Mu Cang Chai’s terraced fields in harvest season

VietNamNet Bridge – Photographers flock to Mu Cang Chai district in the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai--in the harvest season to grasp incredible moments of the terraced fields.

Mu Cang Chai is about 300km away from Hanoi, to the northwest. The location has been closer and more famous for domestic and overseas travelers. Overseas backpackers and photographers usually tramp to Yen Bai just to witness the terraced fields, enjoy fresh air, taking nice and splendid photos.

September and October are the finest months in Mu Cang Chai and also the most attractive month to tourists and travelers.

The rice terraced fields of Mu Cang Chai have been recognized as a national heritage site.

Hoang Hac

Vietnamese businesses run a race for the right to distribute super-cars

VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese car trade companies are running a race to become the official Vietnamese distributors of some famous car brands which still do not have showrooms in Vietnam.

The result of the race for the right to distribute Toyota’s Lexus brand cars proves to be the most awaiting now in Vietnam. Though the door is opened widely to all Toyota Vietnam’s existing agents, it is not easy to catch the eye of the brand’s owner.

According to a car dealer, in order to become an official distributor for famous brands, agents must have the retail premises of no less than 3500 square meters which needs to be located on the roads, where the showrooms of other car brands are situated. Also, distributors need to have modern equipment and material facilities that serve and sale and marketing, worth up to hundreds of billions of dong.

“In general, it is not easy to satisfy the requirements set by the car brands’ owners,” he said. Especially, he said, the existing agents of Toyota Vietnam may have to join forces with other parents in order to satisfy the requirements.

“It will not happen that the existing agents of Toyota can display Lexus cars at their showrooms. Lexus distributors must set up completely new showrooms which can meet the strict requirements, like all other Lexus showrooms all over the world,” Thoi bao Kinh te Vietnam quoted a source from Toyota Vietnam as saying.

However, Vietnamese businesses still cherish the ambitious plans to become the official agents of Lexus. Obtaining the right to open showrooms and provide maintenance services for Lexus brand is considered by the business circle as a “good deal”, because to date, Lexus still has not had any official showroom.

Unofficial statistics showed that in 2007-2010, about 5700 cars with Lexus brand were imported to Vietnam, the number which was higher than any number of imports of any super-car brands. The figure shows the fat profit businessmen would be able to make when becoming the official distributors of Lexus. Especially, money will not only come from the sale of brand new cars, but also from maintenance services.

In general, the owners of Lexus cars are high income earners, and they will not regret their money being spent on the genuine services provided by the manufacturer.

Thoi bao Kinh te Vietnam has quoted its sources as saying that the selection of official distributors for Lexus may complete by the end of the year. However, it will take one year more to complete the construction and installation of material facilities for the showroom. If so, the brand will only be able to make its official presence in Vietnam by early 2013, with two showrooms to be opened in Hanoi and HCM City.

Besides Lexus, other luxury car brands are also moving ahead in the competition to expand their market share in Vietnam, a newly emerging attractive market. When introducing the Audi A7 Sportback in late August, Tran Tan Trung, General Director of Lien A International, the official distributor of Audi in Vietnam, said that 223 Audis were sold in 2010, while the figure is expected to be double this year.

In early 2011, Laurent Genet, General Director of A Chau Company, the official Audi importer, told the press that after three years of doing business in Vietnam, nearly 300 Audis were sold from October 2008 to the end of 2010, with the sales of the next year double that of the previous year.

The competition for scrambling for clients is getting stiffer among the car brands from Germany such as Audi, BMW, and Mercedes or Lexus.

A director of a company which trades German cars has revealed that the company is considering the measures to compete with Lexus.

“Lexus would be a big name in the market segment of products worth less than 100,000 dollars. However, things will be different in the market segment of the more-valuable products. In the world, German cars are still more favored,” he said.

He went on to say that in the US market, which is considered the “battle field” of Lexus, Lexus cars also had to struggle with German brand cars.

Source: TBKTVN

European Commission proposes financial transaction tax

The tax would be levied on all transactions on financial instruments between financial institutions when at least one party to the transaction is located in the EU.
The exchange of shares and bonds would be taxed at a rate of 0.1 percent and derivative contracts, at a rate of 0.01 percent.
“Today I am putting before you a very important text that if implemented may generate a revenue of above 55 billion euros per year,” said European Commission President Barroso in his 2011 State of the Union address Wednesday in Strasburg, France.
The revenues of the tax would be shared between the European Union (EU) and its member states. Part of the tax would be used as an EU own resource, as anticipated in the bloc 2014-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). This would partly reduce national contributions.
The FTT would ensure that the financial sector makes a fair contribution at a time of fiscal consolidation. The financial sector played a role in the origins of the economic crisis and yet it is currently under-taxed by comparison to other sectors.
By proposing a financial transaction tax at EU level first, the commission intends to be in a position to promote such a tax at global level in the framework of the G20.
The commission has discussed the introduction of a financial transaction since 2009 on several occasions in the G20 (Pittsburgh and Toronto).
With the support of the current French Presidency of the G20, the introduction of a financial transaction tax at global level could be on the table at the next G20 summit in Cannes on November 3 and 4 this year.
“I am confident that our partners in the G20 will see their interest in following this path,” commented Commissioner for Taxation, Customs, Anti-fraud and Audit, Algirdas Semeta, in Strasburg on Wednesday.
As for the FTT implementation in the EU, the proposal now needs to be discussed and agreed unanimously in the European Council, following the opinion of the European Parliament.
The commission proposed that the tax should come into effect from January 1, 2014.
VietNamNet/Xinhuanet

Project to develop straw souvenirs for tourists

A project focused on developing rice straw-woven products aimed at tourists was recently set in place by the Scientific Union for Sustainable Tourism Development (STD).

In July, the STD collaborated with the Duong Lam Commune women's union and the relic management unit in introducing the potential of straw-woven products such as roosters, dolls, hats and boots to local residents.

Union President Nguyen Thu Hanh said: "To date, village products have been of a very poor standard. It has been our task to instruct residents in how to develop and design quality souvenirs woven from straw, both popularising the destination and helping in locals increase their incomes."

Duong Thi Lan, vice chairwoman of the commune women's union, expressed her support for the project, saying that local people used to have the tendency of burning straw and so polluting the environment.

"Duong Lam has its own materials and market. Everyone here is extremely keen on making things work out and finding sufficient sponsorship to benefit the maximum amount of people."

After being recognised as a national architectural relic in 2005, Duong Lam Commune has drawn many tourists, who have found buying keepsakes a rather arduous task.

According to veteran tour guide Pham Hoang Tuan, most visitors are attracted by the laterite architecture and ancient houses, there being no typical tourism product except for typical north Vietnamese cuisine.

Relic management deputy chief Nguyen Trong An, agreeing with Tuan, said that monotonous products have served as a barrier to the ancient village becoming one of the most attractive tourism spots in the country.

VNA

General procedure for Vietnam visa application

STEP 1: Send us your personal information as follows

- Full name
- Gender
- Date of birth
- Nationality
- Passport No. (Valid at least six months)
- Date of arrival
- Port of arrival: Noi Bai (Hanoi), Tan Son Nhat (Ho Chi Minh City) or Danang.
- Length of stay (one month for tourist visa).
- Place where you would like to get your visa (Name the capital or city where the most convenient Vietnam Embassy or Consulate are located in your country) Or you can download application form here. Then fill in this form and send to us.

STEP 2: Send us your personal information as follows

Confirm the information for processing your visa and pay the service fee.
- We will send you a confirmation email stating that we have received your Vietnam visa request. If you dont receive our email, please contact us by live support or confirm your information in your request (email address, phone number)
- Please read the payment guidelines before paying the service fee
- We will submit the information to the Vietnam Immigration Office in Vietnam to get the approval letter for you.

STEP 3: Get your approval letter

Vietnam Immigration Office will issue an Approval letter.
- For Visa Approval letter: After two (2) working days, the Vietnam Immigration Office will issue an Approval letter. This approval letter will be sent simultaneously to us and to the Vietnamese embassy or Consulate in your country.
- For the Visa on arrival service: After two (2) working days, the Vietnam Immigration Office will issue an Approval letter. This original Approval letter will be sent to us and simultaneously fax to the Immigration Department on your arrival at the airport in Vietnam. Then we will send a copy of the Visa Approval letter (via email or fax) to you before you take a flight to Vietnam. You just have to print it out and bring it to Vietnam.

STEP 4: Get the stamp (for your visa)

- For Visa Approval letter: You just take your Visa Approval letter with your original passport to Vietnam embassy or consulate in your country to get the Visa stamp. You have to pay the visa stamping fee. This visa stamping fee might be different between countries.
- For Visa on-arrival service: you just show the Visa Approval letter TWICE: to the airlines in your country when you check in, and to the Immigration officer at the Vietnams airport upon arrival to get the visa stamp. You are then required to fill out the visa form, attach photos and pay the visa stamping fee (see the visa stamping fee) to the Immigration officer.

Note: Please remember to bring along two (2) photos. Following is the list of regulations regarding passport-style photographs:
- Photographs must be 2x2 inches in size, identical, taken within the past 6 months.
- The image size from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head should be between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches.
- The photographs may be in color or black and white.
- They must be full face, front view with a plain white or off-white background.
- Photographs should be taken in normal street attire, without a hat or headgear that obscures the hair or hairline.
- Uniforms should not be worn in photographs with the exception of religious attire which is worn daily.
- If prescription glasses, a hearing device, wig or similar articles are normally and consistently worn, they should be worn when the picture is taken.
- Dark glasses or nonprescription glasses with tinted lenses are not acceptable unless required for medical reasons. A medical certificate may be required to support the wearing of such glasses in the photographs.

What is the "visa approval letter"?

"Visa approval letter" is the letter issued by Vietnam Immigration Department (Vietnam government ) that allows you to enter and exit Vietnam for a given period. With the approval letter you can get your visa at one of the three international airports in Vietnam

Getting Vietnam Visa Made Easy

For those who would like to avoid the perhaps lengthening visa procedures with their local Vietnam's Embassies, the service of Vietnam Visa on arrival is available for help. It is legitimated and supported by the Vietnamese Immigration Department. We recommend that you choose visa upon arrival, as picking up visa at the Vietnam int'l airport is quite simple, easy, no additional charges and no fail.