As Infrastructure Lags Behind, Saigon's Poorest Hardest Hit by Worsening Flooding
In April 2023, in the first downpour of southern Vietnam’s rainy season, the narrow rented room where Mã Thị Diệp and her children were staying in Hồ Chí Minh City was inundated by knee-high water.
Khôi Phạm in Environment
What I Talk About When I Talk About Vietnam's Penguin Trashcans
Compared to the average Vietnamese, I might be thinking about trashcans a smidgen too much — not just any trashcan, but the infamous penguin-shaped trashcans that are ubiquitous at every corner of our public spaces.
Linh Phạm in Parks & Rec
House Dance Hanoi Teaches You How to Free the Body
I stood on the top floor of a building on Khâm Thiên Street, feeling grateful for the cold air. I came out here to take a break from the other side of the floor, which was divided into three rooms — three dance studios.
Inside Saigon's Grassroots Carton and Aluminum Recycling Plants
With plastics claiming many of the headlines worldwide and constituting a major issue in Vietnam, scant attention is being paid to other recyclable materials, namely cardboard and aluminum.
How Táo Xanh Forum Created a Safe Space for Gay Vietnamese Before Social Media
Before Vietnamese could hop on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to share our hot takes of the week, there was an era of past cybersphere when online forums were the crucial online space to connect local netizens.
Paul Christiansen in Environment
As Climate Change Threatens, Flood Waters Usher In Sustainable Opportunities for Communities in the Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta is developing faster than Google Maps can keep up with. A stretch of road that was too narrow to accommodate cars and required a transition to motorbikes just six months ago was under construction during our August visit. Gargantuan machines for laying pulverized gravel inched aside to let our 7-seater pass so we could reach the home of Nguyễn Thị Thu Thủy to check in on her small fish drying home business.
Khôi Phạm in Natural Selection
10 Species of Lesser-Known Fruits to Get to Know Vietnam's Biodiversity
In the Vietnamese language, the word “cỏ” — meaning “grass” in the literal sense — is often used to signify that something is locally grown, no frills, and charmingly rustic; grassroots, if you will. Chó cỏ is the general term for the adorable mutts, usually mixes between Vietnam’s native dog species, born without the prestige of named breeds, while gym cỏ and net cỏ denote the casual gyms and internet cafes in one’s neighborhood. In the same vein of logic, may I put forth a new name for a special genre of Vietnamese fruits: trái cỏ?
How Vietnamese Architecture Adopted Modernism and Made It Our Own
Ask a person on the street what Vietnam’s distinctive style of architecture is, and the answer you get might be traditional architecture, like the historic curves of northern Vietnam’s village temples or the ornate regality of Nguyễn-Dynasty palaces. This time-honored style is widely accepted as the hallmark of Vietnam’s cultural wealth. What’s more fascinating but lesser-known is how this cultural vestige — which distinguished our architecture from that of China and Japan — has also managed to evolve in the new age, finding ways to exist right in the middle of our modern lifetime.
'Gentle House' Taps Traditional Vietnamese Architecture for Modern Inspiration
Blending the natural environment and modern construction, in 2012, Ngoc Luong Le Architects created the gentle house, a home on Hanoi’s outskirts that combines modern and traditional design elements t...
How Fat Are Vietnamese Compared to the Rest of the World?
On a global scale, Vietnam fits into the low risk bucket when it comes to obesity rates with the medical condition afflicting less than 5% of the population.
[Infographic] An Illustrated Guide to Saigon’s Metro System
A few weeks back, Tuoi Tre put together an elaborate infographic laying out the plans for Saigon’s metro system. Figuring that a few of our readers aren’t 100% fluent in Vietnamese, we took the time t...
Police Bust Producer for 'Coffee' Made With 90% Corn, Chemicals
Confirming rumors about the poor quality of some Vietnamese coffee, on January 19, Buôn Mê Thuột Police conducted a search of a local coffee processing plant and uncovered almost 500 kilograms of corn...
Vietnam’s Internet Among Slowest In Asia-Pacific Region
Even before Vietnam’s undersea cable ruptured earlier this month, the country’s internet connection speeds ranked near the bottom in the Asia-Pacific region.
Vietnam Airlines May Start Offering Free WIFI On Domestic Flights This Year
It looks like Vietnam Airlines is finally getting on the WIFI bandwagon with the company announcing that the service would be making its debut on its aircraft this May.
Construction Of Thủ Thiêm Bridge 2 To Begin In February
It looks like the HCMC People’s Committee’s has gotten its wish as its vice chairman announced last week that construction of the Thủ Thiêm Bridge 2 will move ahead next month.
Actual Road to Replace Drainage Pipe Shortcut In The Mekong Delta
In the past 4 years along a stretch Ho Chi Minh City-Trung Luong expressway in the Mekong province of Ten Giang, many residents have been using a drainage tunnel under the highway as a shortcut. ...
Construction Begins On HCMC's Second Metro Line
As work on HCMC's first metro line steadily moves along, construction on the city’s Urban Railway Line 2 project broke ground in District 12 yesterday.
Parkson's Luxury Shopping Centers In Saigon Deserted
Walk into one of the six Parkson shopping centers in Saigon, and it’s likely you’ll be one of a few people walking through a deserted shrine to commerce.
Once Filled With Shrimp And Fish, HCMC Canal Now An Environmental Disaster
At the center of HCMC's modernization plans have been massive upgrades to the city’s canals. Some, like the Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe, have received international press for their miraculous turnarounds. Ho...
New Coalimex Building Brings Sleek Architecture To Hanoi’s Old Quarter
Coalimex has set up shop in Hanoi’s Old Quarter with a sleek new building boasting sustainable and green design characteristics.
[Photos] Could Tokyo’s Skinny Houses Become a Model for Hanoi?
While Hanoi may be famous for its impossibly skinny homes, it isn’t the only Asian megacity where residents are forced to make the best of their small plots of land.
Gogoro: Tesla Technology In Scooter Form
Taiwanese startup Gogoro has raised over $150 Million over the past few years developing the world’s first Smart Scooter. Fueled by the same lithium ion cells used in the Tesla Model S, the scooter is...
Hundreds Of Trees In HCMC's Gia Định Park To Be Chopped Down For Airport Road
A new 650 meter road meant to reduce traffic to Tân Sơn Nhất Airport will be built through Gia Định Park, resulting in the removal of hundreds trees.
Vietnamese Scientists Develop Android App To Help Visually Impaired Use Smartphones
Scientists in Ho Chi Minh City have developed a text-to-voice app that allows visually impaired Vietnamese to use smart phones more effectively.
Drone Video Captures Nighttime Traffic In Saigon
Over the past few decades, Saigon has spent a great deal of money upgrading its transportation infrastructure, specifically its roads (we’re still waiting on you, metro line).
Free WIFI Coming To Vietnam’s Trains This Month
Long trips on Vietnam’s rails are set to become a bit more bearable this month as the country’s railway operator has begun to install wireless internet on north-south express trains.
CNN: Vo Trong Nghia Is Next Big Name In Architecture
Vietnamese starchitect, Vo Trong Nghia, had quite a 2014 with a number of his firm’s designs receiving international commendation. It looks like he’s off to a great start in 2015 as American news netw...
[Photos] World Bank Program Transforms Blighted Canals and Alleys
With urbanization rapidly taking hold in Vietnam, its cities have had a difficult time providing the necessary infrastructure to accommodate it. Flooded alleys, dirt roads and polluted creeks all have...
