Paul Christiansen in Environment
Saigon's Weather Dude Is Dedicated to Keeping Saigoneers Dry This Rainy Season
Why is it raining in Saigon? Because it’s the rainy season. Sure, but if you want to be more specific, you can cite conditions in the Bay of Bengal, more than 2,500 kilometers away. It’s there that the wind conditions form that flow across the Gulf of Thailand, sucking up the moisture that drenches Vietnam’s southern metropolis.
In the Era of Constant Rebuilding, We Turn to Vietnamese Modernism for Nostalgic Comfort
For two years now, I've checked the Vietnamese Modernist Architecture Facebook group almost every day. Here, members post ...
How Laos's Dams Are Powering Vietnam, Other ASEAN Nations Despite Mekong Concerns
Following a spate of foreign investment in the 1990s, Laos began producing surplus electricity and looked to export it. Today, around 80% of its energy, largely from hydropower, is sold to neighbors. Electricity exports from Laos generate around US$2.6 billion for what is one of the poorest nations in mainland Southeast Asia. Across the region, neighbors including Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia have become reliant on hydropower from Laos. Slowly but surely, however, this is changing.
A Pop-up Night Park Brings the Joy of Playing in the Rain to Phú Mỹ Hưng
A lack of public spaces and activities has been a chronic problem plaguing Saigon’s urban planning since the city experienced its first population boom a few decades ago. If you happen to be near District 7 in the next two months, a pop-up park could be a new option for children, and perhaps some particularly exuberant adults, to frolic in the rain and the evening.
Elise Luong in Environment
Living, Learning, Loving From the Earth at Ninh Bình's Lá Library
A stone's throw away from Cúc Phương National Park in Ninh Bình Province sits Lá Library, an education center promoting sustainable living through sustainable agriculture farming, earthen building techniques and the art of chilling out.
The Saigon House That Swapped Its Front Door for a Moat
Does a house need walls?
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
Is the Yeti Vietnamese? This Ancient Ape Might Hold the Answer.
Can you name a Vietnamese animal that hasn’t been hunted to the precipice of extinction or become a commodified item whose flesh, fur, or feathers are only deemed significant in relation to their practical use by humans?
This Suburban Hanoi House Answers 'Yes' to 'How Many Windows Do You Want?'
Do you love the tropical summer? Does bathing in the warmth of the sun spark joy in you? How many windows are enough to solar-power your everyday life? If you, too, are toiling with these existential concerns on a daily basis, perhaps this recent residential project might provide some inspiration.
Vietnam Airlines (Finally) Announces IPO Date
Well, that only took 7 years. According to Vietnam Investment Review, Vietnam Airlines has finally announced its official IPO for this September.
Vietnamese Consumers Turn to the Internet for Safe Produce
Farmers in Vietnam are using an increasing amount of pesticides to boost productivity and meet food security targets. As Vietnamese consumers become increasingly wary about the safety of produce in th...
[Slideshow] Amazing Views from the City Garden Apartment Towers
The City Garden Towers luxury condominium apartment complex is located in Binh Thanh District within the midst of a seemingly endless maze of the typical low-rise high-density buildings and small bodi...
US, EU Approve $1 Billion Aid Package for Vietnam
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the European Union (EU) have pledged up to $1 billion over the next 6 years to help Vietnam improve state governance, healthcare, social welfa...
Report: Growth of Vietnam’s Ultra-Wealthy Fastest in the World
When Vietnam adopted a free-market(ish) economy in the mid-1990s, it experienced an influx of wealth unlike the country had ever seen. In turn, a substantial wealthy class has taken shape as evidenced...
Why Bitcoin Matters in Vietnam - Part 3
This is the final part of our 3 part series on Bitcoin in Vietnam. You can read Part 1 here and Part 2 here.
Saigon’s Airport Dilemma: Part 2
This is Part 2 in our series, “Saigon’s Airport Dilemma.” To read Part 1, click here. There are 2 competing solution to Saigon’s airport dilemma – build Long Thanh or expand Tan Son Nhat, with each p...
Vietnam Exports See Massive Growth as Neighbors Lag Behind
There are plenty of issues facing Vietnam’s economy – bad debt, over-reliance on FDI and weak consumer demand. But according to the Wall Street Journal, Vietnamese exports are enjoying tremendous grow...
‘Flappy Bird’ Maker Ranked One of the World’s Most Influential App Developers
He’s probably sitting in his room, cursing them for it, but Dong Nguyen of ‘Flappy Bird’ fame has made Business Insider’s list of “the world’s 11 most influential people working in apps.”
Future Saigon: Renderings of the Majestic Hotel Expansion
Downtown Saigon is riddled with empty lots where plans for massive developments have stalled in the wake of the downturn in Vietnam’s property market. In addition to new construction, plans for "upgra...
Saigon's Airport Dilemma: Part 1
Tan Son Nhat began its life as a French military landing strip in the early 1930s. Since its construction, Saigon’s main airport has evolved from a buzzing military base (during the American War) to V...
Why Bitcoin Matters in Vietnam: Part 2
This is part 2 of a 3 part series on Bitcoin in Vietnam. You can read part 1 here. What is Bitcoin anyway and why does it matter?
Vietnam Mulls Destruction of Illegal Ivory, Rhino Horn and Tiger Bone
As Vietnam struggles to curtail the import of illegal wildlife products, officials with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development say they are considering “crushing” confiscated rhino horn, el...
Saigoneer Exclusive: Interview with the Editor of the HCMC MEGA City Photo Book
The TP. Hồ Chí Minh: MEGA City photo book examines major themes relating to HCMC's rapid urban development. We sat down with one of the book's editors, Michael Waibel, and asked about how hi...
Why Bitcoin Matters in Vietnam - Part 1
In January, Marc Andreesen’s article, “Why Bitcoin Matters” went viral just as Vietnam’s Central Bank, among others, rejected the technology’s legitimacy. In order to move the conversation away f...
The Evolution of Can Gio – From Desert to UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
It's hard to associate Saigon with one of the biggest and most valuable mangrove forests in Vietnam, and yet it makes sense. The UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Can Gio, part of the Ho Chi Minh City munic...
[Slideshow] A Morning on the Bitexco Tower's Helipad
Since it’s rarely (if ever) used for helicopters, the Bitexco Tower’s notoriously underutilized helicopter landing pad has become something of an urban legend. Last month, the editors of the TP. Hồ Ch...
Hoi An’s $4 Billion Casino Project Back on Track
As Vietnamese authorities continue to debate reducing gambling restrictions on locals, the long-stalled $4 billion casino project appears to be back on track with a US investor recently taking over th...
Behold: The Mekong Delta as Viewed from Space
This sweet image of the Mekong Delta is a composite of 3 pictures taken between January and November 2007 by Envisat, an Earth-observing satellite.
TechcampSaigon @RMIT
From the organizer: TechcampSaigon is a new evolution in the BarcampSaigon family. Our goal is to create an event that is the most innovative and high quality event in Vietnam around technology.
