Mùng 5 Tháng 5 – Tet’s Little Brother
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- Published on 03 June 2014
- Written by Dang Bui.
Yesterday was Mung 5 Thang 5 (Tet Doan Ngo) - a Vietnamese half-year Tet celebration which takes place on the fifth of lunar May (the fifth day of the fifth lunar month). We take a closer look at this holiday to see whether it is the summer solstice of maleness (the yang), a day to memorialize Au Co or simply a day to kill pests.
Phu Quoc Ranked as One of the World’s 10 “Lost Paradises”
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- Published on 03 June 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
Phu Quoc has undergone drastic changes over the last few years but compared to many of Vietnam’s tourist destinations, it’s remained relatively undeveloped. Singaporean newswire, AsiaOne, recently featured the island as one of the world’s “Lost Paradises."
[Photos] Hanoi's Ancient Wells
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- Published on 03 June 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
Illegal wells may be one of the main reasons Saigon is sinking, but up North, their ancient cousins still provide life-sustaining, clean water to many communities.
[Photos] Changes Over Time: Saigon's Canals (2002 - 2014) Part II
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- Published on 03 June 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
Due to the popularity of our previous piece which illustrated the physical changes along Saigon’s canals, we’ve managed to cobble together a new set of photos.
Morning News Roundup: Heavy Rain Uproots Trees in HCMC Again
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- Published on 03 June 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
Vietnam’s credit ratings remain stable despite East Sea tensions [VietNamNet]
Heavy rain uproots trees in HCMC [SGGP]
One-Pillar Pagoda repairs put on hold [DTI News]
[Interactive Chart] How Vietnamese Consume Media
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- Published on 02 June 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
We can assume a lot about Vietnamese media habits based on our daily observations. Cafés are packed smartphone and tablets users and when walking down a hem at night, nearly every family seems to be sitting around their TVs.
Man Stuck in South Korea After His Son Uses Passport as Drawing Pad
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- Published on 02 June 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
Kids are notoriously bad at determining the boundaries for their artwork, but this 4-year-old took things to the next level when he used his father’s passport as a canvas, leaving his father stranded in South Korea.
Bót Catinat: Saigon's "Gold Land"
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- Published on 02 June 2014
- Written by Tim Doling.
Located on a prime site in one of Hồ Chí Minh City’s numerous “đất vàng” (gold land) areas and already earmarked for redevelopment, the headquarters of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism at 164 Đồng Khởi has a sinister past.
HCMC University to Start Teaching All Courses in English
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- Published on 02 June 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
One of Vietnam’s major universities, the HCMC University of Social Sciences, has announced that it will start to teach some majors in English, effective immediately.
Weekend News Roundup: Vietnam Turns Away 500 Tons of Toxic Chinese Fruit
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- Published on 02 June 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
Vietnam expects Japan coastguard ships next year: vice defense minister [Chicago Tribune]
Phu Yen selected as site for US$2.5 billion marina [DTI News]
Vietnam turns away 500 tons of toxic Chinese fruit [Thanh Nien]
Report: Vietnamese Spend $1 Billion a Year on Tobacco
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- Published on 30 May 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
Earlier this week, the Ministry of Health reported that Vietnamese smokers spend over VND22 trillion ($1.04 billion) a year on tobacco products, reports Tuoi Tre.
HCMC Schools Burn Millions of Dollars on Unused Electronic White Boards
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- Published on 30 May 2014
- Written by Peter Cornish.
Schools in HCMC yet again face scandal, allegations of corruption and incompetence, and uncertainty about how best to use technology in the classroom, according to Thanh Nien.
[Video] Things Vietnamese Moms Do
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- Published on 30 May 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
YouTuber, Richie Le, makes videos about the Vietnamese community in California. In one of his more recent videos, he takes on stereotypes of Vietnamese mothers. While it takes place in the US, the video shows that, for the most part, Vietnamese mothers act the same way no matter what country you live in (except, perhaps, for the raving bit).
American School of Vietnam Teacher Gets a $6,000 Haircut
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- Published on 30 May 2014
- Written by Dang Bui.
In a refreshing alternative to stories about crazy things wealthy Vietnamese spend their money on, Michael Barrs, a teacher at The American School of Vietnam, promised his students that if they raised $5,000 for Heartbeat Vietnam, they could choose his hairstyle.
[Video] City Planners Release Epic Plans for Future Saigon
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- Published on 30 May 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
And we thought the plan to reorganize downtown Saigon was ambitious. This new video from The Department of Planning and Architecture of HCMC shows what it envisions to be the future of Saigon.
Street Cred: Yersin
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- Published on 30 May 2014
- Written by Vinh.
If you’ve been following this column, then you’ve probably noticed the pattern of folks getting famous for taking a stance and sticking up for Vietnam. By now, you should know that Vietnamese people are a fiercely proud bunch and they’re not predispositioned to back down from a fight.
Morning News Roundup: HCMC Seeks $1.8 Billion for Subway Project
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- Published on 30 May 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
Suspended private Vietnamese airline given deadline for recovery plan [Tuoi Tre]
Russia Lays Down 6th Kilo-Class Sub for Vietnam [RIA]
Viettel provides free internet access to all schools [Nhan Dan]
Fun With Old Maps: Saigon (1895)
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- Published on 29 May 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
While not the oldest map of Saigon we’ve come across, this 1895 map, “Plan des environs de Saïgon” shows not only downtown, but the surrounding countryside. Even after 36 years of French occupation, the city barely extended past the banks of the Saigon River.
Zelda Goes to the Gallery: Art Basel Hong Kong
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- Published on 29 May 2014
- Written by Zelda Rudzitsky.
Last week, Art Basel Hong Kong proved itself worthy of its older siblings (Art Basel – Miami and Art Basel – Switzerland) and probably even bested them by becoming the meeting and merging point between the East and the West, both concerning artistic aesthetics and the art market.
[Video] Apple Taps Into Vietnam’s Beauty for New iPad Commercial
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- Published on 29 May 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
Vietnam is a beautiful country that happens to be obsessed with Apple products. While we’re still waiting for the first legit Apple store to open, the tech giant has picked Vietnam as setting for its new iPad commercial.
