Da Nang Taps IBM to Design Advanced Traffic System
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- Published on 16 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
Why is it that Da Nang keeps getting all the cool toys? As if free, city-wide WIFI weren’t enough, the city has signed a deal with IBM to install a high-tech traffic management system.
[UPDATED]Plan to Move Saigon's Electrical Wires Underground Facing Major Delays
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- Published on 16 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
[Update Below] In an effort to clear Saigon’s skies, in 2009, city authorities signed off on a plan to move messy electrical wires underground. But the project, scheduled to be completed by 2015, is facing a plethora of technical and financial obstacles.
Morning Links: Vietnamese Man Pays Russian Boy $12,000 for Smashing Teeth with Golf Club
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- Published on 16 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
Over USD6 billion suggested for five PPP projects [dangcongsan]
Vietnamese forest devastated by Agent Orange restored to health [ajw.asahi]
Vietnam bid to stop traffic police bribes [Bangkok Post]
Saigon’s Citadel - Part 2
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- Published on 15 August 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
This is part 2 of our series on Saigon's citadel. You can read part 1 here.
Nguyen Anh (AKA Gia Long) would never use his citadel for military action as hostilities only resumed after his death in 1831. Shortly before he expired, Anh selected Minh Mang, his youngest son, as heir to the throne rather than his older son, Prince Canh.
Vietnam's North-South Railway Set for Major Upgrade
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- Published on 15 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
Vietnam’s North-South Railway has been in need of a major upgrade for a long time. Beyond issues of speed and comfort, the system’s infrastructure is in poor condition, causing chronic delays and inefficiencies. While Vietnam recently put plans for a high-speed rail system on the backburner due to massive costs, the Ministry of Transport has released a blueprint to overhaul the system’s main line.
Morning Links: Vietnamese and the “$1billion Business Ambition”
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- Published on 15 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
- Binh Chau shipwreck: discovery area to be expanded [Quanhnai]
- Price hike to ensure electricity supply [VEN]
- Violence, capitalism and dodgy cops... [Thanh Nien]
Massive Fire Drill at Diamond Plaza this Morning
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- Published on 14 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
If you're wondering why emergency crews, including 2 helicopters are running around Dimond Plaza this morning, fear not, for it's only a drill!
The city fire, police and health departments along with Military Zone 7 are participating in this simulation to prepare for high-rise fires.
Morning Links: Civilization Fails to Lure Vietnam Men From 40-year Jungle Home
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- Published on 14 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
- Thirty Russian Firms to take part in Tourism Expo in HCMC [SGGP]
- Vietnamese school children are 'years ahead' of Indian pupils [phys.org]
- Vietnam to cover costs of bridge delay [Japan Times]
Old Saigon Picture of the Day: Saigon Railroad Building
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- Published on 13 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
Not too long ago, the park across from Ben Thanh Market was the location of the city's main train station.
Even though the station moved to District 3 following the American War, remnants of the old station, such as the the former Vietnam Railways headquarters seen above, still remain.
Morning Links: ‘Ba Tung’ Closes Facebook Page After Nationwide Ban
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- Published on 13 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
- Can Vietnam become a gambling getaway? [Thanh Nien]
- Land for industrial parks lies abandoned in Mekong Delta [SGGP]
- Foreigners with over-3 month visas can buy houses in VN: Proposal [Tuoi Tre]
Vietnam Contemplates Opening Real Estate Market to Foreigners
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- Published on 12 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
To boost investment in the ailing real-estate sector, the Ministry of Construction has proposed that foreigners residing in Vietnam be given the opportunity to purchase property. Thanh Nien reports:
Proposed Plan Would Completely Reorganize Saigon’s Districts
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- Published on 12 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
A new urban administration plan proposed by the HCMC People’s Committee would completely reshape the city’s urban structure. Say goodbye to Districts 2 and 7!
According to city authorities, Saigon has outgrown its current administration model and needs to be re-organized to better serve its residents. Under the new plan, the city would contain 13 central districts, surrounded by 4 satellite cities.
Shanghai's Rapid Development Captured in a .Gif
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- Published on 12 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
Prior to World War II, Shanghai, like Saigon, was a major trading port, controlled by foreign powers. Following communist victory in 1949, most international firms relocated to Hong Kong to protect their assets.
With China's move toward globalization in the early 90s, Shanghai returned to its former glory, reaping vast economic benefits.
South East Asian Portraits - A Documentary Series
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- Published on 12 August 2013
- Written by Zelda Rudzitsky.
Sunday 5 p.m - I have just finished work and I look outside the window like a child on Christmas morning, hoping that the rain has stopped. No luck. I prepare myself for yet another ride under the rain to District 2 to meet with filmmaker Mudfish aka Davide Domenici for a chat/informal interview.
What the Phở Happened Last Weekend? 10 Stories You May Have Missed
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- Published on 12 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
- Vietnam can’t afford to switch to newer, safer vaccines: official [Thanh Nien]
- Vietnam authorities lax over hydrofoil safety [Thanh Nien]
- No further dong devaluation, Vietnam central bank assures [Thanh Nien]
Awkward Allies: North Korea and Vietnam
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- Published on 08 August 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
A recent article from NK News examines the slightly awkward relationship between North Korea and Vietnam since the beginning of the Cold War. Starting in the 1950s, Hanoi and Pyonyang became uneasy allies, united by their political ideologies. With the fall of the Soviet Union, the countries began on decidedly different paths: North Korea became completely reliant on Bejing, while Vietnam opened its doors to capitalism and, in turn, South Korean investors.
Creative Shakes - Where Art Comes to Life
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- Published on 07 August 2013
- Written by Zelda Rudzitsky. Photos by Pierre Espardeille.
Who defines art? Who can make art? Who is an artist? These questions have been explored, dealt with and talked about by artists and critics since the beginning of the 20th Century. The perception and relevance of the figure of the artist has also evolved over the centuries: it spans from the pre-Renaissance vision of a medium between God and the mere mortals, to the Andy Warhol “commercial-popular artist” and anything else that comes in between.
Casinos in Vietnam: Boom or Bust?
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- Published on 07 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
As Vietnam continues to hand out investment licenses for massive casino projects, some wonder whether they will help boost tax revenues as the government hopes or become development albatrosses, sitting empty like a Pyongyang 5-star hotel.
Street Signs: Trần Hưng Đạo, Warrior Poet (Part 1)
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- Published on 06 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
Trần Hưng Đạo Street is a major thoroughfare, stretching from District 1 to District 5. Let’s take a closer look at the street’s namesake and see why he is one of Vietnam’s most famous historical characters. The picture above should give you a pretty good idea of his general badassery.
The Saigonese
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- Published on 06 August 2013
- Written by Jas Huynh.
When it comes to the city’s moniker, the people here prefer ‘Saigon’ to ‘Ho Chi Minh City’ since ‘Saigon’ evokes greater emotion and connection to the city’s history. As an introduction, may I take the liberty of quoting researcher and Professor Nguyen Dinh Dau’s statement that if there were no Saigon, the innovative and integrated Vietnam we know today wouldn’t exist.
