News Update

<<Pause>>
  1.  
  2. Gangsters beat up Hanoi doctor, kidnap patient
    Gangsters beat up a doctor, broke open doors of a ward and kidnapped a seriously injured patient at a major hospital in Hanoi on Wednesday, with a manager and guards doing nothing to stop them.

    Gangsters beat up a doctor, broke open doors of a ward and kidnapped a seriously injured patient at a major hospital in Hanoi on Wednesday, with a manager and guards doing nothing to stop them.

    Local news website VietNamNet said Thursday that the doctor was beaten because he tried to protect the patient.

    Doctor Nguyen Minh Hung of the National Hospital of Endocrinology said a man, severely injujred and having lost a lot of blood, ran up to the hospital asking for help.

    At least five gangsters who were after the man beat up Hung when he refused to open doors on the fourth floor so that they could find their victim, Hung said.

    They beat him in front of the eyes of two guards and a deputy director of the hospital, whose name has not been released, broke the doors and took the victim away, he said.

    Hung said he had earlier called the hospital"s directors, guards, local police and dialled 113 when the gangsters chased the victim to the hospital and frightened many other patients.

    The doctor told VietNamNet he was “very angry” about the neglect of the hospital guards and officials.

    “Before and after the incident happened, I called director Nguyen Van Tien, who was on duty at that time, many times, but I failed to reach him.

    “When I met him directly to report the case, he said “it was a small thing,” Hung said.

    As of Thursday afternoon, none of the management officials at the hospital had come to see Hung.

    Meanwhile, Tien told VietNamNet that the hospital is considering honoring Hung for his courage.

    But it’s “not good” that Hung told the press about the incident without the hospital"s permission, as patients will be scared if the case “is taken seriously,” he added.

    The police were investigating the case.

    The report did not say if the gangsters were armed.



    read more >>>
  3. 2 dead, 2 injured in northern gas explosion
    Two Chinese workers were killed and two were injured in a gas explosion at the Hai Phong Thermo-electric plant Saturday morning.

    Two Chinese workers were killed and two were injured in a gas explosion at the Hai Phong Thermo-electric plant Saturday morning.

    Fu Fung Wey, 43, was killed instantly. Huang Cao Xun, 39, succumbed to injuries on the way to Hai Phong city hospital.

    The injured have not been identified.

    Preliminary investigations have shown that the explosion occurred while the men were welding components of a desulfurization system.

    Hai Phong Thermo-electric plant opened in December 2009.  Technical problems put the plant on a temporary until last month. Following its re-activation, portions of the plant remained under construction.

    Further investigations into the explosion are currently underway.

     



    read more >>>
  4. Over 100 kilos of TNT found trafficked in central Vietnam
    Border guards in Ha Tinh Province on Thursday night caught a man carrying 106 kilograms of TNT explosive, the biggest TNT trafficking case bust in the province ever.

    Border guards in Ha Tinh Province on Thursday night caught a man carrying 106 kilograms of TNT explosive, the biggest TNT trafficking case bust in the province ever.

     

    Nguyen Ngoc Tran, 44, was stopped by police while carrying the payload in three sacks on his motorbike, local news website VietNamNet said Friday.

     

    Tran said he was hired by neighbor Tran Thi Tam, 42, to carry the explosive from the province downtown to Thach Bang Commune, Loc Ha District for VND600,000 (US$31).

     

    Investigators said the explosives were supposed to be sold to fishermen to catch fish at sea.

     

    Ha Tinh police are investigating the case further.



    read more >>>
  5. Clamping down on illegal marriage brokers difficult: Vietnam
    Clamping down on illegal marriage brokers who send Vietnamese brides overseas would be difficult, a government spokeswoman said Thursday after a mentally-ill South Korean killed his new bride.

    Clamping down on illegal marriage brokers who send Vietnamese brides overseas would be difficult, a government spokeswoman said Thursday after a mentally-ill South Korean killed his new bride.

    The issue “has been considered very seriously by the authorities in Vietnam but I think that it is not easy to identify which marriage is unlawfully brokered”, Nguyen Phuong Nga, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman, told reporters.

    A 20-year-old Vietnamese woman was killed by her 47-year-old South Korean husband earlier this month eight days after she arrived in South Korea.

    The man turned himself in and told police he had heard a “ghost’s voice” urging him to kill the bride when they quarreled. He had been treated 57 times for schizophrenia since July 2005, police said.

    The couple met through a marriage agency, the VietnamNet online news service reported.

    More than 40,000 Vietnamese women have married South Korean men and immigrated to South Korea, Pham Tien Van, Hanoi’s ambassador to Seoul, said last October in an interview with South Korea’s Yonhap news agency.

    The report did not say how many years the 40,000 figure covers, but a rising number of Vietnamese-South Korean marriages have occurred in the last few years.

    About 90 percent of the weddings between South Koreans and Vietnamese are arranged by marriage brokers who are illegal in Vietnam.

    Local media periodically carry reports about police raids on the illegal operators.

    South Korea’s justice ministry announced a raft of measures to curb abuse of foreign brides after the murder.



    read more >>>
  6. Vinashin head suspended, criminal probe launched
    Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has suspended the head of state-owned shipbuilder Vinashin for massive debts piled up by the group under his stewardship.

    Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has suspended the head of state-owned shipbuilder Vinashin for massive debts piled up by the group under his stewardship.

    The decision was announced by the government office on July 14, two days after the Communist Party’s Inspection Commission decided to transfer the case to the police for criminal investigation.

    The 57-year-old chairman of Vinashin (Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Group), Pham Thanh Binh, was suspended pending investigation into his suspected wrongdoings, said Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Head of the Government Office.

    Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Hong Truong has been appointed Vinashin chairman, the minister said.

    Early this month, the government had reported that the shipbuilder’s debts exceeded VND80 trillion (US$4.2 billion).

    Binh, a shipbuilding engineer from Hai Phong City, has been Vinashin General Director since 1996 and held the chairman’s position at the group since August 1998. Since 2003, he has been secretary of the group’s Party Unit.

    Prime Minister Dung has ordered that a taskforce be set up to deal with Vinashin’s problems, including restructuring the group to continue developing the shipbuilding industry, managing its assets effectively, limiting the negative impacts on workers, preventing a domino effect on other operations and taking appropriate measures against individuals responsible for the group’s predicament.

    On July 5, the Party’s Inspection Commission announced that it had found several key party members including Binh violating Party regulations.

    Inspectors said Binh had been irresponsible in using state funds and pushing the company towards bankruptcy. Binh had also appointed his family members to key positions in the company in violation of state regulations, they said.

    These violations have caused serious consequences, inspectors said, noting that Binh may have acted out of his own self-interest.

    The Inspection Commission also said Vinashin had been dishonest in its financial reporting and had invested aggressively beyond its main business of shipbuilding, causing significant losses to the government budget.

    Party inspectors also announced Binh would be placed under the disciplinary process and on July 12, they announced the case would be transferred to the police for investigation because they found indications of criminal violations by Binh and some other individuals in the group.

    In a recent report by Tien Phong newspaper, Vinashin CEO Tran Quang Vu said: “We want to apologize to the Party, the government, the public and everyone who put their faith in Vinashin. We have failed to live up to expectations.”

    As shipbuilding is a comprehensive industry, comprising many other sectors like steel, machinery and paint, Vinashin had created “an ambitious plan” to build a well-rounded business in order to control quality and cut production costs, said Vu, who took over as CEO on July 1.

    “However, we have to admit that we became overindulgent. Besides shipbuilding, which is our core business, we also invested in stocks, real estate and insurance markets.

    “Since our business was based on loans, Vinashin faced difficulties when the economic crisis hit the global market, severing the company from its financial plans.”

    Vinashin was established in 1996 with a chartered capital of VND100 billion, according to a government report. The group has made great strides over the years, turning Vietnam into one of the strongest shipbuilders in the region.

    It was hit hard by the economic downturn with many customers cancelling shipbuilding contracts or delaying payments, the report said.



    read more >>>
  7. Storm slams ships into Hai Phong bridge
    Typhoon Conson snapped the anchors on three cargo ships Saturday night, sending them careening into Hai Phong"s s Binh Bridge, Vnexpress reported.

    Typhoon Conson snapped the anchors on three cargo ships Saturday night, sending them careening into Hai Phong"s s Binh Bridge, Vnexpress reported.

    The Vinashin Express 01, the Vinashin Orient were joined under the bridge by the Shinsung Accord, a 17,500-ton South Korean vessel that had docked at the Bach Dang Shipbuilding Industry Corporation for repairs.

    Traffic on the suspension bridge has been halted for safety reasons after the crash. As of Sunday morning, a half dozen tug boats had succeeded in dislodging two of the giant ships and Vinashin Orient was dislodged early Monday.

    The Vinashin Orient and the Shinsung Accord smashed their cargo cranes as they collided with the bridge, according to media reports. Meanwhile, the rear tower of the Vinashin Express 01 destroyed portions of the bridge fence. The structure also bent and snapped several steel cables.

    Binh Bridge was built using funds from Japan’s ODA (official development aid), and opened in May 2005. The suspension bridge is supported by girdles made of steel and concrete.

    Typhoon Conson lost steam after making landfall in Vietnam on Saturday evening. However, heavy rains, strong winds have fallen in northern provinces and 5-meter waves pounded the coastline in Nam Dinh province before that.

    Conson left at least 39 people dead in the Philippines, according to a Reuters report.

    The storm brought wind and rain to the Chinese coastal province of Guangdong, and has halted shipping services and flights from Hainan since Thursday.



    read more >>>
  8. Underground car park to begin construction in August
    Construction of Ho Chi Minh City’s first underground car park will start next month, following several delays since the project was initiated seven years ago, the investor said Thursday.

    Construction of Ho Chi Minh City’s first underground car park will start next month, following several delays since the project was initiated seven years ago, the investor said Thursday.

    Le Tuan, chairman of Investment Development for Underground Space (IUS), said work on the car park at District 1’s Le Van Tam Park could not begin in March as planned, due to “some paperwork problems.”

    Nguyen Van Hiep, deputy director of the HCMC Construction Department, confirmed that the project has been licensed and its construction now depends on IUS. Hiep added that the delays were due to the investor requesting preferential treatment.

    The car park was originally scheduled to be completed in 2007.

    “The biggest issue now is protecting the park’s flora during construction,” he said, noting that many plants will have to be moved or cut down.

    The project, with an investment capital of more than US$100 million, has five floors underground with a combined parking space of 72,000 square meters.

    It is expected to accommodate around 2,000 motorbikes, 1,250 cars and 28 trucks and buses, with three entrances on Vo Thi Sau, Hai Ba Trung and Dien Bien Phu streets.

    Le Hoang Quan, chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee, said in an interview with Thanh Nien late last month that there are too many vehicles in the city for the existing infrastructure.

    The city has also approved another underground car park project at the outdoor stage, Trong Dong, also in District 1.



    read more >>>
  9. S. Korean child rapist behind bars
    A South Korean man suspected of raping a seven-year-old Vietnamese girl in Seoul last month has been arrested after 20 days on the run, Yonhap News quoted local police as saying.

    A South Korean man suspected of raping a seven-year-old Vietnamese girl in Seoul last month has been arrested after 20 days on the run, Yonhap News quoted local police as saying.

     

    The 26-year-old suspect, identified only by his last name, Yang, was nabbed by police Thursday night at a hospital on the resort island of Jeju.

    He had come to the hospital seeking treatment for a cut on his arm caused by a razor, Dongdaemun police said.

     
    Police put Yang on the wanted list with a five-million-won (US$4,150) reward offered for allegedly raping a Vietnamese child on June 28.

     

    Investigations showed that he found the girl playing alone in the street in Jangan, Seoul, at around 12.30 p.m. before taking her to her apartment where he raped her, newswire Joogang Daily reported.

     

    He fled the scene with some $200 worth of gold rings and 10,000 won ($8.23) in cash, it said.

     

    The girl lives with her parents who came to South Korea five years ago and are expected to acquire Korean citizenship this September, according to the news source.



    read more >>>
  10. Man nabbed for allegedly smuggling cars into Vietnam
    Police in Hanoi has arrested a man on suspicion of smuggling cars into Vietnam.

    Police in Hanoi has arrested a man on suspicion of smuggling cars into Vietnam.

     

    Initial investigations showed Ngo Doan Phuc, 33, and his gang imported cars temporarily for export, which imposes low or no tax.

     

    They then would fake documents showing the cars were too old to export to foreign markets and sell them here.

     

    Police have confiscated a Hummer, a Land Rover, a Toyota Prado and a Lexus worth nearly VND6.3 billion (US$330,015) in total.

     

    They were imported from Laos and registered at a traffic police office in the northern province of Bac Giang, according to Hanoi police.

     

    An investigation is currently underway.



    read more >>>
  11. Vietnam demands South Korean probe into wife murder
    Vietnam has demanded that South Korea conduct a thorough investigation into the death of a Vietnamese woman that was allegedly murdered by her Korean husband in Busan last week.

    Vietnam has demanded that South Korea conduct a thorough investigation into the death of a Vietnamese woman that was allegedly murdered by her Korean husband in Busan last week.

     

    The statement was made by a spokeswoman from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday.

     

    Thach Thi Hong Ngoc, 20, came to South Korea to marry Jang Do Hyo on June 1. The marriage was brokered by a third party. After just 8 days in the country, Ngoc was found beaten and stabbed to death in her new husband"s home. 

     

    Hyo told police that a ghost had instructed him to kill her during an argument, the Korea Times reported.

    After the incident on July 8, South Korean media reported that Ngoc married Hyo via a matchmaking service without knowing he had undergone psychiatric treatment for depression and mental illness 57 times since 2005.

    The Vietnamese Embassy in South Korea is cooperating with local agencies in the investigation, spokeswoman Nguyen Phuong Nga told the press.

    In the meantime, Pham Thi Anh Tuyet, a counselor from Eulim – the Migrant Women and Multi-cultured Families Center in Busan, said Ngoc"s parents have authorized the center to sue the brokerage firm for not telling them about Hyo’s history of mental problems.

     

    However, Korean police have said the representative of the firm, whose name hasn’t been released, has denied any prior knowledge of Hyo’s mental problems, according to media reports.

     

    On Thursday, Ngoc’s parents had their daughter cremated in Korea. They plan to bring the ash home in Vietnam’s southern province of Tra Vinh Friday.



    read more >>>
  12. Tinted-out timber traffickers busted in Central region

    Traffickers of Laos timber are blacking out the windows of vans and small buses in order to slip into Vietnam undetected, according to Sunday reports on VietNamNet.

      

    Le Van Thanh, chief forest ranger in Huong Hoa District said that a number of 12-24 seat vehicles have used the ruse slip past guards at the Lao Bao border crossing.

     

    The wood is being trafficked to Dong Ha, a major city in the Quang Tri Province to be sold on black markets.

     

    The rangers have successfully caught four of the vehicles.

     

    Some had local plates and others originated from nearby Thua Thien-Hue. The traffickers had removed the seats from all of the vehicles, Thanh said. The ranger added that he and his men were working against a network of lookouts posted along the route to alert timber smugglers of their presence.
     

    The rangers are asking for help from police and concerned citizens.

     

    In related news, forest rangers in the south central province of Phu Yen stopped a truck on Saturday containing nine cubic meters of wood that is banned from logging, trade and transport.

    The driver managed to escape.



    read more >>>
  13. WB helps Vietnam enhance public investment efficiency
    The World Bank and the State Bank of Vietnam signed Thursday a credit of US$100 million for a project to help Vietnam make its public investments more efficient.

    The World Bank and the State Bank of Vietnam signed Thursday a credit of US$100 million for a project to help Vietnam make its public investments more efficient.

    The project, called Preparation Technical Assistance Facility Project, is expected to be implemented from October 2010 to October 2015, the Washington-based lender said in a statement.

    Funding comes from the International Development Association, the World Bank’s source of funding for low income countries.

    Public investment in general, and infrastructure investment in particular, are frequently delayed in Vietnam, the World Bank said in the statement.

    It said undisbursed Official Development Assistance was about $11 billion at the end of 2008, and that this could increase if project start-up delays are not substantially reduced.

    Victoria Kwakwa, the World Bank Country Director for Vietnam said that the project would help accelerate project start-ups as well as disbursement by improving the speed and quality of preparatory work.

    This, in turn, would "enable beneficiaries to quickly realize the economic and social benefits from investments supported through the project,” she said.



    read more >>>
  14. Man gets death for murder of ex-girl friend
    A Hanoi court on July 14 sentenced to death a man for beheading and robbing his ex-girlfriend in a “cruel” murder case that has grabbed considerable public attention.

    A Hanoi court on July 14 sentenced to death a man for beheading and robbing his ex-girlfriend in a “cruel” murder case that has grabbed considerable public attention.

    The Hanoi People’s Court also ordered Nguyen Duc Nghia, 26, to pay VND113 million (US$5,931) in compensation to the family of 26-year-old Nguyen Phuong Linh.

    Nghia’s girlfriend, 24-year-old Hoang Thi Yen, was given a 15- month suspended sentence and a 30-month probation for not informing the police of his crime.

    According to the indictment, Nghia and Linh started a romantic relationship in 2006 and broke up one year later.

    On May 4 this year, Nghia asked Linh to meet him at Yen’s apartment on the 11th floor of the G4 building in Cau Giay District.

    Yen then was visiting her hometown and had asked Nghia to take care of it in her absence.

    The indictment said that after Nghia and Linh had made love, he stabbed her to death. Then he cut off her head and fingers before wrapping her torso in a blanket and stashing it on the building’s rooftop.

    After disposing of the body parts in different places, he pawned her motorbike, laptop and mobile phone for money, the court was told.

    Nghia was arrested on May 22, one day after police found Linh’s naked, rotting body.

    Cold-blooded murder

    Calling for the death penalty for Nghia, the prosecution said he deserved “to be eliminated from society” for his gruesome crime.

    Rejecting the notion that this was not a premeditated crime, the prosecution noted that the defendant had taken time to prepare the knife and had stabbed the unaware victim from behind.

    Displaying no sign of nerves, he cut off her head and fingers and discarded them later, prosecutors said. Some reports said Nghia took a bus to the northern Quang Ninh Province and disposed of her body parts in a river there.

    “Such acts show that Nghia is a cold-blooded murderer,” the prosecution said.

    At the hearing, prosecutors also rejected Nghia’s argument that he had killed Linh out of jealousy.

    Nghia told the court that he had not stabbed Linh as she was combing her hair in front of a mirror after they made love as he first told the police, but two hours later.

    Linh had told him she did not have a boyfriend, but that day she refused to answer a call which she said was from her new boyfriend who lived far away, Nghia said.

    “Linh also said she’d met me because she was lonely and wanted to have sex,” he said, adding that this had made him angry. They had an argument and he stabbed her, Nghia said.

    But investigators have confirmed there is no evidence to support Nghia’s jealousy claims.

    Nghia also denied that the murder was motivated by the desire to steal her property, claiming instead that he had pawned them because he didn’t know where to hide them.

    However, prosecutors pointed out that Nghia could have gotten rid of Linh’s mobile phone anywhere, not necessarily a pawnshop.

    “It showed that he planned to steal Linh’s property before killing her,” they asserted.

    After explaining his acts, Nghia, who was unemployed at the time of the murder, pleaded guilty to killing and robbing Linh before apologizing to her family, Yen and his parents.

    Crying, he said he wouldn’t lodge an appeal, as “death isn’t enough to make up for the crime I have committed.”



    read more >>>
  15.  

Laos Encompassed  - 10 days
Starts : Luang Prabang , ends : Vientiane
Highlights: Luang Prabang - Xieng Khuang - Vientiane - Pakse - Khong Island - Tadlo
Trip Code : L-LE10

Luang PrabangDay 1 : ARRIVAL - LUANG PRABANG

Upon arrival at the airport, you are met and transferred to the hotel. Luang Prabang is perhaps the best-preserved traditional city in Southeast Asia. The tranquility and charm of this town with its splendid natural scenery and cultural sights make it one of the most delightful places to visit in Laos. After a short rest, we visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrine of Wat Aham, Wat Mai; we then climb up to the top of Phousi Mount for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa as well as a beautiful sunset view of the city and the Mekong River. From there, we explore Street Night Market, where you can find the lovely collection and handmade textile by local and hill tribe people surrounding Luang Prabang

Accommodation in Luang Prabang :
+ Hotel grade: 4 Star
+ Room type: Superior Room


PAK OU CAVEDay 2 : LUANG PRABANG - PAK OU CAVE

After breakfast, we enjoy a short-guided tour seeing the city's oldest temple of Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represent the classical architecture of Luang Prabang temple. We then board a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which also gives us a beautiful view of the tranquil countryside as well as an interesting visit to the mysterious of Pak Ou Caves, crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes. Along the way, we stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where they make the distillation of local rice wine. On return, we take a short drive to Ban Xang Khong and Ban Xienglek, well known for its hand made of Jute Sar paper

Accommodation in Luang Prabang :
+ Hotel grade: 4 Star
+ Room type: Superior Room


Kuangsi Water FallDay 3 : Luang Prabang - Kuangsi Water Fall

This morning you may want to wake up early and participate in the daily early morning ritual of saffron-clad monks with their black Alms-giving bowls being given offerings from the local people, including the ubiquitous sticky rice. Breakfast, you will visit the morning Phosi Market where you will see such diverse offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings. Laos is also known for its traditional crafts, and today you will visit the Ban Ouay , Hmong Hill tribe, Ban Ou, Lowland Lao and Ban Thapene of Khmu village. Continue driving to the beautiful Khouangsi Waterfall where you can splash around in the pools or walk along the forest paths, return to Luang Prabang by late afternoon and continue to Ban Phanom, a well known weaving village, return to the city by late evening for observing the sunset at Wat Siphouthabath

Accommodation in Luang Prabang :
+ Hotel grade: 4 Star
+ Room type: Superior Room


PhonesavanhDay 4 : Luang Prabang - Xieng Khuang by road

Breakfast, we visit the National Museum at the former Royal Palace, which displays a lovely collection of the artifacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the early kings right through the last sovereign, and the Central Market are not to be missed. After visiting these sights. Today, we are driving 306km overland on up Hill Mountain with splendid natural scenery to Xiengkhouang, where was devastated by American bombing between 1964 and 1973. Upon arrival, we transfer out to visit the Plain of Jars, an impressive archaeological site where hundreds of large stone jars are littered all over the plateau.

Accommodation in Xiengkhuang :
+ Hotel grade: 4 Star
+ Room type: Superior Room


VientianeDay 5: Xieng Khuang - Vientiane

Breakfast, visit Central Market, and then free at leisure by own discovery for you to further explore the town before we catch a flight back to Vientiane . After checking into hotel, [if time permits] we continue our sightseeing tour of Vientiane surrounding; visit the impressive Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge and the Buddha Park , a display of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures created by mystical monk on parkland located by the Mekong River. A view of the spectacular sunset over the Mekong River is perfect way to finish the day.

Accommodation in Vientiane :
+ Hotel grade: 4 Star
+ Room type: Superior Room

 


vientianeDays 6 : Vientiane

In the morning you will exploring Vientiane capital city, we start to visit the major sights of the capital; including the oldest Wat Sisaket with thousands of miniature Buddha statues and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. On the way to the famous and sacred structure of That Luang Stupa, we stop to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is well known as Vientiane 's own Arc de Triumph.
In the afternoon, continue to visit the rest of Vientiane by walk, visit Wat Ong Tue, Wat Inpeng and Wat Haisok. Then we pass by the major shopping area continuing to the Vientiane Central Market of Talad Sao and Talad Kouadin where the major goods display; including fresh food, household, textiles, gold, silver and ancient souvenir varied display and return to Mekong Riverside and late evening. By late afternoon observing sunset by Mekong

Accommodation in Vientiane :
+ Hotel grade: 4 Star
+ Room type: Superior Room


PakseDay 7: Vientiane - Pakse - Khong Island

Breakfast, we take an early flight to Pakse. On arrival, we drive on the National Road No. 13th south to Champassak and visit the ruins of Wat Phu, which is well known as the most important Hindu sanctuary of the Khmer Empire between 9th -13th centuries. Here is also a chance to visit some nearby Khmer temples and Buddhist shrines, after a shortstop visit, we continue to Khong Island by traditional local slow boat.

Accommodation in Khong Island:
+ Hotel grade: 4 Star
+ Room type: Superior Room


Khong IslandDay 8 : Khong Island

Today, we enjoy a cruise venturing into the widest reach of the Mekong River from where thousands of islets jut out in dry season, giving this area a lovely name "Siphandon". A long the way, we stop at the Liphi Waterfalls and the fisherman village of Ban Khone. On return, we take a short drive to the Lao-Cambodia border at Weukham and the sight of Khone Phapheng, which both South East Asia 's biggest water falls

Accommodation in Khong Island:
+ Hotel grade: 4 Star
+ Room type: Superior Room


Boloven PlateauDays 9 : Khong Island - Tadlo - Pakse

Upon leaving Khong Island, we continue our journey towards Tadlo, through Boloven Plateau where famous tea and coffee plantation and other lush vegetation and red surface of basaltic soil are incredible all along the way. En route, there are some opportunities to explore a part of Boloven Plateau and visit some hill villages of the Katu , Alak and Nge ethnic minority people, return to Pakse by late evening

Accommodation in Pakse :
+ Hotel grade: 4 Star
+ Room type: Superior Room


DepartureDays 10 :Pakse - Vientiane & Departure

Flight to Vientiane, where you are able to stay some more nights or take a national flight to your home

 


Book

 

Prices : USD$ 1211 for per person base for 2 people travelling together

The tour itinerary, inclusions and departures are based on travel from 01/01/2010 to Sunday, 05 September 2010. Prices are subject to availability and may vary by departure date. For travel outside of these dates itinerary and inclusions may vary to that shown above - please ask for details.

 


  • What's inclusive and Not ?

  • Transportation

  • Booking Conditions


Vietnam Tourtour inclusiveInclusive :
* All accommodation on double basis in Hotel 4star with daily breakfast
* All transfers/ transports
* English speaking guide
* Airfares
* All Lunches on Tour (not in free days)
* Admission fees and permits where applicable
* Visa arrangement

 

tour exclusiveExclusive :
* Pre/post trip arrangement
* Travel insurance
* Meals not indicated
* Other personal expenses
* Tips and gratuities

 

**** Information in this itinerary was correct at the time of its preparation.
We reserves the right to make itinerary changes as operational or other circumstances require


**** Once your booking has been confirmed you will receive a detailed itinerary for this tour,
detailing day by day arrangements, as well as a predeparture
guide containing valuable information designed to
help you get the most out of your holiday

 

Vietnam Transport

 

 

TransportFor road journeys, air conditioned coasters or mini buses or car are used. These are modern, spacious, comfortable, well maintained, safe vehicles - perfect for private travel !

 

 

See the Goup Size and know what you get


* Tour Type :Private
* Vehicles Type :Car
* Group Size : 2 -3 Pax

Altis Car

----------Altis Toyota - 4seats

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* Tour Type :Private
* Vehicles Type :Van
* Group Size : 4 - 8 Pax

ford

-----------Mercedes Van - 16seats


AirwayFor airway journeys, Modern and comfortable flights and are used with Economic ticket.
**Flights in Laos we use Laos Airlines with :
- ATR42 - ATR72 : Manufactured by the Franco-Italian ATR group

**Flights in Vietnam we use :
- Vietnam Airlnies and Jetstar Ailines

** **Flights connecting betwwen Vietnam and Laos lines :
- Vietnam Airlines or Laos Airlines ; Boeing 747



Vietnam Tour Bookking Conditionbooking vietnam tour conditionBOOKING CONDITIONS

STATUS:

CONFIRMED indicated overleaf means the airline, hotel, vehicle rental or tour operator has accepted your reservation from Vietnam Royal Tourism , subject to the usual reservation conditions.

REQUEST means your arrangements have been requested although not yet confirmed. WAITLIST means that your flight, hotel or tour arrangements are currently full and your name has been placed on a waiting list. CANCELLED means your flight, hotel, vehicle rental or tour arrangements are cancelled. UNABLE means the airline, hotel or tour operator cannot meet your request.

PAYMENTS: We require an initial non-returnable deposit normally 30% of tour cost per person for the travel element of your itinerary. Additional deposits may also be required to hold "other facilities" arrangements such as hotels, car-hire, cruises and tours - all payment details will be advised at the time of booking. Any final payment is usually due until customers arrival their destinations as Vietnam , Laos or Cambodia on First Day ( Day 1 ). Bookings made within 1 month of travel require 30% payment upon confirmation. If you have booked hotel accommodation, vehicle rental, tours or any 'Other Facilities' you should refer to the booking conditions in the Vietnam Royal Tourism - brochure or where Vietnam Royal Tourism - is acting as the agent for the Tour Operator you should refer to the booking conditions contained in Tour Operator's brochure (a copy of these conditions will be given or sent to you at the time of booking).

Please note that all airfares and taxes are subject to increase until full payment is received and tickets issued it is therefore to your advantage to finalise payment as soon as you can after booking. However Government taxes additional to the fare may be imposed or increased without notice at any time up until departure date.

YOUR PEACE OF MIND:

Vietnam Royal Tourism with Vietnam Business Number ( VBN 0102032888). We hold an Travel Agent License (TAG number 0825 ) Awarded by Vietnam National Administration of Tourism. This ensures that in the very unlikely event of our insolvency you will be able to continue with your arrangements as planned (if already abroad in Vietnam , Laos, Cambodia or Thailand) or refunded in full if travel has not already commenced.
For all monies paid to Vietnam Royal Tourism - will be legally safeguarded by being held in Trust in a Vietnam Royal Tourism - Trust account, thus ensuring that in the very unlikely event of our insolvency money paid in respect of advance bookings (future travel) will be refunded in full.

EMERGENCY CONTACT:

In the event that you experience a real emergency outside of Vietnam Royal Tourism - ' normal opening hours, please contact details to us on +844 2425892 or email :vietnamroyaltourism@vnn.vn.

METHODS OF PAYMENT:

PLEASE NOTE: If you intend to mail payment details or are arranging a bank transfer you should confirm the exact amount due with your consultant.

1. PERSONAL (AND COMPANY) CHEQUES: Payment for travel arrangements may be made by personal or company cheque. Cheques should be made payable to VIETNAM ROYAL TOURISM - LTD. Please note. However, that we require SIX WORKING DAYS FOR CHEQUE CLEARANCE before tickets can be issued. It is therefore advisable to confirm with Vietnam Royal Tourism - that there is sufficient time between cheque payment and any ticketing deadline. For urgent ticketing we can usually arrange to have cheques up to US3,000 guaranteed upon payment of an extra fee determined by the value of the cheque. Foreign currency cheques are acceptable.

2. BANK AND BUILDING SOCIETY DRAFTS: These are treated as cash if received at a time when the relevant bank or building society is open and able to verify the cheque.

3. CASH: Please note we advise clients not to post cash to us. Cash are acceptable and welcome when you will made your final payment on your arrival date in Vietnam , Laos , Cambodia

4. CARDS:
We accept Visa, MasterCard . We may require written Form of Authorisation letter and Letter of Aproval for the debit from the card holder before tickets can be released. We may also require one copy paper of the credit card both side and one copy of the passport (first page) with identify and photo before tickets can be released. We may also require seeing the actual card.

5. DIRECT CREDIT/BANK TRANSFER: Payment may be made from your bank directly to our bank account at:

Account name: Vietnam Royal Tourism Co.,LTD
Account number: 4094439
Bank Name: ANZ Bank
Address: 14 Le Thai To str., Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel  : +844-38258190
Fax : +844-38258188
SWIFT Code: ANZBVNVX
Website: www.anz.com

( Recommendation using this one for citizen of New Zealand,  Australia, United Kingdom, US and Canada with small fee of bank transfer )

or other :

Account name: VIET NAM ROYAL TOURISM CO., LTD
Account number: 0011372354159
Bank Name: Bank for foreign trade of Vietnam – Operation Center
Address: 198 Tran Quang Khai str., Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel : + 844-3825 1322
Fax: +844-382 69067
SWIFT Code: BFTVVNVX001
Website: http://www.vietcombank.com.vn/en/

Vietnam Royal Tourism - must be notified of all direct bank payments. All payments must be identified by the passenger's name and booking number.

PROVISIONAL FARES:

If a fare is shown on an itinerary as being 'PROVISIONAL', this means that the airline, hotel or tour/ground operator has not confirmed the exact fare at the time of booking and any increases in cost must be met by the client.

TICKETING: Unless you notify us otherwise, your travel documents will be posted to you at the address shown overleaf, except E-tickets where your boarding pass is issued at check in on production of your passport and this Vietnam Royal Tourism - client confirmation form if requested. Air tickets cannot be posted overseas. Tickets are generally valid a maximum of one year from the date of issue. Any exception to this will be shown on your ticket.

REROUTING: As a general rule, airline tickets cannot be rerouted or transferred to another airline. All flights must be used in sequence, as booked. Failure to do so may result in cancellation of all remaining sectors and restrict any possible refund.

PASSPORT & VISA REQUIREMENTS: Please ensure that you are fully aware of all passport and visa requirements and that you allow adequate time to obtain them. We recommend that you travel with a passport that has a minimum validity of 6 months remaining at all times. This is an immigration requirement for many countries and airlines. Please check with your travel consultant if you will not have the recommended validity whilst travelling. Passports should be Machine Readable for travel via the USA. Please call our visa service if you are unsure if your passport is Machine Readable. Please call +844 24 25 892 for more details.
Visa requirements are only noted for those countries listed on your itinerary. If you intend visiting or transiting through other countries, please ensure you are fully aware of all relevant visa and passport requirements.

AIRLINE PASSENGER INFORMATION: Please note that airlines are now required by laws introduced in the United States and other countries to give border control agencies access to passenger data. Accordingly any information that the airline holds about you and your travel arrangements may be disclosed to the customs and immigration authorities of any country on your itinerary. Please contact your travel consultant if you require further information.

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS: Health facilities, hygiene and disease risks vary worldwide, you should obtain health advice on your specific needs as early as possible. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have fully complied with all health and immunisation requirements of the countries you may be visiting.

INSURANCE: Vietnam Royal Tourism - strongly recommends insurance cover whenever you travel abroad. Insurance is a must for Vietnam, as the cost of major medical treatment is prohibitive. A travel insurance policy to cover theft, loss and medical problems is the best bet


TRAVEL INSURANCE
Unfortunately things can go wrong on holiday. You could fall ill or have an accident; you could have money or luggage stolen; your visit might be cancelled or cut short through injury or illness; your family may need to fly out to be with you if there is a serious incident.
Costs - particularly medical treatment costs - can easily run into thousands of dollars. Local medical facilities are unable to provide the full range of medical services available in developed countries making evacuation a requirement in many non life threatening medical emergencies. The costs of relocation as well as local international standard care are extremely high. In the most serious emergencies, you may not be positioned to authorise payment for an appropriate medical response that is urgently required. This may delay or prevent the provision of critical and possibly life saving medical attention.
Market surveys show that many people don't take insurance. People believe that their credit card accident cover, home insurance, or private health cover is sufficient. However, it is unlikely that these will give adequate cover. If you do not already have a policy we urge you to take out insurance as soon as you make a booking with us to ensure you have adequate cancellation cover.
Know what your policy covers and check that the cover is adequate.
If in doubt ask your insurer. Your policy should cover you for the following:
The whole time that you are away, whether that is a day or a year.
Any activities and sports you might do. Some activities, such as jet skiing, are excluded from many policies. Many insurers will extend cover, if requested, otherwise shop around for a specialist policy.
The medical cover is very important. It must include cover for emergency medical treatment, hospitalisation and repatriation.
Personal liability - for injury or damage to others and their property.
Cancellation - if you have to cancel or abandon your trip. Cancellation cover should start as soon as you book your trip.
24 hour emergency assistance - if things go wrong the assistance company will help you to sort everything out.
Possessions cover, including money and documents to specified limits.
Your policy may also cover:
Personal accident - money paid on death or permanent disability.
Legal expenses - to help you pursue compensation for damages following personal injury.
Declare anything that you think might affect the cover.
Be honest - tell your insurer about current or past medical conditions. This should include the condition of those to be insured and others, such as close relatives, whose state of health may prevent you from travelling or may cause you to curtail your trip. If you don't declare you may invalidate your policy.
When you travel.
Make sure you take your policy and the 24 hour emergency phone number with you.
Make sure you know what to do in the event of a problem.
Some insurance companies insist that you call their assistance company as soon as possible after a problem arises.
If anything does happen make sure you keep as much paperwork as possible - tickets, receipts, medical bills, police reports etc - to help prove that what you're claiming for actually happened.

CANCELLATIONS/AMENDMENTS/REFUNDS:

It is important that you are fully aware of the cancellation and administrative charges relating to your contract with Vietnam Royal Tourism - .
The circumstances surrounding cancellations and refunds vary greatly. The following general conditions are as simple as the complex problem permits and makes allowance for the work carried out by Vietnam Royal Tourism - on behalf of clients. Should you for any reason have to cancel your booking; the person making the original arrangements must give us written notice of cancellation.

In certain cases cancellation charges, if incurred involuntarily, will be covered by insurance taken out at the time of booking. This is strongly recommended.

AMENDMENTS:

Any change of itinerary before receipt of full payment on any particular ticket(s) will be termed an amendment. An amendment fee of up to $US 100 per change will be levied according to the amount of work involved. Changes to hotel accommodation, vehicle rental, tours and other travel arrangements will incur extra charges. Please refer to the relevant Vietnam Royal Tourism - brochure or where Vietnam Royal Tourism - is acting as the agent for the tour operator, you should refer to the booking conditions contained in the tour operator's brochure. Any change of itinerary after receipt of full payment on any tickets will be subject to applicable cancellation conditions. Please note that it will not be possible for our Travel Centres in Vietnam to assist with changes to the routing of your airline ticket. All such enquiries must always be made directly with the relevant airline. Vietnam Royal Tourism - may be able to assist in changing your dates, subject to the conditions of your ticket and flight availability; however, fees from $US 30 per change apply, over and above any airline fees detailed on your booking form. These date changes may also be made directly with the airline. Amendments to hotel and tour bookings made in the Vietnam and Laos, Cambodia may be made through our Travel Centres in Vietnam. However, at least 7 days notice is required and all amendments are subject to availability. Cancellations or amendments made within 30 days will incur two night's cancellation fee per hotel as per the conditions detailed in our Tailor-made Indochina. A minimum fee of US$25 per hotel or tour booking will apply to amendments made outside 28 days. Our Travel Centres in Vietnam will be delighted to assist with additional flights and selected hotels together with local tours whilst travelling Vietnam. Please call in or telephone.

AIRLINE RESERVATION & TICKET CANCELLATION:

For all confirmed bookings cancelled before receipt of full payment on any particular ticket(s), the booking deposit is forfeit. For cancellation after receipt of full payment, cancellation charges as stated overleaf will apply. Please note cancellation charges of 10% per ticket or $US100 per ticket, whichever is the greater, will apply to any cancelled tickets not specifically covered under the cancellation conditions overleaf. On any fixed dated ticket there is a 100% cancellation charge if part used, or if the reservation is not cancelled prior to the first flight. Please note that it is your responsibility to advise airlines if you do not wish to travel on a flight booked. Failure to do so can result in the cancellation of onward flights and the forfeit of any ticket refund.
Please note all flight cancellations must be notified in writing to Vietnam Royal Tourism - prior to the day of departure.

 

HOTEL/VEHICLE RENTAL/TOUR/OTHER TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS:

CANCELLATION

If you have booked hotel accommodation, vehicle rental, tours or any other travel arrangements and you cancel your reservation, you should refer to the booking conditions in the Vietnam Royal Tourism - brochure or, where Vietnam Royal Tourism - is acting as the agent for the tour operator, you should refer to the booking conditions contained in the tour operator's brochure. Reservations are non-transferable.

AIRLINE TICKET REFUNDS:

Tickets returned will be presented to the airline for assessment. As soon as we receive a refund from the issuing airline, we will forward it to you less any cancellation or administration charge. Please note that refunds for part-used/return halves of tickets are always less than the pro-rata rate and may have no refund value whatsoever. Refunds usually take 8-12 weeks but in isolated cases may take longer. Refunds will be processed via the original method of payment, except for cash transactions where refunds will be provided by cheque. Tickets returned more than one year from date of issue are classed as expired by the airline and generally have no refund value at all. If tickets are lost or stolen, certain airlines will not issue duplicates. New tickets may then have to be purchased locally, at the focal fare. Even if replacement tickets are purchased, certain airlines will not issue refunds for lost/stolen tickets. A delay of up to 18 months is possible before we receive authority from the airline to make any refund. Vietnam Royal Tourism - applies a further $US25 per ticket administration fee over and above cancellation charges in such cases.

Please ensure that any tickets returned to Vietnam Royal Tourism - are sent by registered post.

REFUNDS:

No refunds are given for partly used vouchers. In all circumstances please refer to the booking conditions in the Vietnam Royal Tourism - brochure or, where Vietnam Royal Tourism - is acting as the agent for the tour operator, please refer to the booking conditions contained in the tour operator's brochure.

AIRLINE RESERVATIONS:

All flight reservations are subject to seat availability of the relevant booking class, which at certain times may be limited. Any alterations you may wish to make to a confirmed itinerary after departure from your country should be addressed to the airline as soon as possible. Airline reservations are non-transferable.

CARRIAGE BY AIR:

Carriage by air is subject to the terms and conditions of the carrier with whom you travel and to international conventions, which may limit liability. Transport timings and routings are provided by the airlines and other carriers concerned. They are subject to change as a result of air traffic control restrictions, weather conditions, operational/maintenance requirements and the requirement for passengers to check in on time, over which Vietnam Royal Tourism - has no control. We cannot make any special arrangements for you if you are delayed since such matters are at the sole discretion of the airline concerned.

FLIGHT RECONFIRMATIONS:

Please reconfirm all onward flight reservations with the relevant airline at least 72 hours prior to departure. In addition, it is important to establish if there have been any changes to your flight timings since leaving your country. Failure to do so may result in cancellation of your reservation. Unless Vietnam Royal Tourism - advises you to reconfirm the first flight out of your country there is no need to do so.

TAXES:

Vietnam Royal Tourism - will advise of all mandatory pre-paid taxes. Most countries also charge departure taxes that may only be paid locally. It is therefore recommended that clients retain sufficient local currency to meet such charges. For further details please enquire directly with the airline.

SEAT REQUEST (AIRLINES) SPECIAL REQUEST (HOTELS):

Where airline policy allows, Vietnam Royal Tourism - is happy to request pre-allocated seating and other special service requests. We are also happy to make any special requests in respect of your hotel accommodation. Please note however that unless specifically confirmed by Vietnam Royal Tourism - all such requests will never be guaranteed and form no part of your contract with Vietnam Royal Tourism .

BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE: If you are unsure of the baggage allowance on the flights you have booked please contact your consultant or the relevant airline.

PHOTOGRAPHIC IDENTIFICATION: Some countries require that photographic
ID is carried at all times. Vietnam Royal Tourism - recommends that passports be carried whenever flying.

COMPLAINTS:

If you have a problem during your holiday, please inform the relevant airline, hotel, tour operator or other supplier immediately so that they can endeavor to put things right. If they cannot resolve the problem, you must contact one of Vietnam Royal Tourism - ' Vietnam Travel Centres immediately by telephone or fax so that we are given an opportunity to help. Vietnam Royal Tourism - will not hold themselves responsible for the non-performance of an itinerary through causes beyond their control or when they are not notified of a problem at the point when remedial action can be taken. In the unlikely event that a complaint cannot be resolved at the time, you should write to us within 90 days of returning home, giving your original booking reference number and all other relevant information. If you fail to take any of these steps this will hinder our ability to put any problem right and/or investigate it fully and any right you may have to receive compensation will be reduced or completely invalidated.

TRAVELLING IN LAOS AND CAMBODIA: If you have a problem whilst travelling in Laos or Cambdia please follow our complaints procedure as detailed above, rather than in the first instance contacting one of our Travel Centres in Vietnam. This will enable us to attend to your complaint in the most effective manner. The Vietnam Royal Tourism - Vietnam 24 hour emergency number is +844 2425892 or +84 9888 23458.

YOUR HOLIDAY CONTRACT:


These booking conditions form part of your contract with Vietnam Royal Tourism - . This contract and matters arising from it are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Please note differing terms and conditions may apply between you and the vehicle rental company/tour operator or airline involved in providing these travel arrangements. A copy of the applicable terms can be requested by contacting Vietnam Royal Tourism - in writing


take vietnam tripSee How we take care of your trip

You are here: