Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has approved a 7-day Lunar New Year break after reviewing proposals made by the Ministry of Labour, War-invalids and Social Affairs last month, which included a 10-day option.

Firework display on the Lunar New Year's Eve in 2014 in Ha Noi. Photo by Vu Quang Huy/VnExpress Photo Contest

Phuc’s decision means that most members of the public will have 7 days off for the New Year holiday from January 26 to February 1. During this period, government offices and state-owned companies will close, as well as schools and other businesses in the country.

The labour ministry proposed the 10-day option last month and a survey by VnExpress found that 81% of the 16,500 respondents favored a long break. The 7-day break may be too short for many, especially after the 9-day holidays the country has enjoyed for Tet over the past 5 years.

PM Phuc has yet to decide on the break for the Hung Kings’ Festival, which commemorates the kings considered to be the founding fathers of Viet Nam. The Ministry of Home Affairs favoured the longer option of a 4-day break that starts on Thursday, April 6 and will run through the weekend. Workers will have to make up for the Friday off on the Saturday of the week before or after. The other option was a single day on April 6, or the 10^th day of the third lunar month.

If the PM approves the longer option, Viet Nam will have a total of 21 holidays in 2017.

The remaining holidays approved for 2017 include: 3 days off for the New Year holiday from December 31, 2016 to January 2, 2017; 4 days for Reunification Day and Labour Day from April 29 to May 2; and 3 days for the National Day from September 2-4.

(Source: VnExpress)