Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
An Ode to Lục Bình, Vietnam's Invasive, Destructive, Beautiful Aquatic Jerk
Knotted gnarls of lush stems, leaves, vines; a verdant scrimmage of tangled plant matter kept afloat by buoyant bladders accented by pleats of pink petals that resemble the skirts of ballerinas trapped inside music boxes: the water hyacinth.
Saigon Heat Wins Intracity Rivalry Over HCMC Wings, Closing Out VBA Regular Season
Families of fans filed into the “Fire Pan” on September 3, wearing red, white, and black jerseys. The atmosphere hums with anticipation.
Paul Christiansen in Environment
Vignette: Local Ox Rampages Airport, Stops Flights, Gets Put in Museum in Huế
Name a famous buffalo.
Paul Christiansen in Environment
Vignette: Behold Vietnam's Oldest Rock, a Memento Mori of Human Insignificance
While lamenting how long it had been since I’d last sent a postcard, a coworker at Saigoneer revealed that she is too young to have ever seen a stamp in person, let alone affixed one to a letter. The fashions I wore in high school have come full circle and are once again in style. New slang terms initially baffle and then enrage me. I read popular music festival fliers without recognizing a single name.
Tiny Tracks, Big Passion: Inside the Miniature World of Vietnam's Model Train Enthusiasts
“When you turn it on, the train is not only moving, but it can make sounds too. The sounds are so authentic that when I listen to it, I feel like I am sitting on a real train right now,” Minh Tú, a Saigon-based model train aficionado, shares with me the satisfied feeling every time he gets a mini train to run.
A Delta Nest in Cao Lãnh Fit for a Solitary Poet
Who says a single person can't nest?
Learning to Coexist in Peace Is the First Step to Protect Vietnam's Last Remaining Elephants
A trail of enormous footprints, criss-crossing slabs of cracked concrete, lead to a battered ranger station in Vietnam’s Pù Mát National Park. Park staff say the wild Asian elephant that left the tracks is as friendly as it is lonely.
In Hanoi, Waacking Is Not Just a Dance, but a Home for Creativity and Gender Fluidity Too
“I get to express my madness.” That is what Trần Khánh Linh, also known as Lyna, says when asked why she has been waacking for the last 10 years. By day, Lyna is a jewelry and gemstone seller, but by night, she joins her friends at the Soul Waackers, a waacking group based in Hanoi, and practices a dance style that allows her a vibrant way to self-express.
Saigon to Add High-End Public Toilets
In what can only be described as exciting news, city authorities have launched a pilot program to add ‘5-star’ public toilets to the busy streets of Saigon.
Vietnamese Airlines Order Hundreds of New Planes but There’s Nowhere to Park Them
Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet and Jetstar have all placed ambitious orders for hundreds of new planes to upgrade and expand their aging fleets. But with the expansion of Saigon’s Tan Son Nhat still years ...
Vietnamese Teachers Told to Monitor Students via Facebook
In what is being seen as a bizarre move, Vietnamese teachers are being instructed to join Facebook and other social networks in order to ‘manage’ their students more effectively.
After Massive Auto Tax Breaks, Will Saigon Become a Parking Lot?
It looks like Saigon won’t be able to avoid the 'car age' after all. Under new import rules for 2014, autos produced by ASEAN neighbors will receive a 50 – 60% tax reduction and many fear that Vietnam...
Brian Letwin in Health
Back to the Basics: The Struggle for an Organic Vietnam
After recent health scares from chemically-laced produce and dubious Chinese imports, Vietnamese consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the fact that they don’t know where their food comes from....
Flower Power: US$190 Million Pledged to Develop Da Lat's Hi-Tech Flower Industry
Da Lat, the flower growing center of Vietnam, is about to get a huge financial boost. The municipal government recently approved a VND4 trillion (US$190 million) credit package in effort to turn flowe...
The 'Most Interesting Man in the World' Helps Clear Central Vietnam of Unexploded Ordinance
Jonathan Goldsmith, more commonly known as 'The Most Interesting Man in the World' from the wildly popular Dos Equis Beer commercials, recently teamed up with non-profit, Clearpath International to he...
Behold: The Invisible Bike Helmet
If you’re tired of bulky helmets ruining your carefully manicured style, 2 Swedes have created a product you may be interested in – an invisible bike helmet.
$1 Billion High-Tech Park Proposed for HCMC
As part of the continuing effort to modernize Vietnam’s workforce, authorities are reviewing a proposal for a massive science and technology park in HCMC.
KN House: Blurring the Line Between Inside and Out
While many of the unique homes we’ve written about in the past have been located in the south of Vietnam, we came across this gem in Hanoi. This house, built by Adrei-studio Architecture, was complete...
US and Vietnam Prepare for Epic Catfish Battle
As many Pacific Rim countries gear up for the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement (TPP), an unlikely conflict is growing between Vietnam and the US. Surprisingly, it’s neither centered on human ...
Despite Heavy Investment, HCMC Flood Prevention Projects "Ineffective"
As the city continues to sink and tides reach historic highs, flooding is one of the greatest natural threats to HCMC. But at a meeting last week, city officials admitted that their heavy investments ...
Hanoi Liquor Producer Closed, Staff Arrested After Deaths
After 6 people died last week from drinking methanol-laced rice wine from a Hanoi liquor producer, the distillery has been closed and its director has been arrested:
Vietnam’s Wild Elephants Are on the Verge of Extinction
“Vietnam will probably be the first country in Asia to lose its wild elephant.” This was the dire prediction from Barney Long, Director of the Species Program at World Wildlife Fund (WWF) when speaki...
Video: Moronic Bike Racers Cause 2 Accidents in a Matter of Seconds
With traffic deaths and injuries on the rise in Vietnam, authorities have gone as far as to propose bans on motorbikes in the country's cities. But, as illustrated in the video below, reckless drivers...
Report: The Saigon River Is Dying
A recent report found that the Saigon River, the city’s most important waterway, is severely contaminated and urgent steps must be taken to save it. Given the almost daily stories of untreated human w...
Vietnam Ponders Ban on Motorbikes in Large Cities
Vietnam may be the land of motorbikes but some government officials have put forth a plan to ban them in the country’s urban areas to increase safety and reduce pollution. While the plan is being prai...
Can Saigon Stop Sinking?
While this season’s heavy flooding has been blamed on large storms and high tides, some experts have been pointing to unchecked urbanization as the culprit. A recent Thanh Nien article took a closer l...
Saigon to Add 11 New Piers to Spur Waterway Development
Saigon seems to stepping up its waterway development game. After cleaning and refurbishing large swaths of the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Canal, the city has just announced plans for 11 new piers to be built ...
$110m Pledged for Vietnamese Startups
It looks like Vietnamese startups are about to get a boost in funding. The Ministry of Science and Technology has announced a $110 million program called FIRST, designed to breathe financial life into...
