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?
HCMC to Build 30 Lakes to Prevent Flooding
As the realities of HCMC’s vulnerability to climate change are becoming increasingly apparent, the city is finally taking serious steps to address chronic (and worsening) flooding.
Morning News Roundup: Asking for Directions in Saigon Now Costs VND5,000
Asking for directions in Saigon now costs VND5,000 [Tuoi Tre] Vietnam PM could pull plug on Asian Games [Thanh Nien] U.S.-Vietnam Naval Exercises Begin Amid SE Asian Tension [Bloomber...
300 Motorbikes Destroyed in HCMC Parking Lot Fire
A fire roared through a District 8 parking lot on Saturday afternoon destroying hundreds of motorbikes, leaving a scene that resembled a warzone with hundreds of burnt out bike frames littering the sc...
Weekend News Roundup: HCMC Releases 450000 Fish Into Recovering Canals
Ho Chi Minh City releases 450,000 fingerlings to nature [Vietnam Plus] Saigon Hub co-working space shuts down, unclear if it will be able to reopen [TechinAsia] Nick Vujicic returns to Vie...
Morning News Roundup: Vietnam’s GDP Could Grow 13.6% in 2025, says Harvard Professor
Vietnam’s GDP could grow 13.6% in 2025, says Harvard professor [VietNamNet] Vietnam Electricity promotes energy saving solutions [SGGP] Central Vietnam featured in ancient Japanese scrolls...
Millions of Viet Kieu Set to Lose Vietnamese Citizenship on July 1
A 2009 government decree requiring overseas Vietnamese to register their Vietnamese citizenship by July 1, 2014 is coming under criticism as only a small number of eligible Viet Kieu have completed th...
Morning News Roundup: Competition Intensifies in Vietnam’s Aviation Sector
Vietnam nurse admits killing newborns [Bangkok Post] Vietnam Mekong Delta Rice Production Hurt by Drought, Salinity [Oryza] Vietnam economy to expand 5.6 pct in 2014: ADB [Thanh Nien]...
Polluted Chinese City Imports Bags of Fresh Mountain Air
The air quality in Vietnam’s cities may be worsening at a rapid pace but unlike China, we haven’t reached Spaceballs levels quite yet. In the Chinese city of Zhengzhou, residents lined up to breathe s...
Morning News Roundup: HCMC Spends Over $1bn on Infrastructure Per Year
Vietnam IPOs of State-Owned Companies Struggle [Wall Street Journal] Vietnam's southern hub looks to establish tourist police [Thanh Nien] Quality scandals erode Vietnam consumer trust in ...
Honest Scrap Collector Hands Over US$50,000 Found in Rusty Box
In late 2013, a complete stranger sold scrap vendor Huynh Thi Anh Hong an iron box for 100,000VND ($4.70). When Hong opened the to see if she could sell it, she found a staggering 5.2 million yen (US$...
Morning News Roundup: Vietnam Saves 431,000 kWh Of Electricity During Earth Hour
Vietnam airport plan returned for clarifications [Thanh Nien] Vietnam strives to reduce logistics costs [SGGP] Vietnam Set to Open First Online Bitcoin Trading Floor [Vietnam Briefing...
Saigoneer Throwback Monday
We're in Hanoi for the day so while we won’t be posting any new content, here are some of our staff’s favorite articles which we’ve published in the past.
Barack Obama to Visit Vietnam Soon
At the third Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague, the Netherlands earlier this week, US President, Barack Obama told Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung that he would visit Vietnam soon, reports Thanh Nie...
Morning News Roundup: New Cable Car to Transform Sleepy Sapa
Vietnamese students on way to global energy contest [Tuoi Tre] Australian tourist dies in road crash in Mui Ne [VietNamNet] Russia hands over 3rd submarine to Vietnam [Thanh Nien]
Morning News Roundup: Saigon Zoo Tiger Delivers Five Cubs
The nuclear power plan beyond Vietnam’s ability, Russian specialist [VietNamNet] Vietnam zoo tiger delivers five cubs [Thanh Nien] Vietnam Airlines’ flight attendant arrested in Japan ...
Morning News Roundup: Vietnam Economists Warn Against Addiction to Foreign Investment
Unknown future for market trains in Vietnam [Tuoi Tre] First quarter GDP hits three-year record high [SGGP] A budding alliance: Vietnam and the Philippines confront China [Business Mi...
Dong Thap Teacher Arrested for Allegedly Attacking 4 Colleagues with Acid
Authorities in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap have arrested a local teacher for allegedly throwing acid on 4 co-workers, leaving them with serious burns, according to Thanh Nien.
Morning News Roundup: Foreign Tourist Dies After Fall in Nha Trang
Meet Vietnamese, 24, who can speak 8 foreign languages [Tuoi Tre] Breaking bad: Vietnam's female rap stars [AFP] HCM City Steps Up Poverty Reduction Drive [Bernama]
After 23 Years, Lufthansa to Close HCMC Route
Lufthansa, Europe’s largest airline, will close its Frankfurt-HCMC route after 23 years, reports the Saigon Times.
Fake Diplomas Continue to Undermine Vietnamese Education System
Once again the issue of fake qualifications has hit the news in Vietnam, and it comes as no surprise that once again the problem seems to be in the state sector, according to Tuoi Tre. What is surpris...
