ASEAN Welcomes East Timor, Asia's Youngest Nation, as 11th Member
Time for infographic artists and geography teachers in the region to update their work on ASEAN.
Into the Infernal Heat of One of Saigon's Last Remaining Forges
It's no exaggeration to say that working in a forge is akin to being in a fiery sauna.
Paul Christiansen in Saigon
The Origin of the Strange Lights You See Before Landing in Saigon
What are those astonishingly bright lights seen from an airplane window when approaching Saigon at night? I’ve had visitors ask me this on the drive home from the airport, and the question appears on Reddit every few months. I remember being befuddled myself the first time I witnessed the patchwork radiance.
My Mom’s Care Packages Remind Me That Home Can Fit Inside a Box of Food
“What do you guys crave? I’ll send some.”
New 12,000-Year-Old Skeleton Breaks Record of Oldest Human Remains Found in Vietnam
After analysis, scientists believe that a 12,000-year-old set of human remains found in Ninh Bình belonged to a prehistoric man who died from infection after being struck by a quartz-tipped projectile.
As Saigon Moves Forward, Xích Lô Lag Behind as Nostalgic Remnants of a Past Era
Among Bùi Viện's assortment of xe ôm drivers and street food vendors, Bible-toting religious enthusiasts and other colorful personalities, 66-year-old Nghĩa stands out for his kind eyes and walrus-like mustache.
Khôi Phạm in Vietnam
Wipha, Yagi and Luc-Binh: How Are Tropical Storms Named in the Pacific Region?
Wipha was the latest typhoon to batter Vietnam this year, sweeping through northern provinces like Hưng Yên, Ninh Bình, Nghệ An, and Thanh Hóa and causing dangerous floods. It was 2025’s third and probably will not be the last that Vietnam will have to endure this year.
Paul Christiansen in Saigon
The Simple Pleasures of Having Your Hair Washed at the Hairdresser’s
I get my face shaved by sidewalk barbers; stop at every roving laminator I pass to have ticket stubs, photos, and doodles ...
Japan Floods Uproot Houses, Leave Thousands Homeless
Earlier this week, while Saigon residents pushed their motorbikes through murky floodwater or sat in bumper-to-bumper traffic, Japan was busy handling its own rain-related troubles.
Morning News Roundup: Viettel OTT App Going Global
600 transgender Vietnamese ask for new identity papers [Vietnam Net] Viettel OTT app going global [VOV] Concert offers new experience of music in darkness [Vietnam News]
[Photos/Video] Saigon Floods Aren't Over Yet
After Tuesday evening's epic rainstorm (sort of) subsided, Saigon began its return to normal. Traffic jams dissipated, floodwaters receded and we all invested in a good raincoat or, at the very l...
Uber Launches Free Rides for Drinkers
We've all swung by the bar for a quick happy hour cocktail and, several hours and many drinks later, realized that it's 11 o'clock and we somehow have to get home.
Thai Nguyen Woman Heals People By Walking On Their Bare Bums
A woman in northern Thai Nguyen province who claims to be a healer is drawing as many as 600 patients to her doorstep everyday with some pretty unorthodox techniques.
Morning News Roundup: Economists Deny Prediction About Additional 2% VND Devaluation
Economists deny prediction about additional 2% VND devaluation [Vietnam Net] Over 84% of population to have health insurance by 2020 [VOV] Rivers in Ha Noi seriously polluted [Vietnam News]
Ha Tinh Officials Reprimanded For Not Drinking Bia Sai Gon
Seven Ha Tinh officials are in hot water after they were caught violating the province’s administrative recommendation that government employees consume only locally-produced Bia Sai Gon.
[Photos] Saigon Turns Into Swimming Pool After Torrential Downpour
No matter where you were yesterday afternoon, chances are you felt the effects of the torrential downpour that turned up just as you were about to head home from work.
Morning News Roundup: Vietnam To Allow Firms To Make Military Uniforms For Other Countries
Vietnam's economy likely to lag behind neighbors in 20 years: report [Thanh Nien] Airfares in Vietnam expected to drop with new pricing rule [Thanh Nien] Power prices stable for 2015 [Vietnam News]
Man Fined VND3 Million After Letting His 6-Year-Old Son Drive Truck
Police in Quang Ninh province have fined the parents of a six-year-old boy VND3 million for permitting their son to drive a truck.
[Video/Photos] Planes Grounded As Tropical Storm Rages In Central Vietnam
Nearly 30 flights were cancelled yesterday morning as tropical storm Vamco approached central Vietnam. Travelers departing from or heading to Danang found themselves stranded as wind speeds in the cit...
Morning News Roundup: Nearly $8 Billion Invested In HCM City’s Eastern Region
Ha Noi departments face large budget cuts [Vietnam News] Clean water prices to increase [Vietnam News] Vietnam Airlines named among Top 10 most improved airlines [DTI]
Another Plane Damaged After Stair Car Collision at Tan Son Nhat
If you think the streets of Saigon are dangerous, just be thankful you're not driving at the airport. In the latest of a series of vehicle collisions, a stair car drove into the left wing of a Jetstar...
Homemade Bomb Kills One, Injures Three In Hanoi
An explosion rocked Hanoi's Dong Da District last Friday evening when a homemade bomb went off inside a four-storey house.
[Photos] Fish Are Suffocating in the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Canal
Last week, following an afternoon of heavy rain, social media users captured the sight of thousands of tilapia fish gasping for breath in the murky waters of the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Canal.
Weekend News Roundup: Cash Banned For Foreigners' Property Trade In Vietnam
HCM City seeks Japanese loans for two metro projects [VOV] Vietnam’s online advert market explodes [VOV] Da Nang to dredge Han River for international yacht race [SGGP]
American Singer Gets Backlash for Commenting on Litter in Vietnam
Drive around town and you're guaranteed to run into at least a few signs encouraging Saigonese to keep things xanh – sạch – đẹp, or green, clean and beautiful. The city sidewalks, however, hold more t...
Morning News Roundup: Vietnamese Green Technologies Market Forecast To Experience USD50 Billion Growth By 2030
Ministry proposes increase to special consumption tax [DTI] Vietnam's transport development in a mess [Vietnam Net] Downpours submerge southern Vietnamese localities, some areas under 1.5m of water ...
[Video] Vietnam Is World Shuttlecock Champion 8 Times In A Row
It's official: Vietnam is the best in the world at kicking shuttlecocks.
Chinese Developer Builds Villas On Shopping Mall Roof
In many of Asia's ever-expanding cities, that availability of prime real estate is increasingly rare. So what do you do when you've run out of good locations? Build your house atop a shopping mall, of...
