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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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Vietnam
While you were busy this weekend checking out the Indochina Project and waiting for the SuperMoon to appear, you may have missed this weekend’s news:
If there's a will, there's a way. When you own a workshop and are a drug addict, this could lead you to running a gun-making operation as in the case of Duong Minh Nhat. The 38-year-old and his wife were arrested on Tuesday when authorities stormed his workshop and found numerous pen guns and ammunition. The couple sold the guns to local gangsters and used the proceeds to feed their drug addiction.
Culture
Every month people who work in the environmental field meet up at informal sessions known as Green Drinks. With a lively mixture of people from NGOs, academia, government and business, it's a great way of catching up with people you know and also for making new contacts. Everyone invites someone else along, so there’s always a different crowd, making Green Drinks an organic, self-organising network.
Vietnam
It’s about that time again. On June 23, the year’s largest supermoon will be visible above the Saigon skies. A supermoon occurs when a full moon lines up with the Earth and the sun at a specific point in its orbit, called the lunar perigee. That's the point at which the moon is nearest to Earth as it traces its elliptical path around our planet.
Roundups
- Vietnam to reduce corporate income tax rate to help businesses [ Bloomberg ] - Vietnam planning new north-south air route [ Thanh Nien ] - UNESCO vows help for Vietnam’s sustainable development [ Nhan Dan ]
Saigon
The buildings and streets of Saigon can change in the blink of an eye. Gone are the streetcars, French street names and ox-drawn carts. As the economy continues to develop, the old Saigon is being replaced by skyscrapers, metros and Burger Kings. However, there are elements of the city that have barely changed over the last century, one of these are street vendors.
Asia
Three Thai monks have landed in hot water after footage of the trio flying on a private jet, wearing sunglasses and earphones and carrying Louis Vuitton bags emerged on YouTube . The video has caused backlash in Thailand as the images in the video are completely at odds with the clergy’s principles - high on that list is living without possessions (save for a few robes).
Roundups
- Alarming rise in accidents by drunken drivers in HCMC [ SaigonGP Daily ] - Vietnam drags feet on single visa for Mekong region [ Thanh Nien ] - Agency questioned after travelers left stranded in Thailand [ SaigonGP Daily ]
Asia
Apparently Ankgor Watt is a piece of a larger puzzle. Using frickin' areal lasers , archaeologists have identified a sprawling city around the 1,200 year old temple complex, revealing how the area’s network of temples were once connected.
Development
Known as “the city of a thousand pine trees,” unregulated deforestation and development have taken their toll on Da Lat’s forests and pine tree population. There was once a time when many of Da Lat’s thoroughfares were lined with tall, majestic pine trees.
Roundups
Here's what's making news around Vietnam this morning: - Prostitution ring targeting foreigners busted in Vietnam metro [ Thanh Nien ] - Gold Premiums in Vietnam Hit $217 Over Spot In Heavy Demand [ Goldseek ]
Music & Arts
Earlier this year, Quinn Ryan Mattingly made his way through Binh Phuoc Province. Eventually reaching Phuoc Long, he stumbled upon some interesting history, a downed US plane, slowly decomposing in the center of town. There wasn't much information available about the plane, but after a little digging around, it’s likely that it was a casualty of the Battle of Phuoc Long.
Roundups
Here's what's making news around Vietnam this morning: - Power outage at Tan Son Nhat airport affects 1,000 flyers [ Tuoi Tre ] - Vietnam Stocks Fall to Three-Week Low on Gasoline Price Increase [ Bloomberg ] - Vietnam new plan to curb drunk driving far from popular [ Thanh Nien ]
Music & Arts
If you love Saigon, it’s time to grab your camera and take some shots of the city! The photo book, “TP. Ho Chi Minh MEGA City,” is currently being assembled and the authors are seeking submissions. Check out the information below to better understand the project and see how you can play a vital role in its creation:
Development
Japanese companies, some of Vietnam’s largest investors, are playing an interesting game these days. For the most part, Japan has taken on the role of older brother to Vietnam, supporting the development of the country’s major infrastructure ( bridges and tunnels ) and transportation ( subways and urban rail networks ) projects.
![Friendly Between Arsenal and Vietnam in Jeopardy](https://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/legacy/7M6uOto.jpg")
Vietnam
The friendly between Arsenal and Vietnam is in a state of limbo after stadium owners raised fees for the match. Touted as the first Premier League team to visit Vietnam, Arsenal had planned to play the Vietnam national team at the 40,000 seat My Dinh stadium in Hanoi on July 17.
Travel
Believe it or not, buses are a great way to zip around Saigon. They're cheap, reasonably fast (unless it's rush-hour) and service nearly every corner of the city. But for non-Vietnamese speakers, taking the bus can be slightly intimidating as there are not always bus maps and timetables at bus stops. Luckily, one of our readers tipped us off to an online interactive bus map !
Health
Rice has certainly cornered the market in Vietnam but a new pilot program conducted by Chile's Institute for Agricultural Research and Hanoi University of Agriculture hopes to add quinoa to the country’s diet.
Music & Arts
Saigon has quite a bit of graffiti but not much of it is of particularly high quality. These refreshing pieces by local bombers such as Tom, KD, Ares, Mur, K Dee, YCP are a few years old but show a high level of skill.
Saigon
The iconic statue of Ho Chi Minh, which has made its home in front of the HCMC People’s Committee building, will soon be moved and replaced by a new bust of Vietnam’s most beloved national hero. The new statue is set to be completed by April 30, 2015, to mark the 40th anniversary of the end of the American War. It will stand 6.3 meters tall with a 1.8-meter base, nearly double the size of the current one and will cost VND30 billion ($1.4 million).
Tech
As electronics companies look for cheaper labor, many are moving their production facilities to Vietnam. Electronics production has grown so quickly that in only 2 years, electronic component exports now surpass all others including textiles, oil and footwear. And this is just the beginning.
Asia
Last Saturday, a Vietnamese man in Dagupan, Philippines killed himself when he was unable to borrow money for a plane ticket home. The man, identified as Nguyen Tan Lap, was found bleeding heavily in front of the West Central Elementary School at 9:30 a.m.
Tech
Yesterday's WWDC saw some major product announcements, highlighted by an updated Macbook Air, re-designed Mac Pro and new versions of iOS and Mac OSX. Major changes aside, there was one element of the new iOS which is of some relevance here in Vietnam – Activation lock.
Development
Japanese mega-corporation, Hitachi, has announced their winning bid to build Vietnam’s first urban railway in Saigon. The $381 million project is slated to begin operation in 2018. Under the contract, Hitachi will provide trains, ticketing machines, communications and signaling systems in addition to a 5-year maintenance contract after the line is operational.