Nong Son thermal power plant left unfinished

China National Heavy Machinery Corporation related stories

• Chinese contractor quits with plant still unfinished

The Nong Son thermal power plant in Nong Son District, Quang Nam Province, was left partially finished after the Chinese contractor refused to continue the project, relieving all workers.

Many parts of the construction site deteriorated Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin) invested VND674 billion (USD32.3 million) in the project, which was designed to have a capacity of over 150 kWh per year.

It was hoped that after completion of the project the coal mines in Nong Son District would have been exploited in a more efficient and sustainable fashion. Now, however, it seems that the project has been abandoned.
The key component in the bid package went to the China National Heavy Machinery Corporation (CHMC) in 2008, with VND529 billion. Although they had promised to finish their part by April 2010, it continues to remain unfinished.
Mai Xuan Ha, Chief of Vinacomin’s Nong Son Coal and Power JSC, said the project was 56% completed.
Explaining the stagnancy, Ha said that the economic downturn increased prices for construction materials, which caused problems for contractors. He added that the storm which caused devastation in the area added to their difficulties by damaging equipment, but that the major issue was the inability of CHMC to carry out their part.
Cooperation between CHMC and other contractors was lacking, as well as funds. In April, 2012, CHMC stopped their work completely and sent all their 300 Chinese workers home.
CHMC asked to change the terms of their contract by raising their take, but, according to Ha, their demands were not acceptable. Currently Nong Son Coal and Power JSC is working with CHMC to solve the problems and send a revised proposal for approval by Vinacomin.
The unfinished project is not only a waste of money but also cause troubles to the locals.
Over 100 people from Nong Son who had been trained for employment on the project are now out of work. Nguyen Kim Dung, Chairman of Que Trung Commune’s People Committee, said people in that ward formerly had an average of about 30 ha of farmland, mostly used for agriculture. Since the average size of farmers’ land has been reduced by half because of the power plant project, this leaves them in a tough situation.
He added that pollution from the project has adversely affected agricultural production.
“We are urging Nong Son Coal and Power JSC to complete the project. Otherwise we will be the ones who see the bad effects,” Huynh Tan Trieu, Chairman of Nong Son District’s People’s Committee said.

Nong Son thermal power plant left unfinished

Motorbike Tourists love Quang Nam ethnic villages

Quang Nam's ethnic villages top attraction for motorbike tourists

VietNamNet Bridge – The mountainous district of Tay Giang, 190km west of Tam Ky City in the central province of Quang Nam, is increasingly becoming known as a prime destination for motorbike adventures.

Comforts of home: Tourists can enjoy home-stay services
at ethnic Co Tu villages — VNS Photos courtesy Hoi An Motorbike Adventures

The area offers amazing scenery and the opportunity to glimpse the lifestyle of members of the ethnic minority group Co Tu, who make up the majority of the district's population of 13,000.

Mark Wyndham, who runs a motorbike adventure tour company based in Hoi An, said the mountainous district had managed to preserve the original infrastructure and lifestyle of highland villages.

"Many foreigners who come to explore the region love this tour. The roads are easy to drive on since the province has developed infrastructure projects in mountainous areas, so international visitors can drive on their own from Hoi An to dozens of destinations in the central region," said Wyndham. "We are equipped with 45 motorbikes, scooters and off-road motorcycles to give adventurers as many options as possible. Our guides will even carry tourists if they do not want to drive themselves!"

A two-day trip through Dong Giang and Tay Giang districts is an easy option for motorbike adventures in the central region, he added.

Starting point

Tourists depart in the morning from the ancient town of Hoi An, a 17th century trading port recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage site.

On the road: A section of the former Ho Chi Minh Trail
in the central Quang Nam Province is included in the motorbike tour programme.

"The countryside scenery of rice farms and quiet roads will fascinate tourists just a few kilometres from the start. They can see people working on endless green paddy fields, which they have never seen in Western countries," the tour operator speculated.

After an hour, tourists can stop at the 1,000-year-old Cham Temple of Bang An. Or they can get their adrenaline pumping with an abseiling descent down to "Hell's Cave" in Marble Mountain, located in Ngu Hanh Son District near Da Nang.

"If tourists want to go mountaineering on the first day, Marble Mountains will be the first stop of day one," said tour manager Phan Thi Hien.

The tour operators map out the way into the mountains to give tourists plenty of chances to stop for photos.

"Adventurers wind their way up into the hills towards the border with Laos, where there are many Co Tu ethnic villages, to take a break. The villagers offer visitors a refreshing shot of rice wine or two in their stilted houses before they continue the journey into the mountains," Hien said.

The cultural village of Bho Hong on the bank of the Con River is designed for a one-night stay after a 110km drive.

"After a long and thrilling first day's adventure we head for home – a small family-run guest house in the heart of the hamlet, with a choice of a home-cooked dinner or the opportunity to dine with locals for a delicious feast of authentic highland fare," the tour manager said.

Easy riding: The former Ho Chi Minh Trail in central Quang Nam Province
is included in the motorbike tour programme.

"Motorbike riders can trek around the village or forests nearby before joining a night party with the host. Villagers may host a camp-fire where visitors and villagers drink rice wine from a jar while singing and dancing around," Wyndham added.

The second day begins with a hot coffee and a family breakfast before the tourists set off along the former historic Ho Chi Minh Trail.

Along the way, they pass lush forests and jaw-dropping views of central Viet Nam's mountains. At lunchtime, they have a picnic at a waterfall tucked alongside a towering peak.

The afternoon continues with a ride toward the coast, stopping along the way to explore old bases from the American war. Crossing the Thu Bon River by local ferry, tourists follow the floating bridge road back into Hoi An.

Wyndham warns that the second day will be hard with 150km of riding.

Around 1,000 people each year embark on the tour, which costs around US$250 each person.

The tour operators said they assigned tour guides and mechanics to accompany travellers in order to keep them safe.

Tourists can select from 45 motorbikes including Belarus-made two-stroke Minsks, Honda sport bikes and scooters.

The tour manager suggested that a group of about 10 people is best for the two-day tour.

"We offer many different routes from Hoi An to destinations of Phong Nha-Ke Bang in Quang Binh Province or DMZ tour in Quang Tri Province," she said.

Those who prefer not to drive motorbikes can travel on 1960s military jeeps made in the US.

VietNamNet/VNS

Pictures from the Thu Bon River

On the Thu Bon River

May 6, 2012

On its way to the sea, the Thu Bon River which begins in the Truong Son Mountain Range, not only carries lots of silt to make the rich and fertile land in Quang Nam Province, but also makes a contribution to creating many cultural places like My Son Sanctuary and Hoi An ancient town – two world cultural heritage sites.
The Thu Bon River originates from small springs running through forests of cinnamon-trees and a rare variety of Ngoc Linh ginseng at the peak of Ngoc Linh Mountain which is over 2,500m high. This mountain is in the Truong Son Mountain Range in Nam Tra My District, Quang Nam Province. In the districts of Tien Phuoc and Hiep Duc, the river is called Tranh, a very rustic name. However, when it runs through the districts of Que Son and Duy Xuyen and merges into the Vu Gia River, it takes the name of Thu Bon.
The basin of Thu Bon River is about 10.350km2. It is one of the largest domestic basins in Vietnam, which is a great potential for using hydro-electricity. According to plans, there are eight projects to use hydro-electricity in the system of the Vu Gia-Thu Bon Rivers.
In the past, the Cham people, an ethnic group of Vietnam, and their culture were greatly influenced by the Thu Bon River. One of the most glorious vestiges is My Son Sanctuary in Duy Xuyen District.
Visiting the sanctuary, one seems to be lost in the world of the Cham people with images depicting sacred ceremonies, parades of horses and elephants, shining palanquins and groups of Apsara girls in colourful dresses dancing at the foot of the ancient towers.
Before flowing into the sea, the river also helped create one of the oldest and most beautiful sea port in Vietnam, Hoi An. Hoi An, Tra Que Vegetable-Growing Village, Thanh Ha Pottery Village and Cua Dai have become a unique tourism complex along the river.
“Before flowing into the sea, the river also helped create one of the oldest and most beautiful sea port in Vietnam, Hoi An. Hoi An, Tra Que Vegetable-Growing Village, Thanh Ha Pottery Village and Cua Dai have become a unique tourism complex along the river.
During its trip to the sea, the river has created fertile fields and provided the villagers with an abundant source of aquatic products, such as shrimp and fish. In the 17th century, it helped people in Nong Son Incense Making Village, Tam Tang Cloth Weaving Village and Thanh Ha Pottery Village export their products to overseas markets from the sea port of Hoi An. For this reason, the villagers in the province always think of Thu Bon as the “Mother River”. Annually, in March, the villagers in Duy Xuyen jubilantly organize a festival dedicated to “Mother River”. During the festival, they go to the river and invite her to visit their families and bring them a bumper crop and happiness.

The river originates from many small streams on Ngoc Linh Mountain
 in Truong Son Mountain Range.
The Thu Bon River has a 10,000km2 basin, the largest basin in Quang Nam Province.


 A bamboo bridge crosses the Thu Bon River.

Hanging fishing nets at Cua Dai is a cultural feature of the people living
on the banks of the Thu Bon River.

A wedding on the Thu Bon River. Photo:

A boat-racing festival on the Thu Bon River.

Sunset over the Thu Bon River.

The Hoai River in Hoi An is a branch of the Thu Bon River.

VCW

Hoi An to offer free Wi-Fi around town

October 9, 2011  about News, Travel

Tourists visiting Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage town, will be able to surf the internet for free from the end of this year, according to the Quang Nam Province Department of Information and Communications.

Ho Quang Buu, the department director, said together with the Vietnam Data Communications Area 3 and Quang Nam Telecom it had drafted a plan for setting up a Wi-Fi system.
It will cost around VND23 billion (US$1.1 million), which will be provided by private sources.
Businesses investing in Hoi An were willing to put up the money, Buu said.
There will be 350 hotspots in areas where large numbers of people gather.
In 1999 UNESCO declared Hoi An a world heritage site for being a well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port in the 15th to 19th centuries and having buildings with a unique blend of local and foreign influences.
It is a popular tourist site, attracting large numbers of both locals and foreigners.
Source: Tuoitre

Throwing dead flies to fertilizer company to revenge | Look At Vietnam - Vietnam news daily update

VietNamNet Bridge – Suspecting that a bio-fertilizer company caused environment pollution and a fly epidemic, hundreds of people in Hoa Thuan ward, Tam Ky city, in the central province of Quang Nam threw dead flies onto the firm’s campus for revenge.

At 8 am, April 6, hundreds of locals flocked to the Hung Trung Viet Company to throw hundreds of pieces of boards stuck with dead flies to the firm’s yard. They said that this bio-fertilizer producer caused pollution, resulting in a fly epidemic.
Locals said that the fly epidemic began nearly two weeks ago. They had to buy chemicals and glue traps to kill flies, which cost each family VND30,000 ($1.5) a day. However, the fly epidemic was not solved.
As flies were dense, many families had to eat meals in mosquito nets.
Some workers of the bio-fertilizer company also said that flies were thick in the company. they had to wear raincoats at work.
Dozens of children were hospitalized during the past week due to the fly epidemic.

more info--->>>>Throwing dead flies to fertilizer company to revenge | Look At Vietnam - Vietnam news daily update: "-

Aloe wood turns rural men into billionaires

Nine farmers from Dai Loc district, the central province of Quang Nam, have become billionaires after finding 13 kilo of aloe wood in a forest in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai.

Clay pagoda provides a sanctuary of records

Anecdote about 600-year-old tree

Biggest cave in the world

They will earn up to 32 billion dong (US$1.68 million) from the aloe wood. Each member received over 3 billion dong and Vo Quoc Tuan, who discovered the aloe, took over 6 billion dong.

Tuan said a week ago he found a big rotten trunk of do tree inside a bushy bamboo hedge in a forest in K’Bang district, Gia Lai province. “I called eight fellow men to pull the trunk out and process it. After 30 minutes, we got a piece of aloe as big as my calf,” Tuan said.

Returning home, these men donated 150 million dong to build roads and to assist local poor people. They promised to donate another 150 million dong to build a football grounds and a public house to serve as a playground for local youth.

In early August, two old men in the central province of Phu Yen accidentally picked up aloe, but they didn’t know its value so they sold the piece of aloe at a very cheap price. The one who bought aloe from the two old men re-sold the aloe for billions of dong.

According traditional medicine experts, aloe wood is created from old do trees (Aquilaria crassma Pierre ex Lecomte). This kind of tree grows in forests in the central and central highland regions of Vietnam. Aloe wood is a rare material to process luxury perfumes, scented soaps, and incenses.

Aloe wood is also used to treat many diseases and to make jewelry. Asian people believe that if they wear aloe wood-made jewelry, they can avoid colds.

PV

Journeys to past and present attractions in central Vietnam

he luxurious Nam Hai resort has introduced summer packages for family members which combine visits to past and present cultural attractions in Central Vietnam with sport and leisure activities.

Going fishing in basket boat is one of the summer tours of The Nam Hai.

The day begins in the early morning with rowing a basket fishing boat just off shore, either to fish or just for the experience of being on the water and to learn how to steer the boat forward.

On another part of the tour in Quang Nam Province, family members will be ferried to Cu Lao Cham (Cham Island), a small group of islands 25 nautical miles off the coast from the ancient site of Hoi An.

The appeal of Cham Islands is its intact old pagodas and other architectural sites that date back to the 18th century. But Cu Lao Cham has more to offer. Lovely beaches beckon visitors and color corals shine under the water for divers to discover.

Back on shore the staff of The Nam Hai accompany guests on a trip around the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hoi An, which is known at home and abroad for its many old houses and historic port which was bustling with trade around 400 years ago.

“The program to Hoi An will allow them (guests) to experience one of the most unique areas in Vietnam, a piece of its history still functioning and thriving,” said explained Baron R. Ah Moo, chief executive officer of Indochina Hotels and Resorts - the owner of The Nam Hai.

Other UNESCO-listed sites and places of interest on the Nam Hai tours are the Marble Mountains of pagodas and caves located about eight kilometers from the heart of Danang, the My Son Complex of Cham-architecture towers in Quang Nam Province, and the former Imperial Capital of Hue in Thua Thien-Hue.

“I believe most of our guests come with very little prior knowledge or experience with Vietnamese culture and history,” Ah Moo explained. This is why the award-winning luxury resort has launched such tours. The tours will be escorted by English-speaking tour guides who are knowledgeable about the history and attractions.

For sport lovers, The Nam Hai offers golf lessons for both adults and children. Golf is the fastest growing sport in Vietnam, with more than 10,000 Vietnamese and around 4,000 expatriate players. The lessons include watching video clips on the basic steps of playing golf and practicing at the Montgomerie Links course located in Quang Nam Province. Badminton, tennis and beach volleyball are also available for those not interested in golfing.

The Nam Hai is promoting “Stay Three Nights, Pay Two Nights” and “Stay Four Nights, Pay Three Nights” packages that include villa accommodation, airport transfers, shuttle bus to Hoi An, laundry, drinks in the room and light meals from 5-7 p.m.

Guests who stay more than four nights will also have a lunch or dinner added to the package.

The Nam Hai is 10 kilometers from Hoi An and a 30-minute drive from Danang International Airport.

VietNamNet/SGT

VietNamNet - Journeys to past and present attractions in central Vietnam

Hoi An readies for festival

The 2009 Quang Nam – Heritage Journey is planned to open June 4, with a vintage vehicle parade taking centre stage, the festival’s committee announced recently.
The four-day festival will take place at Song Hoai Square, Hoi An Ancient Town. The festival will feature Hoi An arts at “Hoa si va pho co Hoi An” (Painters and Hoi An ancient town) and a photo exhibition. The Hoi An Museum of History and Culture will also celebrate the festival with two exhibitions, one to present Chu Dau pottery (a Vietnamese traditional handmade pottery and a photo exhibit), and “Thang canh Hoi An” (Hoi An landscape). The festival will open with a contest, “Skillful waiters,” and a folk culture gala at the An Hoi Sculpture Park. The next day will see the vintage vehicles parade.
This year, the parade includes mobylettes, vespas and vintage cars from the 30s and 70s. The parade, including Miss World 2008 Ksenia Sukhinova, will start from the Palm Garden Resort Hoi An and later visit Phuoc Kieu trade village, the venue for the annual boat race and the Dien Ban food and drinks fair. In the early evening, the vintage vehicles will stop at the Vuon Tuong Park for an awards ceremony. Two prizes will be offered, including “The most impressive vehicle” and “The most original vehicle.” On the same evening, ethnic groups from Vietnam and overseas will present traditional songs and dances around Hoi An Ancient Town and Song Hoai Square. The closing events on June 6, “Khat vong Thu Bon” (Thu Bon River’s aspiration), and the Hoi An Legendary Night are two of the festival’s highlights. The last day will celebrate the fishing village festival at Cua Dai Beach with variety of mini events, such as a knitting fish nets contest, a beach soccer tournament, art kite contest, a food market and many traditional beach games. The Quang Nam – Heritage Journey has been held annually since 2006, with an aim to introduce the beauty of both the landscape and the culture of Hoi An Ancient Town and Vietnam to foreign tourists.

VietNamNet/SGGP

- Central province earmarks VND4 billion for tourism promotion

Quang Nam Province plans to spend VND4 billion (US$235,000) to promote tourism following a sharp drop in local and foreign arrivals recently.

Hoi An ancient town
Many international tourists have canceled tours to the central province, travel firms said.Quang Nam also announced a slew of activities meant to attract visitors, especially to Hoi An.
It includes encouraging hotels and transport and tour companies to offer discounts of 10-40 percent during cultural festivals, especially the fourth Heritage Route Festival scheduled next June.Visitors would be provided free transport from Hoi An to the My Son sanctuary during this festival.Authorities will honor travel companies getting the largest number of tourists to the province.The Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism is set to focus on markets like Asean, Northern Europe, Russia, and Korea.

Vietnam floods kill 14, Hanoi streets under water | World | Reuters

Floods from heavy rain in Vietnam's central provinces have killed at least 14 people in the past week, including four children, the government and state media said on Friday.
Many roads in the capital, Hanoi, were submerged, with up to 1 metre (yard) of water in some places, and some residents had abandoned cars and motorcycles.
Torrential rain pounded northern Vietnam early on Friday, threatening dangerous flash floods in six mountainous provinces, state weather forecasters said.
Three girls aged 11 and 12 returning from school and a two-year-old boy were among the victims of floods that have hit nine central provinces since Oct. 24, the government's disaster management unit said in its daily report.
Seven people died in Ha Tinh province, three in Quang Ngai and two in Nghe An, while Quang Nam and Phu Yen provinces each reported one death.
Up to 330 mm (13 inches) of rain had pounded Nghe An province, 300 km (186 miles) south of Hanoi, since Wednesday, halting traffic, while landslides had eroded many sections of the north-south Ho Chi Minh highway in Thua Thien-Hue province.
Vietnam's main agricultural area, including the Central Highlands coffee belt and the Mekong Delta rice basket, have not been affected by the floods, although rain disrupted coffee harvesting this week.
The harvest is due to peak in mid-November in the Central Highlands, two weeks earlier than usual, but rain could prolong the drying process and damage bean quality, traders said.
Typhoons and floods have killed several hundred people in northern and central provinces since the start of this year. The flood and storm season ends next month in the central region, which is widely exposed to the sea.

Help or hindrance?

A two-year-old boy who was abandoned at birth in Central Viet Nam and then mauled by a wild animal recently boarded a flight to the United States for medical treatment, bolstered by the hopes and prayers of many Vietnamese people.
Dubbed "The Miracle Baby", Phung Thien Nhan has become a minor celebrity in Viet Nam, his amazing tale of survival attracting an outpouring of public sympathy.
Found 72 hours after being abandoned in a garden, the critically-injured newborn was rushed more than 100km to a hospital in Central Quang Nam Province, where doctors managed to save his life, but not his right leg or his genitals. Last March, Nhan was adopted by Mai Anh and her husband, a young family in Ha Noi.
Public support has been remarkable, according to Mai Anh, with contribution of money, time and expertise from people and organisations in Viet Nam and abroad. Yet the child’s future remains uncertain, as his severe injuries will require numerous, complex surgeries over the next 10 to 15 years, as well as ongoing prosthetics care.
Nhan is a special case among the many Vietnamese children suffering from disabilities. He is luckier than most because he met Mai Anh who was able to marshall support from the community, allowing him to be operated on in the US. They can rebuild him; they have the technology.
Nhan and his adoptive parents received their visas to the United States early this month. US Embassy officials did everything possible to expedite the issuance of the visas.
"We appreciate the kindness the US Consulate showed us in granting us the ability to travel to America," said Nhan’s mother, Mai Anh.
But some have expressed concern about the toddler’s celebrity status; he may still be a child who doesn’t understand what happened to him, but as he grows up, many wonder how he will feel. This very article, you hold in your hands, the latest in a long line that helped raise awareness and funds, is part of this peculiar dichotomy. As the old saying goes "What nourishes me, also destroys me."
"I agree that we should help him but we shouldn’t parade him before the whole world so that every Tom, Dick, and Harry gets a chance to show their pity," argues Nguyen Van Ha, mother of two.
Nguyen Hong Ha - a disabled woman and director of a project on traffic safety for the disabled - agrees. "Many people are curious to see disabled people with unique abnormalities. But the disabled don’t want to be treated like freaks. We want to receive normal looks from others."
Ha adds that she used to hate appearing on television or in print because she wants to keep her private life private.

more info-->>VietNamNet - Help or hindrance?