Details: Published on 05 September 2016; Written by Saigoneer. Photos by Brandon Coleman.

On September 2, Saigon Railways unveiled a newly renovated car on the SPT8 train running from Ho Chi Minh City to Phan Thiet, right on time for the country’s national day celebration and the 80^th anniversary of Vietnam’s North-South railway line.

Vietnamese Government to Sell All Stakes in Nation’s Biggest Brewers

Details: Published on 05 September 2016; Written by Saigoneer.

The Vietnamese government announced last week that it will sell all of its shares in the country’s two biggest beer companies by the end of 2017, an unprecedented move.

Weekend News Roundup: 2,100 Inmates Freed, Thousands Enjoy Reduced Terms on Vietnam National Day

Details: Published on 05 September 2016; Written by Saigoneer. Photo by Lee Starnes.

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2,100 inmates freed, thousands enjoy reduced terms on Vietnam National Day [Thanh Nien]

Vietnam banks: best served at room temperature [Thanh Nien]

Durian-Flavored Condoms Are Now a Thing in Southeast Asia

Details: Published on 04 September 2016; Written by Saigoneer. .

It was bound to happen sooner or later: durian, one of the world’s most divisive fruits, is making an appearance in bedrooms throughout Southeast Asia.

Saigon’s “Golden Land” Remains Undeveloped Despite Opportunities

Details: Published on 03 September 2016; Written by Saigoneer.

While major new construction projects seem to appear in Saigon on a daily basis, some of the city’s most valuable real estate remains undeveloped.

[Photos] The Family That Traded Hanoi for Red River Wilderness

Details: Published on 03 September 2016; Written by Saigoneer.

Hidden behind dense bamboo thickets on a bend in the Red River is what some would call a peculiar family of three.

The Evolution of Bánh Xèo: A Street Food History

Details: Published on 03 September 2016; Written by Dana Filek-Gibson. Illustration by Henry Chi-Hieu Nguyen.

While phở, bánh mì and now, occasionally, bún chả hog the spotlight in Vietnamese cuisine, everyone in Vietnam is familiar, to some degree, with bánh xèo. On street corners and in tiny, modest quán, the thin, savory rice flour pancake has earned its place among the pantheon of roadside Vietnamese fare. But as any upstanding street food diner will tell you, its dozens of variations mean that true appreciation of bánh xèo goes beyond the consumption of a single regional style.

#WeAreSaigoneer: Instagram Shots of the Week

Details: Published on 03 September 2016; Written by Saigoneer.

From a picturesque lagoon to the gritty textures of District 5's Chinatown, this is what we saw through our lens this week.

Saigoneer's Weekend Event Picks

Details: Published on 01 September 2016; Written by Saigoneer.

Looking for something to do this weekend? Check out our favorite events happening around Saigon.

Saigon Considering $300m Intelligent Transport System to Alleviate Traffic Issues

Details: Published on 01 September 2016; Written by Saigoneer. Illustration by Henry Chi-Hieu Nguyen.

With crippling traffic becoming the norm in Saigon, local authorities are seeking ways to address the problem, from trimming sidewalks to banning motorbikes. While these controversial tactics are hotly debated in the public sphere, officials are considering the creation of an intelligent transport system.

Vinacafe CEO Admits to Past Impure Coffee Products

Details: Published on 01 September 2016; Written by Saigoneer.

In a surprisingly candid moment during a conference held last month, Nguyen Tan Ky, the incumbent CEO of Vinacafe, admitted to mixing soya beans into some of the company’s products in the past.

[Photos] Vacuum-Packed Japanese Wedding Photos Will Take Your Breath Away

Details: Published on 01 September 2016; Written by Saigoneer. .

Japan continues to provide plenty of material when it comes to bizarre trends. The latest? Vacuum-packed wedding photos.

Inside Quang Nam's Bizarre Cow Beauty Pageant

Details: Published on 01 September 2016; Written by Saigoneer.

Last week, a town in Quang Nam Province played host to an unusual spectacle: a cow beauty pageant.

Morning News Roundup: New Route Open to Alleviate Congestion at HCMC Airport

Details: Published on 01 September 2016; Written by Saigoneer. Photo by Lee Starnes.

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Formosa pays $500 mil compensation for marine disaster in central Vietnam [Thanh Nien]

Foreign investors turn sellers in Vietnam after 10-year spree [Thanh Nien]

Le Thanh Ton Restaurant Brings Slick Design to Japanese Dining

Details: Published on 31 August 2016; Written by Saigoneer.

A visit to District 1’s Hachi-Juu Hachi Shouten Restaurant offers more than just Japanese cuisine, but also a unique dining experience created by the building’s sleek architecture.

There's Now a Netflix-Like Streaming Service in North Korea

Details: Published on 31 August 2016; Written by Saigoneer.

North Korea is currently among a handful of countries and territories in the world, including Crimea, Syria and China, where Netflix is not available. However, the reclusive East Asian country has now remedied that shortcoming – well...sort of – by launching a Netflix-like streaming service of its own.

Hanoi to Launch Book Street by End of the Year

Details: Published on 31 August 2016; Written by Saigoneer. Photo by Brian Letwin.

Hanoian bookworms will be happy to hear that the capital expects to unveil a brand-new book street by the end of the year.

[Video] Local Teacher Sings, Dances Awkwardly in English Idiom Music Video

Details: Published on 31 August 2016; Written by Saigoneer.

Learning English idioms is not an easy feat. This is especially true for Vietnamese students trying to acquire English as a second language. Fortunately, in this age of YouTube and Snapchat, one can make a helpful video explaining pretty much anything. One rather intrepid teacher in Saigon has done just that: Nguyen Thai Duong managed to work 19 English idioms into a video parodying a popular Vietnamese pop song.