B: He told us that India is also trying hard to control the spread of the infection. There is a countrywide lockdown until May 3rd, with all economic activities almost at a standstill. At this crucial time, listening to VOV and visiting its webpage give him great satisfaction, Jayanta Chakrabarty said.
A: We’re very glad to hear that listening to our broadcast is part of your daily activities to catch up with world news and entertainment. We’ve checked your reception report for the program on 7220 kHz on April 24th and will send you a verification card.
B: Another Indian listener, Shyamal Kumar Banerjee, said: “In India we’re in complete lockdown until May 3rd. Now the situation is under control because people are fearful and following the government’s order to wear a facemask and maintain social distancing. Hope you are all well at this time. I heard Vietnam is under control and doing a good job of managing COVID-19.”
 People living in apartments hang the national flag to congratulate Vietnam's containment of the Covid-19 pandemic and celebrate the 45th anniversary of National Reunification. |
B: Social distancing measures have been loosened in Hanoi, HCM City, and provinces classified as medium risk since last Thursday. Some nonessential services such as food shops, restaurants, and hair salons have been allowed to reopen.
A: Activities like festivals and sports events that involve a lot of people, as well as bars, karaoke clubs, massage venues, beauty and health spas, flower shops, and zoos are still shut down.
B: People are advised to continue wearing masks and keeping at least 1 meter apart in public. Foreigners entering Vietnam and overseas Vietnamese returning home are being quarantined or asked to self-isolate.
A: Although Vietnam reported no new infections in community for 13 consecutive days as of Wednesday, people are still being advised to avoid gathering in large groups.
B: Shyamal Kumar Banerjee told us that in India group Dx’ing has been temporarily suspended. Their club hopes to reopen shortly, and they are eager to resume sending daily reports once the situation improves.
A: We hope that during the social distancing period you’ll continue your Dx’ing hobby at home, perhaps with your family members. You can work on answering the 6 questions of VOV’s “What do you know about Vietnam?” contest. You can find the questions on our website vovworld.vn.
B: As social distancing measures are eased up in Vietnam’s medium and low-risk localities, tourist activities have begun to resume with a limited opening of historical and cultural sites, while still adhering to COVID-19 prevention and control measures. This comes just in time for people to celebrate National Reunification Day on April 30th and Labor Day on May 1st.
A: Phu Quoc island in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang, dubbed Vietnam’s “Pearl Island”, resumed tourist activities last Sunday. Restaurants and hotels are still only receiving Vietnamese visitors and foreigners who reside in Vietnam.
 Sea diving in Phu Quoc |
B: The famous tourist city of Nha Trang opened its beautiful beaches early this week. Local people are happily streaming to the beaches after a month of social distancing. Mui Ne, often referred to as a "seaside paradise", will soon reopen to surfing, windsurfing, jet-skiing, kayaking, and other water sports.
A: Cave tours are reopened in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, which include Son Doong, the world’s largest cave, Phong Nha and Tien Son cave, Mooc stream, and the Dark Cave-Chay River complex.
B: Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, a World Heritage Site, encompasses some of Asia's most spectacular karst rock formations. While some of its caves, such as Son Doong, are only available as part of an expensive multi-day tour, others, such as Phong Nha and Paradise cave, are easy to visit on a day trip.
 Phong Nha-Ke Bang cave complex |
A: With new caves being discovered almost every year, the Phong Nha cave complex is an ever-changing attraction. Paradise Cave, a vast underground cathedral, is 31 kilometers long with stunning stalactites. A boat ride through the eerie, watery world of Phong Nha Cave should not be missed.
B: Thrill-seekers love the zipline and mud bath combo at Dark Cave before exploring its underground river. Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park’s 13-kilometer jungle trek to Hang En cave, followed by camping beside an underground river, is unforgettable. A fair distance from major cities and other tourist sites, the Phong Nha Caves are nonetheless a popular stop on multi-day north-to-south or south-to-north tours.
 Zipline and kayaking in Phong Nha-Ke Bang cave complex |
A: I’m reading a letter from Shin Makiko of Japan who reported listening to VOV on April 22nd on 12020 kHz. He said: “It's been a while since I wrote to you last summer. Thank you very much for sending me a QSL card with a beautiful photo and a stamp of your country. It has been very interesting to hear about your country's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the good results. I sincerely hope this pandemic will be contained soon.”
B: We’re very glad to hear that you’re safe and sound. We hope, too, that COVID-19 will soon be controlled. We’ll send you a QSL card to confirm your latest report.
A: Janne Hirsimäki of Finland sent us a reception report for a program on April 22 on 7280 kHz. He used a Tecsun PL360 with a telescopic antenna and rated SINPO 55545.
B: Richard Cook of the UK emailed us on April 16th to say he had a good evening picking up VOV’s program in English on 7280 kHz.
A: This week we received an entry from Mrs. Nafisa Khatun of India for VOV’s writing contest “What do you know about Vietnam?.” Thank you Nafisa Khatun very much for participating.
B: Another Indian listener, Shri Bhagwan Sharma of India, posted on our website: “Thank you very much for the detailed information about COVID-19 and the “What do you know about Vietnam?” contest. Fantastic! All reports were very precise and useful to your listeners. I appreciate the VOV team and all your hard work. I’d like to know what are the most important political and international affairs events scheduled for 2020? That’s also a question of the “What do you know about Vietnam?” contest.
A: 2020 is a big year for Vietnam. Vietnam holds a couple of prominent regional and global positions in a challenging geopolitical environment, particularly amid the COVID-19 pandemic that has raged since the beginning of the year. Vietnam is serving as the ASEAN Chair in 2020 and as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 tenure.
B: An article on the Wilsoncenter.org website discusses “Why 2020 will be a big year for Vietnam’s foreign policy”. It says: “Vietnam’s foreign policy since the Doi Moi era of the late 1980s led to a greater emphasis on political and economic integration with the rest of Asia and the wider world. Contemporary Vietnamese foreign policy since then has evolved to include a mix of priorities, including strengthening ties with neighboring countries in the Mekong subregion, a more active role in the wider Southeast Asian region, and cultivating links with a wide range of major powers.”
A: The article says Vietnam’s two important positions will showcase Vietnam’s role as a middle-rank power, its growing involvement in international issues like peacekeeping and regional issues like shaping the ASEAN-led regional architecture. That second issue will be of particular note as this year will be the tenth anniversary of the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting-Plus, which is now considered a key forum for addressing regional security issues.
B: For more information about important events in Vietnam in 2020, check our website at vovworld.vn.
A: Contestants who submit the 3 best entries will win a free 5-day trip to Vietnam. We hope to see some of you in Vietnam once the COVID-19 pandemic is contained. Good luck to you all!
B: We welcome your feedback at: English Service, VOVworld, the Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Or you can email us at our new email address: englishsection@vov.vn. You’re invited to visit us online at vovworld.vn, where you can hear both live and recorded programs. Good bye!