Hanoi (VNA) – A flurry of high-profile decisions this year such as an electricity law update have propped up optimism in Vietnam’s renewables sector, according to an article published on the Singaporean website https://www.eco-business.com/ on December 26.
The article quoted Mark Hutchinson, director of the Southeast Asia taskforce at industry group Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), as saying that there is still a lot of work to do, but the sentiment in the industry is much more positive than it was eight months ago, or certainly a year ago.
For his part, Thomas Jakobsen, managing director of Indochina Energy Partners, a Singapore-based renewable power producer and developer, expressed his satisfaction with the progress of promulgating regulations in Vietnam over the past two decades.
Vietnam’s latest electricity law updates concern not just the solar and wind sectors, but also include rules aimed at facilitating the use of fuels such as natural gas and hydrogen. Nuclear power development once again features in the wording.
The updates have been billed as important for energy security, but they also attract questions over whether Vietnam can attend to all the different sectors at once, the article said.
Observers said Vietnam is taking a more deliberate approach with managing its energy sector, after the volatility of the previous years, the article said.
Hutchinson said next year is going to be about finalising regulations and charges of the direct power purchasing agreements (DPPA), working to build all the decrees and circulars under the Electricity Law, and moving projects of the Electricity of Vietnam, and the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group forward. So it is going to be less about high-level policy and more about implementation./.
See more
Vietnamese-coordinated resolution on UN Joint Staff Pension Fund approved
The Fifth Committee of the 79th United Nations General Assembly adopted by consensus a draft Resolution on managing the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF) after nearly three months of negotiations chaired and coordinated by Vietnam, at its plenary session on December 24 in New York.
RoK pins high hope on FTA with Philippines
The Republic of Korea (RoK)'s Minister of of Trade, Industry and Energy Cheong In-kyo on December 26 said that the RoK-Philippines free trade agreement (FTA), set to take effect next week, will help the country further bolster its trade portfolio and contribute to maintaining a stable supply chain.
Indonesia eyes boosting dispatch of health workers for overseas employment
Indonesia is in a great position to capitalise the global need for nurses which has reached 6.4 million, according to the Ministry of Health.
Thailand’s exports in 2024 poised to hit record high
Thailand’s exports are on track to achieve a historical high of 300 billion USD this year, up 5.2% year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
Indonesia, UK boost cooperation in sustainable fisheries development
Indonesian Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono and UK Ambassador to Indonesia and Timor Leste Dominic Jermey have discussed measures to strengthen cooperation in blue economy development to support marine and fisheries sustainability in their recent meeting.
Thailand's car production continues to decline sharply
Thai auto manufacturers produced 117,251 vehicles in November, down 28.23% from a year earlier, with domestic sales down 40% to 37,229 units and exports down 20.6% to 80,022 units.
Walkathon campaign raises over 1.2 billion VND in over a month
The Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRCS)’s miles-for-charity campaign has raised over 1.2 billion VND (47,188 USD), converted from the total kilometers run by more than 137,000 participants on the online sports platform vRace, since it was launched on November 23.
Thais' spending during New Year holiday expected to slightly increase
Thai people’s spending on the occasion of New Year celebration this year will increase slightly compared to the same period last year, according to the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC).
Int’l community hails adoption of UN Convention against Cybercrime
The international community on December 24 welcomed the unanimous adoption of the United Nations (UN) Convention against Cybercrime by the UN General Assembly (UNGA).
Indonesia’s photo exhibition marks 20 years of deadly tsunami
A photo exhibition opened at the Tsunami Museum in Indonesia’s Aceh province on December 24, marking 20 years of the deadly Aceh tsunami disaster.
Foreign investment into Thailand up 118% in 11 months
A total of 884 foreign companies were approved to invest in Thailand in the first 11 months of 2024 under the Foreign Business Act of 1999, with a total investment of over 213.96 billion THB (6.26 billion USD), representing a year-on-year surge of 118%, the Department of Business Development reported on December 24.
Thai cabinet approves minimum wage increases
Thailand's cabinet on December 25 approved new minimum wage increases and the second phase of the government's signature handout scheme for elderly people.
UNGA adopts "Hanoi convention" against cybercrime
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on December 24 adopted the UN Convention against Cybercrime, a landmark global treaty aimed at strengthening international cooperation to combat cybercrime and protecting societies from digital threats.
VNA announces top 10 outstanding international events in 2024
The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) has selected 10 stand-out international events in 2024.
Four ride-hailing platforms in Singapore to increase fees from Jan 1, 2025
Four ride-hailing platforms in Singapore are set to increase fees by 0.5 SGD (0.37 USD) starting January 1, 2025, a move they say is meant to cover costs arising from the upcoming Platform Workers Act.
Thailand extends public transport hours for New Year festivities
The Thai Ministry of Transport has announced extended public transport hours and free parking to facilitate travel for tourists and residents during the 2025 New Year celebrations.
☕ Afternoon briefing on December 24
The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.
Singapore intensifies crackdown on drunk driving incidents
Singapore's police have expressed growing concern over the rise in drunk driving accidents, with 142 incidents reported in the first 10 months, including 10 fatalities.
Thailand plans to cut armed forces
Thailand’s Defence Council on December 23 approved a white paper that outlines a plan to downsize the armed forces and reduce spending on weapons.
Thailand improves effectiveness of tsunami early warning system
Almost 1,000km off the Thai coast devastated by a tsunami 20 years ago, engineers lower a detection buoy into the waves – a key link in a warning system intended to ensure no disaster is as deadly again.