Vietnam news in brief - February 7

Thailand, Vietnam to work on visa-free entry for EU visitors

Thailand is seeking consensus with Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia to waive entry visas for incoming tourists from European Union member states, local newspaper The Nation reported on February 5. The idea is to boost the four countries' tourism sectors.

Vietnam began issuing electronic visas to tourists from around the world on August 15, 2023, with the validity period raised from 30 days to 90 days. The government also increased the visa exemption period from 15 days to 45 days for tourists from 13 countries and territories, including Germany, France, Italy, and Spain.

Geopolitical tensions could make Vietnam's exports less competitive

Hanoi-produced garment exports. Photo: Hoai Nam/The Hanoi Times

Tensions in the Red Sea could undermine the competitiveness of Vietnamese exports to Europe and America, according to Tran Thanh Hai, deputy director of the Foreign Trade Agency at the Ministry of Industry and Trade. He said on February 6 that shipping companies may change their routes and it may take 10-15 days longer than usual for Vietnamese exports to reach their destinations.

The negative effects include higher shipping costs, a shortage of empty containers, longer transport time, and effects by the global economy.

49% of Vietnamese over the age of 55 fall victim to online scams: Google survey

Some 49% of Vietnamese over the age of 55 have fallen victim to online scams, according to an online safety survey conducted by Google. More than 1,248 internet users in Vietnam took part in the survey to mark World Safer Internet Day 2024. On the day, Google partnered with the Information Security Authority under the Ministry of Information and Communications to release a video guide older people on how to identify and protect themselves from online scams.

The online safety guide and other reference materials are made available for free at  https://safety.google/intl

Vietnam's car market to see steepest decline in SEA

According to the ASEAN Automotive Federation (AAF), Vietnam experienced the largest decline in the region in 2023 at 25%. The report states that the seven major markets in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore and Myanmar, sold a total of more than 3.35 million vehicles, down 2.1% from 2022. 

Vietnam's automotive market experienced a turbulent year in 2023, with sales falling significantly compared to the record milestone of over 500,000 vehicles in 2022.

Electronic toll collection tested at Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat airports

Tan Son Nhat International Airport and Terminal 1 of Noi Bai International Airport tested the use of electronic toll collection (ETC) for vehicles entering the two airports on February 6. Each airport will dedicate one of its lanes for the test, hoping to speed up the collection of parking fees and reduce traffic congestion at the airport entrances.

Vehicle owners who already have an ETC account for national highways will not need to affix additional tags or complete other procedures, thanks to the synchronous integration of these systems.

Vietnam's import-export revenue up over 13% in January

State budget revenue from import-export activities reached VND30.6 trillion (US$1.26 billion) in January, up 13.2% year-on-year, according to the General Department of Customs.

The agency also reported that exports in January 2024 reached US$33.6 billion, increasing by 42% from the same month last year.