As Thanh Đa Faces Redevelopment, Writer Dạ Ngân Reflects on What Will Be Lost
To me, my trip to Cư xá Thanh Đa in summer 1982 was a serendipitous encounter. It was Saigon’s largest-scale residential complex in the first half of the 1970s, with nearly 4,000 separate units housing about 50,000 inhabitants. Cư xá refers to a residential quarter reserved for gainfully employed citizens, with a vision to establish a model community with a high quality of life. Here, in their three-bedroom apartments, civil servants, professors, doctors, and military leaders ranked major or higher lived in pride of being a part of a cư xá like that.
Uyên Đỗ in Saigon
How Saigon's Free Water Coolers Quench Thirst and Spread Kindness
In recent years, stories about climate change's impacts on the lives of Vietnamese people have been increasingly making the news.
Inside the Covid Memorial Park at 1 Lý Thái Tổ, Saigon's Brand-New Green Space
As part of Saigon’s latest initiative to increase green space coverage in the city, a number of abandoned land plots were converted into public parks, including a Covid Memorial Park that’s become a beloved destination for Saigoneers seeking a space to jog, reflect, or just simply touch grass.
Uyên Đỗ in Saigon
All Aboard Bus 146, Home of Plushies, Rubber Chickens and a Side of Humanity
“Cute” doesn’t seem like a fitting descriptor for any mode of public transport, but a bus in Saigon is driving straight into the heart of Saigoneers for being the quintessence of “smotheringly adorable.”
Saigon Set to Make Bus Service Free for All to Cut Congestion, Air Pollution
Saigoneers without private vehicles might be happy to hear that the city is planning to make the municipal bus system free to ride in the near future.
Bạc Liêu-94, Cà Mau-69: In Saigon, a Surprising Reminder of Home Lives on License Plates
Once in a while, I bump into a little sliver of my hometown on a random license plate on the street.
Pristine Blue Sky and Memorial Park: Ruminating on What the Covid-19 Pandemic Left Us
Recently, I visited Saigon’s newly inaugurated COVID-19 memorial park . Located at 1 Lý Thái Tổ, Vườn Lài Ward, the park o...
HCMC's Đồng Khởi Among World's Top 20 Most Expensive Retail Streets, Report Says
Saigon’s very own Đồng Khởi has once again made the list of world’s commercial streets with the highest annual rents.
Brian Letwin in Roundups
Morning Links: Vietnam to Invest Over $300m in Cinema Industry
Good morning, Saigoneers! Here's what's making news around Vietnam this morning: - McDonald's faces challenges in late entry to Vietnam [CampaignAsia] - Police find 3 behind banker a...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
[Video] Dozens of Drivers Tripped Up by Pothole
Driving in Saigon becomes truly hazardous when it rains - flooded streets disguise potholes, and breaks are rendered ineffective at short distances. These are the elements that came into play last wee...
Brian Letwin in Stories
Fan Chases Arsenal Team Bus - Gets Invite to Come Aboard
Well, it looks like Arsenal wasn't able to avoid fans after all. After spending most of their trip in quarantine conditions, not meeting with fans or eating local food, the British football team allo...
Brian Letwin in Roundups
Morning Links: Diabetes in Vietnam Surges
- Vietnam airports fill up fast [TTRWeekly] - Viet Nam Steel giant reports large losses in H1 [SteelGuru] - Traditional markets make Hanoi special, why eliminate them? [Tha...
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
It’s Official – McDonald's Coming to Vietnam in 2014
The Big Mac cometh... After years of speculation and rumor, it appears that McDonald's, the world’s largest fast food chain, will open up its first location in Vietnam in 2014. McDonald's will join o...
Brian Letwin in Roundups
Morning Links: ‘Cow Bank' Project Assists Poor Farmers in Escape From Poverty
- ‘Cow Bank' project assists poor farmers in escape from poverty [Vietnam Net Bridge] - Japan leads in FDI projects in Vietnam [Saigon GP Daily] - Granny’s Gold Bars Are Key to Vietna...
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
No Love for Fans or Vietnamese Food as Arsenal Arrives in Hanoi
Arsenal’s much published friendly with the Vietnam national team will take place at Hanoi’s My Dinh National Stadium on July 17th. While the club’s first visit to Vietnam will bring premier football t...
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
What the Phở Happened Last Weekend? 9 Stories You May Have Missed
- Vietnam's Economy to Grow 5.3 Percent in 2013 [Malaysia Sun] - Vietnam concerned over HIV donor funding cuts [IRIN] - VN firm wins management contract for Myanmar skyscraper [V...
Brian Letwin in Stories
Slideshow: When Capitalism Returned to Vietnam
When Vietnam opened it's doors to capitalism and the free market in the mid 90s, almost overnight, multinational corporations such as Coca-Cola, Visa, Kodak and Pepsi rushed to exploit the country's u...
Brian Letwin in Roundups
Morning Links: Obama Invites Vietnam President for Rare Trip
- Bonus marks for Vietnam Heroic Mothers at university exams [Vietnam Net Bridge] - Italian communist leader on visit in Vietnam [Tuoi Tre] - 7 arrested in Vietnam for fatal brawl ove...
Brian Letwin in Roundups
Morning Links: The Real Owner of Highlands Coffee
- China remains largest rice consumer of Vietnam [CRIEnglish] - The real owner of Highlands Coffee [Vietnam Net Bridge] - 576 undocumented people granted Vietnamese citizenship [Tuoi ...
Brian Letwin in Roundups
Morning Links: Vietnam Bigwig to be Charged in Fatal Drunk-Driving Accident
- New shrew discovered in Vietnam forest [Mongbay] - Vietnam bigwig to be charged for fatal drunk-driving accident [Thanh Nien] - Vietnam faces challenges of increasing work forc...
Brian Letwin in Stories
Chicken Smuggled From Vietnam to China Had Been in Storage Since 1967
If you’re eating, you’ll probably want to stop for a moment. Chinese authorities have raided a food storage facility in Nanning, China and found tons of substandard meat, imported from Vietnam. Oh, an...
Brian Letwin in Roundups
Morning Links: Where Driver’s Licenses are Bought
- Vietnam losing shine in attracting FDI to regional rivals: Minister [Tuoi Tre] - Vietnam, Laos complete border demarcation [Saigon GP Daily] - Where driver’s licenses are...
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
What the Phở Happened Last Weekend? 10 Stories You May Have Missed
- Vietnam’s 2nd Russian-made sub completes sea trials [Thanh Nien] - Southern hub embraces CNG bus fleet [VietnamNet Bridge] - ADB gives $500 mln loan to HCMC metro project&...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Police to Crack Down on Noisy Pham Ngu Lao Bars
We’re sure nothing will come of this (other than some hush money) but the District 1 People's Committee has set up a joint inspection team address the late night noise from Pham Ngu Lao’s bars.
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
Vinh Gang Busted for Stealing 4,000 Cats Over 2 Years
Apparently dogs aren't the only pets you need to watch out for. Police in Vinh City have arrested 6 men for allegedly stealing and selling the meat of up to 4,000 felines. Picking up four to six cats...
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
[Updated] Cops Bust Out Net Launchers to Stop Traffic Violators
Our strategy of avoiding eye contact with traffic police to evade tickets may soon be rendered useless. Authorities in Thanh Hoa Province are planning to mass produce fishnet launchers to catch those...
Brian Letwin in Roundups
Morning Links: Sidewalk Nước Mía Sellers Earn $2,500/month
Vietnam cops accused of beating man with cerebral palsy [Thanh Nien] Street children inspire paintings [VietnamNet Bridge] Vietnam military deploys vehicles to help college applicants [Tuo...
Brian Letwin in Stories
BarcampSaigon Returns on July 7th
BarcampSaigon, a great knowledge-sharing event returns to Saigon this Sunday at RMIT. Try to make it if you can! You can even register to speak on any topic of your choice (relating to tech in some wa...
