Beware of Fake Doctors in Vietnam
- Details
- Published on 10 October 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
Quality is always something to be aware of when living in Vietnam. From motorbike helmets to pho noodles, shoddy products can profoundly affect your wellbeing. Now you can add doctors to this list – people are buying and borrowing medical practice certificates, allowing them to administer medical treatment without proper training.
Morning Links: Vietnam Seizes Nearly 2 Tons of Elephant Tusks Smuggled From Malaysia, Labeled as Sea Shells
- Details
- Published on 10 October 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
General Vo Nguyen Giap to be laid to rest at Dragon Cap [SGGP]
A new phase of poverty reduction [VoV]
Two hospitals violate regulations, suffer great losses [Tuoi Tre]
Colorful Old Map of Saigon
- Details
- Published on 09 October 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
Though we can't pinpoint the exact date for this map, we're sure it's from before 1954. This was the year when the French ceded control of Saigon and south Vietnam in accordance with the Geneva Accords. When Diem's government took office, they switched out the French names for Vietnamese ones.
Whatever its date, it's a pretty sweet map.
Win up to VND20 million for Your Short Film on Vietnamese Street Food
- Details
- Published on 09 October 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
If you enjoy making short films and have a place in your heart for Vietnamese street food, a new competition, "Vietnamese street cuisine" should be right up your alley. Oh, and the winning films will fetch VND20 million in prize money.
98-Year-Old to Continue his Hunt for $100 Billion Treasure
- Details
- Published on 09 October 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
98-year-old Tran Van Tiep of Ho Chi Minh City has been given permission to continue his hunt for Japanese treasure he believes is buried at Tau Mountain in Binh Thuan Province.
[Updated] Vietnam Releases First Domestic Smartphone
- Details
- Published on 09 October 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
[Update Below] Well, we may be a step behind North Korea but Vietnam has just released its first, domestically produced smartphone fittingly named the Lotus.
Morning Links: EVN Posts Massive Losses Over Non-Core Investments
- Details
- Published on 09 October 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
Vietnam Government Clarifies its 'Buy-Local' Policy [FutureGov]
Toxic waste continues to flood into Viet Nam [Vietnam Net]
Refinery investment to double [VNS]
City prepares supply of commodities for Tet holiday season [SGGP]
Video: Saigon in 1945
- Details
- Published on 08 October 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
1945 was a tumultuous year for Vietnam. After the Japanese were defeated by the Allies in 1945, Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnamese independence from France, unaware that Allied leaders had agreed at the Potsdam Conference to divide the the former French colony at the 17th parallel. Under the agreement, the British occupied the south and the Chinese nationalists the north until French colonial authority could be reestablished.
Interview with Award-Winning Filmmaker Ham Tran
- Details
- Published on 08 October 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
"Am Muu Giay Got Nhon" ("How to Fight in Six Inch Heels") is an upcoming, fashion-focused romantic comedy directed by Viet Kieu filmmaker, Ham Tran, his first in Vietnam. Saigoneer sat down with Ham do get the lowdown on his new film.
South Korean Man Found Dead in HCMC Apartment
- Details
- Published on 08 October 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
In what's becoming a seemingly weekly occurrence, another foreign national has died in Saigon. Korean Kim Tea Sik was found dead in his HCMC apartment yesterday morning.
Sik's naked body was discovered by relatives who told police they visited his apartment after attempts to reach him by phone had failed.
Morning Links: Foreign Ship Spills Oil into Reef Off Vietnam
- Details
- Published on 08 October 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
Vietnam, Myanmar agree upon visa exemption [VoV]
Vietnam workers indifferent to minimum wage hike, employers fret [Thanh Nien]
The Story of Saigon's Floating Hotel
- Details
- Published on 07 October 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
There was a time, not too long ago, when Saigon wasn’t full of tourists and backpackers. In the late 1980s, Vietnam had just opened its doors to the west and was rushing to renovate its decrepit colonial-era hotels. With few local options available, international investors found an ingenious way to fill the need for 5 star accommodations in the city – a floating hotel.
Vietnam Announces Plan for 8 Line, $16 Billion Railway
- Details
- Published on 07 October 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
Taking the train in Vietnam is set to get faster and more convenient by 2020. Last Friday, the Vietnam Railways Administration (VRA) announced plans to change the face of rail in Vietnam with eight new railways, at a total estimated cost of VND341,261 billion (US$16.1billion). Most of the lines will focus on the country’s southern corridor with the central hub located in Saigon.
ANH House of Light and Wind
- Details
- Published on 07 October 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
Just past the Saigon Bridge in District 2 lies this lovely house built by Vietnamese architects Sanuki + Nishizawa. Built in the ‘tube-house’ style, the open design allows for fresh air and light to travel through its walls and floors.
Mayhem: The Age of the Thrift Shop Begins in Saigon
- Details
- Published on 07 October 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
In Vietnam, the land of cheap clothes, western-style thrift shops have yet to take off. Mayhem, a new shop located just behind Ben Thanh Market is looking to change this, offering up stylish, imported used clothing from Japan.
"Stoker" - Screening @ Saigon Outcast
- Details
- Published on 07 October 2013
Halloween is coming soon and Saigon Outcast is dedicating the entire October programme of their ‘Thursday outdoor cinema’ to horror and thriller films.
Vietnamese Hero, General Vo Nguyen Giap, Dead at 102
- Details
- Published on 07 October 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
It's been all over the news this weekend but in case you missed it, General Vo Nguyen Giap, who ousted both the French and Americans from Vietnam died in Hanoi last Friday at the age of 102. Later in life, he advocated for closer economic ties with the west and warned about the environmental costs of industrialization.
"Oldboy" - Screening @ deciBel
- Details
- Published on 07 October 2013
The image of Korean art in Vietnamese popular culture seems to revolve around K-Pop music, boyish looking pop stars and girl bands that seem to have come out of a giant cupcake.
What the Phở Happened Last Weekend? 10 Stories You May Have Missed
- Details
- Published on 07 October 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
Vietnamese General Vo Nguyen Giap dies [Tuoi Tre]
Efficiency Needs to Play a Bigger Role in Vietnam’s Fast-Growing Cities [GreenTechMedia]
Video: The Perfect Cafe Sữa Nóng?
- Details
- Published on 04 October 2013
- Written by Brian Letwin
Yes, we know that Saigonese take their cafe sữa with đá (ice) and that the background music is from Thailand. Nonetheless, this playful video by food videographer, Eric Slatkin is well done and worth a watch.
Honestly, since we buy most of our coffee from street cafes, this was quite helpful in case there's ever a time we actually make a cup of our own.
