Four dead or missing as torrential rains hit central areas

A street in central Quang Ngai Town was inundated in the flood triggered by heavy rain during the last three days in Quang Ngai Province.

At least four fishermen were killed or reported missing as heavy downpours and strong winds triggered rough seas in central provinces, and experts warned of more rain and flooding in [...]

Cyber crime rising as users remain unaware

Young people at an IT event in Hanoi.

Hi-tech crime is on the upswing in Vietnam and many internet users are not sufficiently aware of the dangers of ineffective information security shields, experts have warned.

“Hackers have targeted not only the information of financial companies, banks and e-commerce websites but also government offices,” says [...]

Tourist arrivals plummet in Vietnam as global downturn bites

Expedited visa application process can boost tourism revenues by 10 percent, an expert says

Vietnam is set to miss its target of attracting five million international tourists this year as arrivals have dropped off sharply, industry officials say.

Hotels and tour operators are struggling and dropping their rates amid the steepest fall in arrivals [...]

Consumers have it good as electronics prices crash

Robert Vu, marketing director of Samsung Vietnam Electronics Company, says the prices of LCD TVs in Vietnam are 15-20 percent lower than in other countries in the region

The global economic slump has forced producers and distributors of electrical and electronic goods to cut prices, offering consumers a windfall.

But belt-tightening potential buyers have [...]

Dong tipped to fall further as investors seek dollars

Vietcombank, Vietnam’s top bank to handle trade payments, said US dollar sales more than doubled to $162 million on October 22 from $60 million on October 20

The Vietnamese dong may fall to VND17,000 per dollar soon due to strong demand for the US currency from importers and equity investors, bankers said.

“The rise [...]

Gasoline prices cut as oil slips

The Hanoi-based Vietnam National Petroleum, or Petrolimex, which supplies 70 percent of the country’s retail gasoline, has cut prices for the third time since August in response to falling global prices.

It cut the prices of 92-octane gasoline, the most commonly used grade in the country, and 95-octane gasoline by VND500 a liter [...]

VNPT slashes int’l phone charges as of September 1

–The Vietnam Post and Telecommunications (VNPT) has announced it will cut outgoing international phone charges by around 40% as of September 1, 2008.

VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnam Post and Telecommunications (VNPT) has announced it will cut outgoing international phone charges by around 40% as of September 1, 2008.
 
Accordingly, the charges for making a direct [...]

As National Day nears, travellers check budgets

–The number of Vietnamese vacationing for September 2’s National Day hasn’t risen substantially this year, with ticket prices high and budgets tight, travel agents are saying.

Although the number of flight reservations has risen 10 per cent over the norm, no additional flights would occur during the holiday

According to Phung Thi Ly Ha, the vice head [...]