Loading creator
Lee Starnes is a commercial and editorial photographer based in Ho Chi Minh City.
468 stories
Vietnam
Vietnam probes child trafficking after Guardian's shocking exposé [Thanh Nien] Vietnam’s “chaebols”: The rich and mysterious family of Vingroup [Vietnam Net] WB to help Vietnam’s economic hub with greener transport [VOV]
Vietnam
Vietnam, China back South Korea’s opposition to Japan’s UNESCO bid [Japan Times] Vietnam puts the squeeze on counterfeit goods [DTI] Viet Nam needs more apartments for low-income individuals [Vietnam News]
Saigon
The new statue of Ho Chi Minh has finally emerged from its blue cocoon in front of Saigon’s People’s Committee Building.
Music & Arts
Suboi recently returned from a series of successful US shows and wall-to-wall American media coverage . ­We sat down with Saigon’s “Queen of Hip-Hop” to ask about her experiences in the US, whether or not hip-hop can become mass-market in Vietnam and a number of other burning questions.
Music & Arts
Forming in 2008, with Guitarist Frederico Casagrande, saxophonist Christophe Panzani, and percussionist Tom Poor, Casagrande and Panzani sought to continue a previous partnership in a new band. After releasing their 3rd album this year with French drumming sensation Gautier Garrigue, the group has been extensively travelling the globe impressing crowds and gathering fans along the way.
Saigon
Saigon has begun to move its notorious tangled nests of electricity wires underground.
Travel
A chorus of horns, makeshift mobile loudspeakers announcing " bắp xào đây! " to four city blocks, the never-ending construction sounds of “progress”: these make up the everyday soundtrack of Saigon. It’s so easy to forget that just a few kilometers outside of the city, life slows down considerably and the decibels fall to a manageable level.
Vietnam
A book street for Ho Chi Minh City, why not? [Tuoi Tre] Hazards from games for children at funfairs in Vietnamese parks [Tuoi Tre] Vietnam to reform its aviation sector by 2020 [Vietnam Net]
Saigon Hẻm Gems
Nestled down a hẻm in District 1 are many a gem to be found by either stumbling upon them or through an awesome bit of advice from a friend. Whether it be your favorite bánh mì stand or a hidden coffee shop , the good stuff in Saigon often lives in the hems.
Vietnam
Vietnam proposes allowing foreigners to wholly own listed brokerages [Reuters] Vietnam Top Global Outsource Market as Chinese Labor Cost Rise [World Property Journal] Seedcom.vn is a new fund that hints at Vietnam’s maturing startup market [Tech In Asia]
Vietnam
Proposal to combat overloaded vehicles [Vietnam News] Electricity price in nuclear power-era remains unpredictable [Vietnam Net] Vietnam launches hotline to handle questions, complaints from tourists [Thanh Nien]
Vietnam
Growing green-label trend in Vietnam [Vietnam Plus] Agribank employees charged for stealing over $1 million for gambling [Thanh Nien] Hanoi adds more traffic cameras to put brake on violations [Thanh Nien]
Vietnam
Vietnamese high-tech products conquer world market [Vietnam Plus] Taxi cab robberies become violent [Vietnam Net] Vietnam’s PC market is the only one in Asia still growing [Vietnam Net]
Vietnam
Cartoon campaign launched against littering [Vietnam Plus] Woman writer likens men who avoid sharing housework as "pigs" [DTI] Vietnam Airlines, VietJet Air fined for flight delays [DTI]
Vietnam
Vietnam faces economic concerns on fuel and power price hikes [DTI] Viettel eyes global status by 2020 [SGGP] Vietnam to host ASEAN traditional music festival 2015 [SGGP]
Travel
Over the Tet holiday, our photographer, Lee Starnes, tried to capture the melting pot of the Philippines. Traveling to Palawan, Bohol, and Southern Luzon, the remnants of Spanish and American colonization mixed with distinctly Asian tradition made for a unique experience.
Asia
Three Frenchmen were deported from Cambodia last weekend after they admitted to taking nude photos of themselves at the popular tourist destination of Angkor Wat.
![[Video] European Graffiti Artist Tags His Way Across Saigon](https://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/legacy/AOFU5zib.jpg)
Music & Arts
We recently caught up with Munich-based graffiti artist, Nasca Uno , who spend five weeks in Vietnam last year, painting beautiful pieces of art in Saigon and Phan Thiet.
Society
Walk into one of the six Parkson shopping centers in Saigon, and it’s likely you’ll be one of a few people walking through a deserted shrine to commerce.
![[Photos] Phú Quốc: An Idyllic Beach Getaway…For Now](https://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/legacy/jhOMI5ob.jpg)
Travel
A short 45-minute flight from Saigon takes you away from the city’s frenetic energy and drops you in a place where the sounds of waves hitting the sand replace the endless honking horns of busses and motorbikes.
Vietnam
Police in Binh Duong Province, just outside of Saigon, arrested a man last Thursday when he was pulled over with 10 dead dogs stacked on the back of his motorbike.
Saigon
Following public outcry and criticism from street vendors, historians, artists and tourists, Saigon Central Post Office officials have announced that they will repaint the iconic building after consulting experts, something they failed to do the first time around.
Travel
As you approach the small town of Tam Cốc-Bích Động, limestone karsts jump out of the endlessly flat terrain like monuments to the days of yesteryear.
Saigon
Over the past few months, one of Saigon’s most beloved old buildings has been undergoing a serious makeover, trading in its subdued, light pink paint for a bright, golden yellow coat.
