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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
Health
At the rate yogurt is gaining popularity in Vietnam, it soon may be the preferred currency in the black market. According to VietnamNet , the Vietnamese yogurt market is expected to reach VND12.4 trillion in 2013, up from VND5.7 trillion in 2012. This two-fold increase has made yogurt the rising star of the Vietnamese dairy industry.
Roundups
- ‘Cow Bank' project assists poor farmers in escape from poverty [Vietnam Net Bridge] - Japan leads in FDI projects in Vietnam [Saigon GP Daily] - Granny’s Gold Bars Are Key to Vietnam Dong Plan: Southeast Asia [Bloomberg]
Vietnam
Arsenal’s much published friendly with the Vietnam national team will take place at Hanoi’s My Dinh National Stadium on July 17th. While the club’s first visit to Vietnam will bring premier football to the country, the team’s players are being shielded from both Vietnamese fans and local food.
Development
Dr. Michael Waibel, along with Hilbert Henning, have launched the TP. Ho Chi Minh - MEGA City project to visually document Saigon’s rapid urban development. The project is currently being assembled and the authors are seeking submissions. For more information, click the link above. We spoke with Michael about the motivation behind the project which has both personal and academic roots for its organizers.
Vietnam
- Vietnam's Economy to Grow 5.3 Percent in 2013 [Malaysia Sun] - Vietnam concerned over HIV donor funding cuts [IRIN] - VN firm wins management contract for Myanmar skyscraper [Vietnam Net Bridge]
Health
Well this is…something. The Ministry of Public Security is considering levying fines up to VND2 million for domestic psychological abuse. Under the proposed legislation, acts of domestic psychological abuse are split into different categories of severity, each with a corresponding fine. Good stuff, good stuff. The thing is there doesn’t seem to be much logic behind the ranking of various abuses.
Stories
When Vietnam opened it's doors to capitalism and the free market in the mid 90s, almost overnight, multinational corporations such as Coca-Cola, Visa, Kodak and Pepsi rushed to exploit the country's untapped market.
Tech
Japanese startup, Terra Motors , is releasing two new motorbikes to take advantage of Asia’s iPhone addiction. Oh, and they’re electric too so they’re good for the environment and stuff.
Roundups
- Bonus marks for Vietnam Heroic Mothers at university exams [Vietnam Net Bridge] - Italian communist leader on visit in Vietnam [Tuoi Tre] - 7 arrested in Vietnam for fatal brawl over clam fishing between 2 communes [Thanh Nien]
Development
Even as Vietnam’s exports reached US$114.6 in 2012, a key factor in the country’s economic growth, high logistics costs are limiting the profits and development of the industry. According to Thanh Nien , economists and experts such as Pham Minh Duc of the World Bank say that while the country has seen strong growth in exports over the past 20 years, they are “reaching their limit.” In other words, Vietnam must tackle inefficient logistics to continue this rate of growth.
Music & Arts
Dr. Michael Waibel, along with Hilbert Henning, have launched the TP. Ho Chi Minh - MEGA City project to visually document Saigon’s rapid urban development. The project is currently being assembled and the authors are seeking submissions. For more information, click the link above. We spoke with Michael about the motivation behind the project which has both personal and academic roots for its organizers. Here is part 1 of the interview.
Culture
While the Western World spends huge sums of money on tanning, in the East, things are reversed. Seemingly every cosmetic cream promises to whiten ones skin while many hibernate during the day to avoid bronzing their skin.
Tech
Apple is arguably the most influential luxury brand in Vietnam. When it comes to status, having the Apple logo on the back of your phone can make or break you. The brand is also one of the most copied and diluted as thousands of stores – from cafes to computer shops – use it to legitimize their business. It’s the Vietnamese version of “ put a bird on it .” But as Anh-Minh Do over at TechinAsia points out , this behavior may have landed Vietnam on Apple’s shit list.
Roundups
- China remains largest rice consumer of Vietnam [CRIEnglish] - The real owner of Highlands Coffee [Vietnam Net Bridge] - 576 undocumented people granted Vietnamese citizenship [Tuoi Tre]
Tech
“It’s becoming unbearable,” said VNG CEO, Le Hong Minh when discussing the current state of the Vietnamese gaming industry. Since the Ministry of Information and Communication stopped issuing licenses for local gaming companies in 2010, they have seen a sharp decline in profits, only able to stay above water by distributing their software illegally.
Vietnam
In our last addition of “Street Signs,” we took a look at Nguyen Thi Minh Khia . Today, we’ll tackle the name of one of Saigon’s oldest streets, Ton Duc Thang. Ton Duc Thang was born in 1888 in An Giang Province. During his formative years, he received tutoring in Chinese script, history and philosophy from an ardent, anti-colonialist tutor.
Roundups
- New shrew discovered in Vietnam forest [Mongbay] - Vietnam bigwig to be charged for fatal drunk-driving accident [Thanh Nien] - Vietnam faces challenges of increasing work force [Saigon GP Daily]
Development
Yesterday, the Transport Ministry held a seminar on the development plan for Long Thanh International Airport which is set to replace Tan Son Nhat by 2020, TuoiTre reports. With a total investment of US$4 billion in its current design, the ministry warned that the cost could rise significantly if the project is expanded.
Music & Arts
Looking to an alternative to the typical Saigon music scene? On Sunday, July 28th, the Onion Cellar will host a night of Japanese-dominated indie, progressive rock and electronic music ranging from single acts to group performances. The Onion Cellar is a Vietnam-based independent organization that aims to promote alternative music and films to the local audience - and ultimately to inspire them to go on their own exciting adventures in sounds and visuals.
Stories
If you’re eating, you’ll probably want to stop for a moment. Chinese authorities have raided a food storage facility in Nanning, China and found tons of substandard meat, imported from Vietnam. Oh, and some of the chicken feet in question date back to 1967. What the actual f*ck .
Roundups
- Vietnam losing shine in attracting FDI to regional rivals: Minister [Tuoi Tre] - Vietnam, Laos complete border demarcation [Saigon GP Daily] - Where driver’s licenses are bought [Tuoi Tre]
Music & Arts
For many foreigners, Vietnamese is a tough language to master due to its many tones. As hard as it may be for them in daily conversation, understanding music lyrics is a herculean task. So what would a traditional Vietnamese song sound like in English? Famous Vietnamese singer, Manh Quynh , took a crack at an English version of cai luong , traditional Vietnamese opera, in the hilarious video below.
Saigon
We spend a lot of time writing about old buildings and changes to Saigon's skyline, but today, we take a closer look at the people of past Saigon. The clothing and hair styles may seem a bit antiquated but it's clear that day-to-day life in the city has changed less than one may think.
Vietnam
- Vietnam’s 2nd Russian-made sub completes sea trials [Thanh Nien] - Southern hub embraces CNG bus fleet [VietnamNet Bridge] - ADB gives $500 mln loan to HCMC metro project [Tuoi Tre]