Thailand announces success of digital tourism project (Photo: tourismthailand.org)Bangkok (VNA) - The Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA) of Thailand has announced the success of the country’s digital tourism project, an initiative aims to encourage travel firms to widely use digital platforms. Through cooperation with Travizgo Technology Company, in February this year, DEPA developed and launched a national digital tourism platform called ThailandCONNEX to help quickly connect tourism businesses across Thailand in applying technology and digital innovation to improve competitiveness, increasing efficiency, reducing operating costs, and creating more business opportunities. Specifically, more than 2,900 tourism operators and related individuals, along with more than 50 tourism technology businesses, have exploited tourism digital technology through the use of more than 5,600 digital coupons of the project, bringing economic value of more than 260 million THB (7.2 million USD). This is considered a significant contribution to the recovery of Thailand's tourism industry and the country's progress towards a digital economy and society. He also expressed his belief that these efforts will bring seamless connections, opening up many opportunities for all participants, contributing to the sustainable recovery of Thailand's tourism industry./.

HÀ NỘI — Demand for home loans remains low, although interest rates have decreased by 1-3 percentage points per year compared to the beginning of this year. Specifically, in the group of State-owned commercial banks, Agribank offers home loans with a first-year interest rate of 8.5 per cent per year. ACB has also launched a real estate loan package with sharply reduced interest rates and many attractive policies. At Wooribank, the first-year loan interest rate drops to 8 per cent per year, and the following year's interest rate floats at only about 8.8-9 per cent per year. However, Hải said the loans were mainly for real estate developers, while those for real estate buyers were insignificant.

According to a 2022 report by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the number of international migrants has been on the rise for the past five decades. “Migration is also changing gender roles in the family, as migrant workers play an increasingly important role in the family’s livelihoods, financial and income improvements,” he added. However, there are multiple issues that need more in-depth studies, such as social welfare, safety in labour and in the migration process, he noted. According to a study on gender and migration by Dr Đặng Nguyên Anh of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, Việt Nam placed second in Southeast Asia in terms of international migration. Migrant workers who decided to return also face the stigma of “abandoning their families” from their local community.

Legislators press buttons to vote on the draft resolution on the results of the vote of confidence on October 25 afternoon. (Photo: VNA)– The National Assembly (NA) on October 25 afternoon adopted a resolution confirming the results of the vote of confidence on the persons holding the positions it elected or approved.The resolution won support from 470 out of 472 votes, or 95.14%. Vuong Dinh Hue said the vote of confidence, part of the ongoing sixth session of the 15th NA, was held in a strict, democratic, objective, transparent, and serious manner in line with Resolution No. 96/2023/QH15 on the collection and casting of votes of confidence on persons holding positions elected or approved by the NA and People’s Councils.Earlier, the vote counting committee announced the results for the 44 officials subject to the vote of confidence./.

Could you provide specific information about the results of carbon credit trading in the carbon market that Việt Nam has implemented? In pursuit of this goal, we have established and implemented agreements and negotiations for the transfer of forest carbon credits for regions with potential for forest restoration and increased carbon sequestration. So, up to this point, has Việt Nam sold more than 15 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions reductions? The 15 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions reductions is quite modest compared to Việt Nam's potential. However, converting forest carbon sequestration into tradable carbon credits to mobilise financial resources will be a long process.

HÀ NỘI — Slower recovery in international markets and lower demand in domestic air travel have been hindering the recovery of Việt Nam's airline industry, said industry insiders and policymakers. Meanwhile, economic slowdown and visa policies have been significantly hindering the recovery of the Chinese market at just 17 per cent of the pre-pandemic level. This had a much bigger-than-expected impact on Việt Nam's airline industry as China has become one of the largest tourism markets in recent years. As a result, airlines had been turning attention to the domestic market's recovery, which produced an oversupply. By the end of July, demand decreased significantly, unlike previous years, in which demand lasted late into August, even early September," said a representative from a major domestic airline.

The Party, State, and people of Vietnam are delighted at the substantive development of the special solidarity and cooperation in multiple fields. Cuba hopes to further enhance relations and cooperation with Vietnam, he added. He expressed his hope that tourism cooperation between the two countries as well as within ASEAN will make a strong recovery in the future. In addition, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the Vietnam National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED) have been cooperating since 2020. Vietnam and Cuba strengthen defense cooperationVietnamese and Cuban officials discussed measures to strengthen defense cooperation between the Vietnam People’s Army and the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces during talks in Hanoi on October 24.

Chairwoman of the Argentina – Vietnam Culture Institute (ICAV) Poldi Sosa Schmidt speaks at an event to mark 25th anniversary of the institute. (Photo: VNA)The friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Argentina have been intensified and developed robustly over the past 50 years, Chairwoman of the Argentina – Vietnam Culture Institute (ICAV) Poldi Sosa Schmidt has told the Vietnam News Agency.Highlighting the milestones in the bilateral cooperation, she said Argentina was the third Latin American country setting up diplomatic relations with Vietnam (October 25, 1973), following Cuba and Chile.In the 1990s, both sides opened their embassies in each other’s capital city, helping elevate the bilateral ties to a new high, she said, adding both sides inked two agreements on economic and trade cooperation, and promotion and reciprocal protection of investments.Another milestone in their relations that helps spur two-way trade over years is the establishment of the Comprehensive Partnership in 2010, the official stressed. Argentina has seen Vietnam among its top partners in the Southeast Asian region, she said, adding together with the sound political- diplomatic ties, the collaboration across economy as well as trade and investment between the two nations has continued to bear fruits, providing a basis for their time-tested relations.However, there is ample room for both sides to enhance cooperation in culture and people-to-people exchange, she said, expressing her hope that academic exchanges will be further promoted, and the celebration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations serve as a good opportunity for the two countries to bolster collaboration in the fields.Julia Perie, an Argentine parliamentarian at the Mercosur Parliament (Parlasur) and former Chairwoman of the Argentina-Vietnam Friendship Association, also said both countries should pay due heed to enhancing academic and cultural exchanges so as to promote cooperation potential.She highlighted the Vietnam-Argentina relations have been developed based on the solidarity between the two peoples and the support that they have given each other over the past five decades.Describing economic-trade cooperation as a bright spot in the comprehensive partnership, with Vietnam being the 6th largest trade partner of the Latin American nation, Parie stressed that both sides hold huge potential to step up collaboration, and it is necessary to enhance activities within their cooperation mechanisms on the basis of the two economies’ complementary strengths.She added that both nations have enjoyed close cooperation at international organisations and multilateral forums, especially at the UN, the Non-Aligned Movement, the World Trade Organisation, and the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation, helping bring practical benefits to people of each country while contributing to building a world of peace, stability, cooperation, and development./.

HÀ NỘI — The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has issued new regulations to guide gold bar trading on the domestic market. The SBV also amends and supplements regulations on the responsibilities of the DMSFER in gold bar trading. In addition, the DMSFER will also act as the focal agency and coordinate with the Central Banking Department to perform payments for trading gold bars. At the same time, the DMSFER needs to coordinate with the Foreign Exchange Management Department and the Monetary Policy Department to develop the SBV’s gold bar trading plans. Credit institutions and enterprises are allowed to appoint only one representative to participate in each gold trading with the SBV.

Vietnam's top female badminton player Nguyen Thuy Linh (Photo: VNA)- Vietnam's top female badminton player, Nguyen Thuy Linh, earned a historic milestone on October 24 by entering the top 20 in the Badminton World Federation (BWF)’s world rankings for the first time.According to the latest BWF rankings, Linh has a total of 45,550 points, rising four places from 24th to 20th globally, the highest ranking achieved by the 1997-born player from the northern province of Phu Tho so far.In the qualification rankings for the 2024 Paris Olympics, she also climbed to 15th place in the women's singles category, being within the group of players eligible to participate in the Olympics. However, the final list of participants will not be confirmed until April 2024, so the Vietnamese player will need to continue competing in international tournaments to maintain her high ranking and achieve her goal of securing a spot in Paris.After the conclusion of the 2023 Asian Games (ASIAD), Linh joined in a series of tournaments, reaching the quarterfinals of the Arctic Open and the second round of the Denmark Open. She is scheduled to have a match against Chen Yu Fei at the French Open 2023 on October 25./.

Real estate firms accounted for 32.1 per cent of the total market, with bond issuance reaching its highest level since the beginning of 2023, according to a report by the Vietnam Bond Market Association. Other major issuers included Lan Việt Real Estate Company Limited with VNĐ4.1 trillion, BIM Land with VNĐ2.33 trillion, and Tân Liên Phát Tân Cảng Logistics and Real Estate JSC with VNĐ2 trillion. The sluggish property market and reduced cash flows have forced many real estate developers to negotiate with bondholders to extend bond redemption dates. Key players in the real estate market, such as Sovico, Novaland, Hưng Thịnh, and Bamboo Capital, are all seeking extensions for multiple bond tranches. The corporate bond market has experienced a boom in recent years, driven by increased capital demand from property developers and banks.

Speaking at the press conference, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Trinh Thi Thuy underlined the urgent need to preserve the cultural values of ethnic groups with fewer than 10,000 people. She stressed that the festival aims to encourage the groups to practice their cultures in the community. The cultural beauty of the groups will also be featured in all activities of the festival, including art performances, sports activities, exhibition, sports competitions and the introduction of their festivals and cuisines. Within the framework of the festival, the participating ethnic groups will demonstrate their traditional festivals and cultural practices, and introduce their traditional costumes. The event will gather 14 ethnic minority groups from 11 localities across the country./.

Vietnamese shooters get a bronze medal in the men’s 10m air pistol team at the ongoing 2023 Asia Shooting Championship . (Photo: tuoitre.vn)Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese shooters have got two bronze medals at the ongoing 2023 Asia Shooting Championship in Changwon city, the Republic of Korea (RoK). Asian Games champion Pham Quang Huy and his teammates Lai Cong Minh and Phan Cong Minh got a bronze medal in the men’s 10m air pistol team with 1,736 points. Meanwhile, the Chinese team got the gold medal with 1,750 points, and the RoK team got silver with 1,746 points. Another bronze medal for Vietnam was in women’s 10m air pistol as shooter Trinh Thu Vinh got 219.7 points, after Oh Ye Jin from RoK with 244.1 points, and Jian Ranxin from China with 241.8 points.

Tourism experts of Vietnam and Japan compared notes on measures to handle tourist overload and build satellite destinations, towards the development of a more sustainable tourism for Vietnam, at in international seminar in Hanoi on October 23. Paravicini, for his part, said his working trip aims to step up Switzerland's economic development programme for Vietnam through activities that enhance financial transparency and accountability. They have also created favourable conditions for citizens of the two countries to cross the border, and promote investment, trade, and tourism activities. Wagner told his guest that the Supreme Court of Canada wants to strengthen cooperation and share experience with Vietnam, adding that Canada also expects to step up judicial collaboration with Vietnam. She also expressed her wish to further deepen ties with Vietnam in all areas, including politics-diplomacy, national defence-security, trade and economy, education and judicial affairs.

Including bad debts that commercial banks sold to the Vietnam Asset Management Company (VAMC) and have not yet been recovered, the bad debt ratio rose to 6.16 per cent. This bad debt ratio includes the debts of five banks: SCB, Dong A Bank, CBBank, OceanBank, and GPBank, which are under the SBV’s special control. Excluding these five banks, the bad debt ratio stood at 1.92 per cent. Notably, the bad debt ratio in the real estate sector rose from 1.8 per cent in July 2022 to 2.58 per cent in July 2023. Some bank leaders believe the bad debt ratio will peak in the third quarter of this year and start to gradually decrease from the beginning of the next year.