As Saigon Moves Forward, Xích Lô Lag Behind as Nostalgic Remnants of a Past Era
Among Bùi Viện's assortment of xe ôm drivers and street food vendors, Bible-toting religious enthusiasts and other colorful personalities, 66-year-old Nghĩa stands out for his kind eyes and walrus-like mustache.
Khôi Phạm in Vietnam
Wipha, Yagi and Luc-Binh: How Are Tropical Storms Named in the Pacific Region?
Wipha was the latest typhoon to batter Vietnam this year, sweeping through northern provinces like Hưng Yên, Ninh Bình, Nghệ An, and Thanh Hóa and causing dangerous floods. It was 2025’s third and probably will not be the last that Vietnam will have to endure this year.
Paul Christiansen in Saigon
The Simple Pleasures of Having Your Hair Washed at the Hairdresser’s
I get my face shaved by sidewalk barbers; stop at every roving laminator I pass to have ticket stubs, photos, and doodles ...
Khôi Phạm in Saigon
Letter to the People I Met as We Hid From the Rain Under a Bridge Together
“Do not be angry with the rain; it simply does not know how to fall upwards.”— Vladimir Nabokov.
Hanoi's Bát Tràng Ceramic Village Turns Historic Craft Into Global Fame
Bát Tràng has been producing ceramics for over 700 years, but it’s the recent decades that interest me most: a period in which this small village has mirrored Vietnam’s rapid economic growth.
Final Merging Plan Brings Vietnam's Locality Number From 63 to 34
After extended working sessions to gather insights from experts and locals, Vietnam’s state government has announced the final version of the country’s administrative map.
Múa Lân Is Officially Recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage
In Chợ Lớn, every Tết, amid the aroma of burning joss sticks and an onslaught of red-color decorations is the echoing beats of lion dance instruments. For generations of Saigoneer, the presence of múa lân, or lion dance, is a sign of festivity and celebration.
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.
Brian Letwin in Asia
Vietnamese Man Dead After Slashing Himself Over Plane Ticket
Last Saturday, a Vietnamese man in Dagupan, Philippines killed himself when he was unable to borrow money for a plane ticket home. The man, identified as Nguyen Tan Lap, was found bleeding heavily in...
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
Dog Thief Beaten to Death by Angry Mob
Yesterday, residents of the north-central province of Nghe An brutally attacked 2 dog thieves, leaving one dead and another seriously injured.
Brian Letwin in Roundups
Morning Links: For expats, cost of living in Hanoi higher than Saigon
Here's what's making news this morning: - Drunk Vietnamese official causes fatal car accident in Da Lat (Thanh Nien) - Coca Cola transfer pricing charges (VietnamNet Bridge) - Tata winning bidder i...
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
Vietnam Ponders Name Change
This October, the National Assembly is expected to make some major changes to Vietnam’s constitution for the first time since 1992. One of the biggest modifications that may take place is a sligh...
Brian Letwin in Asia
Saigon Pushes for One-Visa Policy
To better connect the tourism of SE Asian countries, Saigon authorities have pressed the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism to adopt a one-visa policy with Thailand, Cambodia, Loas and Mynamar...
Brian Letwin in Roundups
Morning Links: Vietnam Losing $400 million per Year to Computer Viruses
Here's what's going on this morning in Saigon: - Thieves are getting technologically savvy (VietnamNet Bridge) - "Got to Dance" coming to Vietnam (VietnamNet Bridge) - Vietnamese Teloco to dep...
Brian Letwin in Roundups
Morning Links: Vietnam Considers Ban on Lip-synching and Skimpy Clothes on Stage
Here's what's making news this morning: - HCMC to address plethora of unsold apartments (Saigon GP Daily) - Many of Saigon and Ha Noi's Gas Stations are Unsafe (Tuoi Tre) - Cocodile exports set to ...
Brian Letwin in Asia
Nguyens Set to Conquer Australia's Cities
With over 4,000,000 Viet Kieu, it’s not surprising that Vietnamese culture has made its way across the globe. Vietnamese culinary heroes, such as Pho to Banh Mi, have been popularized from Sydney to N...
Brian Letwin in Roundups
Morning Links: New Council to Decide on Minimum Wage
- CocCoc trying to differentiate itself from Google (Tech in Asia) - Gambler siezed for trafficking elephant tusks (Tuoi Tre) - Experts say Vietnam should focus on improving the standard of living, ...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
VNA A330 Engine Catches Fire After Landing in Saigon
Yesterday at 3:55pm, a Vietnam Airlines Airbus A330, arriving from Melbourne, landed at Ton San Nhat International airport. Soon after, smoke was observed coming from its no. 2 engine.
Brian Letwin in Asia
Kowloon - City in Darkness
We’ve seen some of Hong Kong’s tightest living spaces in a previous post but nothing compares with the notorious Kowloon Walled City. From the 1940s to 1993, this fortress of darkness and poverty hous...
Brian Letwin in Roundups
Morning Links: Vietnam's Mobile Ad Market is Booming
Here's what's making news this morning: - New updates on the bribe-for-visa scam are emerging (Tuoi Tre) - Teachers and students happy with graduation exam day (SaigonGP Daily) - Lack o...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Saigon Lifts Ban on Public Bus Advertising
Saigon’s 2002 ban on public advertising has been lifted, allowing for advertisements on public buses, taxis and trains. The move has been welcomed by advertisers, seeking to expand their reach, and th...
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
Quang Nam Principal to Defend his Honor with Genital Examination
Well, it’s Monday so let’s keep things light this morning. A Quang Nam school principal, rumored to have had an extramarital affair, has requested a genital inspection by “relevant agencies” ...
Brian Letwin in Roundups
Morning Links: How to Travel Across Vietnam Without Spending a Dong
Here's what's going on this morning: - PetroVietnam expects profits to increase by 29% in 2013 (Bloomberg) - New book explains how to travel across Vietnam with no money (Tuoi Tre)
Brian Letwin in Asia
Blackouts Across SE Asia Spark Conspiracy Theories
Last week’s blackout was one of many across SE Asia in recent weeks, with large-scale power outages in Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam. While the blackouts in Vietnam and Cambodia have...
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
Hoi An Shipwreck Yields Thousands of Precious Artifacts
Once an international trading hub, ancient pottery from Hoi An has been found as far away as Africa. But a recent, local discovery has proved to be more impressive than the long distances some pieces ...
Brian Letwin in Roundups
Morning Links: France to Help Vietnam to Develop its Urban Railways
Good morning, Saigon. Here's a roundup of what's making headlines: - Vietnamese stocks at 5 year high (Bloomberg) - Authorities released 205,000 fish into newly cleaned Saigon canals...
Brian Letwin in Asia
Chinese Tourists Get a Bad Rep Abroad
It’s been a bad week for the reputation of Chinese tourists. It started with a Chinese vice-premier lamenting the behavior of his countrymen abroad and culminated with news that a Nanjing teenager had...
Brian Letwin in Roundups
Morning Links: Vietnam is Ready for Mobile Banking
Here's what's making news this morning: - VietJet Air plans to open a Thai subsidiary (Bangkok Post) - Intel hesitant to expand in Vietnam due to power risks (Tuoi Tre) - The unemployment rate is g...
