HANOI, Nov 19 (Reuters) - These are some of the leading stories in the official Vietnamese press on Monday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

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VIETNAM NEWS

-- Increasing environmental pollution and smoking are raising the number of lung disease sufferers in Vietnam, doctors and scientists said at a seminar in Hanoi. A total of 4 million Vietnamese have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

-- The insurance industry has grown strongly since Vietnam joined the World Trade Organisation, said Vietnam Insurance Association general secretary Phung Dac Loc. January to September's non-life premiums hit a five-year high of 5.9 trillion dong ($370 million), up 31 percent from a year ago.

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VIETNAM INVESTMENT REVIEW

-- Thailand's Siam Cement <SCC.BK> said it wanted to build a $3.7 billion petro-chemical complex in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau near the site of Vietnam's third oil refinery.

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NHAN DAN

-- The Finance Ministry is due to cut import duty on liquefied petroleum gas to zero percent as from Tuesday, from 2 percent now, according to a ministry directive.

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HANOI MOI

-- The government said it was sending 205 billion dong ($12.7 million), 8,500 tonnes of rice and 250 tonnes of instant noodles to flood victims in central provinces.

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TUOI TRE

-- Petrovietnam plans to invest up to $1 billion in a fertiliser plant in the southern-most province of Ca Mau.

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