Khôi Phạm in Tech
Review: Horror Game 'Tai Ương' Exposes the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Our Culture
Natural disasters, illnesses, accidents, breakages, or even deaths: when a series of consecutive tragedies engulf a family, it’s often said that tai ương has befallen the unfornate victims. The term is also the name of a recently published Vietnamese horror game that has been making waves amongst gaming communities both nationwide and internationally, thanks to its layered narrative, chilling atmosphere, and meticulously crafted game environment.
Paul Christiansen in Environment
WildAct's Trang Nguyễn Turns to Social Media to Inspire a New Generation to Love Nature
Dr. Trang Nguyễn — a wildlife conservation scientist with a PhD from Cambridge and the founder of WildAct — needs little introduction. She has been recognized as one of Forbes Asia’s 30 under 30, called a conservation “hero” by Sir David Attenborough on BBC’s Planet Earth III, and had her inspiring story, which includes going undercover to bring down illegal ivory poaching rings in Africa after surviving cancer, covered widely. But much of her work has been behind the scenes or at least in corners devoted to conservations. Her recent arrival on the social media scene, amongst memes, music videos, and TikTok challenges, represents a shift in approach.
Phạm Phú Vinh in Architecture
Vietnamese Vernacular Modernism Is a Local Language Created by the Ordinary People
In the history of architecture, rarely have we seen such a challenging movement as Vietnamese modernism. Not only does it show how a culture evolves and expresses itself across historical epochs through its building practice, from the traditional to colonial and eventually modern period, but the language of Vietnamese vernacular modernism also reveals deeper understandings of human creative potential.
How Saigon's V.A.R Building Epitomizes Vietnam's Architectural Autonomy
Completed in 1973, the V.A.R building at 9 Nguyễn Công Trứ Street in Nguyễn Thái Binh Ward, District 1, is a prominent example of Vietnamese mid-20th-century modernist architecture designed by architect Lê Văn Lắm. It not only represents the Vietnamese architectural identity in post-colonial eras, but also exemplifies its cultural autonomy.
Quy Nhơn’s Quy Hoà Leprosy Village to Be Relocated for Mega Resort Project
Authorities in Gia Lai Province have approved plans to relocate the Quy Hoà leprosy village from its current ocean-side setting in Quy Nhơn to make room for an ambitious real estate and tourism project.
Opinion: Electric Vehicles Are Southeast Asia's Way out Amid the Global Fossil Fuel Crisis
As the Iran war crunches global energy supplies and disrupts prices, Southeast Asian leaders may need to diversify oil and gas supplies in order to protect ordinary people.
Paul Christiansen in Environment
An Ancient Turtle Named After Bánh Xèo Can Teach Us a Lot About Whimsy in Science
Nước mắm — that ruby-hued elixir; that salty, fish-flesh-sweet open secret in your favorite recipe; that indispensable icon of Vietnamese culture and, by extension, identity — owes itself to Commerson’s anchovies. That’s right, if your fish sauce comes from the central region, where it was first developed, the fish pressed with salt to produce it are Stolephorus commersonnii, a species named in 1801 after Philibert Commerson, a white Frenchman. Picture all the hardscrabble village homes suffering under the yoke of colonialism, where one of the day’s few pleasures was a humble meal made delicious by a carefully rationed dash of fish sauce and an ingredient whose name pays homage to their colonizers.
Michael Tatarski in Environment
Huế's Fantastic Herbs and Where to Find Them, Now in Book Form
Have you ever walked past a plant and wondered "Hey, I wonder what that could do?"
Saigon’s “Golden Land” Remains Undeveloped Despite Opportunities
While major new construction projects seem to appear in Saigon on a daily basis, some of the city’s most valuable real estate remains undeveloped.
[Photos] The Family That Traded Hanoi for Red River Wilderness
Hidden behind dense bamboo thickets on a bend in the Red River is what some would call a peculiar family of three.
Le Thanh Ton Restaurant Brings Slick Design to Japanese Dining
A visit to District 1’s Hachi-Juu Hachi Shouten Restaurant offers more than just Japanese cuisine, but also a unique dining experience created by the building’s sleek architecture.
Hanoi to Launch Book Street by End of the Year
Hanoian bookworms will be happy to hear that the capital expects to unveil a brand-new book street by the end of the year.
Michael Tatarski in Sports
Can Vietnam Become Asia’s Sports Tourism Mecca?
Sports-minded residents in Vietnam’s major cities don’t have it easy: traffic overwhelms the streets and sidewalks; air quality is generally terrible; open spaces are nearly non-existent and it’s alwa...
Vietnamese Universities Not Stacking Up Against Regional Rivals
The current edition of Webometrics, an initiative from CSIC, the largest public research body in Spain, which ranks universities around the world, shows that, despite their consistent national pe...
[Video] Where Horticulture Meets Corporate Culture: How a Japanese Office Brings Farming Closer to Its Workers
As humans have become increasingly urban creatures, a disconnect between our life in the city and our food sources has created numerous challenges. These include the distances our food travels, contri...
Japanese Consortium to Build Shopping Center Underneath Ben Thanh Market
Besides alleviating the city’s traffic problems, it seems that Saigon’s future metro system will also serve a commercial purpose, as local officials just put forth a proposal to bring in a consortium ...
[Photos] A Bird's-Eye View of Hanoi's Future Metro
If this breathtaking photo collection, courtesy of Zing, is any indication, Hanoi’s metro system is shaping up to be a sight to behold.
[Photos] Maison T: A Dream Bachelor Pad in Hanoi
Nghia-Architect has unveiled an inviting new home called Maison T in Hanoi’s Dong Da District. According to ArchDaily, the residence was designed for a young man who recently returned from living abr...
Saigon's Remote Can Gio Island Gets First-Ever High School Class
Students who wished to complete high school on Saigon’s Thanh An Island will not have to travel to the mainland now that a high school class has been established right in their neighborhood.
Vietnam’s 3G/4G Speeds Still Among World’s Slowest
Mobile internet speeds in Vietnam remain among the world's most sluggish, according to a recent survey.
Khoi Pham in Society
Catching 'Em All in Saigon: Pokemon GO Brings More Than Old School Nostalgia to Vietnam
One of my colleagues threatened to ban Pokemon GO in the Saigoneer office after he saw me catching a Pidgey, a bird-type Pokemon, at our desk.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Development
Saigon’s Traffic Nightmare: Challenges and Potential Solutions
On one particularly horrific Monday evening last summer, I wound up in a traffic jam. Bounding over the bridge between District 1 and Phu Nhuan, my jaw dropped as I found a sea of vehicles on the othe...
Mekong Delta Grapples With Severe Doctor Shortage
The Mekong Delta region is facing a serious doctor shortage which threatens to become even more severe by 2020.
[Photos] Families Struggle to Get Ahead in Saigon's Cambodian Neighborhood
Along Vo Van Kiet Street not far from District 6’s Lo Gom Bridge, a small community of Cambodian residents lives in squalid conditions, eking out a modest living from their makeshift houses by the riv...
Hanoi Is Getting a Shiny New Horse Racing Track
After almost two decades of discussion, Hanoi’s horse racing complex is becoming a reality.
Officials Consider Another Tan Son Nhat Expansion as Overcrowding Becomes Dire
Saigon’s Tan Son Nhat is in dire need of an expansion due to overcrowding issues in the terminal, on the tarmac and even on the roads surrounding the international airport.
Vietnam Sports Officials Accused of Attending Olympics in Place of Doctors, Coaches
While Vietnam is still basking in the glory of its first-ever gold medal – not to mention the other hardware picked up by shooter Hoang Xuan Vinh – some aren't happy with the count...
After 2 Years, Da Nang May Abandon US$104m Government Building
It seems Vietnam’s sweltering weather has claimed yet another casualty: Da Nang's US$104 million administrative building.
