PRESS DIGEST - Vietnam newspapers - June 5

HANOI, June 5 (Reuters) - These are some of the leading stories in the official Vietnamese press on Thursday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

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FINANCIAL NEWS:

VIETNAM NEWS

-- The Hanoi-based Military Bank has raised its registered capital by 18 percent to 2.36 trillion dong ($148 million) by paying a 30 percent dividend in shares.

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HANOI MOI

-- The dollar rose to a record 18,100 dong on Vietnam's free markets for the first time on Wednesday after many people started buying the currency for hoarding, gold shop owners said.

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TUOI TRE

-- Banks have suspended a plan to charge fees on money withdrawals or other transactions on automatic teller machines initially scheduled to start from July 1.

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THANH NIEN

-- The central bank is closely monitoring the foreign exchange market following speculation in the U.S. dollar in the past week, State Bank of Vietnam Governor Nguyen Van Giau said.

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THOI BAO KINH TE VIETNAM

-- The central bank is required to maintain stable supply of funds in foreign currencies and the Vietnamese dong to producers and providers of essential commodities, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai said.

-- Partly-private Techcombank has raised its interest rate on dong deposits to 15.8 percent per year.

-- State Bank of Vietnam Governor Nguyen Van Giau has asked banks to report their lending fees.

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ECONOMIC AND GENERAL NEWS:

VIETNAM NEWS

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NHAN DAN

-- A bronze smelter run by state-run Vinacomin has produced 20 tonnes of bronze using ore from the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai, marking the first time the country turns out such products at home.

-- Vietnam still faces a high risk of bird flu infection among humans due to scattered outbreaks in poultry even though it did not detect any human cases in May, Health Ministry officials said.

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QUAN DOI NHAN DAN

-- Police started a three-month crackdown on fighting drugs crime nationwide until the end of August.

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SAIGON GIAI PHONG

-- Ports around Ho Chi Minh City face congestion of 343,600 tonnes of imported goods after banks tightened lending, making importers and buyers short of funds, importers told city officials.

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LAO DONG

-- Prices of key commodities such as rice, meat, cement and steel have been easing in Ho Chi Minh City in the past week.

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TUOI TRE

-- The production cost in Mekong Delta rice farming has risen more than 30 percent this year to about 19 million dong ($1,188) per hectare, farmers said.

-- Vietnamese steel importers have been re-exporting the product amid world high prices.

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