VIETNAM TODAY

ASEAN member countries have called on all parties concerned to resolve the anti-government protests in Thailand “through dialogue and consultations in a peaceful and democratic manner.”

In an effort to stop unhealthy competition among banks, the State Bank of Vietnam has issued a regulation that would prevent banks from offering loans at lower rates than deposit rates.

The Minister of Planning and Investment said that several problems including the monopoly of SOEs' and opportunities for private firms must be quickly addressed.

The Pencak Silat team won four gold medals at the SEA games today, bringing the Vietnamese gold medal tally to 34.

On December 15 Jetstar Pacific officially launched two new low-cost domestic air routes linking Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc.

A crowd of local people, students and leaders have gathered at Kien Vang wharf in Rach Goc town, Ngoc Hien district in Ca Mau province to welcome US Secretary of State John Kerry.

Heavy snowfall and thick ice layer covered O Quy Ho Mountain Pass in Lao Cai Province as temperature was recorded at minus one Celsius degree.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced an official development assistance package valued at around 100 billion JPY (roughly 1 billion USD) for Vietnam during the December 15 talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung.

Kidney patients in Ca Mau Province have had to go without treatment recently because the hospital has been provided with fewer kidney dialysis machines for lack of funding.

Venezuelan authorities took passengers off an Air France flight that was due to depart to Paris on Saturday after French officials warned of a possible bomb threat, Venezuela's interior minister said.

Vietnam boats potential for becoming the US’ big trade partner in the region, US Secretary of State John Kerry said when dropping in HCM City as part of his trip to Vietnam from December 14-17.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung joined leaders of other ASEAN member countries and Japan at the ASEAN – Japan Commemoration Summit in Tokyo on December 14 to mark 40 years of ASEAN-Japan dialogue ties.

Two security guards from Ward 25 in HCM City, who beat a street vendor until he was unconscious, have been fired.

An air route linking Vinh and the Lao capital Vientiane will open in mid-January 2014.

A bomb exploded on early December 14 outside the house of the mayor of the southern Philippine city of Isabela, according to Xinhua news agency.

Many people have proposed a policy of integration of small farms in order to increase agricultural production, but this may mean that millions of households would fall behind.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung joined his Japanese, Cambodian and Lao counterparts, the President of Myanmar and the Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand at the Mekong – Japan Summit in Tokyo on December 14.

France will help fund a new metro line in Brazil's commercial hub Sao Paulo, in one of two major accords signed on Friday during President Francois Hollande's trip to promote trade.

Inflation in 2013 is likely to register approximately 6.15%, below the 8% level set by the National Assembly’s socio-economic development resolution and within Government target of 6–6.5%.