Vietnam Struggling to Keep Treasure Hunters in Check
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- Published on 23 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
Since 1998, numerous ancient vessels have been found of the coast of Quang Ngai Province. The ships hold thousands of ancient artifacts, mainly ceramics as these waters were once part of the ‘Ceramic Road’ which linked East and West. Unfortunately, these sites are mismanaged and unprotected, leading to mass looting and the destruction of centuries-old artifacts:
Ministry: Shops Must Use Vietnamese Signs
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- Published on 23 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
Following last year’s passage of the Vietnamese Advertisement law which requires that advertising content, spoken or written must be in Vietnamese, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recently told cultural departments nationwide to exercise greater control over the many shop signs featuring only foreign languages, or signs where Vietnamese is not the focus. Shops that have only or predominantly foreign-language signs will face fines up between VND1 – 5 million.
San Art Laboratory: Open Studio Session 3
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- Published on 23 August 2013
- Written by Zelda Rudzitsky.
Have you ever been in front of a painting, a photograph, a video installation or any other form of artistic creation, for that matter, and asked yourself “What was the artist/author thinking?”, “What is he trying to say?”?
Old Saigon Picture of the Day: The Original Sửa Xe (1890s?)
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- Published on 23 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
Before the age of motorbikes, Saigon's streets were characterized by ox-drawn carts and horse-drawn carriages.
And, just like motorbikes, everyday wear and tear would take their toll, requiering small repairs here and there to keep them going.
Who would play the role of hero when your carriage broke down?
Morning Links: Plastic Food Wrappers Found Contaminated with Toxic Substances
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- Published on 23 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
- Banks warned not to hide debt [VNS]
- Tears at Smile restaurant [VietnamNet Bridge]
- Many famous discotheques in Saigon raided [VietnamNet Bridge]
From French Villas to Slums, Da Lat's Lost Charm
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- Published on 22 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
Da Lat, once a sleepy French vacation town, full of ornate villas and majestic pine forests, is in danger of losing what charm still remains. Earlier this year, it was revealed that the city’s pine trees are disappearing at an alarming rate and now, according to Thanh Nien, its colonial villas are facing a similar fate.
New Web Series Captures the Vietnamese Diaspora Seeking a New Life in Vietnam
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- Published on 22 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
A new web series, Employed Identity, explores the phenomenon of the Vietnamese diaspora returning to the country of their parents’ birth, to find both themselves and successful careers. Directed by Bao Minh Nguyen, it is one of three webseries funded by CAAM’s Web Innovation Fund.
Large Bomb Uncovered in Dak Ru
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- Published on 22 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
A massive, 300kg bomb was discovered by a resident of Dak Ru Commune, Dak R'lap District in the central highlands province of Dak Nong.
HCMC Schools Introducing Balanced Meals to Fight Obesity
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- Published on 22 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
McDonalds might not have opened its first Saigon outlet yet, but growing youth obesity rates are already a major public health issue. To combat the epidemic, HCMC schools are instituting standard lunches to ensure students are receiving adequate nutrition.
Can Coffee Save the Vietnamese Economy?
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- Published on 22 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
As inefficient state-owned business drag down Vietnam’s economy with bad debt, other sectors must pick up the slack. In times of economic stagnation, the country has one fallback - agriculture.
Morning Links: Vietnam Plans Over 110 Television Channels by 2015
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- Published on 22 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
- Vietnam police deny recent memo banning people from filming cops [Thanh Nien]
- Bus carrying Vietnamese robbed in Moscow [Tuoi Tre]
- Century-old temple inside bodhi tree slowly collapsing [Tuoi Tre]
Vietnam Ponders Regulations on Free Chat Apps
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- Published on 21 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
Free chat apps such as Viber, Wechat, Whatsapp and Line have become extremely popular in Vietnam. Providing free chat and calls, domestically and internationally, these tools appear on the majority of smartphones in the country. But there’s one group that isn’t particularly happy about this trend – state-owned telecommunication companies.
How Much Do You Make? New Report Finds Growing Salaries in HCMC
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- Published on 21 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
Ever wonder what you're worth?
The recently released 2013 Robert Walters Global Salary Survey shows moderate growth in salaries for workers in the financial, supply chain, engineering, HR, IT, sales and marketing industries in Saigon.
"Encounter" @ San Art
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- Published on 21 August 2013
“Encounter” kicks off this Wednesday with a lecture by renowned mathematician Professor Ngo Bao Chau. He is the fourth Asian to be awarded the Fields Medal (2010), the highest honour in mathematics, and the Simons Foundation recipient (2013).
Morning Links: Fire Rages Next to HCMC Backpackers’ Quarter
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- Published on 21 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
- Vietnam Sends Plan for Relaxing Foreign Ownership Limits to Dung [Bloomberg]
- Vietnam court sentences Nigerian man to death for drug trafficking [Thanh Nien]
- Vietnam tourism to grant labor cross-ASEAN work certificates [Thanh Nien]
The Story of Saigon’s Opium Refinery
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- Published on 20 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
Many of you have probably enjoyed a meal in the courtyard at 74 Hai Ba Trung, which currently houses a number of high-end restaurants such as Vasco’s, Hanayuki, Annz and The Refinery; the latter being the most noteworthy as its name connects to the original use of this area – an opium refinery.
Wine, Grapes and Relaxation
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- Published on 20 August 2013
- Written by Alfredo de la Casa. Photos by Thoa Kieu.
Although there are many reasons to visit Spain, including good weather, history and food, wine tourism has become one of the latest trends with foreigners and locals alike. You may enjoy drinking wine, but the next step is visiting the cellars.
Films Coming to Vietnam This August
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- Published on 20 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
We know we’re a few weeks late, but here’s a list of films being released in Vietnam this month. Descriptions from IMDB.
Morning Links: Casinos to be Fined up to $10,000 if Serving Vietnamese Players
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- Published on 20 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
- Ministry backs new airport plan [VNS]
- Viet Nam's first female film director dies [VNS]
- Overseas students’ series on life in US stirs Internet [Tuoi Tre]
Harley-Davidson Finally Opening Shop in Saigon?
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- Published on 19 August 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
For a country with a motorbike obsession, this counts as huge news - iconic American motorcycle maker, Harley-Davidson, is finally opening a showroom in Vietnam according to a set of job postings on Vietnamworks (hat tip to Vietnam 720 for finding them).
