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 ...
In Singapore, You Can Buy A Maid At The Mall
Well, this is a trend we hope never hits Vietnam’s developing mall culture. In Singapore, there are shopping complexes full of galleries with names like “Budget Maid” and Homekeeper.” Here, one can pu...
Vietnamese Wunderkind Offered 7 Scholarships To Top American Unis
Nguyen Sieu, a 19-year-old Hanoi boy, is one smart cookie. He has been offered university scholarships from seven top U.S. schools: Vassar College, Tufts University, Oberlin College, Franklin and Mars...
Vietnam’s Sleeper Bus Nightmare
While many bus companies advertise “five star” service on their “luxury” sleeper busses, many firms double their capacity by installing extra seats, making trips miserable for passengers.
Weekend News Roundup: Vietjet Air Answering For Its Flight That Went Astray
Roundup: Vietnam's capital stock market bounces on upward trend [Global Post] Vietnam to license numerous billion-dollar FDI projects by year-end [Tuoi Tre] U.S. Catfish Program Could Stym...
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
Morning News Roundup: With A Boost From Bill Gates, Vietnam's Entrepreneurs Put Profits Into Philanthropy
Ban on teaching English to pre-school children raises controversy [VietNamNet] Minister vows to fix damaged roads [VNS] Vietnam, Laos open new border gate [Thanh Nien]
Pregnant Vietnamese Beauty Queen Busted for US Marijuana Operation
Former Mrs. Vietnam Global was sentenced to prison in Washington State last week for growing and trading marijuana.
Beware: iPhone Locking Ransom Scheme Hits Vietnam
The iPhone locking scam that originated in Australia and Russia earlier this year has made its way to Vietnam.
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
7 Days At Saigon’s Lunch Lady
While most street soup spots in Saigon only offer up one type of delicious broth, Saigon’s famous Lunch Lady has gained notoriety the word over for changing things up on a daily basis. The thing is, o...
Morning News Roundup: Vietnam To Have Bus Rapid Transit Routes By 2015
Ex-Mrs. Global Vietnam runner-up indicted for $3.1mn fraud [Tuoi Tre] Vietnam to have Bus Rapid Transit routes in 2015 [DTI News] Trang An wins coveted world heritage recognition [VNS...
Vietnamese Petrol Prices Reach All-Time High
As of 8pm last night, Vietnamese petrol prices reached an all-time high.
Bus Advertisements Are Finally Coming To Saigon
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 sta...
Morning News Roundup: Over 14,000 Android Phones Tapped In Vietnam
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 artifac...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
[Video] Sewer Fishing In District 12
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
[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
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]
Hanoi Gears Up For Super Storms
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 auth...
Morning News Roundup: Vietnamese Poet Scales Top Ten List On Amazon
FPT group enters European market [Vietnam Plus] UNDP urges carbon pricing and end to fossil fuel subsidies [VNS] Vietnamese poet scales top ten list on Amazon [VNS]
U.S. Envoy Nominee: It May Be Time To Lift Vietnam Weapons Ban
For obvious reasons, the U.S. hasn’t provided Vietnam with weapons since the end of the American War. While we still see old American jeeps puttering around Saigon, most of Vietnam’s military equipmen...
Morning News Roundup: Ministry Clampdown On "Crude" Lyrics
Ministry clampdown on "crude" lyrics [DTI News] Top 50 businesses in Vietnam named [DTI News] Vietnamese farmer makes pesticide from herbs [VietNamNet]
Police Uproot Marijuana Plants In HCMC Graveyard
You might not know it walking down Bui Vien, but marijuana is illegal in Vietnam and police are keeping an eye out for it. A 55-year-old Thu Duc man learned this the hard way when on June 11, police c...
