Vietnam’s Lo Lo Chai village has recently been named one of the Best Tourism Villages 2025 by UN Tourism.

B: First on our show, we’d like to thank Amand Mohain Bain of India for his beautiful postcard and a 2026 calendar of his Parawar Handhu Shortwave Listening Club.

A: That’s so lovely. In his attached letter to VOV this week, Mr. Bain told us about his club which has 344 members who live in various countries in the world.

B: That’s quite a large club. And we’re happy to learn about the club and consider their active participation as an encouragement for us to continue our shortwave broadcast amid the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

A: We’d like to say hello to Raoul Pelham of Australia, who reported listening to our broadcast at 12;30 on October 3, 2025 on the frequency of 9840 khz.

B: In his postcard to VOVWorld this week, Pelham told us that he is a new shortwave listener and listened to our program with a TECSUN  PL 800 using a 3 meter-long wire inside his house.

A: Thank you, Mr. Pelham, for tuning in to our broadcast and we hope to continue to receive feedback from you.

B: Today, we might be in more favor for postal letters as we receive a lot of letters from our listeners around the world. Though digital technology has created a lot of amazing things, changing the world, we maintain our special feeling for tangible things, do you agree?

A: Yes. Like the letter from Peter Ng of Malaysia. He has written to VOVWorld for several years and without reading his name on the letter, we recognize his handwriting.

B: Thank you, Mr. Peter NG for writing to us after such a long time. We acknowledge your reception of our program on the frequency of 9840 khz. Thanks a lot for tuning in to VOV.

A: Writing to VOVWorld this week, Matthew Zoma of the US requests us to send him a shortwave broadcast schedule saying it’s for broadcast aimed at North America.

B: We’ll send you the program schedule and the frequency list to your address and hope to hear from you more often.

The rammed-earth houses with yin-yang tile roofs have stood for centuries. They represent a unique architectural style that reflects harmony between people and the harsh northern frontier landscape. (Photo: Nguyen Ky Nam)

A: Listening to our program on October 26 on the frequency of 11885 khz. Edward Kerr of the US shared his interest in our music show featuring singer songwriter Vu Cat Tuong. He wrote: “the signal was fair but very audible.”

B: In his recent letter to VOVWorld, David Ansell of England reported listening to our broadcast on the frequency of 11885 khz using a long-wire antenna. He wrote: “Your broadcasts are useful and appreciated.”

A: Thank you, Edward Kerr and David Ansell for sending us a detailed reception report after such a long time. We hope to receive feedback from you more regularly.

B: In his many letters to VOVWorld’s English section recently, Fumito Hokamura of Japan, one of our loyal listeners, told us that in November in Japan, there were unusual heatwaves and he asked about the weather in Vietnam during autumn.

A: Your letter arrived a little late as it took time for your post to reach us. But we share our concern with the Japanese people over the powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake on December 8 which shook north-eastern regions, injuring dozens of people and many had to evacuate from their homes.

B: In Vietnam, we’re also suffering from extreme weather patterns with severe  storms, torrential rains and flooding this year. Recovery efforts in disaster-hit regions have been speeding up.

A: Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has just launched a campaign of rebuilding and repairing homes for flood-stricken residents. The campaign is named after Quang Trung, Vietnam’s King in late 18th century and  one of the most successful military commanders in the nation’s history.

At an online meeting with provincial leaders on November 29, Prime Minister Chinh said: “We’re launching the Quang Trung Campaign with a spirit of speed and boldness in housing reconstruction. Two targets must be achieved. First, by December 31, 2025, repairs for damaged houses must be completed. Second, by January 31, 2026, all destroyed homes must be rebuilt.”

B: Local authorities, military units, police forces, and other organizations have been working around the clock to help affected families quickly regain stability.

A: Welcome back to the Letter Box, where we acknowledge the correspondence we receive from our audience. 

B: In an email to VOV this week, Alan Roe of the UK told about the shortwave broadcasts over the Christmas/New Year Holiday Period event. “As in the past few years, I am again compiling and distributing to active shortwave listeners a list of programs being broadcast over the Christmas/New Year Holiday period between 20 December 2025 and 1 January 2026.  I wondered if you have any program details or highlights that you can share with me that I can pass on. Hopefully this will also be a good chance to publicize your broadcasts a little.  Can I wish you a fantastic Christmas and a Happy New Year, and (above all) a safe & healthy 2026. My very best wishes.”

A: Thank you, Alan Roe, for your sharing. All of our shortwave broadcasts are uploaded on our website at vovworld.vn. You can download and share them with other shortwave listeners while stories in the program are also available there. Please, send us more details of that interesting event.

B: Next, we’ve got a lovely message from our Korean listener, Seukgkang, who wrote: “Recently, I’ve become more interested in Vietnam, and the information you provide in the program is very useful. I really want to visit Vietnam someday!”

A: Thank you, Seukgkang! We’re delighted to hear that our programs help you learn more about Vietnam. If you do plan a trip, Vietnam has different charms in each region, Hanoi’s Old Quarter on the north, the beaches of Da Nang and Nha Trang in the central region, and the floating markets of the Mekong Delta in the south. We hope to welcome you someday!

B: From Indonesia, Sutomo Huang, is curious about social media trends in Vietnam.

A: Well, social media is hugely popular here. Vietnam has more than 75 million social media users. The most widely used platforms are Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and the Vietnamese-created network Zalo.

B: Short videos, livestream shopping, and interactive educational content are trending strongly. Many young people follow travel vloggers who introduce hidden gems across Vietnam, and there’s also a vibrant community of food content creators.

A: Next is a letter from Sou Sambath in Phnom Penh, who asks: How many international students are studying in Vietnam? And besides Cambodia and Laos, which country sends the largest number of students?

B: At the end of last year, the Ministry of Education and Training reported that nearly 22,000 international students were studying in Vietnam, the highest figure in the past nine years. Of these, 80% came from Laos and Cambodia.

A: Beyond our neighbors, the countries with the next largest numbers include South Korea, China, France, Japan, and several African nations.

B: Educational institutions that are hosting most foreign students are Hanoi University, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, and the Academy of Journalism and Communication.

A: Recently, institutions in engineering and economics have begun attracting more foreign students, including Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Foreign Trade University, and the University of Science and Technology of Hanoi, aka the Vietnam–France University.

B: Vietnam’s universities are expanding international partnerships, so the number of foreign students continues to grow.

A: To all our listeners, from Korea to Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, France, Germany, India, China, and Japan, thank you for engaging with us every week.

B: Your letters are not only questions—they are bridges of friendship connecting Vietnam with the world.

A: Please keep writing to us.

Both: And see you again in next week’s Letter Box!