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.
Quy Nhơn’s Quy Hoà Leprosy Village to Be Relocated for Mega Resort Project
Authorities in Gia Lai Province have approved plans to relocate the Quy Hoà leprosy village from its current ocean-side setting in Quy Nhơn to make room for an ambitious real estate and tourism project.
Opinion: Electric Vehicles Are Southeast Asia's Way out Amid the Global Fossil Fuel Crisis
As the Iran war crunches global energy supplies and disrupts prices, Southeast Asian leaders may need to diversify oil and gas supplies in order to protect ordinary people.
Paul Christiansen in Environment
An Ancient Turtle Named After Bánh Xèo Can Teach Us a Lot About Whimsy in Science
Nước mắm — that ruby-hued elixir; that salty, fish-flesh-sweet open secret in your favorite recipe; that indispensable icon of Vietnamese culture and, by extension, identity — owes itself to Commerson’s anchovies. That’s right, if your fish sauce comes from the central region, where it was first developed, the fish pressed with salt to produce it are Stolephorus commersonnii, a species named in 1801 after Philibert Commerson, a white Frenchman. Picture all the hardscrabble village homes suffering under the yoke of colonialism, where one of the day’s few pleasures was a humble meal made delicious by a carefully rationed dash of fish sauce and an ingredient whose name pays homage to their colonizers.
Michael Tatarski in Environment
Huế's Fantastic Herbs and Where to Find Them, Now in Book Form
Have you ever walked past a plant and wondered "Hey, I wonder what that could do?"
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...
Vietnam Urged to Plan for Climate Change
Vietnam must develop more climate-resilient cities and implement policies that will limit the impact of extreme weather on urban communities, according to three studies presented at last month’s Vietn...
A Complete Map of the HCMC Metro System
Saigon's first metro line may be under construction and its 5th line fully funded, but it's often hard to grasp what things will look like when all 6 are complete.
As Domestic Demand Falls, Vietnam’s Motorbike Producers Look to New Markets
Even though Vietnam is the land of motorbikes, a struggling economy and market saturation have resulted in drop in domestic sales. As motorbike manufacturers expand their production facilities in Viet...
