New cable breakdown could break Vietnam’s int’l connection
A vital fiber-optic cable linking Vietnam with Thailand and Hong Kong is leaking electricity, throwing Vietnam’s international connections into jeopardy, according to Vietnam Telecoms International.
The Vietnam-Thailand portion of the Thailand-Vietnam-Hong Kong (TVH) cable was leaking because large portions of it had not been re-buried deep enough after it underwent major repairs in July, said company (VTI) director Nguyen Huu Khanh.
He said that new repairs would begin Sunday and last for 10 days, noting that a breach in the line would threaten Vietnam’s international connectivity.
TVH traffic would be transferred to other channels during repairs, according to other authorities.
Large portions of the TVH cable were found missing last May, forcing Vietnam to shift over 80 percent of its traffic onto the SMW3 (Southeast Asia-Middle East-Western Europe) cable.
The cut cable was fixed two months ago after VTO hired the Singaporean ship Asean Restorer to install 98 kilometers of cable for US$1.3 million.
Police subsequently arrested a number of fishermen for looting cable to sell for scrap.
Local media reported underwater fiber-optic cable theft had risen this year after southern Ba Ria - Vung Tau province passed a regulation last year allowing fishermen to salvage leftover copper cable laid before 1975.
But the salvaging of all cable was then banned in June after several cables were damaged.
By An Dien - Tuoi Tre - September 9, 2007.
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