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?"
Saigon Commences Metro Line, Major Administrative Hub Project in Thủ Thiêm
Municipal authorities in Hồ Chí Minh City are moving forward with a number of infrastructure projects that will majorly transform the peninsula in the future.
From the Ground up Into the Air: The Evolution of Bitexco in 25 Photos
Between Thủ Thiêm's ambitious new skyscrapers, the planned transformation of Thanh Đa Peninsula and a LEED-standard apart...
The Global Waste Trade Fuels the Rise of Waste Colonialism in Southeast Asia
In August 2025, Malaysian campaigner Wong Pui Yi stood outside the UN headquarters in Geneva and made an appeal to Global North nations: “Stop treating the Global South as the rubbish bin for plastic waste you cannot handle.”
Pedaling for a Purpose: The Coastal Cycling Challenge Bringing Homes to Quảng Ngãi
During February and March, a group of volunteers from Saigon spent five days cycling up the coast, starting in Thảo Điền and ending up in the mountainous district of Trà Bông, nestled deep in Quảng Ngãi Province.
Michael Tatarski in Natural Selection
Voọc Cát Bà: The Endangered Primate of Karst Land
Imagine being born one color, and growing up into a very differently hued adult.
The Dangers of Saigon Street Coffee
You might want to think twice before buying your next cà phê sữa đá on the street. If you can call it that, really: “industrial chemicals” is not a phrase you want to have associated with your morning...
[Photos] Local Architect Puts Modern Spin on Traditional Saigon Shophouse
In many ways, this narrow shophouse-style structure designed by MM++ Architects is just like any other. The house, not unlike its neighbors, stands four stories high and occupies a slender plot o...
Mai Linh Taxi to Purchase up to 20,000 Electric Cars
Vietnamese cities are about to get a little more eco-friendly, as Mai Linh Taxi and French car producer Renault have announced a five-year deal to import thousands of electric vehicles into the countr...
What Google CEO Sundar Pichai's Visit Means for Vietnamese Tech
If his recent visit is any indication, Sundar Pichai is alright in Vietnam's book.
[Photos] Inside the Metro Station Beneath Saigon's Opera House
The further the Saigon Metro progresses – or doesn't progress – the more we hear about escalating costs, construction hiccups and the project's Japanese contractors seeking compensation...
Construction Begins on New Downtown Saigon Skyscraper
Earlier this month, developers broke ground on the Saigon Me Linh Tower, adding yet another skyscraper to District 1's riverside Me Linh roundabout.
Flappy Bird Creator Releases Infuriating New Mobile Game
Mobile gamers had good reason to rejoice last week, as Flappy Bird creator Nguyen Ha Dong and his company DotGears Studio debuted a flashier second version of the original Swing Copters game.
Dubai Developer Signs on to $1.34bln Thanh Da New Urban Area
The urban wasteland planned for Binh Thanh District's Thanh Da peninsula has a new developer.
Saigon Is Building One of the World's Most Expensive Metros
With construction of the Saigon Metro system well under way, the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPS) recently touched upon an unsettling truth about the cost of its forthcoming six-line network:...
Vietnam's Internet Speed Is 102nd in the World
Assuming you got this page to load on your computer, I'm afraid we've got some bad news: Vietnam's internet is pretty terrible.
What the COP21 Climate Change Deal Will Mean in Vietnam
As news outlets around the world pick apart the pros and cons of last week's landmark climate change deal, Vietnam seems to have a few reasons to celebrate.
Southeast Asia Is Responsible for Over Half the Ocean's Plastic Pollution
As much as 60% of plastic pollution in the ocean comes from only five countries. Unfortunately, Vietnam is among them.
Viettel's 4G Trial Service Starts Today in Vung Tau
Just as Japan wraps up testing on its brand-new 5G network, the 4G service Vietnam has been talking about since 2013 is finally here.
Vietnam Delays First Nuclear Plant Until 2020
Vietnam's much-discussed nuclear power plant will be delayed yet again, as officials announced last week that the construction of Ninh Thuan 1, the first of two nuclear power facilities planned for th...
Saigon's Rifle-Wielding Urban Hunters Are Killing Off the City's Wildlife
The Ho Chi Minh City Forest Ranging Department is struggling with an unusual issue these days. According to the exasperated forestry arm of Saigon's municipal government, local residents are visiting ...
[Images] Construction Starts on Thu Thiem's Fancy New Exhibition Center
If you've taken a drive along the Saigon River lately, you may have noticed some construction on the other side of the water in District 2's Thu Thiem.
Future Saigon: Binh Thanh May Get Another Massive Skyscaper With Sky Tower
Feast your eyes upon this massive skyscraper, dubbed Tan Tao Sky Tower (or not...more on that later), that may soon go up near the intersection of Nguyen Huu Canh and Dien Bien Phu Streets in Binh Tha...
Food Panda is Closing its Vietnam Operations: Report
Food Panda, one of the major players in Vietnam's online ordering space, has announced that it is shutting its doors this month due to a “financial situation” and “many difficulties.”
Japanese Firm Successfully Tests 5G Network
Japan always seems to get the best stuff first – the cure for Agent Orange, rice paddy art, train cars where you can sleep off a night of sake (or cat wine) drinking and now, 5G internet.
Saigon Needs Another $50m+ to Revive Historic Canal
Saigon has been working hard to revive the Hang Bang Canal with the project currently entering its third and final phase. But, like many other large-scale public infrastructure projects in the city, a...
