Vietnamese Petrol Prices Reach All-Time High
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- Published on 24 June 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
As of 8pm last night, Vietnamese petrol prices reached an all-time high.
Vietnam’s Coral Reefs On The Brink Of Extinction
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- Published on 24 June 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
Coral reefs around the world have been seriously degraded over the past 20 years and Vietnam’s are no exception. These ecosystems, which are vital to sustaining oceanic biodiversity, are very sensitive to changing ocean temperatures and destructive human activities. Experts warn that within 20 years, Vietnam may not have any left.
[Video] Tuồng: Vietnam’s Disappearing Traditional Face Painting
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- Published on 24 June 2014
- Written by Lan Tran.
Tuồng is a type of traditional folk performance which is characterized in part by the use of abstract face-painting. Performers hide their real faces under a piece of art, which symbolize their character in the play. And like all good art, it takes time to make.
Bus Advertisements Are Finally Coming To Saigon
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- Published on 24 June 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
After years of delays, bus advertisements are coming to Saigon. The pilot project, which will take place on 10 routes, was supposed to have launched 2 years ago but never made it past the planning stage.
[Photos] Thu Duc’s Beautiful M11 House
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- Published on 24 June 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
In a reminder that Vo Trong Nghia Architects isn't the only high-end design game in town, a21studio’s M11 house in Thu Duc District could convince us to move 30 minutes into HCMC’s suburbs.
Morning News Roundup: Over 14,000 Android Phones Tapped In Vietnam
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- Published on 24 June 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
26 percent of Vietnamese children are stunted [VietNamNet]
Cambodia-made car causes shocks to Vietnam’s auto industry [VietNamNet]
Vietnam confiscates 90kg of elephant tusks, ivory artifacts allegedly smuggled from Africa [Tuoi Tre]
Battle Of The Taxi Apps: Uber Arrives In Vietnam
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- Published on 23 June 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
As GrabTaxi and EasyTaxi make inroads in brining Vietnam’s personal transportation services into the digital age, one of the sexiest names in the space is getting ready to rev its engine in Saigon.
Da Nang’s Dragon Bridge Gets International Praise For Lighting Design
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- Published on 23 June 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
Da Nang's world famous bridge is back in the proverbial spotlight. After winning an international engineering award back in May, the central city’s Dragon Bridge was recently honored at the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD)’s 2014 International Lighting Design Awards.
[Photos] Local Artist Creates Beautiful Aluminum And Wood Bird Sculptures
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- Published on 23 June 2014
- Written by Dang Bui.
Interweaving the arts of sculpture and installation, Thai Nhat minh’s solo exhibition last year, “The Birds” captured feelings of captivity and yearning for freedom through his wooden and aluminum birds.
[Photos] Old Time Saigon Street Eats
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- Published on 23 June 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
Part of what makes up Saigon’s special and gritty character is the amount of activity on its streets and sidewalks which are full of vendors who sell everything from soup to fruit. Not only are these sold on the street, but also consumed there. Eating on the street has long been a part of the city’s DNA as we can see though this set of old photos.
A Date With the Wrecking Ball: The Catinat Building
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- Published on 23 June 2014
- Written by Tim Doling.
According to a recent article in Dân Trí newspaper, the Catinat building at the corner of Đồng Khởi and Lý Tự Trọng Streets sits on a so-called “gold land” block which has been earmarked for redevelopment to accommodate “services, culture, luxury hotels, finance offices [and] exhibition areas”. While it’s still standing, we take a look at the history of this old art deco landmark.
[Video] Sewer Fishing In District 12
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- Published on 23 June 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
Dan Tri recently posted a video of District 2 man, Nguyen Tuan Hai, who has found fishing paradise in a District 12 storm drain.
[Updated] VietJet Flight Bound For Dalat Mistakenly Lands In Nha Trang
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- Published on 23 June 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
[Update below] Early yesterday, passengers on VietJet flight 8861 bound for Dalat instead found themselves at Nha Trang’s Cam Ranh Airport.
Weekend News Roundup: Vietnam Hub’s Trade Center Ceiling Collapses, Panicking Shoppers
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- Published on 23 June 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
Vietnam Airlines seeking to raise $51 million in IPO [Reuters]
Poverty reduction efforts leave poor behind: Oxfam [VNS]
Vietnam suspends ban on direct import of cars [Thanh Nien]
Street Cred: Hai Ba Trung
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- Published on 21 June 2014
- Written by Vinh.
When tyrants take your husband away and execute him for protesting high taxes, you tend to take stuff like that personally. That’s how Trung Trac took it when the Chinese killed her husband almost two millennia ago.
[Photos] Old School Vietnamese Education
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- Published on 20 June 2014
- Written by Dang Bui.
An elephant in Biology class? Now that would have made me actually pay attention in school. Apparently Vietnamese education used to be a lot more hands-on back in the day compared to our current world of stale standardized testing. Take a glimpse back to the past to see how our forefathers straight-aced it.
A Guide To Honking In Vietnam
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- Published on 20 June 2014
- Written by Eric van der Vorst
Saigoneer contributor, Eric van der Vorst, created this playful list to help us decipher the meaning behind the symphony of honks and beeps that echo through Vietnam's roads and cities.
Phu Yen’s Stunning Cliffs Of Stone Plates
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- Published on 20 June 2014
- Written by Lan Tran.
While they may pale in comparison to Ireland’s beautiful natural basalt formations, their Vietnamese cousins, just north of Nha Trang are just a bus or a bike ride away.
HCMC House Wins 1st Prize At International Design Competition
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- Published on 20 June 2014
- Written by Dang Bui.
After winning Archdaily’s House of the Year Award back in April, Vo Trong Nghia Architects have just added more hardware to their collection for their House for Trees in Binh Thanh District.
Hanoi Gears Up For Super Storms
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- Published on 20 June 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
Climate change is altering the face of weather patterns across Vietnam, but perhaps no more so than in the country’s capital. As Hanoi faces the prospect of 2 – 3 major hurricanes this year, city authorities are taking measures to lessen their blow (pun intended?).