VietNamNet Bridge - Power generation is set to be a main plank for future Vietnam and Cambodia bilateral cooperation.
Under the cooperation agreements signed between the two countries on the occasion of Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh’s visit to Cambodia last week, Vietnam committed to continue giving its support to Cambodia in power generation, and exploration and exploitation of natural resources, particularly focusing on power supplies and bauxite exploitation.
In May 2009, the state-run Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) signed a contract with Electricite Du Cambodge (EDC) to provide between 900 million and 1.4 billion kilowatt hours of power each year from 2010 to help ease Cambodia’s power shortages.
Strengthening ties in marine transportation, trade and investment are also areas to be focused on. Vietnam and Cambodia have targeted to bring two-way trade revenue to $2 billion in 2010 from more than $1 billion this year.
According Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), Cambodia is seen as having a large market for Vietnamese firms to accelerate exports, particularly garment and textiles, processed food, plastic products, fertiliser, home electrical appliances and mechanical products.
Last week, the MoIT and 12 Vietnamese enterprises participated in the Cambodian import-export goods fair opened on December 15 in Phnom Penh.
The MoIT and Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai and Binh Duong province authorities prepared for a trade conference between Vietnam and Cambodia scheduled to be held in Phnom Penh in December.
“Cambodia is considered a priority for Vietnam to accelerate bilateral trade and we will make an overall plan for trade promotion with the country in the time to come,” said Dao Tran Nhan, general director of the MoIT’s Department for Asia-Pacific Market.
According to MoIT data, Vietnam exported $910.5 million worth of goods to Cambodia in the first 10 months of this year and imported $136.1 million worth of Cambodian products.
As of September 2009, Vietnamese businesses had invested about $650 million in Cambodia, including $400 million committed in August, 2009 alone for production of fertiliser, rice, sugar, ethanol, thermal power and construction stone.
Vietnam’s Vietel is the largest telecommunication service provider in Cambodia that accounts for a 60 per cent market share for ADSL services and a 50 per cent market share for fixed telephones. Vietnam’s other large-scale investment projects include Vietnam Rubber Group’s 100,000 hectare rubber tree plantation and the construction of the Se San hydro power plants by EVN.
This is the second official visit made by Party General Secretary Manh to Cambodia since March, 2005.
HANOI: Vietnam on Wednesday denounced a decision by the European Union to extend anti-dumping taxes on Vietnamese shoes, saying the move was contrary to the bloc’s ethos of economic liberalism. Vietnam says exports of shoes, an industry employing 650,000 workers, to the EU dropped 11.2 percent year-on-year in the first nine months of 2009. “The anti-dumping taxes... not only damage the leather footwear industry of Vietnam but also hurt the broader interest” of Europeans, said Le Danh Vinh, deputy minister of Trade. “We believe that the application of these taxes is against the policy of trade liberalisation of the EC (European Commission). The anti-dumping measures were first introduced in retaliation for Asian footwear being sold in Europe at below production cost. afp
DHAKA — Vietnamese telecom company Viettel wants to tie up with Bangladeshi state-owned mobile firm Teletalk and join other foreign entrants in the fast-growing South Asian market, a minister said Saturday.
The Vietnamese government-owned telecom company would invest around 300 million dollars in Bangladesh government-owned Teletalk, Telecommunications Minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju told AFP.
"We've got a proposal from Viettel for a partnership with Teletalk," Raju said, adding that the two sides still had to begin negotiations.
The minister would not elaborate on the proposal but the mass-circulation Bengali daily, Samakal, quoted government officials as saying Viettel wanted to buy a 60-percent stake in Teletalk for 300 million dollars.
A government committee was scrutinising the plan and was expected to give a "positive nod" to the sale of a majority stake to Viettel, Samakal reported.
There was no immediate comment available from Viettel.
Teletalk is the smallest of Bangladesh's six mobile phone companies. It has 1.06 million mobile subscribers out of more than 50 million nationwide.
Officials say a lack of investment has held back the company's growth and a stake sell-off is the best way to improve its competitivenness.
The minister said Teletalk will soon get a third generation or 3G licence and a 211-million-dollar loan at two percent interest from China to expand its network.
A 3G licence will allow high-speed Internet, video downloads and other sophisticated media services on the cellular service.
There has been a great deal of foreign interest in Bangladesh's telecoms sector.
Viettel's proposal comes more than a week after Dhaka's telecoms regulator said Indian mobile phone giant Bharti Airtel is seeking to buy a 70 percent stake in Warid Telecom from its Abu Dhabi-based owners.
Bharti has said it is looking at potential purchases in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) region, including Bangladesh, but has declined comment on whether it wants to purchase Warid.
In 2004, Egyptian Orascom took over Sheba and Singapore's state-owned Singtel bought a 45 percent stake in Bangladesh Telecom in 2005.
Last year Japan's NTT DoCoMo Inc. paid 350 million dollars for a 30-percent stake in operator AKTEL, majority owned by Axiata of Malaysia.
PERHAPS nothing is more baffling about the complex war in Viet Nam than trying to imagine how it will end—foretelling the specific shape and nature of the final peace that somehow, some day must be made. How the U.S. extricates itself from Viet Nam is, for Americans and, in particular, for both political parties, the most important piece in the overall puzzle. Many lives and large issues of policy are at stake. Far more than was the case with the Korean War, how the Viet Nam conflict ends is apt to affect for years both the image Americans have of themselves and the image that the world has of the U.S. The U.S. should not leave Viet Nam in a way that divides the nation bitterly at home, gives excessive comfort to its enemies or undue doubts to its friends and allies.
So far, the Paris talks, bogged down on the issue of a total bombing halt, have produced little illumination about the means to the end. Nor can the ingredients of a final settlement be found in the publicly stated goals of the principal antagonists. Hanoi demands the complete withdrawal of all U.S. and other foreign forces from South Viet Nam, the reorganization of the South according to the National Liberation Front's political program, and reunification with North Viet Nam. For its part, the U.S. wants an end to all armed aggression against the government of South Viet Nam and assurances that the South Vietnamese can go their own way in freedom. These goals are so far apart that many would agree with the judgment of Edwin Reischauer, Asian scholar and diplomat, who says in Beyond Vietnam: "It is hard to envisage at this stage a negotiated settlement that is not virtually a surrender by one side or the other:
Both Hanoi and Washington may be at least partially paralyzed by that view. In a captured Communist directive released last month by the U.S., the Viet Cong command told its men that "only when, we have successfully accomplished the general offensive and general uprising will the negotiations demonstrate their significance, which consists of creating conditions for the enemy to accept final defeat and withdraw in an 'honorable' manner." In the U.S., government policy planners have done hardly any staff work on the actual nuts-and-bolts details of a settlement cease-fire arrangements, means of inspection for troop withdrawals, stages of reducing the fighting. One reason for the lack stems from the realization that such wargaming would probably become known and would add to the uneasiness that already besets South Vietnamese rulers and other U.S. allies in Asia. The more fundamental explanation is the assumption by many U.S. policymakers that the North Vietnamese are unlikely ever to accept a deal that preserves South Viet Nam's sovereignty and self-determination.
Ho Chi Minh Creates Provisional Government: Following the surrender of Japan to Allied forces, Ho Chi Minh and his People's Congress create the National Liberation Committee of Vietnam to form a provisional government. Japan transfers all power to Ho's Vietminh.
Ho Declares Independence of Vietnam
British Forces Land in Saigon, Return Authority to French
First American Dies in Vietnam: Lt. Col. A. Peter Dewey, head of American OSS mission, was killed by Vietminh troops while driving a jeep to the airport. Reports later indicated that his death was due to a case of mistaken identity -- he had been mistaken for a Frenchman.
1946
French and Vietminh Reach Accord: France recognizes Vietnam as a "free state" within the French Union. French troops replace Chinese in the North.
Negotiations Between French and Vietminh Breakdown
Indochina War Begins: Following months of steadily deteriorating relations, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam launches its first consorted attack against the French.
1947
Vietminh Move North of Hanoi
Valluy Fails to Defeat Vietminh: French General Etienne Valluy attempts, and fails, to wipe out the Vietminh in one stroke.
1949
Elysee Agreement Signed: Bao Dai and President Vincent Auriol of France sign the Elysee Agreement. As part of the agreement the French pledge to assist in the building of a national anti-Communist army.
1950
Chinese, Soviets Offer Weapons to Vietminh
US Pledges $15M to Aid French: The United States sends $15 million dollars in military aid to the French for the war in Indochina. Included in the aid package is a military mission and military advisors.
1953
France Grants Laos Full Independence
Vietminh Forces Push into Laos
1954
Battle of Dienbienphu Begins: A force of 40,000 heavily armed Vietminh lay seige to the French garrison at Dienbienphu. Using Chinese artillery to shell the airstrip, the Vietminh make it impossible for French supplies to arrive by air. It soon becomes clear that the French have met their match.
Eisenhower Cites "Domino Theory" Regarding Southeast Asia: Responding to the defeat of the French by the Vietminh at Dienbienphu, President Eisenhower outlines the Domino Theory: "You have a row of dominoes set up. You knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is the certainty that it will go over very quickly."
French Defeated at Dien Bien Phu
Geneva Convention Begins: Delegates from nine nations convene in Geneva to start negotiations that will lead to the end of hostilities in Indochina. The idea of partitioning Vietnam is first explored at this forum.
Geneva Convention Agreements Announced: Vietminh General Ta Quang Buu and French General Henri Delteil sign the Agreement on the Cessation of Hostilities in Vietnam. As part of the agreement, a provisional demarcation line is drawn at the 17th parallel which will divide Vietnam until nationwide elections are held in 1956. The United States does not accept the agreement, neither does the government of Bao Dai.
1955
Diem Rejects Conditions of Geneva Accords, Refuses to Participate in Nationwide Elections
China and Soviet Union Pledge Additional Financial Support to Hanoi
Diem Urged to Negotiate with North: Britain, France, and United States covertly urge Diem to respect Geneva accords and conduct discussions with the North.
Diem Becomes President of Republic of Vietnam: Diem defeats Bao Dai in rigged election and proclaims himself President of Republic of Vietnam.
1956
French Leave Vietnam
US Training South Vietnamese: The US Military Assistance Advisor Group (MAAG) assumes responsibility, from French, for training South Vietnamese forces.
1957
Communist Insurgency into South Vietnam: Communist insurgent activity in South Vietnam begins. Guerrillas assassinate more than 400 South Vietnamese officials. Thirty-seven armed companies are organized along the Mekong Delta.
Terrorist Bombings Rock Saigon: Thirteen Americans working for MAAG and US Information Service are wounded in terrorist bombings in Saigon.
1959
Weapons Moving Along Ho Chi Minh Trail: North Vietnam forms Group 559 to begin infiltrating cadres and weapons into South Vietnam via the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The Trail will become a strategic target for future military attacks.
US Servicemen Killed in Guerilla Attack: Major Dale R. Buis and Master Sargeant Chester M. Ovnand become the first Americans to die in the Vietnam War when guerillas strike at Bienhoa
Diem Orders Crackdown on Communists, Dissidents
1960
North Vietnam Imposes Universal Military Conscription
Kennedy Elected President: John F. Kennedy narrowly defeats Richard Nixon for the presidency.
Diem Survives Coup Attempt
Vietcong Formed: Hanoi forms National Liberation Front for South Vietnam. Diem government dubs them "Vietcong."
1961
Battle of Kienhoa Province: 400 guerillas attack village in Kienhoa Province, and are defeated by South Vietnamese troops.
Vice President Johnson Tours Saigon: During a tour of Asian countries, Vice President Lyndon Johnson visits Diem in Saigon. Johnson assures Diem that he is crucial to US objectives in Vietnam and calls him "the Churchill of Asia."
1962
US Military Employs Agent Orange: US Air Force begins using Agent Orange -- a defoliant that came in metal orange containers-to expose roads and trails used by Vietcong forces.
Diem Palace Bombed in Coup Attempt
Mansfield Voices Doubt on Vietnam Policy: Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield reports back to JFK from Saigon his opinion that Diem had wasted the two billion dollars America had spent there.
1963
Battle of Ap Bac: Vietcong units defeat South Vietnamese Army (ARVN) in Battle of Ap Bac
President Kennedy Assassinated in Dallas: Kennedy's death meant that the problem of how to proceed in Vietnam fell squarely into the lap of his vice president, Lyndon Johnson.
Buddhists Protest Against Diem: Tensions between Buddhists and the Diem government are further strained as Diem, a Catholic, removes Buddhists from several key government positions and replaces them with Catholics. Buddhist monks protest Diem's intolerance for other religions and the measures he takes to silence them. In a show of protest, Buddhist monks start setting themselves on fire in public places.
Diem Overthrown, Murdered: With tacit approval of the United States, operatives within the South Vietnamese military overthrow Diem. He and his brother Nhu are shot and killed in the aftermath.
1964
General Nguyen Khanh Seizes Power in Saigon: In a bloodless coup, General Nguyen Khanh seizes power in Saigon. South Vietnam junta leader, Major General Duong Van Minh, is placed under house arrest, but is allowed to remain as a figurehead chief-of-state.
Gulf of Tonkin Incident: On August 2, three North Vietnamese PT boats allegedly fire torpedoes at the USS Maddox, a destroyer located in the international waters of the Tonkin Gulf, some thirty miles off the coast of North Vietnam. The attack comes after six months of covert US and South Vietnamese naval operations. A second, even more highly disputed attack, is alleged to have taken place on August 4.
Debate on Gulf of Tonkin Resolution: The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution is approved by Congress on August 7 and authorizes President Lyndon Johnson to "take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression." The resolution passes unanimously in the House, and by a margin of 82-2 in the Senate. The Resolution allows Johnson to wage all out war against North Vietnam without ever securing a formal Declaration of War from Congress.
Vietcong Attack Bienhoa Air Base
LBJ Defeats Goldwater: Lyndon Johnson is elected in a landslide over Republican Barry Goldwater of Arizona. During the campaign, Johnson's position on Vietnam appeared to lean toward de-escalation of US involvement, and sharply contrasted the more militant views held by Goldwater.
1965
Operation "Rolling Thunder" Deployed: Sustained American bombing raids of North Vietnam, dubbed Operation Rolling Thunder, begin in February. The nearly continuous air raids would go on for three years.
Marines Arrive at Danang: The first American combat troops, the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, arrive in Vietnam to defend the US airfield at Danang. Scattered Vietcong gunfire is reported, but no Marines are injured.
Heavy Fighting at Ia Drang Valley: The first conventional battle of the Vietnam war takes place as American forces clash with North Vietnamese units in the Ia Drang Valley. The US 1st Air Cavalry Division employs its newly enhanced technique of aerial reconnaissance to finally defeat the NVA, although heavy casualties are reported on both sides.
US Troop Levels Top 200,000
Vietnam "Teach-In" Broadcast to Nation's Universities: The practice of protesting US policy in Vietnam by holding "teach-ins" at colleges and universities becomes widespread. The first "teach-in" -- featuring seminars, rallies, and speeches -- takes place at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in March. In May, a nationally broadcast "teach-in" reaches students and faculty at over 100 campuses.
1966
B-52s Bomb North Vietnam: In an effort to disrupt movement along the Mugia Pass -- the main route used by the NVA to send personnel and supplies through Laos and into South Vietnam -- American B-52s bomb North Vietnam for the first time.
South Vietnam Government Troops Take Hue and Danang
LBJ Meets With South Vietnamese Leaders: US President Lyndon Johnson meets with South Vietnamese Premier Nguyen Cao Ky and his military advisors in Honolulu. Johnson promises to continue to help South Vietnam fend off aggression from the North, but adds that the US will be monitoring South Vietnam's efforts to expand democracy and improve economic conditions for its citizens.
Veterans Stage Anti-War Rally: Veterans from World Wars I and II, along with veterans from the Korean war stage a protest rally in New York City. Discharge and separation papers are burned in protest of US involvement in Vietnam.
CORE Cites "Burden On Minorities and Poor" in Vietnam: The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) issues a report claiming that the US military draft places "a heavy discriminatory burden on minority groups and the poor." The group also calls for a withdrawal of all US troops from Vietnam.
1967
Operation Cedar Falls Begins: In a major ground war effort dubbed Operation Cedar Falls, about 16,000 US and 14,000 South Vietnamese troops set out to destroy Vietcong operations and supply sites near Saigon. A massive system of tunnels is discovered in an area called the Iron Triangle, an apparent headquarters for Vietcong personnel.
Bunker Replaces Cabot Lodge as South Vietnam Ambassador
Martin Luther King Speaks Out Against War: Calling the US "the greatest purveyor of violence in the world," Martin Luther King publicly speaks out against US policy in Vietnam. King later encourages draft evasion and suggests a merger between antiwar and civil rights groups.
Dow Recruiters Driven From Wisconsin Campus: University of Wisconsin students demand that corporate recruiters for Dow Chemical -- producers of napalm -- not be allowed on campus.
McNamara Calls Bombing Ineffective: Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, appearing before a Senate subcommittee, testifies that US bombing raids against North Vietnam have not achieved their objectives. McNamara maintains that movement of supplies to South Vietnam has not been reduced, and neither the economy nor the morale of the North Vietnamese has been broken.
1968
January
Sihanouk Allows Pursuit of Vietcong into Cambodia
North Vietnamese Launch Tet Offensive: In a show of military might that catches the US military off guard, North Vietnamese and Vietcong forces sweep down upon several key cities and provinces in South Vietnam, including its capital, Saigon. Within days, American forces turn back the onslaught and recapture most areas. From a military point of view, Tet is a huge defeat for the Communists, but turns out to be a political and psychological victory. The US military's assessment of the war is questioned and the "end of tunnel" seems very far off.
February
Battle for Hue: The Battle for Hue wages for 26 days as US and South Vietnamese forces try to recapture the site seized by the Communists during the Tet Offensive. Previously, a religious retreat in the middle of a war zone, Hue was nearly leveled in a battle that left nearly all of its population homeless. Following the US and ARVN victory, mass graves containing the bodies of thousands of people who had been executed during the Communist occupation are discovered.
Westmoreland Requests 206,000 More Troops
My Lai Massacre: On March 16, the angry and frustrated men of Charlie Company, 11th Brigade, Americal Division entered the village of My Lai. "This is what you've been waiting for -- search and destroy -- and you've got it," said their superior officers. A short time later the killing began. When news of the atrocities surfaced, it sent shockwaves through the US political establishment, the military's chain of command, and an already divided American public.
March
LBJ Announces He Won't Run: With his popularity plummeting and dismayed by Senator Eugene McCarthy's strong showing in the New Hampshire primary, President Lyndon Johnson stuns the nation and announces that he will not be a candidate for re-election.
April
MLK Slain in Memphis:
May
Paris Peace Talks Begin: Following a lengthy period of debate and discussion, North Vietnamese and American negotiators agree on a location and start date of peace talks. Talks are slated to begin in Paris on May 10 with W. Averell Harriman representing the United States, and former Foreign Minister Xuan Thuy heading the North Vietnamese delegation.
June
Robert Kennedy Assassinated
August
Upheaval at Democratic Convention in Chicago: As the frazzled Democratic party prepares to hold its nominating convention in Chicago, city officials gear up for a deluge of demonstrations. Mayor Richard Daley orders police to crackdown on antiwar protests. As the nation watched on television, the area around the convention erupts in violence.
November
Richard Nixon Elected President: Running on a platform of "law and order," Richard Nixon barely beats out Hubert Humphrey for the presidency. Nixon takes just 43.4 percent of the popular vote, compared to 42.7 percent for Humphrey. Third-party candidate George Wallace takes the remaining percentage of votes.
1969
Nixon Begins Secret Bombing of Cambodia: In an effort to destroy Communist supply routes and base camps in Cambodia, President Nixon gives the go-ahead to "Operation Breakfast." The covert bombing of Cambodia, conducted without the knowledge of Congress or the American public, will continue for fourteen months.
Policy of "Vietnamization" Announced: Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird describes a policy of "Vietnamization" when discussing a diminishing role for the US military in Vietnam. The objective of the policy is to shift the burden of defeating the Communists onto the South Vietnamese Army and away from the United States.
Ho Chi Minh Dies at Age 79
News of My Lai Massacre Reaches US: Through the reporting of journalist Seymour Hersh, Americans read for the first time of the atrocities committed by Lt. William Calley and his troops in the village of My Lai. At the time the reports were made public, the Army had already charged Calley with the crime of murder.
Massive Antiwar Demonstration in DC
1970
Sihanouk Ousted in Cambodia: Prince Sihanouk's attempt to maintain Cambodia's neutrality while war waged in neighboring Vietnam forced him to strike opportunistic alliances with China, and then the United States. Such vacillating weakened his government, leading to a coup orchestrated by his defense minister, Lon Nol.
Kent State Incident: National Guardsmen open fire on a crowd of student antiwar protesters at Ohio's Kent State University, resulting in the death of four students and the wounding of eight others. President Nixon publicly deplores the actions of the Guardsmen, but cautions: "...when dissent turns to violence it invites tragedy." Several of the protesters had been hurling rocks and empty tear gas canisters at the Guardsmen.
Kissinger and Le Duc Begin Secret Talks
Number of US Troops Falls to 280K
1971
Lt. Calley Convicted of Murder
Pentagon Papers Published: A legacy of deception, concerning US policy in Vietnam, on the part of the military and the executive branch is revealed as the New York Times publishes the Pentagon Papers. The Nixon administration, eager to stop leaks of what they consider sensitive information, appeals to the Supreme Court to halt the publication. The Court decides in favor the Times and allows continued publication.
Nixon Announces Plans to Visit China: In a move that troubles the North Vietnamese, President Nixon announces his intention to visit The People's Republic of China. Nixon's gesture toward China is seen by the North Vietnamese as an effort to create discord between themselves and their Chinese allies.
Thieu Re-elected in South Vietnam
1972
Nixon Cuts Troop Levels by 70K: Responding to charges by Democratic presidential candidates that he is not moving fast enough to end US involvement in Vietnam, President Nixon orders troop strength reduced by seventy thousand.
Secret Peace Talks Revealed
B-52s Bomb Hanoi and Haiphong: In an attempt to force North Vietnam to make concessions in the ongoing peace talks, the Nixon administration orders heavy bombing of supply dumps and petroleum storage sites in and around Hanoi and Haiphong. The administration makes it clear to the North Vietnamese that no section of Vietnam is off-limits to bombing raids.
Break-In at Watergate Hotel
Kissinger Says "Peace Is At Hand": Henry Kissinger and Le Duc Tho reach agreement in principle on several key measures leading to a cease-fire in Vietnam. Kissinger's view that "peace is at hand," is dimmed somewhat by South Vietnamese President Thieu's opposition to the agreement.
Nixon Wins Reelection
1973
Cease-fire Signed in Paris: A cease-fire agreement that, in the words of Richard Nixon, "brings peace with honor in Vietnam and Southeast Asia," is signed in Paris by Henry Kissinger and Le Duc Tho. The agreement is to go into effect on January 28.
End of Draft Announced
Last American Troops Leave Vietnam
Hearings on Secret Bombings Begin: The Senate Armed Services Committee opens hearing on the US bombing of Cambodia. Allegations are made that the Nixon administration allowed bombing raids to be carried out during what was supposed to be a time when Cambodia's neutrality was officially recognized. As a result of the hearings, Congress orders that all bombing in Cambodia cease effective at midnight, August 14.
Kissinger and Le Duc Tho Win Peace Prize: The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to Henry Kissinger of the United States and Le Duc Tho of North Vietnam. Kissinger accepts the award, while Tho declines, saying that a true peace does not yet exist in Vietnam.
1974
Thieu Announces Renewal of War
Report Cites Damage to Vietnam Ecology: According to a report issued by The National Academy of Science, use of chemical herbicides during the war caused long-term damage to the ecology of Vietnam. Subsequent inquiries will focus on the connection between certain herbicides, particularly Agent Orange, and widespread reports of cancer, skin disease, and other disorders on the part of individuals exposed to them.
Communists Take Mekong Delta Territory
Nixon Resigns
Communists Plan Major Offensive: With North Vietnamese forces in the South believed to be at their highest levels ever, South Vietnamese leaders gird themselves for an expected Communist offensive of significant proportions.
1975
Communist Forces Capture Phuoc Long Province: The South Vietnamese Army loses twenty planes in a failed effort to defend Phuoc Long, a key province just north of Saigon. North Vietnamese leaders interpret the US's complete lack of response to the siege as an indication that they could move more aggressively in the South.
Hue Falls to Communists
Communists Take Aim at Saigon: The North Vietnamese initiate the Ho Chi Minh Campaign -- a concerted effort to "liberate" Saigon. Under the command of General Dung, the NVA sets out to capture Saigon by late April, in advance of the rainy season.
Ford Calls Vietnam War "Finished": Anticipating the fall of Saigon to Communist forces, US President Gerald Ford, speaking in New Orleans, announces that as far as the US is concerned, the Vietnam War is "finished."
Last Americans Evacuate as Saigon Falls to Communists: South Vietnamese President Duong Van Minh delivers an unconditional surrender to the Communists in the early hours of April 30. North Vietnamese Colonel Bui Tin accepts the surrender and assures Minh that, "...Only the Americans have been beaten. If you are patriots, consider this a moment of joy." As the few remaining Americans evacuate Saigon, the last two US servicemen to die in Vietnam are killed when their helicopter crashes.
1976-80
Pham Van Dong Heads Socialist Republic of Vietnam: As the National Assembly meets in July of 1976, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam names Pham Van Dong its prime minister. Van Dong and his fellow government leaders, all but one of whom are former North Vietnamese officials, take up residence in the nation's new capital--Hanoi.
Jimmy Carter Elected US President
Carter Issues Pardon to Draft Evaders: In a bold and controversial move, newly inaugurated President Jimmy Carter extends a full and unconditional pardon to nearly 10,000 men who evaded the Vietnam War draft.
Vietnam Granted Admission to United Nations
Relations Between Vietnam and China Deteriorate
Vietnam Invades Cambodia: Determined to overthrow the government of Pol Pot, Vietnam invades Cambodia. Phnompenh, Cambodia's capital, falls quickly as Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge followers flee into the jungles.
"Boat People" Flee Vietnam: Swarms of Vietnamese refugees take to the sea in overcrowded and unsafe boats in search of a better life. The ranks of the "boat people" include individuals deemed enemies of the state who've been expelled from their homeland.
China Invades,Withdraws from, Vietnam
US GAO Issues Report on Agent Orange: After years of Defense Department denials, the US General Accounting Office releases a report indicating that thousands of US troops were exposed to the herbicide Agent Orange. Thousands of veterans had demanded a government investigation into the effect that dioxin, a chemical found in Agent Orange, had on the human immune system.
Ronald Reagan Elected US President
1981-85
Vietnam Memorial in Washington, DC Dedicated: Designed by Maya Ying Lin, a 22 year-old Yale architectural student, the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial opens in Washington, DC. The quiet, contemplative structure consisting of two black granite walls forming a "V", lists the names of the 58,183 Americans killed in the Vietnam War. The memorial itself stirred debate as some thought its presentation was too muted and somber, lacking the familiar elements of war-time heroics found in most war memorials.
Reagan Promises to Make MIAs "Highest National Priority": For the family members of those still listed as Missing-In-Action, the war is not over. In an address to the National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia, President Ronald Reagan pledges to make the finding of these individuals one of the "highest national priority."
Dow Chemical Knowledge of Dioxin Revealed: Documents used as part of a lawsuit brought by 20,000 Vietnam veterans against several chemical companies reveal that Dow Chemical had full knowledge of the serious health risks posed by human exposure to dioxin, a chemical found in the herbicide Agent Orange. Evidence indicated that despite this information, Dow continued to sell herbicides to the US military for use in Vietnam.
"Unknown Soldier" of Vietnam War Laid to Rest
US Offers Asylum to Vietnamese Political Prisoners
Vietnamese Forces Defeat Khmer Rouge Rebels: An offensive launched against refugee Khmer Rouge rebels spills over the Thai border and eventually comes to involve Thai troops. The Vietnamese are successful in suppressing the rebels and solidify their hold on Cambodia despite criticism from neighboring countries and the United Nations.
1986-90
George Bush Elected US President
Vietnamese Troops Leave Cambodia: All Vietnamese troops exit Cambodia by September of 1989, paving the way for UN-sponsored elections in 1993. As a result of the elections, a coalition government is formed and work on a new constitution begins.
1991-97
Bill Clinton Elected US President
Washington Restores Diplomatic Ties with Hanoi: As Communist Vietnam inched toward market reforms and pledged full cooperation in finding all Americans listed as still missing-in-action, the United States restores diplomatic ties with its former enemy in 1995.
McNamara Calls Vietnam Policy "Wrong, Terribly Wrong": Former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara, one of the key architects of the US's war policy in Vietnam, admits grave mistakes in that policy in his 1995 memoir, In Retrospect. McNamara, in his book, says that "...We were wrong, terribly wrong. We owe it to future generations to explain why."
US and Vietnam Exchange Ambassadors: Ushering in a new era of cooperation between the two former enemies, the United States and Vietnam exchange ambassadors. Douglas "Pete" Peterson, a prisoner of war for 6 years during the Vietnam War, is named US envoy to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, while H.E. Le Van Bang assumes the position of Vietnamese ambassador to the United States.
Vietnam’s 21 travel and tourism companies are attending the World Travel Market 2009 (WTM) fair that opened in London, the UK on November 9. Nguyen Thanh Vuong, deputy director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT)’s travel market department said that Vietnam’s participation in the four-day event aims to promote the country’s image to potential markets, seek new partners and contracts and introduce Vietnam’s preferential policies on investment in the tourism sector.
The WTM 2009 is expected to attract 50,000 visitors and companies from about 200 countries and regions worldwide.
Kirk and Nancy Johnson of Minot are filled with gratitude every time they hug their 5-year-old son. They consider Micah to be a gift from Vietnam, grafted into their family nearly two years ago.
"People always say he's so lucky. We say no we are so lucky," Nancy Johnson said. "He's a lot of fun. We are very grateful we have him."
Adopting Micah from Vietnam has brought an international flavor to their home. The Johnsons are part of a growing movement in international adoptions to maintain a connection with the culture of the child's birth.
"That's who he is. That's part of his identity. He's a Vietnamese-American," Nancy Johnson said.
The Johnsons received the 2009 Multicultural Award from the North Dakota Department of Human Services and licensed child placement agencies for their efforts to nurture the cultural heritage of their son. When they received confirmation they were matched with their son, they studied the culture of Vietnam and learned enough of the language to have basic communication with him when they traveled to Vietnam to meet him in January 2007. While there, they took their son on a tour of his birth country. Upon returning, they have connected with others in the community from Vietnam.
Because Minot doesn't have the diversity of a metropolitan area, the Johnsons have had to be willing to stretch themselves to provide Micah with a connection to his roots.
The Johnsons brought items back from Vietnam that enable them to give Micah a gift from his home country on his birthdays. They also preserve the culture through books and the food. Micah's middle name, Lee, is part of his birth name.
When they moved into their current house and hung photos from their three weeks in Vietnam, their son was so excited, Nancy Johnson recalled. He enjoys watching the video and looking through the photo album of their time in Vietnam, too.
The Johnsons strive to maintain Micah's training in aspects of the Vietnamese culture that they admire, such as a strong sense of community and respect for elders. Elders are important in the Johnson home, where Nancy operates an adult foster care. Kirk Johnson is an environmental scientist.
The Johnsons want to expose Micah to broader cultural diversity through travel. They visited Ireland last summer. They are planning a trip to Kansas City to attend a conference that attracts people from a variety of cultures, including Asian.
The Johnsons might not be able to preserve Micah's native language, although they acquired instructional tapes in basic Vietnamese. The language, based on tones as well as word sounds, is difficult. The couple hasn't been able to speak it well enough to converse with Micah, who has come to understand English well but still is learning to speak it.
Nancy Johnson said their desire to honor the Vietnamese culture comes from the international perspective they gained in travels earlier in their lives. Both natives of Glenburn, Kirk and Nancy met in Bulgaria.
Nancy Johnson said a trip to Guatemala in 1991 was her first exposure to an orphanage. Seeing the babies starving for adequate attention moved her.
"It just broke my heart," she said. "I said, 'God, if I ever have a chance to adopt a child, let me.' It left a lasting impression."
She later spent time in Albania, Bulgaria and Egypt. Kirk Johnson was living in Turkey and traveled throughout that region, including assisting with a project in Bulgaria that Nancy was involved in.
"You see kids, when you live overseas, living in the streets and begging," Nancy Johnson said. "They don't get to go to school if their family doesn't have money to pay for their education. Seeing extreme poverty really affects you."
Living in Turkey after their marriage, the Johnsons began contemplating adoption there. When plans fell through, they started looking at adoptions from other countries. They also were open to adopting an older child, knowing that the chance of adoption is slim for those kids.
Working with the Holt International Adoption Agency and Catholic Charities, the Johnsons, then living in Minot, came across Micah's photo among the children seeking adoption. Nancy was immediately smitten with the cute little boy, and Kirk also felt a connection. Kirk had become familiar with the customs of the Vietnamese people in Chicago while attending seminary there.
It took about 1 1/2 years before they could travel to Vietnam to meet Micah, although they were able to send letters and photos for a year prior to the trip.
Nancy Johnson said the adoption process demands patience because of all the paperwork and formalities necessary to ensure that adoptions are properly conducted and result in a good match. One of the reasons they chose to work with Holt was because of the agency's reputation, she said. They knew the money that they were spending on the process was going to care for children awaiting adoption and for social workers and other professionals who are knowledgeable in guiding families through foreign adoptions.
In Micah's case, he had left an orphanage to spend more than two years with a foster family in Vietnam. Having lived in a family environment, he bonded quickly with the Johnsons.
"He just came bouncing around with his big smile," Nancy Johnson said. "I remember thinking he's as adorable as that first picture I saw."
Kirk Johnson cited figures from this country and the United Nations that estimate the number of orphans worldwide at between 44 million and 210 million. That's a wide discrepancy, but even the lower number points to a crisis of national and ethnic warfare, government corruption, disease, drought and famine, he said.
"People who have never considered international adoption as an option should seriously consider pursuing adopting an international child," he said. "This cannot only provide a secure home for a child without hope and a future but provide the adoptive parent or parents with blessings and rewards beyond one's imagination. Do not let prospect of finances, language barriers or other issues keep you from this journey of rewarding challenges."
Vietnam, with its verdant countryside and bustling cities, has a lot to offer adventurous travelers and those wanting to put a face on the Vietnam War.
Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, is a metropolis that moves like the rapids in a river. Motorbikes putt-putt-putter down the avenues. Artisans sell their wares from street-side stalls. Teenagers line up to get their nightly dose of pho noodles and dancing at the local discotheque. Devotees walk to their churches, their pagodas and their shrines to light candles and incense for someone who came before.
It’s a city that seems endless. But there is an end to the throngs of humanity — a semi-quieter place where a few lessons can be learned.
On the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City is a network of underground tunnels that was used by the Viet Cong during the war, particularly during the Tet Offensive.
Four decades ago, the tunnels were a harried place of strategizing for guerilla fighters.
Today, Coca-Cola is available in the gift shop.
A visit to the Cu Chi tunnels is chiseled into most tourists’ itineraries. Located roughly a one-hour drive (depending on traffic) outside of Ho Chi Minh City’s center, the underground ravines should be visited as a means to engage with the history of the tumultuous war. It is sacred ground that cost many a soldier’s life — and it should be visited with a respect for the casualties of conflict.
As tour buses pull up to the complex, the first stop is a meeting hall where cool drinks are served as plentiful as the propaganda. Before entering the tour, visitors sit through a video presentation that pushes the Viet Cong’s righteousness and the strategic mastery of the tunnel system.
You’ll probably get more satisfaction out of the cool drink.
Next is the actual tour of the tunnels, which stretch for miles or kilometers, depending on who’s talking.
In this particular area — in between Saigon and the border of Cambodia — where the tour buses corral like vultures, there are several holes that have been maintained for passersby to take a look and even take a descent.
Most groups visit the tunnels with an official tour guide, which can be booked back in Saigon.
Along the tour, you’ll have the chance to see grisly contraptions of torture, the place where the Viet Cong and their families ate and slept and a few demonstrations of what life was like in the tunnels (from eating fresh tapioca to an artillery range where visitors can pay money to shoot firearms such as an AK-47).
A group of tourists in front of me were clamoring at the chance to shoot a gun. I kept walking, slightly disgusted, to where visitors can crawl through one section of the tunnel (widened, rumor says, to accommodate larger Western tourists). The experience of crawling through the tunnel starts off easy enough — it’s kind of like ducking under a blanket to play in the dark.
But when you realize how far the tunnel goes, that the walls and ceiling are made of unsteady dirt and that the light from which you entered quickly becomes a pinhole, fear does sidle up next to you.
When you emerge, sweaty and panting, you’ll be thankful for the light in the sky.
Anyone who visits a sight like this probably has a curiosity for war stories and what exactly happened in this country in Southeast Asia. Visiting the Cu Chi tunnels may not provide any answers, but it may set you in the right direction.
It’s a preserved testament to days of sorrow. And for that, it can boast an importance beyond the ubiquitous gift shop selling war propaganda.
On Sunday Nov. 22, 2009 join the Friends of the Library, Dorothy E. Henry Branch on a journey to Vietnam. Our travel guide will be Lyne Ciccarelli, who will share her slides and experiences. Cicarelli is a long time resident of Vernon and worked for over 36 years in the secondary schools of New Jersey as a Communications and English teacher. Since retiring, she has traveled with an outdoor/adventure group through Alaska, Peru, Ecuador, Galapagos Islands, Australia, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Tanzania and most recently Vietnam. The program will be held in the Community Room of the Library, Route 94, Vernon at 3 p.m. Admission is free with a reception to follow. It is suitable for interested children, teens, and adults. For more information, contact Lynne LaCarrubba at 973-875-6675.
TIES between Singapore and Vietnam have grown even during the recession, President S R Nathan said on Monday, and look set to deepen as the economic gloom lifts.
At least five senior leaders from both sides have exchanged visits in the past year, one of which concluded with the signing of a defence cooperation pact in September, Mr Nathan said at a state banquet he hosted for visiting Vietnam President Nguyen Minh Triet. Trade ties remained robust.
'Our strong political ties are complemented by equally strong economic ties that continue to deepen even amidst the global financial crisis,' Mr Nathan said.
The state visit is a culmination of a year of high-level bilateral exchanges and serves to further cement already strong bilateral ties, he said.
Mr Nathan announced that in January, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will travel to Vietnam, where he will launch the fourth phase of the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) in Haiphong, the third-largest province there.
The VSIP is a flagship cooperation project launched in 1996, and now stands on about 5,000ha of land in three provinces in north and south Vietnam. Total foreign investments are valued at over US$2.4 billion (S$3.3 billion).
Sheraton Hanoi has been honoured as Vietnam’s Leading Business Hotel at an annual awards ceremony held by the World Travel Awards in London, UK. This is the third consecutive year Sheraton Hanoi has been awarded. This year’s vote was the largest ever organised in the 16-year history of the World Travel Awards.
Over 17,000 experts took part in the vote to honour the most excellent services in Asia’s tourism industry. The vote was based on criteria such as training programmes for staff, process of operation and customer satisfaction
Rise and shine, draw back the curtains and see ‘Vietnam Revealed’ - leading Asia specialist, Travel Indochina’s 18-day journey, which gives you the chance to really explore the country’s diverse landscapes, people and cuisine.
Each day is filled with a variety of activities and excursions, but mornings are a particular highlight.
As you wake up to sunrise over a sleepy fishing village, far off the beaten path, you’ll know you’ve discovered the real Vietnam. Bookings made before 24th December 2009, for travel by 19th June 2010, will receive £100 off per person!
Unique morning experiences are included throughout this fascinating itinerary, which stretches the length of the country: from waking up on a traditional junk boat in Halong Bay surrounded by the limestone islands of this World Heritage-listed wonder; to joining a family-run fishing adventure in Hoi An; or waking up on the Reunification Express train between Hanoi and Hue.
Considered Vietnam’s greatest natural wonder, Halong Bay boasts over 3,000 islands that rise out of the turquoise waters to provide a spectacular natural backdrop. Aboard a traditional junk boat, you’ll visit some of the impressive islets that make this area so unique and then drift off to sleep before awakening again within the heart of this stunning, scenic seascape - the perfect start to anyone’s day!
The experiences continue onboard one of the world’s most fascinating train journeys, the Reunification Express, travelling between Hanoi and Hue. A completely authentic encounter, on this overnight sleeper train, offers yet another morning to remember, as you open your eyes to a new dawn and prepare to disembark into the beautiful city of Hue, which provides a unique window into Vietnam and its complex past.
Morning is far from broken as you wake to get a taste of life as a local fisherman in Hoi An. On a private boat, cruise through ‘Water Coconut Palm Canal’, try your hand at local fishing techniques and navigate a basket boat through the narrow waterways, all before lunch – a sumptuous seafood spread onboard the boat.
Prices for the “Vietnam Revealed” itinerary start from only £1,385 per person and include accommodation, internal flights and road transport, sightseeing, Western tour leader and local English-speaking guides. Book before 24th December 2009, for travel by 19th June 2010, and get £100 off, per person!
Travel Indochina’s emphasis is on taking travellers to see and experience the ‘real’ Asia and, as such, its itineraries stand out from the crowd. With the combination of a western tour leader as well as a local guide, small groups, good standard accommodation, thoughtfully constructed itineraries and fantastic price reductions for 2010, there has never been a better time to book a Travel Indochina Small Group Journey. The new 2010-11 Small Group Journeys brochure is available now and also covers journeys in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, China & Tibet, India and Japan.
19.11.2009 08:18:07 Start your years to come of living together and celebrate a relationship that is yet to shape with Vietnam-based Aurora Travel's Ultimate Honeymoon tour package.
(live-PR.com) - The essence of every restaurateur, hotelier, resort owner or tour operator is a passion for turning each special event into an unforgettable celebration. Whether it's a wedding, birthday, honeymoon, family reunion or even a corporate event, Aurora Travel’s ‘been there, done that’ destination experts exert all their ideas and gifts to help you celebrate your big daspecial day is truly unique.
Last week, this Vietnam-based highly recommended Travel Company proudly announced the kick-off their 7th year of business success by luring the newlyweds to paradise with their ‘Ultimate Honeymoon’ special program, which is carefully tailored so that you can indulge your senses and celebrate your beloved while every single detail is well taken care of allowing you to concentrate on what’s important to you.
‘Sharing memorable moments and special occasions with our guests is what motivates us most at Aurora Travel. We’re delighted, despite the currently unfavorable economic context, the special program will enable couples who celebrate the start of many memorable years together with us to experience the honeymoon they’ve always imagined.’, said Mrs. Hoai Van, Aurora Travel’s Sales Manager, at a Press Brief recently held in Hanoi.
The special package, which ideally includes 13 everlastingly romantic nights, covers the country’s most wonderful destinations, from the breath taking view of the Legendary Bay of Halong and pristine secluded beach in Phu Quoc to the elegant architecture of Hanoi, Hoi An and Hue. Furthermore, it’s also a perfect collection of very best distinctive hotels of Intercontinental Westlake Hanoi, Sheraton Saigon, Le Veranda Phu Quoc, Victoria Hoi An Beach and Resort and La Residence Hue which have all been considered to be unparalleled venues for honeymooners.
So, sit back, relax and let Aurora Travel Vietnam honorably create unforgettable memories to last your lifetime.
Detailed itinerary and contact details are available at
Singapore Airlines Colombo recently hosted their 10 Top Travel Agents to a Business cum Familiarization trip to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly known as Saigon) in Vietnam. In a bid to create a new and exciting destination to the Sri Lankan traveler, the agents were taken to view first-hand what Ho Chi Minh City had to offer. The business part of the trip was a trade interaction session with Inbound Tour Operators in Ho Chi Minh City. The Agents signed up as buyers for the two-day 5th International Travel Expo (ITE) that was held at the Phu Tho Exhibition Center. The first day saw the agent’s registering for the ITE and making appointments with sellers. In the afternoon, a briefing session followed with many Vietnamese sellers and members of the Vietnam Tourism Authorities making presentations and highlighting the beauty and attractions of the country.
It was emphasized the not only was it easy to sell Vietnam but buyers were asked to look into the possibility of selling “Three Countries – One Destination” i.e. Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Later that evening a grand gala welcome dinner for the Buyers and participants, hosted by the Tourism Authority of Vietnam, was held.
The following day, the ITE was ceremoniously declared opened to the trade at the Indoor stadium which had many colourful booths from many countries (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, India, Thailand, Malaysia and even the “Singapore Flyer” was represented) and the agents spent the rest of the day meeting with the sellers and getting an insight into what they could offer the visitors. Furthermore the Agents were pleasantly surprised to receive at the ITE, a copy of the ‘DULICH’, a Vietnamese Tourism Trade Magazine with a large group photo of the entire Sri Lanka contingent arriving at Saigon Airport. The meetings continued into the following day as well. After a farewell lunch, the Familiarization part of the tour began.
The Agents were taken on a half-day city tour to the now-unused Reunification Palace (the place where the American war in Vietnam officially ended), a factory that specializes in making paintings and very delicate laquerware from mother-of-pearl shells and powdered egg shells and a visit to the first museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine, a traditional medical house.
A day of leisure followed where the agents indulged in hunting for souvenirs in the local market and the following day they set off very early for a 2-day “Mekong Delta” tour which took the form of a two and a half hour drive to MyTho city (pronounced “mee tho”).
At MyTho, the Agents were taken on a motorized boat ride to villages located along the Mekong River to observe the villagers going about their daily work, visiting a coconut sweet factory, listened to traditional Vietnamese music while sipping honey tea and munched on the wide variety of fresh tropical fruit available in the locality and finally paddled in a canoe through the mangroves to reach the location where the finals of the next Miss World 2010 Contest was to be held.
The hotel is still under construction and is planned to open in August 2010 in time for the pageant in October. After a typically Vietnamese lunch, the journey resumed with a bus journey to the city of Can Tho (pronounced “can thur”) and after crossing the Mekong River yet again by ferry, the Agents arrived at the luxurious Ninh Kieu 2 hotel, their stopover for the night.
After a very early wakeup call the next day, the Agents left by boat again to visit the Cai Rang Floating Market to watch the trading activity going on among hoards of small boats dexterously weaving their way among the many larger boats in the water after which the Agents, very reluctantly, had to leave for the Airport to catch the flight home.
General Manager SIA Sri Lanka, Chia Chow Hwee said, “I hope that the first-hand insight into Vietnam and specifically Hi Chi Minh, gained by the participating agents, will help them to sell the destination better to their clients. Singapore Airlines with up to 25 flights a week to Vietnam covering Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi is well placed to support increased trade and tourism links between Sri Lanka and Vietnam.”
The agents agreed that they all enjoyed the tour and thanked SIA for organizing the Familiarization trip despite it being a very bad year for world tourism as the trip had opened many selling opportunities for them.
The Vietnamese economy poses no immediate threat to Thailand, which has healthy investments in that country, says the Thai ambassador in Hanoi.
Pisanu Chanvitan says Thailand's economy is still far more advanced than Vietnam's.
However, the ambassador told Thai Rath newspaper, Vietnam has certain advantages including political stability, thanks to its one-party rule and cheap labour.
Last year, Vietnam's economy grew 3%.
Mr Pisanu said that medical advances in Vietnam lag far behind Thailand. For difficult cases, well-to-do patients still travel to Thailand for treatment because Vietnam's health care expertise is lacking.
Nor was Thailand's status as the world's top rice exporter under threat from Vietnam.
Mr Pisanu said Vietnam exported about 5 million tonnes of rice last year while Thailand exported 8-9 million tonnes.
Thai rice is more expensive because of its higher quality especially the world famous Hom Mali, while Vietnam exports cheaper varieties.
Vietnam can face typhoons several times a year, causing extensive damage to rice fields.
Vietnam's rice cultivation area is similar to Thailand's, but Vietnam has a growing population. As its population grows, Vietnam will probably export less rice.
Vietnam's rulers like to talk about their plans for the economy, but sometimes these projects can be many years off.
Vietnam said it would put in a high-speed train, similar to the bullet train in Japan, running from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City.
The news excited Thai readers but most did not realise that work on the railway won't start until 2036, or nearly 30 years into the future.
In 1990, Vietnam began to open the country to foreign direct investment, creating special industrial zones and expanding the economic zone in Ho Chi Minh City.
Thailand is ranked 9th among foreign investors in Vietnam. Investment is concentrated in agri-business, cement, real estate, and motorcycle parts.
Mr Pisanu said Thailand exported more than 10,000 tonnes of fruit to Vietnam last year, including longan, mangosteen, durian and mango.
Food processing including canned fish is another bright prospect for Thai exporters. Several Thai canneries have set up operations in Vietnam and are doing good business.
Engineer is a
'political victim'
Sivarak Chutipong, 31, the Thai engineer arrested in Cambodia on a spying charge, is being used as a pawn in the diplomatic dispute between Thailand and Cambodia, argues a Matichon newspaper writer.
Sivarak worked for Cambodia Air Traffic Services, a subsidiary of Thailand's Samart Telecom.
He was arrested last week on a spying charge, after he allegedly transmitted the flight schedule of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Cambodia's premier Hun Sen to Thailand.
The newspaper argues the engineer was a victim of the conflicts between Thailand and Cambodia concerning Hun Sen's appointment of Thaksin as economic adviser.
If Sivarak is found guilty by a Cambodian court, he could be jailed for 7-10 years and/or fined 50,000-250,000 baht.
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said Thaksin's flight schedule was not secret information and Thailand already knew Thaksin's likely flight movements.
Suthep argued that Cambodian authorities may have misunderstood the intention of the government, which never intended to inflict any harm.
Yet the Matichon writer was not satisfied with explanations offered by the Thai Foreign Ministry and Samart Telecom in defence of Sivarak.
The government, the writer said, should protect Sivarak's honour and tell international observers that Cambodia's allegations are trumped up.
Miscellany
Cambodia has expelled all Thai staff from Cambodia Air Traffic Services after a Thai engineer on staff was charged with spying.
Phnom Penh has filed national security charges of stealing classified information against engineer Sivarak Chutipong.
Cambodia has now ordered all Thai nationals working for CATS to leave the company and prohibited them from re-entering until the legal proceedings against Mr Sivarak are completed, Samart Corporation Plc president Watchai Wilailuck said.
CATS, a fully owned subsidiary of Bangkok-based Samart, holds a concession to run air traffic control services in Cambodia.
The firm employs nine Thai officials at Cambodian airport, in management or senior engineering positions. About 200 other staff are Cambodians.
Mr Watchai was told Cambodian authorities would send their own people to run the company.
"We need to follow Cambodia's order and are asking the Thai government to negotiate with Cambodia.
'We have nothing to do with their diplomatic dispute, but it is affecting our business," Mr Watchai said.
Thailand and Cambodia are signatories to an investment protection agreement, to protect each other's private businesses.
Vietnam (pronounced /ˌviː.ɛtˈnɑːm/; Vietnamese: Việt Nam), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Vietnamese: Cộng hòa xã hội chủ nghĩa Việt Nam), is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea to the east. With a population of over 86 million, Vietnam is the 13th most populous country in the world.
The people of Vietnam regained independence and broke away from China in AD 938 after their victory at the battle of Bạch Đằng River. Successive dynasties flourished along with geographic and political expansion deeper into Southeast Asia, until it was colonized by the French in the mid-19th century. Efforts to resist the French eventually led to their expulsion from the country in the mid-20th century, leaving a nation divided politically into two countries. Fighting between the two sides continued during the Vietnam War, ending with a North Vietnamese victory in 1975.
Emerging from this prolonged military engagement, the war-ravaged nation was politically isolated. The government’s centrally planned economic decisions hindered post-war reconstruction and its treatment of the losing side engendered more resentment than reconciliation. In 1986, it instituted economic and political reforms and began a path towards international reintegration. By 2000, it had established diplomatic relations with most nations. Its economic growth had been among the highest in the world in the past decade. These efforts culminated in Vietnam joining the World Trade Organization in 2007 and its successful bid to become a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in 2008.
