Paul Christiansen in Saigon
Loneliness Too Waits for the Bus
We are all in this, but not together.
Thoughts I've Had While Stranded in Murky Floodwater on Saigon's High-Tide Days
I’m willing to forgive nearly everything about Saigon. It’s a sign of a sustainable relationship, as I still wish to coexist in peace with this city. To me, Saigon’s midday, even when the searing sun flares the strongest, is when the trees are the most glorious. The sudden bouts of torrential rain are indeed a nuisance, but I tell myself that at least the streets can get a wash after a dusty day. But there’s one thing that never goes away and that I can never write off; something I can’t, for the life of me, find reasons to romanticize or defend. Those are the infuriating floods that submerge Saigon streets every time the tide is high.
Saigon Sees a 10-Year Low of 18°C. What Are the City’s Highest and Lowest Temperatures?
This January, Saigoneers have been enjoying an unusually pleasant stretch of weather, with daytime temperatures hovering around the mid-20s and dipping to 18–20°C late at night and in the early morning.
Vietnam Bans Unskippable Ads, Requires Skip Button to Appear After 5 Seconds
If things go our way, YouTube’s notorious unskippable ads might be a thing of the past come this February.
Grindr Year-End Report Names Vietnam as Country With Biggest Top Shortage
Ever since Spotify launched its first global Wrapped function a few years ago, December has turned into an exciting season of stats-driven year-end reviews. “Wrapping” is now a tradition embraced by numerous apps, such as Strava, Duolingo, YouTube, Reddit, and of course, Grindr.
When Donations Are All Womenswear, Men in Flood Zones Turn Necessity Into Fashion
Vietnam’s South-Central Coast region is going through an especially grueling time of the year as both the local people and authorities have to deal with the aftermath of historic rainfall and flooding. Still, amid the mourning and strenuous rebuilding efforts, moments of levity shine through — a testament to the resilience, optimism, and incredible humor of the Vietnamese people in the face of hardships.
Đắk Lắk, Khánh Hòa Are Next Victims of 2025's Historic Flooding. Here's How to Help.
After nearly a week of constant downpour, many provinces of Vietnam’s Central Highlands and South-Central Coast regions have suffered severe flooding and landslides, causing catastrophic damage to local infrastructure, economic activities, and deaths. This has been yet another month of loss and destruction for Vietnam in 2025, which is shaping up to be the most devastating year in recent history due to consecutive powerful typhoons and atypically high rainfall.
After Years in Limbo, Saigon's Metro Line 2 Is Officially Breaking Ground in Jan 2026
After years under development limbo, Saigon’s Metro Line 2 has finally gotten an official date for breaking ground, but will this timeline stick?
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...
[Video] Check Out The Vietnamese Police’s Fishnet Gun In Action
Vietnam’s infamous fishnet guns are ready to go! The launchers were developed by the Weapon Design Institute (Vietnamese version of DARPA?) under the Ministry of Defense over the past year.
Brian Letwin in Stories
Morning News Roundup: Vietnam Students Create ‘Formula 1’ Car With Used Car Parts
Vietnam Launches Child Drowning Awareness Campaign [Bernama] PM receives Dutch counterpart, vows strategic partnership on agriculture [VNS] Vietnam dog thieves surrender, admit to killing ...
[Video] You Can Score A World Cup Trophy In Vietnam For Just $3
For those of us who lack the athletic skill to make it to the World Cup, worry not, for there is a cheap and easy way to get a World Cup trophy of your own for the low, low price of VND70,000 (and a p...
Morning News Roundup: Up To 44% Of Vietnamese Infected With Parasitic Worms
Rising sea levels could affect one-fifth of HCM City by 2100 [VietNamNet] MobiFone's value seen at $3.4 bln, brokerage HSC says [Reuters] Vietnam's Mekong Delta pays huge ecological toll f...
Fleeing Scene, Dog Thieves Shoot and Kill 3 in HCMC
As if electrocuting, stealing and selling dogs weren’t bad enough, dog thieves allegedly shot and killed 3 pursuers on Saturday night in Cu Chi District.
Weekend News Roundup: Fall In Road Accidents In Vietnam
Tobacco without picture-based warnings rampant in Vietnam despite ban [Tuoi Tre] Vietnam wins FIAP silver award [DTI News] Hundreds of property projects might be halted in HCMC [SGGP]...
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
[Video] Apparently It Only Takes 15 Seconds To Steal A Honda SH
In a friendly reminder that locking your bike creates a false sense security rather than actually security, this CCTV footage shows a thief stealing a Honda SH in just over 15 seconds.
Flight Delayed, Man Fined $2,360 After Bomb Joke at Noi Bai
A VietJet flight was delayed for over 3 hours yesterday morning after a passenger joked that he had a bomb in his carry-on bag.
Morning News Roundup: Mobifone No Longer Belongs To VNPT
Light pollution causes traffic accidents, health issues in Vietnam [Tuoi Tre] Vietnam braces for dengue fever surge: officials [Thanh Nien] Mobifone no longer belongs to VNPT [SGGP]
Morning News Roundup: Vietnamese-Made World Cup Trophies Selling Like Hot Cakes
Vietnamese-made World Cup trophies sell like hot cakes in Hanoi [DTI News] Vietnam Coffee: Prices slide amid slow sales, thin demand [B Recoder] Businesses see more opportunities from less...
Leaking Acid Burns Pedestrians in Hanoi
A leaky acid container being carried on the back of a truck in Hanoi caused serious burns to many pedestrians Monday evening. After a police chase, the driver was apprehended but not before spewing ac...
