Proposed Strategy for the Development of a Local Geopark at Mui Ne Red Sand Dunes, Phan Thiet, Vietnam - based on Tourist Perceptions and Experience from Taiwan

Vietnam attracts many tourists owing to its unique and diverse geological landscapes. The Vietnam tourism development strategy until 2030 sets a target to make tourism a more sustainable economic sector, in which the advantages of natural resources and development of a variety of tourism products are promoted. Binh Thuan province in central-south Vietnam, hosts many high potential geosites including Mui Ne Red Dunes. Although this is a popular tourist destination, there is no clear tourism strategy for this site and local communities now regulate tourism in an unsustainable way. Online comments from review databases (TripAdvisor and Google reviews) are analysed to find themes in tourism perceptions after a visit to the Red Sand Dunes. Main themes are found that negatively affect tourist perceptions, such as the extended pollution of the dunes, theft reports and disturbance by jeeps, ATV’s and motorbikes. Many tourists recommend that this site should be better managed. To conserve this area in the future, the development of an all-inclusive local geopark is suggested, based on the tourism perceptions and previous studies assessing this landscape. This strategy is adapted from the UNESCO geopark framework and an example of a recently established local sand dune geopark in Taiwan is discussed. Implementing a local geopark, following the steps described in this study, can be beneficial for sustainable development and local communities in this area, while also promoting environmental education and enhancing disaster risk reduction.

A Comparative Study on Socio-Economic Impact of COVID- 19 Pandemic on Fisheries Industry in Tangalle Divisional Secretariat Division

The COVID-19 pandemic, which has provided the basis for creating a highly problematic environment in every sector of the world today has also had a significant impact on the fisheries industry which is one of the world’s leading economic activities. The main objective of this study was to examine the socio-economic impacts on fisheries industry before and during COVID-19 pandemic situation with special reference to Tangalle Divisional Secretariat Division. The study was based on the four Grama Niladhari Divisions of Kudawella North, Central, South and West associated with the Kudawella Fisheries Harbor. Primary data was collected from a field survey using a semi structured questionnaire from 74 fishing families representing the 75% of the population under stratified random sampling. Paired T test was carried out to test the variables comparatively before and after COVID-19 pandemic to confirm the result statistically. In addition, simple statistical methods were used for the quantitative assessment. Results revealed that the epidemic situation had a significant socio-economic impact on the fishing industry during the COVID-19 pandemic situation such as declining income, growth of indebtedness, disruption of children’s education, mental distress and social stigma. Suggestions were identified to mitigate the impacts. In this context, it was concluded that the COVID-19 epidemic has primarily affected the fisheries industry and as a result, created many socio-economic problems for the fisheries community.

Study of Marine Sand-Dwelling Dinoflagellate With Four New Records From the Central South Coast of Viet Nam

In this study, marine sand samples were collected from the shallow intertidal zone of Nha Trang bay, Viet Nam. Taxonomic observations were conducted for the sanddwelling dinoflagellates using light, epifluorescent and scanning electron microscopy. Morphology characterizations of the four species namely, Amphidiniopsis hexagona, Thecadinium pseudokofoidii, Amphidinium herdmanii and Fukuyoa ruetzleri have been reported as new records for Vietnamese coastal waters. The genus Amphidiniopsis and Thecadinium are a new addition to the dinoflagellates flora of Viet Nam. Taxomomic descriptions and photographs of these species have been provided. Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 28(2): 367-378, 2021 (December)

A Study on the Structure and Significance of the North Sanctuary at Western Prasat Top | ការសិក្សាអំពីរចនាសម្ព័ន្ធ និងសារៈសំខាន់ននតួប៉មខាងជ􀈹ើងជៅប្រាសា ទតុបខាងលិច

Western Prasat Top is located in the south-west quadrant of Angkor Thom. The Central, South, and North Sanctuaries, and the uposathāgāra are divided by sīmā stones and, along with a laterite boundary, form the temple precinct. In order to study the history of Western Prasat Top, the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (NABUNKEN), in collaboration with the Apsara National Authority (APSARA), began surveying in 2003. Our discoveries from the North Sanctuary have contributed new and important evidence to understanding the history of the late Angkor period. We will discuss this unearthed evidence from the perspectives of archaeology, archaeological science and iconography. ប្រាសាទតុបខាងលិចសិ្តជៅទិសនិរតីននប្រាសាទរាយនព័ អតីតប្ក្រុងអង្គរធំ។ បរជិ េណប្រាសាទតុបមានតួបម៉ ក្ណ្តា ល ខាងត្បូង និងខាងជ􀈹ើង ប្ពមទាងំ ជ􀈳ឿនឧជរាសថ (ប្ពរះេហាិ រ) ដែលមានសន្លឹក្សីមា៉ ថ្មភក្ជ់ ្្ រះមានប្រាបំ ីទិសជ􀉒ើយមានជាក្ប្មាលរបងប្ពំថ្មរាយជប្ក្ៀមពទព័ ្ធ􀈹ុំេញិ ដែលបជងើតក រានជាទប្មងប្់ រាសាទ។ ជែើម្សី ិក្សា􀈳្រះៗពីប្បេតិប្តា រាសាទតុបខាងលិច េទិ យាសា្ នប្សាេ ប្ជាេជាតិណ្រ៉សប្មាបស់ ម្តិេតា ប្ធម ៌ (NABUNKEN) រានស􀉒ការជាមយួ អាជាញា ធរជាតិអប្សរ ដែ លរានចាបជ់ ្ើមតា ជធើក្វ ិច្ចស􀉒ប្បតិបតិកាតា រប្សាេប្ជាេជៅឆ្នា ំ ២០០៣។ ការសិក្សាប្សាេប្ជាេជនរះរក្ជ􀈵ើ ញេតុ្មយួ ចំនួនជៅតួបម៉ ខាងជ􀈹ើងដែលជាភសុតាតាងែស៍ ំខាន ់ ក្ុងនា ការរមួ ចំដណក្រក្ជ􀈵ើញរបក្គំជ􀉒ើ ញថី្ម និង ជែើម្ដី សវងយល់អំពីប្បេតិសាតា សសតានាសមយព័ ចុងជប្កាយននអាណ្ចប្ក្អង្គរ។ ជយើងនលឹងពិ្ក្្ សាអំពីភសុតាតាងទាងំ អមបាលមានដែលរានរក្ជ􀈵ើញឲ្យរានសុី􀈹ជប្រៅ ជៅជលើទស្សនៈននបុរណេទិ យា,េ ទិ យាសាសសតាបុរណេទិ យា និងជទេក្ថា។