Details: Published on 28 July 2015; Written by Saigoneer.

Three days of continuous rains have ravaged the northern province of Quang Ninh, turning streets into rivers and killing at least three people.

Morning News Roundup: Artists Propose Ways To Enliven Ho Chi Minh City Pedestrian Street

Details: Published on 28 July 2015; Written by Saigoneer.

Cai Rang among world’s six busiest floating markets [Vietnam Net]

Viet Nam's stock market helps drive the economy [Vietnam News]

Number of Vietnamese visiting Japan soars [VoV]

[Photos] Da Nang Spa Is a Modern-Day Twist on Babylon’s Hanging Gardens

Details: Published on 27 July 2015; Written by Saigoneer.

“In this palace he erected very high walks, supported by stone pillars; and by planting what was called a pensile paradise, and replenishing it with all sorts of trees, he rendered the prospect an exact resemblance of a mountainous country.”

Hanoi Police To Patrol City On Bikes To Build "Friendly" Image

Details: Published on 27 July 2015; Written by Saigoneer.

In order to create a friendlier public image, Hanoi will soon have some of its police officers patrol the city on bicycles.

Design For Saigon’s Underground Metro Tracks Approved

Details: Published on 27 July 2015; Written by Saigoneer.

While the concrete pylons that comprise the above ground portion of Saigon’s first metro have lined the North-South Expressway for years, things are finally ramping up on its subterranean stations.

Saigon’s Famous Streets and Squares: Quách Thị Trang Square

Details: Published on 27 July 2015; Written by Tim Doling. Top image by Nguyen Thanh Tai via Flickr user manhhai.

In this, the first of a new series about the history of the famous streets and squares of Saigon and Chợ Lớn, Tim Doling looks at the history of Quách Thị Trang square.

Australian Vietnam Airlines Passenger Tied up for Smoking Mid-Flight

Details: Published on 27 July 2015; Written by Saigoneer.

Though some first time flyers have been known to mistake emergency exits for lavatories, some blatantly disregard well-known airline regulations, like this Vietnamese-Australian man who had to be tied up after refusing to extinguish his cigarette.

Weekend News Roundup: Teachers Talk Less During Lessons Under New Methodology

Details: Published on 27 July 2015; Written by Saigoneer.

German news agency apologizes to Vietnam defense minister for false death report [Tuoi Tre]

Vietnamese arrested in Japan for cyber revenge on former employer [Thanh Nien]

Vietnam’s first heart-lung transplant recipient dies after 5 days [Thanh Nien]

Up To 54% Of Ice In Saigon Found To Be Contaminated

Details: Published on 24 July 2015; Written by Saigoneer.

From trà đá and cafe sữa đá to bia hơi, ice is an important element of beverage culture in Saigon. But according to a new study by the city’s Department of Food Hygiene and Safety, more than half of ice served in the city is contaminated with harmful bacteria.

Experts Outraged After Hanoi Opera House Repainted Without Permission

Details: Published on 24 July 2015; Written by Saigoneer.

In a story (and color) eerily reminiscent of the Saigon Post Office’s botched paint job earlier this year, experts are blasting the new, garish shade of Hanoi’s 104-year-old opera house.

Vănguard: Giving a Voice to Saigon’s LGBT Artists

Details: Published on 24 July 2015; Written by Zelda Rudzitsky.

The launch of Vănguard’s second issue last week followed the slow but swelling wave of support for LGBT rights in Vietnam.

Car Sales In Vietnam Have Increased 58% Over Last Year

Details: Published on 24 July 2015; Written by Saigoneer.

Over the past year, 103,500 automobiles were sold in Vietnam, perhaps signaling the dawn of the car age in a country where motorbikes have long reined king.

Morning News Roundup: HCMC Wants Longer Visa Exemption For European Tourists

Details: Published on 24 July 2015; Written by Saigoneer. Photo by Alexander McMillan.

Hanoi aims to offer top welfare services by 2020 [Vietnam Plus]

HCM City monorail line No 2 gets new costly project quotation [SGGP]

Huge FDI projects withdraw from Vietnam and the consequences [Vietnam Net]

Singapore Refuses Entry, Sends A Number Of Vietnamese Visitors Home Without Explanation

Details: Published on 23 July 2015; Written by Saigoneer.

Vietnam will soon ask its Singaporean counterparts for an explanation as to why a number of mostly female passengers were recently denied entry into the country.

Foreigners In Vietnam Will Be Able To Get International Driving Permits This Year

Details: Published on 23 July 2015; Written by Saigoneer.

Vietnam will begin to issue International Driving Permits (IDPs) for locals and foreigners this October.

[Video] Massive "Komodo Dragons" Are Crawling Through Bangkok's Sewers

Details: Published on 23 July 2015; Written by Saigoneer.

Though Bangkok is a sprawling metropolis, parts of the city have proved to be excellent incubators for wildlife.

Saigon To Get $5.9m River Bus System

Details: Published on 23 July 2015; Written by Saigoneer.

Saigon has long neglected the potential of its waterways for public transportation, a trend that the city’s Department of Transportation hopes to reverse with river busses.

Phu Tho Man Jailed For Stealing His Own Motorbike

Details: Published on 23 July 2015; Written by Saigoneer.

Desperation drives people to do unwise things, like breaking out your motorbike from a police garage. Such is the story of Do Son Tung from the northern province of Phu Tho.