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.
For The First Time, Vietnam Is Recruiting Foreign Scientists To Teach At Public Universities
As Vietnam struggles with a scarcity of qualified local professors, the country is looking outside its borders to reach international university standards.
Hà Nội: CAPITAL City - The Capital City From Above
Saigoneer is proud to be the media sponsor of the Hà Nội: CAPITAL City photo book. Over the course of the next few weeks, we’ll be giving you an overview of the book's fantastic photos and s...
AT&T Looks To Expand Into Vietnamese Market
American telecommunications giant AT&T is looking to expand its services into Vietnam, but not in the way that you might expect.
Saigon’s Golf Course Is Poisoning Local Residents: Experts
Unlike most golf courses, Saigon’s Tan Son Nhat Golf Course is located in the heart of a densely populated urban area where it poses a serious environmental threat to those living nearby. Local reside...
Uber’s New Service Promises Cheapest Taxis In Saigon, Hanoi
On April 7, Uber launched uberX, a new service that will be at least 25% cheaper than traditional taxi services in Saigon and Hanoi.
Interview With the Author of the 'Ha Noi: CAPITAL City' Photo Book - Part 2
Following the successful release of their photo book which chronicled urban development in Ho Chi Minh City last year, Michael Waibel and Henning Hilbert are back with a similar en...
[Photos] New Tube House in Binh Duong Offers A Twist On Traditional Vietnamese Architecture
Tube houses have been popular in Vietnamese cities for centuries due to their ability to build airy abodes on small plots of land. Though architectural style has been steadily falling out of favor, ar...
Vietnam Begins to Issue Fines for Helmetless Children on Motorbikes
Starting this week, Vietnamese traffic police officers will issue fines to motorbike drivers with helmetless children over six-years-old in tow.
Medical Musings: Would You Like A Side Of Arsenic With That Rice?
In the last several years, there has been some talk about various chemicals found in the food supply here in Vietnam. You may remember bleach in bún and coconuts, MSG in everything, antibiotics in pou...
Interview With the Author of the 'Ha Noi: CAPITAL City' Photo Book
Following the successful release of their photo book which chronicled urban development in Ho Chi Minh City last year, Michael Waibel and Henning Hilbert are back with a similar en...
Vietnam Delays Launch Of 4G Until 2016
Though many have agreed that 2015 is the “prime time” for Vietnam to launch its 4G services, the country’s deputy minister of information and communications announced last Thursday that licenses for t...
[Photos] Every Corner Of This D7 Home Was Designed For Relaxation And Meditation
The 3x10 House, designed by DD concept, can be found in District 7. Built on a 3×10 square meter plot, the small space forced the architects to "carefully consider the conflicts be...
15 Projects That Will Change Saigon Forever: Part 3
The area between Bến Thành Market and the Saigon Opera House is undeniably the epicenter of changes to the city’s urban fabric with the construction of pedestrian promenades, subway stations, a new ad...
Vietnamese Car Sales Skyrocketing In 2015
If you’ve been noticing more cars clogging the streets on your daily commute, you’re not imagining things.
[Video] Chinese Company Builds 57-Story Skyscraper in 19 Days
When one talks about the pace of construction in Vietnam, many would liken it to watching paint dry. Due to a plethora of reasons, many buildings remain partially built (e.g. the building at Ham Nghi ...
Vietnam to Get Its First Solar Power Plant
EVN is partnering up with a Russian energy company to construct the country’s first solar power plant.
South Korean Investor Puts In US$5 Billion Bid To Redevelop Saigon's Ba Son Shipyard
The sprawling Ba Son Shipyard that occupies a large swath of prime real estate along the banks of the Saigon River may soon be redeveloped into a mixed-use complex.
Google Translate Asks Vietnamese To Help Improve Its Accuracy
If you’ve ever needed to use Google Translate to Vietnamese, you know that it’s not always the most accurate. While it can be said that this is an issue for many of the languages available in the serv...
Uproar As Province Lets Developer Fill In Vietnam’s Largest River
The Dong Nai River is the main water source for 20 million people in Southern Vietnam. It’s no surprise then that experts have “slammed” local authorities for giving a property developer the go-ahead ...
[Infographic] How Vietnam’s New Broadcast Tower Stacks Up Against The World’s Tallest
Vietnam Television Station (VTV), the State Capital and Investment Corporation and BRG Corporation have officially announced their cooperation on the construction of the world’s tallest broadcasting t...
