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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.
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Health
McDonalds might not have opened its first Saigon outlet yet, but growing youth obesity rates are already a major public health issue. To combat the epidemic, HCMC schools are instituting standard lunches to ensure students are receiving adequate nutrition.
Food Culture
As inefficient state-owned business drag down Vietnam’s economy with bad debt, other sectors must pick up the slack. In times of economic stagnation, the country has one fallback - agriculture.
Roundups
- Vietnam police deny recent memo banning people from filming cops [Thanh Nien] - Bus carrying Vietnamese robbed in Moscow [Tuoi Tre] - Century-old temple inside bodhi tree slowly collapsing [Tuoi Tre]
Culture
You may recall hearing the story of Omar Borkan Al Gala, a Saudi man deported from his home country for being too handsome. Well, luckily this is no crime in Vietnam and the exiled, really, really ridiculously good looking artist announced he would be traveling to our fair country this month.
Tech
Free chat apps such as Viber, Wechat, Whatsapp and Line have become extremely popular in Vietnam. Providing free chat and calls, domestically and internationally, these tools appear on the majority of smartphones in the country. But there’s one group that isn’t particularly happy about this trend – state-owned telecommunication companies.
Saigon
Ever wonder what you're worth? The recently released 2013 Robert Walters Global Salary Survey shows moderate growth in salaries for workers in the financial, supply chain, engineering, HR, IT, sales and marketing industries in Saigon.
Roundups
- Vietnam Sends Plan for Relaxing Foreign Ownership Limits to Dung [Bloomberg] - Vietnam court sentences Nigerian man to death for drug trafficking [Thanh Nien] - Vietnam tourism to grant labor cross-ASEAN work certificates [Thanh Nien]
Saigon
Many of you have probably enjoyed a meal in the courtyard at 74 Hai Ba Trung, which currently houses a number of high-end restaurants such as Vasco’s, Hanayuki, Annz and The Refinery; the latter being the most noteworthy as its name connects to the original use of this area – an opium refinery.
Film & TV
We know we’re a few weeks late, but here’s a list of films being released in Vietnam this month. Descriptions from IMDB.
Roundups
- Ministry backs new airport plan [VNS] - Viet Nam's first female film director dies [VNS] - Overseas students’ series on life in US stirs Internet [Tuoi Tre]
Saigon
For a country with a motorbike obsession, this counts as huge news - iconic American motorcycle maker, Harley-Davidson, is finally opening a showroom in Vietnam according to a set of job postings on Vietnamworks (hat tip to Vietnam 720 for finding them).
![[Updated] 2 ‘Jungle Men’ Found Living in Vietnam Forest for 40 Years](https://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/legacy/vPnVajWb.jpg)
Vietnam
[Update Below] You may have heard the stories of Japanese troops, hiding on on small, secluded Pacific islands, unaware that World War II had ended. A similar situation played out this month in Quang Ngai where 2 men, scared by war, fled to the vast depths of the province’s remote jungles. Earlier this month, villagers in Tay Tra District observed two men deep in the forest. Surprised by their behavior and dress, locals reported the sighting to authorities who set up a search team and found the pair five hours later.
Vietnam
- Reporter charged for taking bribe from bar owner [Tuoi Tre] - VN pearls have the world as their oyster [VNS] - Vietnam cops arrested for receiving bribes from criminal [Thanh Nien]
Music & Arts
The BBC will be televising a number of stories relating to Vietnam starting August 24.
Music & Arts
An evening of music and cinema.
Music & Arts
From the organizer: Time to dress up again! Ladies and gentleman get ready for the sexiest and funnest pajama party ever. Join us for an amazing evening as Mr. Jolly and the Pajama Jam Sexy Dancers will rock the house all night long.
Travel
A few times per year, VietJetAir offers insanely low ticket prices and one of these promotions is fast approaching. From August 21 – September 19, the budget airline is offering VND3,000 (US$.14) tickets for travel between September 5, 2013 and December 31, 2014.
Development
Why is it that Da Nang keeps getting all the cool toys? As if free, city-wide WIFI weren’t enough, the city has signed a deal with IBM to install a high-tech traffic management system.
![[UPDATED]Plan to Move Saigon's Electrical Wires Underground Facing Major Delays](https://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/legacy/UeduLtHb.jpg)
Development
[Update Below] In an effort to clear Saigon’s skies, in 2009, city authorities signed off on a plan to move messy electrical wires underground. But the project, scheduled to be completed by 2015, is facing a plethora of technical and financial obstacles.
Roundups
Over USD6 billion suggested for five PPP projects [dangcongsan] Vietnamese forest devastated by Agent Orange restored to health [ajw.asahi] Vietnam bid to stop traffic police bribes [Bangkok Post]
Asia
While many wish that Google Street View were available everywhere, a Village in northern Thailand does not share this opinion. Yesterday morning, A Google Maps car, mounted camera and all, was stopped in Phrae, a small village in northern Thailand.
Development
Vietnam’s North-South Railway has been in need of a major upgrade for a long time. Beyond issues of speed and comfort, the system’s infrastructure is in poor condition, causing chronic delays and inefficiencies. While Vietnam recently put plans for a high-speed rail system on the backburner due to massive costs, the Ministry of Transport has released a blueprint to overhaul the system’s main line.
Roundups
- Binh Chau shipwreck: discovery area to be expanded [Quanhnai] - Price hike to ensure electricity supply [VEN] - Violence, capitalism and dodgy cops... [Thanh Nien]
Saigon
In the time before Ducatis and Yamaha FZ16s were the hottest things on two wheels in Saigon, the Honda Cub 67 reigned supreme with local cool kids. Even though many of the old 67's are still around, the guy in this image not only perfected today's hipster look but made some badass improvements to the bike itself.