Vietnam’s government has extended a visa waiver program benefiting citizens of five European countries, just before the existing policy expires at the end of this month. This is the second one-year extension Vietnam has given to the visa-free policy applicable to German, French, British, Italian, and Spanish visitors since its introduction in 2015. Under the extended program, people arriving in Vietnam from these five countries won’t have to apply for a visa for travel between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018. The maximum allowable stay is 15 days per entry, applicable to all kinds of passport and travel purposes. The extension comes just in time as travel firms had began to worry whether their policies would perpetuate as the June 30 deadline drew near. The visa-free travel policy has lured more tourists from the five European countries to Vietnam over the last two years, according to travel agencies. In the first...

A weekend flea market named Saigon Central Market at Bach Dang Wharf in downtown HCMC is highly recommended for local and international visitors to take a sightseeing tour and go shopping during the weekend. Thanks to its convenient location in close proximity to the city center, the weekend bazaar has attracted large numbers of visitors since it was first opened in late April this year. The 500-meter-long market is divided into four main areas including art performances, booth displays, food court and recreational zone.    Shoppers can find various types of items such as clothes, fashion items and jewelries. In addition, local youths will have the opportunity to discover a wide selection of Asian street foods such as grilled skewer, fresh fruit and popular drinks.   The bazaar is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on two weekend days Tourists are seen visiting booths selling clothes and fashion items - PHOTOS: THANH...

From this year’s Children’s Day on, Vietnamese parents are advised to think twice before posting photos or school records of their children online. Vietnam’s new Law on children takes effect on June 1, stipulating that children have irrefutable rights over their privacy, and that anyone who publicizes their information without their consent is breaking the law. The protection of the privacy of children consists of their personal information, medical records, photos, personal identification and school records. It will now be a breach of the law by parents or guardians to reveal such information without the consent of children aged seven or above. “Parents may breach the law by posting photos and the intimate information of their own children on Facebook or other online platforms,” lawyer Nguyen Duc Lam, director of a legal center in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City, confirmed. With the law introduced by local media prior to taking effect,...