VNA Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra arrived Hanoi today to begin a two day official visit to Vietnam. The visit is being made at the invitation of Prime Minister Phan Van Khai. The Thai prime minister is accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Phithak Intharawithayanan, Minister of Foreign Affairs Surakiat Sathianthai, Minister of Finance Somkhit Chatusiphithak, Minister of Interior Purachai Piamsombun, Minister of Commerce Adisai Photharamik, Deputy Minister of Defence, General Yutthasak Sasiprapha and many other senior officials of the Thai government. **** Activities held to welcome Party Congress's success In recent days, people throughout the country have been organising many activities to welcome the success of the Ninth National Party Congress which ended on April 22. The Hanoi Department of Culture and Information held a meeting yesterday to welcome the success of the Ninth Party Congress. Also during the meeting, an emulation movement was launched to fulfil the target of this year, to make preparations for the celebration of 1000th founding anniversary of Thang Long (the ancient name of the capital city)- Hanoi and to strengthen the movement to build a new cultural lifestyle. On the occasion, the department was awarded a Certificate of Commendation from the government and an Emulation Flag from the municipal People's Committee. Meanwhile in Ho Chi Minh City, the city's Labour Confederation and the Department of Culture and Information held an achievement reporting ceremony yesterday with the participation of thousands of workers, State employees and people in the city. Meetings to welcome the success of the congress were also held in Hanoi Party Committee, the Party Committee of the Party Commissions for Economic Agencies and Scientific and Education Agencies, the Vietnam Labour Confederation, State President's Office, and many cities and provinces nationwide. At these meetings, participants showed their determination to implement the Resolution of the Ninth Party Congress. **** Vietnam attends Lao National Construction Front congress A delegation from the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) led by President of the Presidium Pham The Duyet is attending the seventh congress of the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC), which opened in Vientiane on April 24. Addressing the congress, VFF President Duyet expressed appreciation of the achievements in national construction recorded by fraternal Lao people of all nationalities under the clear-sighted leadership of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Laos has constantly boosted economic development while maintaining people's unity and socio-political system, thus improving people's living conditions and raising the country's international prestige, Mr Duyet added. He affirmed the important role played by the LFNC in the renewal process in Laos, saying the LFNC has gathered and brought into full play the strength of the Lao people of all nationalities to carry out the State's policies and lines and reach socio-economic targets, thus contributing to protecting revolutionary fruits and building a new regime. Mr Duyet said he believed that the seventh LFNC congress would create a new change in uniting and encouraging the Lao people to successfully implement the resolution of the seventh National Congress of the LPRP, thus step by step advancing to socialism. (VNA) **** Deputy PM hails Japan's help in atomic energy Deputy PM Pham Gia Khiem (right) receives JAIF Deputy President Isutomu Kanai. Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem has expressed appreciating for Japan's co-operation with, and assistance to Vietnam in atomic energy over the past two years. He told Isutomu Kanai, head of a visiting delegation from the Japanese Atomic Industry Forum (JAIF), in Hanoi on April 24 that he hoped for further co-operation from the JAIF, especially in research and survey for construction of an atomic energy plant in Vietnam in the coming years. JAIF Deputy President Isutomu Kanai expressed his delight at the success of the recently-ended National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam. He briefed Deputy PM Khiem of his delegation's working sessions with Vietnam's concerned agencies as well as its participation in an exhibition on application of atomic energy for peace which is scheduled to open in Hanoi on April 25. Japan will help Vietnam develop the atomic energy industry, said Isutomu Kanai. (VNA) **** Vietnam learn about Singaporean TU's co-operative supermarket The system of co-operative supermarkets - one of economic business models of Singapore's trade union - has drawn the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL)'s attention. The system, introduced by Secretary General of the Singapore National Trade Union Congress (SNTUC) Lim Boon Heng at a recent meeting between the SNTUC and the VGCL in Hanoi, has brought benefits to Singaporean workers. It was established to supply commodities at the lowest prices. Workers who hold shares of the super markets receive dividends every year and trade unionists are provided with customer's cards to buy goods with discounts not only in the co-operative supermarkets but also in individuals' shops. The system - a successful co-operative model between trade union and various eonomic sectors - is considered to be suitable for Vietnam, which shares many similarities in trade union operations with Singapore. According to VGCL President Cu Thi Hau, Vietnam's trade union is seeking an appropriate and effective form for its activities to meet workers' demands in a multi-sectoral economy. Of late, trade unionists of Vietnam and Singapore have exchanged experiences and boosted co-operation. Singapore opened training courses on its operational forms for Vietnamese trade unionists in Singapore and also sent lecturers to Vietnam. Ms Hau praised the efficiency of the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park in Ho Chi Minh City and Singapore's trade union aiding a vocational training centre for Vietnamese workers. She said that, with the development of industrial zones (IZs), Vietnam's trade unions plan to set up a fund for setting up accomodation for workers in IZs. Hence, they wish to learn more experiences from Singapore in the coming time. Secretary General Lim Boon Heng affirmed that the SNTUC is ready to help Vietnam in training trade unionists and setting up a system of co-operative supermarkets. However, he said, Singapore needs more information on Vietnam. (VNA) **** ESCAP role in boosting regional co-operation welcomed Vietnam welcomed the role of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in creating a framework for real and effective co-operation among countries in the region. So said Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Tam Chien at the 57th Ministerial Conference of the ESCAP opened in Bangkok, Thailand, on April 23. Deputy Minister Chien noted that while the regional countries are adjusting their national development policies and strategy and looking for solutions to urgent social problems, ESCAP should further focus its activities on supporting those countries' priority demands. Mr Chien praised ESCAP's efforts in implementing hunger eradication and poverty alleviation projects and socio-economic development programme in the Mekong sub-region under the framework of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). He briefed delegates of Vietnam's socio-economic achievements over the recent past and its great efforts in striving to reduce the poverty rate to 9-10% in 2001, and accelerating priority programmes in controlling drug addiction and HIV/AIDS spread, traffic accidents and environmental pollution. The conference is being attended by nearly 60 delegations from various countries, territories and international organisations. Delegates to the conference focused their discussion on issues relating to ESCAP's policies on "Balanced development of urban and rural areas and regions within the countries of Asia and the Pacific," and assessment of socio-economic development in the region in recent years and its impact. (VNA) **** World opinions welcome Vietnam's continued renovation Mass media worldwide continued carrying news, welcoming the commitment made by the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) at its freshly-ended Ninth National Congress to continue the national renovation. Cuba's Granmar newspaper said the ninth CPV Congress affirmed the socialist line and resolve to creatively apply Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh's Thought. The paper also quoted newly-elected Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh as saying that Vietnam will uphold the ideal of national independence and socialism. The spokesperson for the Thai Foreign Ministry on April 23 expressed confidence in the furtherance of the renewal process in Vietnam while speaking to the press. He also said the visit to Vietnam by Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra scheduled for April 25 will be a good opportunity for the Thai leader to exchange views with the newly-elected leader of the CPV. In an exclusive interview granted to a VNA Buenos Aires correspondent, chairwoman of the Argentina-Vietnam Culture Institute Poldi Sosa spoke of Vietnam's profound changes that she had opportunities to witness in recent years and stressed they were the outcome of the efforts by the CPV and people of Vietnam. She further said that the CPV always knows how to bring into full play the people's capacity and resolve in its efforts to build the country and improve people's living standards. She expressed the hope that the new CPV leadership will continue to lead the Vietnamese people to obtain still greater achievements in maintaining peace and boosting socio-economic development. The Australia Financial Times on April 24 said that the results of the Ninth CPV Congress will build up foreign investors' confidence in the country's continued renovation. VNA New York correspondents reported that the Vietnamese community in the US expressed their joy at the success of the Ninth Party Congress and their hope that the new leadership of the Party will continue leading the country to even greater achievements. (VNA) _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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