in Environment

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?"

in Development

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.

in Development

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...

in Environment

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.”

in Sports

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.

Back Society

in Tech

'Flappy Bird' Isn't the Only Hit App Made in Vietnam

Our favorite TechinAsia writer, Anh Minh Do, recently published a guest post on Mashable, telling the world that there’s more to Vietnam’s app ecosystem than just Flappy Bird.

in Development

TP. Hồ Chí Minh: MEGA City - Change Over Time

Saigoneer is proud to be the media sponsor of the TP. Hồ Chí Minh: MEGA City photo book which was formally released on February 19. The book, edited by Michael Waibel and Henning Hilbert, was produced...

in Tech

Slow Internet Warning: AAG Cable to Undergo Maintenance Next Week

The notoriously fragile, 20,000km, Asia American Gateway cable - SE Asia’s main internet connection to the West - will undergo maintenance next week so expect “shaky connections” through March 9, repo...

in Development

ADP Approves $60 Million Loan for Sustainable Urban Transport in HCMC

Construction of the $1.3 billion, 20 kilometer Metro Line 2, is expected to go into full swing this year, starting with an underground maintenance and metro station in District 12. To “improve accessi...

in Health

Will New Alcohol and Cigarette Taxes Reduce Consumption in Vietnam?

According to Thanh Nien, the government proposal to increase taxes on alcohol and cigarettes won’t stem their consumption. The proposal under the Ministry of Finance would take effect from July 1, 201...

in Development

TP. Ho Chi Minh: MEGA City – The Mega City From Above

Saigoneer is proud to be the media sponsor of the TP. Hồ Chí Minh: MEGA City photo book which was formally released on February 19. The book, edited by Michael Waibel and Henning Hilbert, was produced...

in Tech

Bitcoin Forbidden in Vietnam

Bitcoin may be grabbing headlines across the globe, but the controversial digital currency won’t be making a foothold in Vietnam anytime soon as the State Bank of Vietnam, along with the Government, h...

in Development

TP. Hồ Chí Minh: MEGA City Book Launch Event

Saigoneer is proud to be the media sponsor of the TP. Hồ Chí Minh: MEGA City Photo Book. On Sunday, February 23, there will be launch event for the book at Highland's Coffee on Phạm Ngọc Thạ...

in Tech

Can Vietnam Create its Own Version of Silicon Valley?

According to The Atlantic, Vietnam could be home to the world’s next “tech hub.” The capital recently hosted the country’s first start-up fair, bringing together eager entrepreneurs in the hope of att...

in Health

[Updated] H5N1 Bird Flu Spreading Rapidly in Vietnam

[Update Below] H5N1, the avian influenza, has been making its way across Vietnam with reported outbreaks in 10 localities across the country. According to Tuoi Tre, thousands of animals have been infe...

in Tech

[Infographic] Key Statistics on Vietnam's Internet Population

TechinAsia has been on a roll with infogrpahics lately. Entitled, “Numbers Every Vietnamese Tech Founder Should Know,” this infographic, created with the help of BTIC, illustrates telling behaviors of...

in Tech

[Infographic] The Growth of Vietnam’s Online Advertising Market

This fantastic infographic shows the growth of Vietnam’s online advertising market. Created by Itracker.vn, a digital marketing tracking service, it reveals the top sectors and websites where online a...

in Development

New Restrictions on Female Workers Draw Criticism

Female manual labourers in Vietnam are to be banned from employment in industries deemed too risky and arduous Thanh Thien reports. The new regulation, implemented in December 2013, saw 77 jobs catego...

in Development

VietJetAir Ready for Massive Expansion with Airbus Order

VietJetAir, Vietnam’s favorite budget airline (take that, JetStar) announced yesterday that it has signed a deal with Airbus, one of the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers for nearly 100 new jets,...

in Tech

Flappy Bird Creator Receives Death Threats After Pulling Game

Apparently Flappy Bird is just about as addictive as drugs. Since it's creator, Dong Nguyen, pulled the game from the iTunes and Google Play Stores last Sunday, citing a constant bombardment from the ...

in Development

Vietnam Nuclear Power Plans Delayed. Again.

Vietnam’s plans to build its first nuclear power plant have been imminently delayed. The 2010 target of constructing 8 power plants by 2025 has seemingly now become a distant memory.

in Development

Vietnam to Launch Urban Bike-Sharing Program in 2015

Following the success of bike-sharing programs from New York to Beijing, Vietnam is planning to launch pilot programs for 5 cities in 2015.

in Tech

We Hardly Knew Ye: Flappy Bird Developer Pulls Hit Game

While players of Flappy Bird spent the weekend trying for double digit scores and smashing their phones in frustration, the game’s maker shocked the world by announcing that he would be pulling the ga...

in Tech

Vietnamese Developer who Made Flappy Bird Pulling in $50,000 Per Day

It’s unclear which is the hottest story trending in Vietnam right now – McDonalds opening in Saigon or the surprising success of Flappy Bird. What is clear is that the story of a Vietnamese programmer...

in Development

Vietnam Mulling Options to Improve Road Safety, Air Quality

Vietnam’s worsening traffic and air quality and are no secrets and these problems are likely to get much worse before they get better. Faced with this reality, Vietnam is exploring ways to combat thes...