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?
Outlaw Ostrich Arrested in Bình Dương for Disrupting Public Order
In case you need a pick-me-up on this dreary rainy Friday, here’s a dose of “độc lạ Bình Dương” quackery.
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.”
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
What the Phở Happened Last Weekend? 10 Stories You May Have Missed
- Vietnam up in FIFA rankings [VietnamNet] - Vietnam's auto import continues to slide in August [East Day] - Vietnam’s rice productivity may reduce 10% on climate chan...
Brian Letwin in Roundups
Morning Links: Vietnam Airports to Cut Fees by Half to Attract Foreign Carriers
- Vietnam airports to cut fees by half to attract foreign carriers [Thanh Nien] - Deal between Tony Blair and Vietnam gov’t not yet finalized [Thanh Nien] - Hue specialties ...
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
Bill Gates Posts Picture of Vietnam Wires on Facebook, Sparks Fly
American billionaire, Bill Gates, recently took to Facebook to express his concerns about rising electricity demands in developing countries. To illustrate this, he used a picture of tangled electrica...
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
Bill: Job-Seeking Foreigners Must Have Work Permit Before Entering Vietnam
Vietnam seems to be overhauling their immigration policies this week. In addition to yesterday’s news that foreigners working in Vietnam without a work permit will be deported, Tuoi Tre is reporting t...
Brian Letwin in Roundups
Morning Links: Crime on the Rise in HCMC
- Vietnam lifts radiation inspection on Japanese food imports [Global Post] - Vietnam’s farm produce exports remain precarious [VietnamNet] - Will threat to pull out of Viet...
Brian Letwin in Asia
China's $1.9 Billion Mooncake Industry
Vietnam might consume a lot of mooncakes during the mid-autumn festival, but it has nothing on China. The country of over one billion has more than 10,000 mooncake manufacturers which produce over 28...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Slideshow: Gang of Taxi Drivers Destroys Truck Driver After Accident Near Tan Son Nhat
Yesterday at 11:30, a battle royal occurred near Saigon’s Tan Son Nhat airport between a truck driver and gaggle (we’re pretty sure this is the technical term) of taxi drivers.
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
Decree: Foreign Workers Without Work Permits to be Deported
Following in the footsteps of other ASEAN nations like Malaysia, a new government decree, set to go into effect on November 1st, includes provisions for deporting foreign workers in Vietnam who d...
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
5 Arrested in Massive Saigon Nike Theft
Vietnam may be the land of Nike but the company’s pricey shoes make them a prime target for thievery. Earlier this week, A Ho Chi Minh City court sentenced five men to up to 15 years in prison for ste...
Brian Letwin in Roundups
Morning Links: Unfinished Billion Dollar Casino Projects
- Shiseido Vietnam builds US$30 million plant in Dong Nai [VoV] - Bulgarians held for stealing money using fake ATM cards [Tuoi Tre] - PM flags off work on 2.9km cable...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
American Teacher Killed by Truck in District 7
An American English teacher was hit by a truck and died this morning on Luu Trong Lu st. in District 7.
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
What the Phở Happened Last Weekend? 10 Stories You May Have Missed
- State firms pay highest wages [VietnamNet] - Tony Blair strikes new deals to advise Vietnam and Peru [The Telegraph] - Authorities revoke license of clinic with Chin...
Brian Letwin in Asia
Vietnam, Neighbors Pledge to End Dog Meat Trade
At a recent meeting in Hanoi, the four governments agreed in principle on a strategy to end the trafficking of dogs between Vietnam and its neighbors, which is estimated at 5 million animals annually....
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Saigon From Above
Photographer Gian Thanh Son is completing a book and preparing a special exhibition, "Discovering Saigon from the air." With the help of special forces helicopter Regiment 917 (Air Division 370), Son...
Brian Letwin in Asia
Vietnam: The Land of Nike
According to AmCham Vietnam, 98% of Nike footwear is produced in Asia with Vietnam leading the pack followed by China and Indonesia. In the 2013 fiscal year, Vietnam, which houses at least 10 Nike fa...
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
Six Suffocate in Fish Oil Tank
Well this is a sad story. Yesterday morning, six employees of the IDI Fisheries Factory in Binh Thanh Commun, Dong Thap Province suffocated from catfish oil fumes while taking samples.
Brian Letwin in Roundups
Morning Links: Two Drunken Foreigners to be Expelled for Disturbing Acts
- Vietnam expects 6 pct GDP growth in two years [xinhuanet] - Foreign firms in Vietnam complain about deteriorating business climate, consider quitting [Thanh Nien] - ...
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
Has Da Nang’s Bubble Burst?
After a decade of breakneck development, Da Nang’s luster is starting to wear off. Overly reliant on a once-booming real estate sector, the city’s coffers are drying up as investments slow and large-s...
Brian Letwin in Roundups
Morning Links: $2 Million Weasel Coffee Farm in Da Lat
- Cambodian import turns a Saigon staple [Thanh Nien] - Journalist jailed for fatal road accident [Thanh Nien] - Vietnam Stocks to Climb 12% by Year-End on Valuations,...
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
What the Phở Happened Last Weekend? 10 Stories You May Have Missed
- The secrets of Saigon’s night clubs [VietnamNet Bridge] - Vietnam urged to boost retirement age to save pension fund [Thanh Nien] - Vietnam Says New Internet Decree Good ...
