Morning News Roundup: Vietnam's Richest Families Earn Money from Property, Finance Sectors
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- Published on 09 January 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
Over 400 Vietnam state-owned firms dissolved or bankrupt in 2013 [Jakarta Post]
Vietnam upholds life sentence for Malaysian woman for drug smuggling [Thanh Nien]
Minister urges preventive measures against forest fires [VNS]
The History of The Nguyễn Văn Hảo Building, Saigon's Art Deco Flatiron
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- Published on 08 January 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
The Nguyễn Văn Hảo building is perhaps Saigon's best example of art deco flatirons. Standing just across from Ben Thanh market, many of us pass it each day with no knowledge of its history. We've again enlisted the help of historian, Tim Doling, to give us some background on this beautiful building.
Saigon to Add High-End Public Toilets
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- Published on 08 January 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
In what can only be described as exciting news, city authorities have launched a pilot program to add ‘5-star’ public toilets to the busy streets of Saigon.
Morning News Roundup: Vietnam's Disgraced Vinalines Boss Says Senior Official Tipped Him Off to Arrest
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- Published on 08 January 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
Vietnam's disgraced Vinalines boss says senior gov't official tipped him off to arrest [Tuoi Tre]
Vietnam Raises Foreign Bank Ownership Caps to Aid System [Bloomberg]
Vietnam develops “wi-fi cities” [Vietnam Net]
Vietnamese Airlines Order Hundreds of New Planes but There’s Nowhere to Park Them
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- Published on 07 January 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet and Jetstar have all placed ambitious orders for hundreds of new planes to upgrade and expand their aging fleets. But with the expansion of Saigon’s Tan Son Nhat still years away, some wonder exactly where the airlines plan to park their planes.
Beer Paradise: Vietnamese Beer Ranked Cheapest in the World
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- Published on 07 January 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
Thrillist, using crowd-sourced data from cost of living site, Numbeo, just published a list of the countries with the world’s cheapest beer. Somewhat surprisingly, our fair Vietnam took the crown with the average beer priced at $0.76. But things make a bit more sense when you realize that notoriously cheap bia hoi is included in the math.
Vietnamese Teachers Told to Monitor Students via Facebook
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- Published on 07 January 2014
- Written by Peter Cornish.
In what is being seen as a bizarre move, Vietnamese teachers are being instructed to join Facebook and other social networks in order to ‘manage’ their students more effectively.
Morning News Roundup: Chinese Tourists Caught Parading Illegal Map Through Vietnam
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- Published on 07 January 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
Chinese tourists caught parading illegal map through Vietnam [Thanh Nien]
$188 mln swindle case by bank staff now on trial [Tuoi Tre]
First Hospital Opens In HCM City Hi-Tech Medical Complex [Bernama]
Saigon's Cầu Mống and the Remnants of Gustave Eiffel's Work in Vietnam
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- Published on 06 January 2014
- Written by Tim Doling. Top photo by Kevin Lee.
Many people will be familiar with the spurious claims that French civil engineer and architect Gustave Eiffel (1832-1923) was responsible for two of Vietnam’s most iconic buildings, the Long Biên Bridge (Pont Doumer) in Hà Nội and the Central Post Office in Hồ Chí Minh City. The prevalence of such claims makes it all the more strange that so few visitors to Hồ Chí Minh City are given the chance to visit the Pont des Messageries maritimes, which in truth is Eiffel’s only major surviving work in Việt Nam.
Hanoi Man, High on Meth, Cuts Off Sister’s Foot With Fruit Knife
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- Published on 06 January 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
Here’s another good reason to stay away from methamphetamines – they may lead you to cut off a family member’s limb.
Hanoi police arrested Tran Thanh Duy last week for severing the leg of his sister, Tran Thi Dung with a fruit knife as she suffered a seizure.
After Massive Auto Tax Breaks, Will Saigon Become a Parking Lot?
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- Published on 06 January 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
It looks like Saigon won’t be able to avoid the 'car age' after all. Under new import rules for 2014, autos produced by ASEAN neighbors will receive a 50 – 60% tax reduction and many fear that Vietnam’s cities will be filled with cars before major public transportation projects are complete.
Back to the Basics: The Struggle for an Organic Vietnam
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- Published on 03 January 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
After recent health scares from chemically-laced produce and dubious Chinese imports, Vietnamese consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the fact that they don’t know where their food comes from. As this reality sets in, an organic food trend is growing in the nation’s urban centers. But with Vietnam eager to sign onto the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, it may be difficult for this trend to grow in the face of an international, free-trade economy focused on large-scale and increasingly globalized production.
Laurent Judge: The Evolution of a Graffiti Artist
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- Published on 03 January 2014
- Written by Zelda Rudzitsky.
“It’s like a nightmare where everything is in slow motion, some lights will appear, then shadows and creature, which could be real but they are abstract.” This is how Parisian painter and graffiti artist, Laurent Judge described his work during our interview for his current untitled exhibition at deciBel lounge.
30-Day Visa Exemption for Foreigners Visiting Phu Quoc
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- Published on 03 January 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
Starting March 10, international travelers to Phu Quoc will enjoy a 30-day visa exemption.
The visa waiver is part of decision No. 80 signed by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on December 27 with the purpose of “support[ing] local authorities’ plan to transfer the island into an economic zone.”
Morning News Roundup: Vietnamese Man Finds 1,000-year-old Coins Buried in Garden
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- Published on 03 January 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
Peddling banned but still prevalent in Vietnam [Tuoi Tre]
Vietnamese man finds 1,000-year-old coins buried in garden [Thanh Nien]
Vietnam receives first Russian-made submarine [Zeenews]
HCMC earmarks VND7 trillion to reduce poverty households [SGGP]
Flower Power: US$190 Million Pledged to Develop Da Lat's Hi-Tech Flower Industry
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- Published on 02 January 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
Da Lat, the flower growing center of Vietnam, is about to get a huge financial boost. The municipal government recently approved a VND4 trillion (US$190 million) credit package in effort to turn flower cultivation into a high-tech industry.
Nguyen Hue Street (1871)
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- Published on 02 January 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
Nguyen Hue Street, one of Saigon’s oldest thoroughfares, has undergone numerous transformations over its history. With the craziness of the holidays and accompanying sea of motorbikes, it's hard to imagine Saigon as a sleepy colonial backwater. But this image of Nguyen Hue Street, taken around 1871, less than 10 years after the French formally occupied the city, paints the 'city' as a calm and sparsely populated area.
Morning News Roundup: Twins in Hanoi Born From Deceased Dad's Frozen Sperm
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- Published on 02 January 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
Twins in Hanoi born from deceased dad's frozen sperm [Tuoi Tre]
Bus owners hold schools ransom over subsidies [SGGP]
Saigoneer's Top 20 Stories of 2013
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- Published on 31 December 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
1. Vietnamese Architects Unveil Awesome Modular Bamboo Home Design
H&P has produced a demo of their long-promised bamboo houses which are designed to endure flooding and powerful storms. And the kicker? It can be assembled in 25 days at a base cost of $2,500.
2. 46 Incredible Color Photos of 1915 Vietnam
Considering how rare turn of the 20th-century Vietnam photos are, we were especially excited to come across this Flickr album of 46 colorized photos from 1915. The photos were taken by Leon Busy (1874-1950), a French officer serving in Indochina who was also an avid photographer.
10 Awesome Traditional Vietnamese Songs
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- Published on 31 December 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
Petites Planètes compiled a wonderful sampling of traditional Vietnamese music, from funeral songs to those played in Hue's Imperial Citadel, and put the playlist online.
