Sources: Vietnam News Agency, Nhân Dân and Thanh Nien Daily. As anticipated in our news story of March 8, 2007, the 11th session of the 11th National Assembly of Vietnam, the country's highest legislative body, has approved making the 10th day of the third lunar month (April 26, in 2007) a new public holiday to immortalize the Hung Kings, who, as legend has it, once reigned over what is now modern-day Vietnam.Analysis: The new public day, once officially passed, will entitle the national workforce to have a total of nine public days annually, which is still low compared to Indonesia and Thailand (13 days), the Philippines (12 days), and even China (10 days). Therefore, as the standard of living of Vietnamese keeps on rising, one can expect calls for additional public holidays in the next 2-3 years. Judging by the mood of the country as reflected by the local press, these new public holidays would probably be more traditional/religious, than modern/communist. One possible candidate for a future new public holiday in Vietnam could be the Ram Thang Bay (Day for Homeless Souls) which is the second most important festival in Vietnam after Tet, the Lunar New Year, and which occurs on the night from the 14th to the 15th day of the 7th lunar month (most often in August). Another possibility would be the Mid-Autumn Festival (15th day of the 8th lunar month, most often September) whose date also coincides with the first day of the Kiep Bac Temple Festival (one of the biggest Vietnamese festivals).
See also: follow-up post of March 29, 2007.
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