Vietnam top news 2004
  1. Bird flu killed hundreds of thousands chickens from Long An to Ha Tay from last days of 2003. CP breeding farm in Ha Tay killed all their chickens had showed the best hygenic practice while other farmers still tried to sell their sick chickens. Chicken consumption fell 30% just before Tet holidays.
  2. Flu type A spread in the north, killing 9 of 11 infected patients (one adult). This type A virus was identified by WHO experts as H5N1 similar to virus causing bird (avian) flu.
  3. Ha Noi partly cleaned Hoan Kiem lake from mud and rubish, 9 Jan, then filled water in to compensate for the worst draught in years. It was discovered that the lake became only 0.9m deep.
  4. Party Central Committee 12 Jan reprimanded 4 members: Mr. Le Huy Ngo, minister of MARD, for involving in La Thi Kim Oanh fraud case; Mr. Vu Trong Kim, secretary of Quang Tri for damaging party unity in the province, Mr. Ksor Phuoc for not being able to solve ethnic disturbances in Gia Lai, Mr. Nguyen Tuan Minh for covering Vicarent car smuggling case. La Thi Kim Oanh got death sentence in April.
  5. Former vice president of Saigon regime, gen. Nguyen Cao Ky made a trip to visit homeland. He enjoyed Tet in Saigon then visited Hanoi and his hometown Son Tay.
  6. Mr. Luong Quoc Dung, vice chairman of National Sport Committee, was caught having sex with a 13 year-old girl. The rumour spread before Tet and was confirmed in February.
  7. 5 March Vietnam and Laos signed visa exemption agreement effective 1/7/04.
  8. 27 March Prof. Ton That Bach, borned 1946, a famous surgeon, died of heart attack.
  9. Police and traffic officials launched a campaignon 1 April to put trans-provincial bus services in order after quite a number of passengers were beaten, one to death by owners of "prison rice shop".
  10. Thousands of ethnic people in Daklak and Gia Lai gathered in provincial capitals on 10 and 11 April. They clashed with police and Viet shopkeepers, 2 dead, dozens wounded.
  11. Minister of Agriculture Le Huy Ngo submitted resignation request, the first ever minister did so. The National Assembly meeting in May approved in a vote first of such kind in NA history.
  12. General Vo Nguyen Giap visited the battle field of Dien Bien Phu in April to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu (7 May 1954-2004).
  13. Election to three levels of people's councils took place 26 April. Chairman of People's Committee of Quang Binh province failed in the election.
  14. The Government subsidied petrol to maintain super A92 at 6000 dongs (total petrol subsidies would reach 17,000,000,000,000 VND by year end). At the border with China and Cambodia petrol out-smuggling prospered.
  15. Vietnam and China signed agreement on Tonkin gulf (vinh Bac Bo) deliniation in June (date ?) National Assembly endorsed in June.
  16. 19/6 price of petrol A92 was raised to 7000 dongs/litre. More increases expected if world's price would reach stable price over 50 USD/barrel.
  17. Vietnam abandons visa requirement for Japanese and Korean tourists, 1/7.
  18. New Land Law becomes effective 1 July. No changes were observed on the property market.
  19. About 880,000 participated in the centralized university entry exams.
  20. Traffic police in Hochiminh City strengthened the check of helmet rules by preventing non-helmet riders from entering highways. Hanoi followed the move by 1 August with strict measures of confiscating motor bikes for 10-15 days.
  21. Hai Phong City faced a solid waste disaster when villagers blocked the access road to the landfill 7-15 Agust.
  22. Bird flu killed three people in Vietnam.
  23. Police arrested deputy head (L.V. Thang) and one official of Export import Dept. of the Ministry of trade for receiving bribes while distributing export quota to US. The selling of import-export quota by corrupted super-rich officials has been well-known by all population for more than 15 years but this is the first arrest related to the issue. Minister Tuyen denied any involvement and said "not aware of" things that even a street vendor knew. Vice minister Mai Van Dau was arrested in November.
  24. 1 Oct. the average salary for government officials increased 30% in a four year plan for salary reform. The increased costed 20,000 billion VND for the state budget.
  25. 1 Oct. Hang Dao, Hang Ngang became pedestrial streets between 7pm-10pm.
  26. Hanoi hosted the ASEM 5 meeting 7-8 Oct. Delegates from thirty eight member countries including many heads of state (France, China, Germany...) and minister level. 78 brand new Mercedes and a hundred of Hyundai cars were rented for the event. Hanoi government offices closed for 2 days to ease the traffic. The event was highly evaluated by most of the delegates.
  27. A Vietnamese student, 20 year old Vu Anh Tuan, was killed by skinheads in Saint Peterbourg. Russial authorities again failed to prosecute the skinheads.
  28. ATI Petroleum, Petronas, Singaporian Petroleum, Petro Vietnam association declared struck oil in Yen Tu block, Tonkin (Bac Bo) gulf, reserve estimated of 780 million barrel sweet light crude and 10 billion cubic meters of gas, 19 Oct.
  29. World Economic Forum (WEF) down graded the Growth Competitiveness Index of Vietnam to 77/104, down 17 steps from 60/104 in 2003.
  30. Central Highlands suffered sever drought, the raining season ended too early in October.
  31. Typhoon Mujfa missed Ca Mau to the south. Heavy rains caused floods in Quang Tri to Quang Ngai province, 33 dead, 25-28 November.
  32. EU abolished import quota for Vietnamese textile and garment products.
  33. First petroleum gas urea fertilizer plant owned by Petro Vietnam inagurated in Phu My.
  34. GDP growth reached 7.6% vs 2003. 2.9 million foreign tourists arrived. Foreign investment recorded at 4 billion USD. Export grew 28% and reached 26 billion USD.  Inflation stood at 9.5% due to price increase of petrol, food and medicine.

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