YouTube launches no-ads packages

For a minimum of VND49,000 (US$2.09) per month, YouTube users in Vietnam can watch online videos without being interrupted by advertisements. On April 12, Google will make the YouTube Premium package available to a select group of users before making it available to all users the following week. Payment can be made through iTunes or an overseas bank account.

For students, the fee is VND49,000 ($2.09), which is the minimum. Families pay VND149,000 ($6.35) per month, while single users pay VND79,000 ($3.37) per month. Recently, YouTube users have complained about advertisements for unlicensed health products, and the majority of these consumers have sought help to avoid these advertisements from untrustworthy sources. These technologies allow them to watch videos without interruption but come with the risk of online fraud.

Traffic policemen to expand support for local registration centers

Hanoi traffic police officers examined cars between March 11 and April 8. Photo: The Hanoi Times

On April 12, the Ministry of Public Security's Traffic Police Department dispatched a second team of 50 officers to support registration centers in Hanoi and HCM City. They will replace the 50 police officers previously assigned to vehicle inspection in the two major cities from March 11 to April 8.

As local facilities were affected by a nationwide investigation into bribery and corruption, some 167 traffic police officers were initially deployed to all 63 provinces and cities to assist the Vietnam Register with vehicle inspections. Fifty of the officers were based in Hanoi and HCM City. After one month of operation, the officers had inspected nearly 52,000 vehicles and helped reduce congestion at registration offices.

Ongoing marathon contest to plant trees and raise living conditions

More than 5,000 runners in three categories have gathered in Hanoi for a marathon competition. Until April 22, the tournament encourages participants to "run for the environment". The marathon's sponsor, BIM Group, will plant a tree for every six kilometers run as part of the "Every Six Kilometers for a Tree" challenge, one of the event's most notable features.

The marathon and the challenge, in particular, are among the green initiatives the company has launched to educate the public about living a better life and protecting the environment, said Vu Thanh Thuy, head of marketing and communications at BIM Group. The company wants to promote a green and healthy way of life and help the neighborhood's ecology.

Vietnamese software engineers make twice as much as Indonesians but significantly less than Singaporeans

On April 11, Glints, a Singapore-based online job board, and Monk's Hill Ventures, a startup investor, claimed that salaries for Vietnamese software and data developers are one-third lower than those of their Singaporean counterparts but double those of their Indonesian counterparts. Engineers in Vietnam earn between US$1,600 and US$1,100 per month, while their Singaporean counterparts earn between US$4,000 and $7,200.

In addition, the cost of hiring software developers in Vietnam is lower than in Singapore. Vietnamese engineers prefer to work in offices, even though their colleagues in other Southeast Asian countries still prefer the work-from-home model. According to Glints and Monk's Hill Ventures, Vietnam's technology sector shows significant potential for recovery and expansion, with a projected increase in the number of startups and their investors in 2023 and beyond.

Construction Work on Chon Thanh-Duc Hoa route to start in 2023

Construction of the Ho Chi Minh Road section between Chon Thanh and Duc Hoa is expected to start this year, according to the Ministry of Transport. The project includes the construction of a two-way road with three lanes in each direction, allowing cars to travel at a maximum speed of 100 km/h. The 72.75-kilometer highway will be financed by the State, with an estimated total investment of VND2.29 trillion ($97.6 million).

The Ho Chi Minh Road Project Management Unit has been asked by the Ministry of Construction to complete the feasibility report quickly, work with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to prepare the environmental impact report, prepare compensation and resettlement plans for residents and complete other necessary documents in the second quarter of 2023.