About 200 families living in Hòa Điền Commune, Kiên Lương District in the southern province of Kiên Giang have had to pay VNĐ100,000 (US$4.3) for a cubic metre of clean water for daily use, 15 times higher than the general water price in the province, because of the unavailability of tap water supply to their homes.

The recent rise in ‘black credit’ has trapped individuals and families in big cities of Hà Nội and HCM City as well as other provinces. When approaching this source of funds, most borrowers fall into the high interest trap and ‘forest law’ constraints.

The HCM City People’s Committee has decided to penalise all departments or localities that end up with less than 50 per cent of their budgeted public spending for this year.

 Internal migration to the Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands) region has caused population concerns, security, environment protection and hindered socio-economic development.

HCM City has invited local and foreign companies to bid on waste treatment plants that are expected to reduce pollution and contribute to a greener and more beautiful urban area.

The northern port city of Hải Phòng is urgently on working clean water reservoirs in Cát Hải Island District to combat waster shortage.

The emerging mass tourism in coastal provinces in recent years has destroyed natural beauty spots at a furious pace. And In the next five years, Việt Nam may lose all tourism resources.

The death toll from the fire that broke out at a restaurant on Friday in the southern province of Đồng Nai rose to seven after the latest victim died yesterday.

Gia An 115 Hospital – the first health care facility constructed in the form of public-private partnership (PPP) in HCM City – was inaugurated on Saturday.