre News


Bron: What is it like to get a haircut on the street in Ho Chi Minh City?


Voor mij eigenlijk hetzelfde verhaal: vaak gezien, nooit gedaan.

 

[FredVN]

Opvallend

Illegal procedures at beauty salons deliver ugly results - VnExpress International
Er is ooit zelfs een artikel geweest over borstvergrotingen met siliconenkit uit de bouwmarkt.
Ach, als mensen zich een beetje slapjes voelen kunnen ze met wat zoeken gewoon aan een infuus.
In de Pharmacy kijg je antibioticakuurtjes van 1-2 dagen.
En er zijn zelfs ziekenhuizen waar de instrumenten niet worden gesteriliseerd voor een operatie.
Dus waar maken we ons druk over…


Da Nang forest protection officers capture 30kg python in residential area


HCMC residents swarm fuel stations amid supply shortage
en
Fences set up for crowd control at HCMC gas stations
Dat helpt vaak ook maar een beetje.

 

[FredVN]

Cam Ranh towards smart city development

Cam Ranh City People’s Committee has just held a meeting with Khanh Hoa Department of Information & Telecommunications and VNPT Khanh Hoa to collect ideas about the scheme on smart urban development in Cam Ranh City. Accordingly, efforts are currently geared towards green growth, sustainable development, promotion of potentials and strengths; effective use of resources, State management competency and urban service quality.


Developing Joint Application

At the meeting, VNPT Khanh Hoa (consultant), the goal of building Cam Ranh smart city is to develop a multi-tenant hosted applications for better public service, providing connection between residents, businesses and the government. The application is both a fast and accurate communication channel between residents and the government.


The application aims to build the foundation for smart city infrastructures together with the Smart City Operation Center and component structures such as security and traffic monitoring system; urban data warehouse; information reception, coordination and communication management services; cyber security monitoring system and so on; tools to provide visual socio-economic information to support urban authorities in service supply, management and monitoring; quick and accurate online reporting and instructions, etc.


According to Le Ngoc Thach, Chairman of Cam Ranh City People's Committee, Head of the City's Digital Transformation Steering Committee, in order to build a smart city, the city must consolidate its organization and personnel with highly skilled human resources to ensure effective operation and security of the city's digital infrastructure systems; propagandize smart city concept and Industry 4.0 technologies and digital transformation among civil servants; deploy a shared ecosystem to provide urban services to meet diverse needs of the residents and business communities and ensure the contribution of data to the city shared data infrastructures.

All-round boost
According to VNPT Khanh Hoa, the smart city investment in Cam Ranh is estimated to have considerable impacts on the city. Specifically, regarding urban management, the smart city construction with modern infrastructure technologies and competent human resources will contribute to modernizing the administrative system and improving management and administration capacity and better serving residents and businesses. These will create favorable conditions for Cam Ranh to gradually apply artificial intelligence, analyze data, and forecast trends in management and administration; enable authorities to receive and process a large amount of information to support leaders in making accurate and timely decisions.


Economically, thanks to smart information systems and synchronous solutions, residents and businesses can access services online at different levels and benefit from full, accurate, transparent and timely disclosure of information, saving time and effort in administrative transactions with the government.


The scheme must have a specific roadmap with assignments in details. Therefore, specialized departments and divisions are assigned to urgently update software data to create a database for the project. VNPT Khanh Hoa is requested to support the city in supplementing relevant contents to the project. The implementation of the Smart City scheme also needs a secure financial plan, so local departments and agencies are recommended to have much concern about this issue, added Le Ngoc Thach.

V.K
Translated by N.T


Cam Ranh towards smart city development:Cam Ranh towards smart city development


Alles tegelijk? Dertig-jaren-plan? Het heeft weer een torenhoog wishful-thinking-gehalte.

 

[FredVN]

IELTS scores notwithstanding, our English education is working

Students take part in an IELTS prep course. Photo courtesy of YOLA

Our English education system does not focus much on listening and speaking right now, but that does not mean it is not working. It is. Here's how.

My education in Hanoi had an English specialization. My IELTS score was high enough to study in foreign schools (above 6.5). But for me, IELTS is a mere certificate. It is not a program, and what is being tested are mainly some specific skills, not overall knowledge of the language. To have a high IELTS score, one does not need a lot of knowledge. You just need to know the right answers.

This is why IELTS courses focus a lot on exam tips. There is an entire table that shows which skill sets would bring in how many points. Since knowledge is not really tested, it is perfectly normal that people with a high IELTS score continue to making simple, avoidable mistakes in punctuation and grammar.

At my school, an IELTS score of 7.5 does not mean much. One such candidate could get punctuations wrong several times in a short paragraph, and another could hand over a 200-word essay without correct punctuation mark.

Because IELTS focuses so heavily on skills and because it is only valid for a short period of time, it is only considered a standardized test for certain activities and cannot replace conventional language education.

Meanwhile, in Vietnam's English education system, there is a heavy emphasis on knowledge, grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary. It does not focus much on listening and speaking, simply because there are few people around to check how well you do it.

The current English education system is far from perfect, of course, but it makes sense on a national scale. We cannot teach English in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City one way, and teach it another way in a rural commune. So it is not a surprise when someone who speaks English well still scores low marks at school.

But here's the thing. If one does well in school, it would be easier to study for the IELTS in the future because one would already have a good language foundation to build on.


IELTS scores notwithstanding, our English education is working - VnExpress International


“Our English education system does not focus much on listening and speaking right now…”
Als eerder gemeld: zelfs een tweedejaars universitair student Engels spreekt en verstaat geen Engels.

 

[FredVN]

Opvallend


Rising water, torrential rains flood Vietnam’s Quang Nam


Nearly 15 million Vietnamese suffer from common mental disorders: experts
Goh…


Funding issue leaves section of trans-Vietnam route in limbo for 13 years
Goh… Wel mooie foto’s. Vooral de laatste.

 

[FredVN]

Remote workers in Vietnam prone to most cyber attacks in SE Asia: Kaspersky

Infographics: Kaspersky



Kaspersky blocked more than 18.9 million brute-force attacks targeting remote workers in Vietnam in the first six month of 2022, the highest number among Southeast Asian countries, the Russian multinational cybersecurity and anti-virus provider said in a report on Tuesday.

The firm said as hybrid and remote work continue to be the norm in Southeast Asian, it foiled over 47 million Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) attacks from January to June.

On average, Kaspersky solutions blocked 265,567 RDP attacks in the region daily.

During this period, Kaspersky said it secured the most users in Vietnam, with over 18.9 million remote workers protected from this type of threat.

Indonesia followed in second with more than 11.7 million users saved and Thailand came in third with over 8.6 million.

These statistics are based on detection verdicts of Kaspersky products received from users who consented to provide statistical data.

RDP is Microsoft’s proprietary protocol, providing a user with a graphical interface to connect to another computer through a network.

RDP is widely used by both system administrators and less-technical users to control servers and other personal computers remotely.

Kaspersky general manager for Southeast Asia Yeo Siang Tiong said working from home or anywhere out of the office requires employees to log in to corporate resources remotely from their personal devices. One of the most common tools used for this purpose is RDP.

“Microsoft 365 is still the preferred software used by enterprises and Southeast Asia boasts more than 680 million people, half of whom are under 30 and are highly tech-savvy,” said Yeo.

“So, we see the use of this protocol to continue as remote working remains the norm and expect that malicious actors will continue their chase to compromise companies and organizations here through brute-force attacks.”

Kaspersky said with 60 percent of companies allowing employees to use their own devices for work, businesses must train their staff in cybersecurity best practices, so that they are aware of the risks and understand how to work securely with corporate resources.


Remote workers in Vietnam prone to most cyber attacks in SE Asia: Kaspersky

 

[4x2]

Kaspersky heeft er de meeste geblokkeerd, gebaseerd op gebruikers die toestemming gaven om die data te verzamelen.
Dus niet kaspersky en/of geen toestemming gebruikers weten ze niks van.
En ze zeggen niet waar de aanvallen fysiek vandaan komen.

Je kunt het dus ook vertalen als: er zitten veel mensen&kennis in Vietnam die de moeite van het aanvallen waard zijn.

Overigens was in Hanoi die tunnelbak een paar berichten hoger heerlijk rustig de afgelopen paar dagen en doet de metro het ook (eindelijk)

En wonen op het platteland in Vietnam, of veel van de landen hier, tsjah, zet een hoogopgeleide Vietnamees ergens buiten de randstad en die gaan het ook ZWAAR krijgen. Nederlander zijn er ook hele grote aantallen behoorlijk racistische domme mensen (meest onschuldige voorbeeld; ja, ik zag je chinese vriendin de laatste tijd niet met de hond, is ze weer terug ofzo ? Nee, aan het werk en ze komt uit Vietnam...)