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Brian is the Co-Founder of Saigoneer and pasta enthusiast who likes to explore the hidden corners of Saigon's urban fabric.
712 stories
Culture
These days, you’d be hard pressed to find Vietnamese coins as with a maximum value of VND5,000, inflation has rendered them virtually useless. However, even though banknotes have existed in Vietnam since the 14th century, coins were the country’s preferred currency until 1947.
Vietnam
- State firms pay highest wages [VietnamNet] - Tony Blair strikes new deals to advise Vietnam and Peru [The Telegraph] - Authorities revoke license of clinic with Chinese 'doctors’ [Tuoi Tre]
Saigon
A slower mode of transportation for a slower time.
Asia
At a recent meeting in Hanoi, the four governments agreed in principle on a strategy to end the trafficking of dogs between Vietnam and its neighbors, which is estimated at 5 million animals annually.
Music & Arts
When we posted an article featuring Vietnamese album art from the 60s and 70s a few months back, we found the singers’ hair styles to be some of the more intriguing details.
Development
Slowly but surely, Vietnam is becoming the favored location for large scale motorbike manufacturing. If the trend continues, analysts predict that within 10 years, Vietnam will become the global leader in the industry.
Culture
Sky Lantern is Saigon Hotpot club’s most famous annual charity event, whose mission is to help underprivileged children by bettering their living and studying conditions. We would like to cordially invite you to the Auction Day – a charity event of Sky Lantern 2013 that is aimed to raise fund for supporting disadvantaged children studying in Tan Cang Primary School, Tan Cang Hamlet, Phuoc Tan Commune, Long Thanh District, Dong Nai Province. The auction products are souvenirs around the world that hold the countries’ cultural traits.
Saigon
Photographer Gian Thanh Son is completing a book and preparing a special exhibition, "Discovering Saigon from the air." With the help of special forces helicopter Regiment 917 (Air Division 370), Son was able to capture his home city from the air, a dream of his for many years:
Asia
According to AmCham Vietnam, 98% of Nike footwear is produced in Asia with Vietnam leading the pack followed by China and Indonesia. In the 2013 fiscal year, Vietnam, which houses at least 10 Nike factories, accounts for 42% of total footwear manufacturing while China and Indonesia account for 30% and 26% respectively.
Vietnam
Well this is a sad story. Yesterday morning, six employees of the IDI Fisheries Factory in Binh Thanh Commun, Dong Thap Province suffocated from catfish oil fumes while taking samples.
Roundups
- Vietnam expects 6 pct GDP growth in two years [xinhuanet] - Foreign firms in Vietnam complain about deteriorating business climate, consider quitting [Thanh Nien] - More Vietnamese men using silicone to enlarge their penises [Thanh Nien]
Vietnam
After a decade of breakneck development, Da Nang’s luster is starting to wear off. Overly reliant on a once-booming real estate sector, the city’s coffers are drying up as investments slow and large-scale development projects stall.
Development
Green building is starting to take off in Vietnam. Over the past few months, we’ve seen a number of ‘green’ homes sprout up across Saigon, using open floor plans, sustainable materials and plants that accommodate the city’s tropical climate. As buildings represent one the largest consumers of energy in the country, it’s vital that green building practices are adopted on a large scale, especially since Vietnam faces massive energy deficits in the coming decades. But Saigon’s skyline continues to develop in an increasingly ‘international style,’ where sleek design trumps sustainability.
Roundups
- Cambodian import turns a Saigon staple [Thanh Nien] - Journalist jailed for fatal road accident [Thanh Nien] - Vietnam Stocks to Climb 12% by Year-End on Valuations, PXP Says [Bloomberg]
Saigon
Chợ Bà Chiểu, located on Bach Dang St., has been the central market for Binh Thanh District since 1942. While it's been upgraded and expanded numerous times, most recently in 1987, you can still feel the history when walking through the market.
Vietnam
Le Minh Khai, a researcher of SE Asian history, found that there was a lot of misinformation on the interwebs relating to the origin of Vietnam’s name, especially in English sources. Khai jumped into a plethora of historical documents to set the record straight.
Development
From the organizer : The World Startup Report is a social project to help understand and connect the different startup ecosystems in the world.
Tech
In a bid to increase the ridership on Saigon’s 270 bus routes, the city will implement free WIFI for passengers.
Vietnam
- The secrets of Saigon’s night clubs [VietnamNet Bridge] - Vietnam urged to boost retirement age to save pension fund [Thanh Nien] - Vietnam Says New Internet Decree Good for Business [VOA]
Food Culture
Over the past month, the news has been full of reports about chemically-laced bun noodles . Though recent tests have shown a decrease in the cancer-causing additives, the issue is still top-of-mind for many. Saigon Tiep Thi recently visited a bun plant that claims its products are chemical-free.
Development
Local architects, H&P , have long focused on the use of environmentally-friendly materials for their designs. Earlier this year, they released a set of renderings of low-cost bamboo housing designs that looked pretty amazing. To increase awareness about sustainable buildings, the firm built the BES (Bamboo–Earth–Stone) pavilion with focuses on bringing art and culture closer to the inhabitants of Ha Tinh.
Tech
Taking advantage of the Vietnamese love of food and photos, Tran Quang Vinh, a former fashion designer, has released iOS app - Foodshot .
Food Culture
The Atlantic recently published a piece on Vietnam’s increasing development and westernization. Instead of looking at economic statistics and trends, they chose to examine this through the lens of one of the country’s most popular TV shows, Iron Chef.
Roundups
- FDI bottlenecks in Mekong Delta [VOV] - Vietnam anticipates US$2,300 GDP per capita in 2015 [VOV] - Bad debts fall from previous month [SGGP]