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The ‘Thach Ong Xa’ or laterite snakes lacquerware collection is a stunning display of craftsmanship by artisan Nguyen Tan Phat. Hailing from the ancient village of Duong Lam in Son Tay Town, on the outskirts of Hanoi, Phat’s talent shines through in this exquisite range. The collection boasts 45 intricately designed snake statues, each a masterpiece in its own right. Reflecting Vietnam’s rich cultural heritage, these statues are a true work of art. Photos: Huy Pham/The Hanoi Times Crafted from locally sourced materials, such as jackfruit wood and laterite, these statues seamlessly blend natural elegance with traditional craftsmanship. Jackfruit wood, a common find in Vietnam’s rural areas, is skillfully transformed into unique snake figures and then lacquered to enhance its beauty and longevity. Each statue is a labor of love, with the creation process being a meticulous one. It takes several days to complete each piece. ...

Thanh Hoa FC, known as Dong A Thanh Hoa, is a Vietnamese professional football club competing in the V.League 1, the country’s premier football league. On Wednesday evening, the club visited BG Pathum United’s BG Stadium in Pathum Thani Province, central Thailand, for their third group-stage match in the 2024-25 ASEAN Club Championship. During the match, a corner kick in the 70th minute led to a scoring opportunity for Thanh Hoa FC. BG Pathum United’s defense failed to clear the ball from the penalty area, allowing Doan Ngoc Tan, a recent winner of the 2024 ASEAN Championship with Vietnam, to strike with the outside of his right foot and find the back of the net. It was a beautiful goal, and the first of the game. However, BG Pathum United showed their resilience. After conceding the unexpected goal, they intensified their attack and were rewarded in the 87th minute when Sanchai Nontasila equalized, making it 1-1. The match then opened up, with both teams adopting a more attacking st...

A vibrant, new 10-hectare park stretches along the Saigon River, from Ba Son Bridge to Thu Thiem Bridge, and is set to become an iconic landmark in Ho Chi Minh City. This dynamic urban green space, aptly named Creative Park, was inaugurated just a year after the successful launch of the Saigon Riverside Park, adding to the city’s vibrant landscape. Creative Park boasts a 30-meter-long graffiti wall, a vibrant display of the city’s youthful energy and creativity. Luu Van Tan, director of the Technical Infrastructure Management Center, highlighted this unique feature, celebrating the new generation’s dynamism and artistic expression. The park’s opening holds a special significance as it pays homage to the country’s rich history and development, with the ceremony taking place in anticipation of the 50th anniversary of national reunification. This event was a heartfelt tribute to Vietnam’s journey, with representatives cutting the ribbon to officially open this urban oasis. Offi...

The success of the team at Pwn2Own Toronto was not a coincidence – it was the result of over a decade of planning by Viettel’s leaders to strengthen the information security industry in Southeast Asia. VCS’s entry into the international cybersecurity arena began in 2011, when its first group started focusing on finding vulnerabilities in network security. “As a company responsible for operating critical information infrastructures, Viettel has always considered cybersecurity as a crucial part of our strategy,” said Nguyen Son Hai, the current director of VCS and a member of the original team. “In the realm of cybersecurity, humans are the most important factor. Even with the latest devices, end users are still at a high risk of cyberattacks. Similarly, Viettel Group’s key infrastructures, such as telecommunications and internet networks, are constantly targeted by the world’s most notorious hackers.” Featured in this provided photo are some of the accomplished members of Vi...

The boring goalless showdown extended Vietnam’s unbeaten streak at the tournament to five consecutive games, but also marked the 2008 and 2018 winners’ second blank game, after a similar 0-0 draw against Singapore in the group phase. Vietnam had a tough game while Indonesia could not utilize their home advantage. After the first ten tepid minutes when the ball was mainly kept in the midfield, Indonesia had more attacks than Vietnam and put the visitors under immense pressure through to the half-time mark. Had it not been for Vietnamese goalkeeper Dang Van Lam’s excellence, Indonesia might have got the opening goal. However, the hosts failed to convert their relevant chances. Vietnam’s possession of 56 percent resulted in nothing but four goalless finishes. The inclusion of Nguyen Hoang Duc, Nguyen Quang Hai, and Nguyen Tien Linh also turned out to be ineffective as all of these goal hopefuls made various mistakes. While a more compelling second half was highly anticipated, bot...

Central Vietnam is known for its well-preserved historical sites, smiling locals, and soothing natural beauty. The central coast will beckon you with the promise of enriching experiences and sun-kissed days by the beach. Stroll down the narrow streets of Hoi An’s Ancient Town, where timber frame shophouses still appear the way they did centuries ago, and the streets are aglow in colorful lanterns each night. Or acquaint yourself with the final days of the Nguyen Dynasty in Hue, where royal citadels, tombs, and temples are sprinkled along the tranquil Perfume River. In between, modern Danang City offers a taste of some of Vietnam’s most luxurious resorts and top golf courses — as well as one of the country’s best beaches. And a few hours away, Phong Nha’s spectacular caves are the latest frontier for nature enthusiasts. Da Nang Photo: Yeu Da Nang Da Nang has always been one of the best–known destinations in Central Vietnam. With the peacefulness and closeness of the cit...

The opening days and closing days coincide with the 28th day of the 12th lunar month and the 5th day of the first lunar month, respectively. The municipal Department of Information and Communications on Thursday announced a plan to organize the book festival, which will be themed “Ho Chi Minh City – Xuan an vui, xuan thinh vuong” (happy and prosperous new year). The Lunar New Year book festival is an annual cultural event held by the city to improve local reading habits and create an entertainment space for locals and tourists during the holiday. The book festival this year will take place on a section from Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street to the Quach Thi Trang Roundabout on Le Loi Street, widely considered one of the most beautiful streets in the metropolis. The book street will be divided into three areas with over 20 participating units. A section from Nguyen Hue Promenade leading to Pasteur Street will be used to exhibit documents, photos, and public...

A leader of Vietnam’s Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) FC, currently managing Toan, confirmed the deal shortly after. Toan’s farewell to HAGL is the fifth of its kind following his teammates’ such as Nguyen Phong Hong Duy, Vu Van Thanh, Nguyen Cong Phuong, and Luong Xuan Truong. All of them spent their childhood and youth training at the Gia Lai-based football team’s Hoang Anh Gia Lai JMG Football Academy. Toan, like Duy, Thanh, Phuong, and Truong, has built his professional career at HAGL after their training years. The 26-year-old has played at V.League 1, the top professional football league in Vietnam, since 2015 and competed in 177 games, scoring 46 goals for HAGL. He has played 99 international games, including 47 caps and six goals in the national team jersey, during his career. Like us on Facebook  or  follow us on Twitter  to get the latest news about Vietnam! Seoul E-Land Football Club, currently playing in K-League 2, or the men’s second-highest...

‘Dong,’ or arrowroot (Phrynium placentarium), leaves are often used for wrapping various Vietnamese dishes, most popularly ‘banh chung’ – a square, glutinous rice cake filled with mung beans and pork which is considered an indispensable part of the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday. Trang Cat Village is famous in the northern region for its 600-year history of growing and harvesting ‘dong’ leaves. Each and every ‘dong’ plant in Trang Cat is carefully grown to ensure quality and color, according to Chu Thi Thanh, a ‘dong’ leaf farmer in the village. Harvesting ‘dong’ leaves is difficult work that often requires entire households to chip in, especially on large farms like Thanh’s 720 square-meter plantation. Nguyen Van Tu arranges ‘dong’ leaves after harvesting in Trang Cat Village, Thanh Oai District, Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Hien / Tuoi Tre After being harvested, ‘dong’ leaves are sorted by size, soaked in water, and neatly stacked, according to Thanh. The leaves a...

Ronaldo, who was a free agent following his acrimonious split with Manchester United in November, joined Al Nassr last week on a 2-1/2 year deal estimated by media to be worth more than 200 million euros ($210.94 million). He was greeted by a sea of yellow and blue at Al Nassr’s home ground Mrsool Park, where thousands of fans turned up to witness his unveiling. After addressing a news conference, Ronaldo was seen meeting with his new team mates in the dressing room. He then made his way onto the pitch, fully kitted out in the club’s colours. The gathered fans loudly chanted his name as he walked around the 25,000-seater stadium signing footballs and firing them into the stands, before he was joined by his family. “Me and my family, we want to say thank you to all of you for this support and your welcome,” an emotional Ronaldo said after being handed a microphone. “We’re going to give our best. Thank you everybody.” Ronaldo arrives in Saudi Arabia with a vast collection of club h...