Category: Politics

Nearly 3.7 million foreign tourists travelled to Vietnam in the first four months of 2023, according to Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT).

The number of domestic tourists during the period was estimated at 38 million.

Total revenue from tourists was estimated at 196.6 trillion VND (8.3 billion USD).

Of the total visitors, up to 88.7% travelled by air, 10.1% by road, and 1.2% by sea.

In April alone, Vietnam welcomed 984,000 international travellers, the highest figure from the beginning of this year and an increase of 9.9% from the previous month. The country served 10.5 million domestic tourists in the month.

The Republic of Korea remains Vietnam’s biggest tourism market in the first four months of this year with one million visitors, followed by the US with 263,000 and China with 252,000 travellers.

The number of Chinese tourists to Vietnam in April was 112,000, up 61.5% from the previous month thanks to China’s border reopening to group tours from March 15.

Revenues from accommodation and catering services between January to April are estimated to reach 214.8 trillion VND, representing a year-on-year increase of 25.%.

Meanwhile, thanks to exciting cultural and tourism activities taking place in many localities in the early months of the year across localities, travel revenue was estimated at 9.1 trillion VND, nearly 2.1 times higher than the same period last year. This year, Vietnam is striving to serve 110 million tourists, including 8 million foreigners, and earn around 650 trillion VND from tourism services.

According to VNAT, the screening of the film “A tourist’s guide to love” which was shot in Vietnam has attracted the attention of audience around the world. The film features the beauty of local landscapes along with the beauty of Vietnamese people and culture at six main locations namely Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City; Da Nang; Hoi An, My Son (Quang Nam) and Ha Giang.

It ranks third in the list of globally most-watched movies on Netflix with 13.4 million viewing hours.

The film not only popularises the image of Vietnam’s beauty to international friends, but also inspires international tourists to come to Vietnam immediately, the VNAT said./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The weekly cabinet meeting, held here at the Peace Palace this morning under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, approved the draft Code on Environment and Natural Resources.

According to H.E. Phay Siphan, Minister Delegate Attached to the Prime Minister and Head of the Royal Government Spokesperson Unit, the draft code is aimed to strengthen and improve the management of environment; protection, conservation and restoration of natural resources, biodiversity and ecological functions, and sustainable living.

The draft code, composed of 12 chapters and 888 articles, will also expand the possibility of ministries, institutions and social milieus to further take part in environmental protection and natural resources and biodiversity management and preservation, he added.

The drafting process took nearly eight years to complete with comprehensive inputs from relevant ministries and institutions.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse (AKP)

The draft law on approval of ASEAN Trade in Services Agreement was endorsed by the Cambodian cabinet ministers in their weekly plenary meeting held here at the Peace Palace this morning under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen.

The approval was made known by H.E. Phay Siphan, Minister Delegate Attached to the Prime Minister and Head of the Royal Government Spokesperson Unit on his Facebook page.

According to the ASEAN Secretariat, the ASEAN Trade in Services Agreement was signed by the ASEAN Economic Ministers on Oct. 7, 2020. The agreement affirms ASEAN’s commitment to free and open trade and regional economic integration, against the present multifaceted challenges of trade tensions, global pandemic and economic uncertainties.

The objectives of the agreement are to strengthen economic linkages and provide greater opportunities for economic development; increase trade and investment in the area of services and create larger markets and greater economies of scale; and reduce barriers to trade and investment in services and create a predictable business environment.

The agreement is also aimed to strengthen economic relations between Member States through: inter alia promoting and facilitating utilisation of the greater opportunities provided by the Agreement; promoting regulatory cooperation; developing co-operation in the field of human resource development; and increasing the participation of small and medium enterprises in trade and investment activities; and narrow development gaps between Member States to achieve a more equitable, balanced and sustainable socio-economic development.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse (AKP)

Forty-eight years after the national reunification, the Vietnamese community in Laos have been proud of the country’s achievements in national development and external relations, and supported the Party and State’s policy regarding the overseas Vietnamese (OV) community.

Pham Van Hung, President of the Vietnamese Association in Laos, attributed the country’s current success to the continuous and persistent efforts of the Party, State and people. He affirms that the country is on the right way to socialism and the proper “Doi Moi” (Renewal) policy and the Party’s leadership, he said.

He underlined that the country’s achievements lay the foundation for Vietnamese people’s confidence in the country’s future of prosperous socialism and happiness.

Hung expressed his delight at the development of the ties between the two Parties and States of Vietnam and Laos, which practically benefit both peoples and contribute to the socio-economic development in each country.

He highly valued the great attention that the Party and State have given to the Vietnamese community in Laos, which, together with the OV community in general, is defined as an inseparable part of the national great solidarity bloc.

Tran Thi Hue, a 70-year-old OV in Laos, said that she always keeps in her mind the absolute trust in the leadership of the Party, State and Government of Vietnam, and appreciates the support that Vietnam has given to the Vietnamese community in Laos, especially in education.

She said that the construction of Nguyen Du school, funded by the Vietnamese Government in 2005 in Vientiane, has provided a good education facility for Vietnamese and Lao students, giving them favourable conditions to study Vietnamese. Each year, Vietnam offers many scholarships to children from the Vietnamese community in Laos.

Le Anh Duc, Vice President of the Vietnamese Association in Vientiane, said that the Party and State of Vietnam have not only given timely support and optimal conditions to the Vietnamese community in Laos to live, study and work, but also backed Vietnamese businesses in operating and investing in the neighbouring country, thus contributing to the economic development of both sides and deepening the special relations between Vietnam and Laos./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The General Elections Commission (KPU) affirmed that the voting day of the 2024 General Elections will take place only next year, and no party can claim that the election results are predetermined.”The voting and counting process of the 2024 General Elections will take place on Wednesday, February 14, 2024. Hence, there are no voting results yet,” KPU Chairperson Hasyim Asy’ari told journalists here on Thursday. The KPU chairperson made the remarks in response to a claim made by a user on social media platform Twitter that the election results have been determined way earlier than the voting day. Twitter account @Bams27735590 posted a video depicting a person accessing the 2024 elections data leaked by hacker Bjorka that contains voters’ information and their voting station places. The Twitter user claimed the data shown in the video was the election result. “Any party claiming that (2024 elections) voting results have been determined is absurd and nonsense,” he emphasized. Moreover, the electoral commission head said the entire voting and counting process of the election would take place manually by paper. fter voters cast their vote in the ballot paper provided, they will be counted at the local polling stations before continuing to the tiered recapitulation from the sub-district electoral team, districts’ and cities’ KPU offices, provincial KPU provinces, and until the national KPU, he explained. sy’aristressed that the voting process and its counting would be open and can be accessed, observed, and monitored by any parties, including the General Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu), witnesses deployed by political parties, external observers, journalists, and voters themselves. baca-jugaRelated news: The 2024 elections will be held as scheduled: Minister Mahfud Related news: KPU declares over 205 million voters in preliminary voters’ roll

Source: Antara News Agency

Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc received Honourary Consul of Vietnam in Paraguay Maria Del Carmen Perez on April 24 (local time) on the occasion of National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue’s official visit to Argentina.

During the meeting, Ngoc spoke highly of the Honourary Consul’s effective support for and close coordination with the Vietnamese Embassy in Argentina in recent times, significantly contributing to maintaining and stepping up the bilateral relations in the context that Vietnam has yet to set up a representative office in Paraguay.

He affirmed that the visit by the Vietnamese top legislator to Latin America aims to deliver a message that Vietnam attaches great importance to and wishes to further strengthen relations with regional countries, including Paraguay.

In addition to the good political and diplomatic ties, Vietnam wants to expand collaboration in economy, trade, investment, culture, and tourism as well as people-to-people exchange with Paraguay, he said, adding the two sides should discuss specific measures to promote connections between businesses of the two countries.

He suggested the Honourary Consul continue to serve as a bridge connecting enterprises of the two nations, and expanding import-export markets and investment links on the basis of the two sides’ strengths.

Maria Del Carmen Perez briefed on her activities and efforts, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, to connect Paraguayan businesses with Vietnamese partners.

She expressed her honour to be appointed as the Honorary Consul of Vietnam in Paraguay, and highly valued Deputy FM Ngoc’s specific proposals, saying she will consider taking cultural promotion activities during her upcoming visit to Vietnam, slated for September, in order to strengthen mutual understanding and cultural exchange between the two nations.

She said she expects to get more information on the Vietnamese market and businesses with demand for forming partnerships with Paraguay’s firms.

Perez is a prestigious culture activist and entrepreneur in Paraguay. She was appointed as the Honorary Consul of Vietnam in Paraguay on January 17, 2021./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

In general, he (the President) and his family were enjoying their family vacation at Loh Buaya amid very hot weather. Labuan Bajo, NTT (ANTARA) – President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and his family visited Loh Buaya, a tourist destination on Rinca Island, Komodo National Park, West Manggarai district, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province, during the 2023 Eid al-Fitr holiday.”In general, he (the President) and his family were enjoying their family vacation at Loh Buaya amid very hot weather,” head of the Komodo National Park Office, Hendrikus Rani Siga, said here on Monday The President boarded the Ayana Lako Di’a pinisi an Indonesian traditional sailing vessel originating from South Sulawesi — at Labuan Bajo Port on Monday at 10:25 a.m. Central Indonesian Standard Time (WITA) to sail to Rinca Island. He was accompanied by First Lady Iriana Joko Widodo; his oldest son and Mayor of Solo city, Gibran Rakabuming Raka; as well as his youngest son, Kaesang Pangarep. Raka’s wife, Selvi Ananda; Raka’s son, Jan Ethes Srinarendra; Raka’s daughter, La Lembah Manah; and Pangarep’s wife, Erina Gudono, also joined them. s they ambled on the elevated walkway at Loh Buaya, Widodo and his family observed a number of adult Komodo dragons passing underneath the deck, Siga said. The President and his family then took a short rest at Cafe Ranger and visited the Komodo Information Center to see the 52 diorama collections at the center. “He (Widodo) and his family returned to Labuan Bajo after sightseeing in Loh Buaya in about two hours,” the Komodo National Park Office head added. In an amateur video that spread online, the President was seen wearing a green shirt and a bucket hat decorated with traditional Ende patterns during his visit to Loh Buaya. He had purchased the hat from a local micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) when he visited the Batu Cermin Cave on Sunday (April 23, 2023). In the video, Widodo could be seen walking alongside his grandson, Srinarendra, accompanied by Presidential Security Guards (Paspampres) and a guide. The head of state smiled at other visitors who crossed them. The video also showed the entourage on the elevated walkway, which was built by the government at a height of two meters to allow visitors to walk safely around the island without disturbing the activities of the Komodo dragons and other animals underneath. The President and his family arrived back at Labuan Bajo Port at 5:09 p.m. WITA on the Ayana Lako Di’a pinisi. The Religious Affairs Ministry had announced that the 1444 Hijri Eid al-Fitr would be observed in Indonesia on April 22 this year. The government set the joint leave period for the holy day from April 19 to April 25. baca-jugaRelated news: No odd-even traffic policy in Jakarta until April 25: OfficialsRelated news: President Jokowi wants palace staff celebrate Eid with their familiesRelated news: Indonesian Navy remains on standby during Eid al-Fitr holiday period

Source: Antara News Agency

In 2022, we recorded a total of 3,573 cases, but the figure declined to 2,117 this year. Semarang (ANTARA) – The number of traffic accidents recorded a decline of 39 percent during this year’s Eid homecoming exodus (mudik) compared to the year-ago period, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and CultureMuhadjir Effendyhas informed.”We are witnessing a good trend, with the figure of accidents experiencing a 39-percent decline compared to last year. In 2022, we recorded a total of 3,573 cases, but the figure declined to 2,117 this year. Overall, it is a 39-percent decline,” the minister stated at Kalikangkung Toll Road Gate, Semarang, Central Java, on Monday. Effendy said that the decline was experienced concurrently with the shrinking number of deaths due to accidents during this year’s exodus compared to the same period of last year. “A 72-percent decline in casualties occurred during the period from D-5 to D-day. As of D-day, a total of 164 deaths were recorded, while in the previous year, the figure reached 583,” he disclosed. Moreover, the number of injured this year also fell by 33 percent, with 2,013 travelers hurt in road mishaps compared to almost 3 thousand last year. The minister also urged travelers to follow traffic signs and instructions from officers on the field and to drive within the acceptable speed limit. dditionally, he asked travelers to ensure that their cars and drivers are in prime condition. “Prime condition of the cars and the drivers is a must, and not to mention, sufficient fuel,” he said. The minister, at 2:45 p.m. WIB (Western Indonesia Standard Time) on Monday afternoon, officially opened the one-way traffic system to ensure smooth return flow on D+1 of this year’s Eid al-Fitr. The system was initially scheduled to open 45 minutes earlier, but its opening was pushed back due to dense traffic outflow from Jakarta. “We meant to open it at 2 p.m., but we had to postpone it as the mudik flow was still quite busy. Therefore, we prolonged the chance (to leave Jakarta) on this D+1,” he informed. The one-way system from Kalikangkung Toll to Cikampek Toll was scheduled to be in place until Monday midnight. However, the schedule could change in case of a shift in the situation on the field. “There may be an adjustment from the traffic police. Hopefully, this one-way return flow system will run smoothly,” Effendy added. baca-jugaRelated news: Minister calls to anticipate several factors during return flowRelated news: Soetta Airport records 65,858 passengers arriving on D+2 of EidRelated news: Some 610 KFAs on standby in Java during homecoming

Source: Antara News Agency