VIETNAM TODAY

Vietnam Coast Guard has intercepted a fishing boat suspected of transporting more than 50,000 litres of diesel oil illegally in waters off the country’s southwest coast.

Vietnam continued to sharply raise petrol and oil prices on March 7, following global energy market volatility linked to rising tensions in the Middle East.

Vietnam’s total trade reached USD 155.7 billion in the first two months of 2026, up 22.2 per cent year on year, while the country recorded a trade deficit of USD 2.98 billion.

Police in Hoa Hiep Commune, Vinh Long Province, Vietnam have received an exotic reptile after a local resident discovered it behind his home and reported it to authorities.

Authorities in Lam Dong Province are investigating the origin of a bag containing 24 rectangular bricks suspected to be illegal drugs that washed ashore on a local beach.

A fishing boat with two fishermen on board has lost contact while operating about 19 nautical miles northeast of Son Tra Peninsula in Danang, prompting search efforts by border guard forces.

Northern Vietnam is expected to experience rain and a drop in temperatures as a moderate cold front arrives around the night of March 8-9.

Ho Chi Minh City has called on residents to support the installation of charging stations and battery-swap cabinets for electric motorbikes as demand for electric transport rises.

A train collided with a truck at a railway crossing in central Vietnam’s Quang Ngai Province on Friday evening, splitting the vehicle in two and damaging the locomotive.

Four Vietnamese banks have secured spots among the world’s 100 strongest banking brands in the Brand Finance Banking 500 2026 report.

By the end of 2026, around 30 per cent of commune-level areas and neighbourhoods are expected to meet official drug-free standards under the city’s roadmap.

Rising tensions in the Middle East may push up oil prices and inflation, but analysts say the overall impact on Vietnam’s economy is likely to remain limited and short-term.

Construction of a waste-to-energy plant capable of processing 1,600 tonnes of waste per day and generating 40MW of electricity began in Hung Yen Province on March 6.

Authorities in Phu Quoc Special Zone have fined a petrol station VND 15 million (approximately USD 570) for restricting fuel sales despite having sufficient supply.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade said the country’s fuel supply for March is largely secured, urging the public to remain calm, conserve energy and calling on businesses not to hoard fuel.

A cargo vessel collided with a span of Ghenh Bridge over the Dong Nai River on March 6, causing rail misalignment and disrupting traffic on Vietnam’s North-South Railway.

HCM City has approved a plan to establish a VND 500-billion venture capital fund to mobilise social resources for the city’s innovation startup ecosystem and technology enterprises.

Showers and thunderstorms are forecast in several regions of Vietnam from the night of March 5 to March 7, with localised heavy rain and hazardous weather conditions possible.

EU ambassadors have acknowledged Vietnam’s efforts to combat IUU fishing, as PM Pham Minh Chinh reaffirmed the country’s commitment to sustainable fisheries and closer cooperation with the EU.