Paul Christiansen in Vietnam
The Grotesque Food on AI Slop Signs Ushers in the Age of Flattened Human Experience
The AI slop has arrived, our streets conquered by vibrant, same-same cartoon faces with goofy grins slapped atop gradient-drenched backgrounds, every inch of space smeared with colorful activity that distracts from wonky details: clocks with nonsensical numerals, bánh mì with reptile skin, and passion fruit oozing juice from sinkhole centers.
Paul Christiansen in Saigon
The Simple Pleasures of Kite-Flying in Thủ Thiêm
One of the most elegant means to observe the textured heft and untethered strength of otherwise-invisible wind — there is plenty one could say about the poetry of flying kites.
Uyên Đỗ in Saigon
Into Saigon's Charming Hidden Third Spaces in the Shade of Bridges
Third place (noun): A space outside of one's home and workplace, where people meet and interact socially.
Saigon Uncovers 9 of Possible 900 Human Remains From 1968 Tết Offensive Beneath Local Park
Authorities believe nine soldiers, alongside artifacts including a military poncho and hammock, are part of a mass grave of about 900 soldiers killed in the 1968 Tết Offensive, according to Tuổi Trẻ. After an eight-year forensics undertaking, local officials have undertaken a mission to recover the remains beneath Lê Thị Riêng Park in Hòa Hưng Ward (former District 10).
Xuân Phương in Hanoi
In Suburban Hanoi, With Summer Comes the Red-Purple Cascade of Mulberries
In suburban Hanoi, this is the season when mulberry branches heavy with bright red fruits dangle in the summer wind.
After Saigon Police Bust Major Pet Theft Ring, the City Rallies to Help Care for 400 Cats
After an extended investigation, the Hồ Chí Minh City Police Department has busted a major cat theft and distribution ring that operated across multiple southern provinces.
A Visit to Lê Minh Xuân, a Rare Craft Village Making Incense Sticks Amid Saigon
From inside the workshop, artisans carry bundle after bundle of freshly made incense sticks into the courtyard amid the morning mist. A gentle scent of spices linger in the air.
As Thanh Đa Faces Redevelopment, Writer Dạ Ngân Reflects on What Will Be Lost
To me, my trip to Cư xá Thanh Đa in summer 1982 was a serendipitous encounter. It was Saigon’s largest-scale residential complex in the first half of the 1970s, with nearly 4,000 separate units housing about 50,000 inhabitants. Cư xá refers to a residential quarter reserved for gainfully employed citizens, with a vision to establish a model community with a high quality of life. Here, in their three-bedroom apartments, civil servants, professors, doctors, and military leaders ranked major or higher lived in pride of being a part of a cư xá like that.
Vietnam Considers Eventually Merging Small, Sparsely Populated Provinces
Any plans to combine sparsely populated locales will, however, not happen anytime soon, as significant research and time for public input is needed.
A New Baby Giraffe Was Born at the Saigon Zoo. You Can Help Name Her.
Will this attempt at another public naming contest go wrong or remain wholesome this time?
Amid Tourism Slump, Saigon's Hotels Provide Free Stays, Meals to Frontline Workers
Amid Saigon’s most devastating outbreak of COVID-19, the city’s various economic sectors have pivoted to supporting frontline workers in their enduring efforts against the epidemic.
Saigon Has Imposed Over $50,000 in Fines so Far to Enforce Lockdown Rules
Huge amounts of fines have been levied since Directive 16 went into effect in Ho Chi Minh City.
After Series of Shocking Pet Poisonings, Owners Push for Stricter Animal Welfare Laws
About two hours after her morning walk in the Lang Bao Chi area of Thao Dien one recent Sunday, Nguyễn Hoàng Thanh Cao’s two-year-old beagle, Peanut, began vomiting and convulsing uncontrollably.
Vietnam Crossed 1,000 Daily Covid-19 Cases for the First Time Yesterday
July 5 was a dark day in Vietnam’s epidemic, as the country’s single-day COVID-19 case tally surpassed 1,000 for the first time since the pandemic began last year.
D1 Proposes VND32.5bn Revamp Project of Me Linh Square Park
The VND32.5 billion (US$1.4 million) effort will focus on repairing the Trần Hưng Đạo Statue, planting ornamental trees and performing road repairs.
Saigon Pilots Home Quarantine for F1 Cases, Albeit With Strict Criteria
To ease mounting pressure on centralized quarantine facilities, Vietnam has agreed to let those who have had direct contact with confirmed COVID-19 cases (F1) in Ho Chi Minh City to isolate at home on...
Amid Worsening Outbreaks Elsewhere, Hanoi Pauses Its Reopening Roadmap
Bia hơi, gyms and karaoke need to wait until further notice.
Vaccine Passport Trial to Begin in Quang Ninh Next Month
Officials are working to figure out how to welcome vaccinated visitors.
Hanoi CDC to Propose Reopening of Non-Essential Businesses
With the COVID-19 outbreak in the city evidently under control, Hanoi’s health authorities are proposing to reopen a few non-essential services.
Saigon Officially Extends Social Distancing Order for Another 14 Days
In a move that some might have predicted, Saigon authorities have confirmed an extension of the current social distancing orders.
Saigon Aims to Remove Plastic Bags From Supermarkets by Year-End
Have you switched to reusable bags yet?
Vietnam Proposes Increasing Penalty for Sexual Harassment to VND8m
Will the heightened penalties deter Vietnamese from harassing vulnerable victims?
Fabulous Saigon Corgi Becomes Pandemic Star for Candid Disinfecting Photo
It’s hard not to be the center of attention everywhere you go when you’re a fluffy corgi.
Saigon Approves Removal of 178 Trees for Bach Dang Wharf Renovation Project
They were nice while they lasted.
Vietnamese Drank More Alcohol in Pandemic-Hit 2020, Data Shows
In a year marked by social isolation, Vietnam’s alcohol consumption increased considerably, though it’s not difficult to figure out why.
New PM Supports Plan to Let HCMC Retain More Budget Revenue
The city currently has the lowest budget retention rate of any locality.
Morning Stories: 1.7m COVID-19 Vaccine Doses From COVAX to Arrive on May 16
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them...
How a TikTok Video Reunites a Missing Husband With His Family After 13 Years
The wife had been searching for her husband for 13 years after he had wandered off under the spell of a mental illness.
