The service for the public to pay their last respect to General Vo Nguyen Giap has been extended from 3pm of October 12 to 6am of October 13, instead of from 3pm to 9pm of October 12 as previously planned. In an announcement on October 12 afternoon, the organising committee of the funeral for the General further said the extension was made to meet the aspiration of tens of thousands of mourners thronging the streets around the National Funeral Hall where the deceased lay in state. General Giap passed away at 6.09pm on October 4 at the age of 103. He is described as an outstanding disciple of President Ho Chi Minh, a military genius, and a General of the people. A memorial service for him will start at 7.30am of October 13. Later the same day, he will be buried in his home province of Quang Binh , about 500km south of Hanoi.VNA