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.
Mobile World Launches New Affordable Phone Chain Called ‘Super Cheap Phones’
Small mobile phone retailers are afraid the move might hurt their businesses.
[Photos] Here's the Winning Entry of Saigon's September 23 Park Design Contest
A new prize-winning design for Saigon’s September 23 Park, reverts the entire park's surface to public spaces and amenities reserved for pedestrians and local residents.
Da Nang Signs Partnership With Facebook to Improve Disaster Response, Warning
This is the first time Facebook is partnering with a local government in Vietnam for a public service campaign.
HCMC Approves Project to Reduce Congestion at Nguyen Van Linh-Nguyen Huu Tho Crossroad
The total cost for the project is VND830 billion (US$35.4 million).
Toddler Hospitalized with Poisoning After Parents Fed Him Rhino Horn Powder
Folk medicine still plays a major role in daily Vietnamese life, but inappropriate usage of these ingredients can create serious consequences.
The Transformation of Saigon Through the Eyes of Ride-Hailing App Drivers
Saigon is well-accustomed to change. Having once been part of the ancient Cham empire, ruled by the Nguyen Lords and occupied by the French, Saigon is a city with a rich, compelling history. These var...
The Delicate Process of Helping Bears Recover From Trauma
Bear bile farms, which exist in some Asian countries like Vietnam and China, are a terrible reality for Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus).
Amid Booming Investment, Pollution Elevates Cancer Rates in Vietnam's Villages
While Vietnam's rural areas continue to develop, expand and economically prosper, their environmental conditions have not necessarily improved.
What’s Inside Gapo, Yet Another Made-In-Vietnam Social Network
Joining the likes of Hahalolo, VietNamTa and Biz Time, Gapo is Vietnam’s newest social media platform, aimed at young millennials.
[Photos] This D3 Kindergarten Adds a Pop of Color to the City Canvas
TTC Elite Saigon Kindergarten is located on Cach Mang Thang Tam Street in District 3, nestled behind many buildings that neighbor Le Thi Rieng Park and the city’s railway station.
For Real Change, Rhino Horn Must Become a Taboo in Asia
At current rates of loss to poaching, rhino species will be extinct within our lifetimes. The big problem is demand for their horn from Asia. The market for rhino horn is moving from “traditional” med...
Vietnam Hopes to Develop African Swine Fever Vaccine in 2 Years
Despite some positive results, Vietnam is playing catch-up in finding a vaccine to control the outbreak that is devastating the nation's pork industry.
Vietnam's Obesity Rates Increased the Fastest in Southeast Asia in 5 Years
Between 2010 and 2014, the country's number of obese individuals rose 38%.
Why Do Japanese Rent Cars? For Napping, Rapping and Dressing Up For Halloween
Car-sharing and renting is more widely supported in Japan than most parts of the world. One would think the obvious purpose of these services is merely to find a way to get to a certain destination. Y...
How Place Identity Helps Preserve Hanoi's Last Traditional Silk Village
The identity of luxury goods firms is often anchored in the creativity and skill of the artisans behind the objects. A case in point is Hermès, where workers spend years learning to work with precious...
Airports Corporation Completes Feasibility Study for Long Thanh Airport
On July 15, the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) announced that it had completed the feasibility study for Phase 1 of Long Thanh International Airport and submitted it to the Ministry of Transpor...
Vietnam Will Be the First Country to Get Tinder Lite in the Next Few Weeks
Making sure people can get laid even with limited data.
Vietnam Is the First Country to Get Tinder Lite in the Next Few Weeks
Making sure people can get laid even with limited data.
[Photos] A Hybrid Studio in Da Nang Where Business and Pleasure Mix
For many young Vietnamese creatives, establishing a home-based business where one can both relax in familiar comfort and further one’s career is the ultimate aspiration.
Nintendo to Shift Part of Switch Production From China to Vietnam
Nintendo will move production of some components for popular handheld gaming device Switch from China to Vietnam in the coming months.
