Tieng Viet lovers club

[jackbl]

Cheating foreign tourists is not particular, says tourism official
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VietNamNet Bridge – The vice chief of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) said that the media has reported many forms of swindling against tourists, so Matt Kepnes’article entitled “Why I'll never return to Vietnam” on the Huffington Post (USA) is not an exception. However, the tourism industry has to learn experience from it to better serve tourists.


“Why I'll never return to Vietnam” by blogger Matt Kepnes, writing about his trip to Vietnam, was posted on Huffington Post on December 30, 2011. The author stated: “After my experience there in 2007, I'll never go back to that country. Never, ever, ever. A business trip or a girlfriend may force me there in the future, but for as long as I can see down the road, I'll never touch down again in that country.”

Explaining his statement, Kepnes recalled his tour to Vietnam several years ago. According to him, street sellers constantly tried to overcharge him and did not give back the proper change; the cabbie rigged his meter, those who sell T-shirts in Hoi An tried to keep him in their store until he bought something; the tour boat on Ha Long bay did not have water etc.Vu The Binh, Chairman of the Vietnam Travel Association, said that Kepnes’ comments are normal because each country has good and bad things. However, all opinions must be respected and considered carefully.

“It is no problem because there are always different views about tourist sites. Vietnamese people often prefer compliments than criticism. We need to be gradually familiar to criticism to mend our ways. This article is not so worrying but it is the alarming bell that reminds tourism service providers to correct,” Binh said.

According to him, the story of Kepnes is partly true and part of it is overstatement. However, the tourism sector needs to deal with phenomena like robbery, hygiene and environment, street sellers who pursue tourists. Tourist services must be controlled closely so that foreign tourists will only consider the above phenomena unpopular.

Binh said that tourism industry has developed in many locations but the people’s awareness of tourism is still poor and tourism culture has not been formed, resulted in overcharging and cheating behaviors. Local authorities have to learn from experience and take measures to address this situation.

Doan Thanh Tra, from Saigontourist, said that Vietnam has changed a lot since 2007, when Kepnes traveled Vietnam. However, what he experienced still exists in some places, even in big cities.

Tra said that Kepnes’ comments may make many foreign tourists dislike Vietnam tourism but it urges Vietnam to look back on its tourism. “Whenever Vietnamese people still think that tourism development is the job of the state and someone else, not themselves, they will still treat tourists based on their personal interests,” she said.

Nguyen Manh Cuong, Vice chief of VNAT, said that the media has reported various forms of swindling against tourists. The story by Kepnes, therefore, is not an exception. Cheating visitors is alarming.

“The top solution of Vietnam’s tourism industry now is raising responsibility of local governments,” Cuong said, citing that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has recently asked Khanh Hoa province to deal with swindling taxi services and improve hygiene and environment.

Cuong said that the story may make adverse impacts on Vietnam tourism but the tourism sector must learn from it to improve service quality.

Le Ha

[jackbl]

51岁男子涉嫌花500元，夺走17岁雏妓的初夜，被控上法庭。

这起事件发生在去年11月5日的傍晚，地点是靠近芽笼路一带的丽明旅店。

男子许宏泰（自雇人士），面对两项控状，指他两度与一名年仅17岁的越南雏妓发生性关系。

与未满18岁男女有性交易，属违法行为将受罚

[vietboy]

Originally Posted by zhu star

A biet roi A kg bao gio yeu cau ah trai cua ah de di uong bia? :

Originally Posted by jackbl

What are u writing????

Maybe he asking for translations but he forgot to write it in.

[jackbl]

Tourist ripped off in Ha Long
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A Thai tourist has been forced to pay VND10 million (around US$500) for a 6-kg fish at a fishing village in Ha Long Bay, northern Quang Ninh Province.

Kasilod Wuttichai from Thailand visited Ha Long Bay, a popular tourist site in Vietnam, with the excitement of exploring a new country.

After the boat carrying him stopped at the Ba Hang fishing village where many tourists like to visit, Kasilod and some friends went to a fishing craft for sightseeing. He caught a fish and told the owner that he wanted to buy it without asking the price first.

The owner told Kasilod that the fish he chose cost VND1.8 million per kg and weighed a total 6 kg.

As the result, he was forced to pay more than VND10 million (US$500).

“I told them I don’t want it any more, but they force me to buy it because they already beat the fish’s head to death,” Kasilod told Tuoi Tre.

After being informed about the scam, Nguyen Dang Truong, chief of Quang Ninh’s market management, reassured that during the Tet holiday from January 16 to 30, the price was very stable in the market and he had yet to receive any information about the rip-off at local fishing crafts.

However, he also warned tourists to be careful.

He said tourists should ask fishing craft owners to show the marked price first before deciding to buy anything.

In case they are ripped off, tourists should keep the receipts and notify authorities of the violation via hot-lines.

[zhu star]

Originally Posted by jackbl

What are u writing????

Oooooph!!!! wrong thread

[SING_IN_HCMC]

Originally Posted by jackbl

Your nickname is Singaporean in HCMC. U got more exposure to Tieng Viet... must be better than me what....

A basic vietnamese phrase book that I bought on the street near to Cho Ben Thanh "Lonely Planet phasebooks - Vietnamese, with 3500-word two way dictionary" seems not bad....

I got the same book. Imitation one. Not bad, now look like kiam chye liao.

[naemlo]

Originally Posted by SING_IN_HCMC

I got the same book. Imitation one. Not bad, now look like kiam chye liao.

NNKC, welcome back to SBF.

[jackbl]

Originally Posted by SING_IN_HCMC

I got the same book. Imitation one. Not bad, now look like kiam chye liao.

Cos u got study thats why it becomes kiam chye... no wonder ur tieng viet improved.... Hope others will follow ur hardworking style

[jackbl]

It’s not about the money
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Dear readers,

It is good to talk to you again after a long holiday.

This week, we had several interesting stories to warm you up on a back-to-work week.

On Monday, Tuoi Tre reader Long Phi found it frustrating to receive candies instead of proper change. Paying for a newspaper and coffee in one morning, Long Phi received 3 candies instead of VND1,500.

He said many do not care or dare ask for their small change like VND500 or VND1,000 to avoid the seller’s grumpy reaction and save face. However, asking for and taking your change is a way to save money in the long run.

“Many foreigners in Vietnam ask for change and do not hesitate to wait for VND500 from sellers. You may find this strange, wondering why foreigners are so stingy. However, the more you think about it, the more you will realize that it is an interesting way to save money for one’s self and society, as small change will add up to big surplus,” found Long Phi.

They can easily add up to VND20,000 (US$1), a small sum to many people but a big fortune to reader Duyen Ha, who ran out of gas in the middle of the night while still 10km away from his house and got unexpected help from some complete stranger.

“She slipped the note into my pocket before quickly riding away. I could not say anything and could see them disappearing in the distance. Suddenly I felt happy knowing there are still so many good people around,” wrote Duyen Ha.

A year before that, Duyen Ha also gave VND20,000 to a young student he did not know so she could fill up her bike. He just gave and did not expect to get it back. But eventually, the 20,000 dong note found its way back to him when he most needed it.

This week, a group of 19 expats started to cycle from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City as part of a charity ride. While many prefer donating money to help needy people, these bikers, who have already raised US$25,000 for Vietnamese charities, chose to spend a month riding across the country for a good cause.

As you see, money is involved in several stories this week but it is not an end but rather a means for us to learn lessons about saving, humanity and sharing.

[jackbl]

Originally Posted by SING_IN_HCMC

I got the same book. Imitation one. Not bad, now look like kiam chye liao.

The "Lonely Planet phasebooks - Vietnamese, with 3500-word two way dictionary" can also be found in IPhone. It's called Lonely Planet iPhone phrasebook - Vietnamese. When u click a word/phrase, there will be audio.

[jackbl]

Restaurants offering striptease to be suspended
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On Tuesday (Jan 31), Pham Thanh Kien, Vice Chairman of District 1 People’s Committee, confirmed the district’s administration has steered subordinate governments to crackdown on the illegal services at the striptease restaurants this month.

The official made the decision right after several articles on Vietnamese ladies offering beer bathing and other nude services to foreigners were printed in Tuoi Tre newspaper.

He said besides strengthening inspections, and education, local authorities had other “special” methods to stop the violations. Restaurants that repeat the offences several times will have their investment licenses revoked.

The District 1 People’s Committee will propose that the city Department of Planning and Investment withdraw licenses of the violating restaurants. Those who offer services that violate criminal law will be prosecuted, Kien said.

The district administration will also inspect the premises of enterprises offering sensitive services in the locality and the spaces will be reclaimed if they are leased from State agencies. The district will encourage citizens who have their property rented to such restaurants not to renew their contracts.

Kien said the District 1 People’s Committee often asks its subordinate wards, especially Ben Nghe, Pham Ngu Lao, and Ben Thanh, to regularly inspect and close enterprises offering sensitive services.

With huge profits, the “businesses” resume operations successfully soon after they are suspended or closed down, Kien complained.

“Despite this complicated situation, we are determined to deal with the violated restaurants this month,” he added.

According to the municipal department of Culture, Sport and Tourism, last year, teams have inspected 230 enterprises that offer entertainment services in the city and found 220 cases in violation.

The city People’s Committee has released 179 official penalty letters, with the sum of fines reaching VND6 billion (US$286,000). Inspectors from the department also collected VND240 million (US$11,400) as punishment for the enterprises.

Common violations include operating without a license, offering obscene entertainment services and prostitution activities.

Inter-sector inspectorates on culture and society in the city have conducted several inspections of the restaurants that offer sensitive services. All enterprises that were inspected were found with violations.

According to Le Van Quy, deputy head of the Ho Chi MInh City Social Evils Prevention Division, restaurants with secluded rooms for karaoke singing served by young ladies dressed in extremely short skirts in District 1 and 3, are totally invested in by foreigners, mostly Korean and Japanese. They ask Vietnamese to represent them on the investment licenses, Quy said.

Between April and September last year, inspectors looked into 13 similar restaurants and posted VND609 million ($29,000) in fines for operating without licenses, organizing prostitution and obscene activities.

Keep operating

One of the inspectors said the penalty handed to the violators could be vividly compared as a grain of salt released into the ocean. Several restaurants were found and fined for different kinds of violations but the same violations were also discovered in further inspections a few days afterward.

Club 1102, one of the biggest bars in the city, which is equipped with wide screen, high capacity speakers, serves and “entertains” guests through the night long. When the inspection team arrived, it was 3AM. There were more than 100 customers drinking brandy under dim lights there.

No one admitted to the inspectors that the bar sold brandy and showed the brandy cellar concealed elsewhere in the bar. Hours later, the inspection team discovered a Limousine parked by the side of the Club 1102 building.

The luxurious car was full of brandy.. The official seized 19 packages of brandy, excluding hundreds of empty or half-used bottles. According to regulations, no bar or restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City is allowed to operate after midnight. However, several restaurants open their doors till 2 or 3AM despite the penalties handed out by local authorities.

The Mai Trinh 1 and 2 restaurants in Binh Tan District’s Binh Tri Dong B Ward, which was opened in July 2009 registered with the city’s department of Planning and Investment to operate as a common restaurant and sell machines and electronic equipment.

Between 2009 and 2010, relevant authorities in the district fined the restaurants’ owner VND45 million (US$2,142) for their violation. However the restaurants keep operating well.

The Binh Tan District’s police have proceeded against the restaurants’ owner for “illegal trading”. On December 9th 2010, Binh Tan District’s People’s Court decided to fine the restaurants VND30 million (US$1,400).

In November last year, the inspection team formed by officials from culture and social sectors discovered Mai Trinh 1 restaurant offering obscene services. The district’s People’s Committee decided to fine its owner VND32.1 million (US$1,523).

In spite of penalties from local authorities, the two restaurants still operate well and several pretty young girls are ready to offer beer bathing and striptease services.

[jackbl]

In VN, sexy dressing in public event is a No-No.... In a performance, a singer Minh Hang was wearing a sexy outfit, at the end she was fined by the Ministry

Authorities hire sexy girls to serve post-Tet gathering
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The People’s Committee of Binh Hung Hoa B Ward in Ho Chi Minh City’s Binh Tan District hired sexy dancers to take part in a music and art show for its gathering on January 30 before resuming work after the Tet (Lunar New Year) holidays.

In order to entertain the guests at the gathering, the committee hired a number of art and music units to perform at the event. Among them was a group of dancers, including several young girls, who, in their sexy dress, conducted their performance in a manner usually seen at a dancing hall or bar.

In their belly dance show, the girls swayed their bosoms and shook their bottoms before the audience, including local officials, police officers, retired civil servants, and representatives of residential quarters.

Some of the guests appeared to be excited with this “special” show and recorded it using their mobile phones. Meanwhile, others stepped outside, not wanting to see such a scene at the office of a local government.

“Such a performance by such dancers, who are dressed in such a ‘Hawaii sea style,’ are only appropriate at recreational and entertainment places,” a male staff member of the committee commented.

In previous years, the committee’s staff conducted an art and music show by themselves, but this year, the committee hires outsiders according to suggestions from the committee’s trade union, a female member of the local authorities said.

“That day while the gathering was taking place in the first floor, we were working on the ground floor. When we were told about the sexy show later, we were rather surprised.,” she said.

Talking with VnExpress, Do Thanh Quyen, chairman of the committee, said Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen, deputy chairwoman of the committee and the chairwoman of the trade union, was responsible for organizing this art and music program.

The district People’s Committee has requested the ward authorities to submit a report on the incident, he said.

“We recognize that we had shortcomings while organizing such a program,” he added.

[jackbl]

Gratis language classes at city pagoda
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“I find it very effective to study at this pagoda as the teachers are so enthusiastic even though the classes are free of charge,” said Kim Anh, a Ho Chi Minh City college student, after five months of learning foreign languages at La (Leave) Pagoda, located in Go Vap District. She is among 600 frequent learners, including young Vietnamese people and poor students, who have come to this pagoda for complimentary foreign language courses throughout the last two years.

A Tien Phong newspaper correspondent visited this ‘school’ on a recent Saturday morning and was really impressed, and entertained, by the learning environment there: teachers and students were passionately engaging in the lessons in an exciting atmosphere, unlike the intense and noisy vibes at other language centers in the city.

La abbot Thich Nhuan Tam said that he founded these classes back in 2010, which at first taught English, Chinese, and Japanese. French and German have been recently added to the curriculum to meet learners’ growing demand, he added.

“The teachers, who are expatriates or kind and competent Vietnamese people working at local colleges, research institutes, and cultural centers, are either teaching for free or asking for little pay.”

The monk said he has so far resorted to offertories and money obtained from selling feng shui stones to fund the classes, of which there are 17 in total, open from 7:30 to 21:00 every day.

“As hard as it is to maintain the classes, I feel truly happy and relieved seeing the learners listen attentively to their teachers and wholeheartedly participate in their lessons every time I visit them,” Tam said.

The pagoda is going on with the construction of two new well-equipped classrooms thanks to individual donations, the abbot told the newspaper.

It is now heading towards future cooperation with the city Department of Education and Training to confer official certificates on the learners.

[jackbl]

Experiences in cuisines are experiences in culture
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TreNews: On the occasion of Lunar New Year, Professor Tran Van Khe, who is known for having a great knowledge of Vietnamese traditional music and who has been promoting the country’s image to the world through music, tells Tuoi Tre about culinary traits in each region in Vietnam, a field that he is also interested in.


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In Vietnamese cuisine, there are some rare dishes in each region. For example, sago worms in southern dishes, cactus in central dishes, and porridge cooked from poisonous water caltrops in the northern province of Ha Giang. Different historic traits in each region have contributed to a great variety in Vietnamese cuisine.

Since the north is the base of the country, the original point, tradition is of the utmost importance. It is easy to understand that the North has the most well-preserved traditional dishes among three regions.

The center is an old capital with a variety of snobbish and delicate dishes that reach a level of art. People in central Vietnam tend to eat delicious and nutritious, yet sophisticatedly and beautifully decorated, dishes.

The south was an isolated area that used to attract locals of other regions to change wasted land into cultivated areas. Humans usually have to struggle to survive and to conquer nature. Thus common traits of southerners are to discover and experience new things. Consequently in cuisine, southerners often try strange dishes like worms, rats, grasshoppers, snakes and turtles. Besides, with the same ingredients, they can create various ways to cook them. As a result, the culinary trait in the south is wild yet creative.
In general, strange dishes in each region represent the delicacy, flexibility, research and creativity of Vietnamese people in the culinary field.

As for drinking, Vietnamese place more importance on herbs than other countries. The soil and climate in Vietnam, especially in the south, have made it favorable for plantations to grow abundantly. In this field, doctor Hai Thuong Lan Ong was one of the pioneers who studied herbs and their effects on human health.

When someone from a region is invited to eat at the house of someone from another region, he or she often hesitates to experience the differences in the other’s eating habits. However, criticizing the dishes is unscientific. If we think what is strange is not right, we restrict ourselves from interesting experiences in life.

Instead, if we are adventurous enough to try the dish once and then research it, we may be able to realize its tastiness and fall in love with it.

I myself felt scared when I first heard about eating rats. However, when I tried the meat, it was delicious. Another time, I was invited by a group of Mongolians to eat raw beef garnished with cow’s blood. I ate with wasabi, salt, and pepper, and it was tasty. I also enjoyed raw beef with egg, which I found to be an interesting dish.

Opening up your heart to welcome new experience in culinary adventures will enrich you with generosity, erase prejudice and limitation. Experiences in cuisines are also experiences in culture because each dish, especially rare ones, carries images of personalities, cultures, people and land. In culture, there are only differences, rather than rights or wrongs. Only our perception can be either correct or incorrect.

My point of view is to respect each person’s taste. If you are invited to eat a strange dish, there are two ways to respond. First, for adventurous people, just try it and think that, if other people can eat, and so can you. It is interesting to experience something new.

Secondly, if you really cannot eat, refuse politely by telling the host that your body is not compatible with the dish. I believe if the host is hospitable, they will not force you to eat by any means.

In daily conversation, the most important thing is honesty. However, we also need to keep in mind that, “When in Rome, do as Romans do”.

[wenzai]

Hi bros, i need help on translation:
(Xin chao ban co kheo ko mini ne)
I think is about "hi you, have no mini here".
Am i correct bros?