Listen to the Unique 'Dialects' Found in Regional Vietnamese Modernist Architecture
“It was my uncle who came up with the design. There are no drawings left; everything was improvised back then,” the owner of a modernist homestay in Ninh Thuận told me. No architect, just an idea and a craftsman to pour it into concrete.
How Overreliance on Pesticides Traps Thai Farmers in a Vicious Circle of Debt
As the sun rises over the village of Ban Wichit Pattana in north-east Thailand, 62-year-old Chuchart Srithachum does his morning exercise, walking as best he can on his prosthetic leg along the street outside his home.
Khôi Phạm in Architecture
Illustration Project 'Con Ốc Nhỏ' Archives Southern Vietnam's Diverse Architectural Facades
Riding a motorbike is the most popular mode of transport in Vietnam. Albeit convenient and fast, being on a bike, merging in and out of the ever-flowing, hurried traffic, might not afford you the slow pace needed to fully appreciate the urban landscapes and their hidden gems. Vietnamese artist Bờm Sketcher, on the other hand, is fully in support of walking as the best way to document the most fascinating corners of local streets onto his pages.
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
Kiến Ba Khoang: Not an Ant, but a Harbinger of Dread and Divine Punishment
People’s skin erupted with horrific boils that burst open, spilling stinging pus across vicious rashes. According to the Christian Bible, along with water turning to blood, frogs, lice, gnats, diseased livestock, hail, locusts, darkness for three days and the killing of firstborn sons, the boils were one of the plagues God sent down to ancient Egyptians to compel them to free the Israelites.
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.
Vietnamese Spend 3 Working Days a Week Online: Report
On average, Vietnamese internet users spend over 24 hours a week online.
Quang Tri Considers Another Solar Power Plant
Not long after breaking ground on its first solar power facility, Quang Tri province is considering another sun-powered clean energy plant.
[Video] Nghe An Man Builds Helicopter From Car Parts
Some people enjoy reading in their spare time; others enjoy a good game of cards, a walk in the park or an evening nhậu. Fifty-year-old Le Van Thoa is none of those people.
UNDP Urges Greener Aviation Industry in Vietnam
At a consultation workshop held last May, the UN Development Program (UNDP) urged Vietnam’s civil aviation sector to step up green measures in order to achieve global goals in reducing the aviation in...
The Mystery Behind Vietnam’s Top-Notch Test Takers
A recent paper by the World Bank has managed to provide at least some insight into Vietnamese students’ notably high academic performance.
[Photos] Life in a Saigon Tube House
If you think your living conditions are cramped, you haven’t been to Nguyen Phi Vu’s house.
[Photos] Losing Ground: Binh Thuan Village Swallowed by Sea
In the small village of Tien Duc perched on Vietnam’s south-central coast, over 300 homes have been swallowed by rising seas.
Officials Push for Long Thanh Airport Construction to Start in 2019
Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has called upon the Ministry of Transport to begin construction of the long-awaited Long Thanh Airport by 2019 at the latest.
[Photos] Vietnam’s Police Officers Get Flashy New Uniforms
If you haven’t been pulled over in the last month or so, you may not have noticed the new threads on many of Vietnam’s police units.
Saigon Students Win National Contest With Water Leak App
Students from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology took home the top prize last week at the Swedish embassy’s Smart Water Innovation Contest in Hanoi for an app that maps leaks in the city’s ...
Ministry of Transport Needs $10.58bn to Build Cross-Country Highway
Vietnam’s Ministry of Transport is seeking VND235.95 trillion (US$10.58 billion) for the completion of a cross-country highway that would run from Hanoi to Can Tho.
Khoi Pham in Tech
Busted: A 3D Printing Adventure in Saigon
My journey with 3D printing begins with me mishearing “bust” as “butt.”
[Video] University Lecturer Lights up Hanoi Slums With Clean Energy
On the banks of the Red River, one Hanoian professor is bringing clean energy to some of the capital's most vulnerable residents.
Vietnam to Get FASTER Internet Connection
Internet users in Vietnam will soon be able to enjoy the swift connection speed provided by FASTER, the speediest undersea internet cable in the world.
Saigon Seeks $376m for Elevated Monorail Project
Saigon's municipal authorities are seeking national aid for a VND8.4 trillion (US$376.5 million) elevated monorail.
[Video] Young Engineers Push Hanoi's Tech Startup Scene
While cities like Singapore have dedicated a great deal of money toward incubating its tech startup scene, some enterprising young Hanoians have began to lay the foundations without any outside fundin...
Teenagers Account for 70% of Vietnam's 'Secret Abortions'
A new survey conducted by Vietnam’s General Statistics Office reveals that 70% of the country’s "secret abortions" involve teenagers aged 13 to 19.
Viettel Invests $50m in Fiber-Optic Internet Sea Cable
In an effort to bring stronger internet connections to Vietnam, telecommunications giant Viettel recently sunk US$50 million into the forthcoming AAE-1 fiber-optic sea cable.
[Photos] Saigon Architects Create 3-in-1 House on Bizarrely Shaped Plot of Land
Saigon’s weirdly shaped land plots once again give rise to a unique design in the 3 Houses project, where geometric shapes create a perfect balance between exterior and interior spaces.
[Photos] Inside the Lives of Saigon's Sewer Workers
Many Saigoneers dread the city’s rainy season as it inconveniences our commute to work and douses Saigon’s vibrant colors in dreary wetness. However, not many are aware of the hardship it poses for so...
