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.
Vietnam's Taxi-hailing App Market Heating Up
Vietnam is fast-becoming part of the global apps market. While mobile games like ‘Flappy Bird’ have garnered the most press, more utilitarian apps are becoming popular, especially the taxi-hailing var...
Vietnamese E-Commerce Grew by 314% Last Year
Experts have long forecast strong E-Commerce growth in Vietnam due to a booming internet population, but new statistics from the country’s E-Commerce and Information Technology Agency (VECITA) have su...
[Slideshow] Amazing Views from The Manor
The Manor Saigon is a luxury condominium apartment complex consisting of two high-rise 30-storey towers in Binh Thanh District. They are located within the midst of a seemingly endless maze of typical...
[Infographic] Vietnamese Obesity Rate Lowest in Southeast Asia
According to statistics collected by the World Health Organization in 2011, Vietnamese are the least overweight in SE Asia.
Future Saigon: The One Ho Chi Minh City
It’s been over a year since the row of old shop houses were torn down across from the Ben Thanh Market bus station to make way for The One Ho Chi Minh City. After a period of relative quiet, it looks ...
WHO Study: Vietnamese Women Outdrink Russian Men
Well, this is a bit of a shocker. While it’s no secret that Vietnam is one of Asia’s leading beer consumers, according to a recent WHO study, Vietnamese women outdrink Russian men.
Future Saigon: The German House
Earlier this week, Tuoi Tre reported that HCMC and the German General Consulate have agreed on a 99-year lease for a prime piece of real estate in the heart of downtown for the low, low price of VND1....
[Infographic] How Fast is Vietnam’s Internet Compared to Other ASEAN Nations?
Yes, we know that Vietnam’s 3G speeds are incredibly low (2G ½?) but how does the country’s internet speed compare to other ASEAN nations? According to a new infographic created by ASEAN DNA, slightly...
Vietnam has Emerged as Apple’s Hottest Market
With sales of Apple products in Vietnam tripling in the fiscal first half of this year, a rate 5 times faster than India, the tech giant is finally taking notice and recently “talked up” the potential...
[Video] Vietnamese Man Gets Shock of his Life When Plugging in Mobile Phone
Sure, mobile phones may give you brain cancer but the devices pose short term dangers as well. The guy in this video learned this the hard way when he went to plug in his mobile phone and got the shoc...
[Slideshow] Changes Over Time: How Saigon's Skyline has Evolved Since 2003
The 33 storey Saigon Trade Center was completed in 1997 and was the tallest building in Vietnam until the erection of the Bitexco Financial Tower in 2010. On the roof terrace of the building, there wa...
A Tale of Two Cities: HCMC and Rotterdam Team up to Battle Climate Change
Both HCMC and Rotterdam are port cities near a coast, surrounded by a river delta that is being affected by climate change with rising sea levels and an increase in severe storms. The two cities ...
A Complete(ish) Map of HCMC's Metro System
Saigoneer’s resident historian, Tim Doling, is not only enamored with Vietnamese history, but also the country’s railways, having published The Railways and Tramways of Việt Nam. As Saigon gears up fo...
[Slideshow] Vietcombank Tower Set to Emerge as Saigon’s 2nd Tallest Building
The next big addition to Saigon’s skyline, the Vietcombank Tower, has almost topped out and stands to become the city’s second tallest building after the Bitexco Tower.
New App Let’s You Share Wifi Passwords in Vietnam
Ever go into your phone’s wifi settings and wish you could access the dozens of networks the pop up? Well, there’s an app for that – WiFi Chua.
Asian Air Pollution Could Be Altering Global Weather Patterns
Air pollution may be posing a serious threat to global public health, but according to a new study, it may be responsible for freak weather patterns in North America, reports CNN.
Experts: Saigon has Lost 56% of its Historic Buildings in 10 Years
It’s no secret that Saigon has done little to protect its historic buildings in the face of rapid urban development. As a result, the city has lost 56% of its heritage buildings since 2004, according ...
[Video] Camera-Mounted Drone Captures Hanoi from Above
For much of the world, drones inspire fear and terror. But for countries that aren’t at the mercy of the CIA, the popularity of these remote-controlled devices have taken off and some have even been f...
'House for Trees' in Tan Binh District
Vo Trong Nghia Architects, winners of ArchDaily’s ‘House of the Year’ award, is undoubtedly Vietnam’s leading sustainable/green design firm. One of their latest projects, ‘House for Trees’ was complet...
Color Me Run @ Phu My Hung
From the organizer: Color Me Run is a unique combination of the most colorful run and music festival. For the first time in Vietnam, you can fully experience a 5Km colorful of running, walking and enj...
