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Creator

Henry Chi-Hieu Nguyen

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Stories by Henry Chi-Hieu Nguyen

26 stories

Saigon Presents Detailed Proposal to Ban Motorbikes in Central Districts by 2030

Saigon

Saigon Presents Detailed Proposal to Ban Motorbikes in Central Districts by 2030

A plan by Saigon authorities to make the city motorbike-free by 2030 is getting closer to becoming a reality.

SaigoneerAug 27, 2018

The Story of Ông Táo, the Kitchen God Who Rides a Carp to Heaven

Culture

The Story of Ông Táo, the Kitchen God Who Rides a Carp to Heaven

This evening, as Saigoneers continue their many Tet preparations and young revellers head out for a night on the town, Ong Tao is packing his bags for his annual trip to heaven.

Independent stories about the people, places and ideas shaping Saigon and Vietnam.

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Dana Filek-Gibson

Jan 20, 2017

Vietnam Mulls Visa Waivers for Australians and Indians

Travel

Vietnam Mulls Visa Waivers for Australians and Indians

Vietnam tourism industry leaders have asked the government to extend and expand the visa waiver program introduced in 2015.

SaigoneerJan 13, 2017

Hanoi’s Civil Servants Are Getting a New Code of Etiquette in 2017

Vietnam

Hanoi’s Civil Servants Are Getting a New Code of Etiquette in 2017

Starting on January 1, 2017, Hanoi’s new code of etiquette for civil servants will take effect.

SaigoneerDec 28, 2016

[Illustrations] Animals, Explained: 6 Unusual Vietnamese-to-English Translations

Arts & Culture

[Illustrations] Animals, Explained: 6 Unusual Vietnamese-to-English Translations

When it comes to the gap between Vietnamese and English, there are a lot of things that get lost in translation.

SaigoneerDec 14, 2016

Japanese Company Plans to Launch On-Demand Shooting Stars

Tech

Japanese Company Plans to Launch On-Demand Shooting Stars

Do you have wishes, but no shooting stars to wish on? Your problem will be a thing of the past once this Japanese startup launches its service in 2018.

SaigoneerOct 26, 2016

South Koreans Apologize for Country's Role in American War

Asia

South Koreans Apologize for Country's Role in American War

Last week, the Korean-Vietnamese Peace Foundation sent a statue known as Vietnam Pieta – The Last Lullaby to the Da Nang Museum as an apology for South Korea’s involvement in the American War.

SaigoneerOct 19, 2016

Street Cred: Bui Vien, the First Vietnamese in America...or Was He?

Saigon

Street Cred: Bui Vien, the First Vietnamese in America...or Was He?

In today’s Saigon, Bui Vien Street is commonly known as the city’s backpacker paradise, not to mention one of its many nightlife hotspots. It’s unclear whether urban planners in the southern hub had originally envisioned the neighborhood as Saigon’s downtown tourist quarter, but if you dig deeper into the story of the man behind the name, Bui Vien is an apt historical figure for the area.

Khoi PhamOct 9, 2016

[Map] The Stories Behind Saigon’s French Colonial Street Names

Heritage

[Map] The Stories Behind Saigon’s French Colonial Street Names

In its relatively young history, Saigon has undergone several makeovers: from quaint colonial town to grand capital of Cochinchina, major metropolis of southern Vietnam and now the buzzing economic hub it is today.

SaigoneerOct 5, 2016

Street Cred: Thoai Ngoc Hau, Dedicated but Misunderstood

Vietnam

Street Cred: Thoai Ngoc Hau, Dedicated but Misunderstood

For someone whose entire life was dedicated to national progress, Thoai Ngoc Hau really didn’t receive the treatment he deserved for his achievements. Marred by a wrongful conviction, even after his death, the official’s reputation remained damaged, leaving many of his descendants to bear the brunt of their forefather’s fate.

Khoi PhamSep 25, 2016

[Podcast] Renovation Generation: Hoang Duc Minh’s Socially Conscious Startup

Arts & Culture

[Podcast] Renovation Generation: Hoang Duc Minh’s Socially Conscious Startup

In its most recent episode, Hanoi’s Renovation Generation podcast profiles techie Hoang Duc Minh.

SaigoneerSep 25, 2016

Japanese Budget Airline Opens Routes to Tokyo, Osaka and Okinawa

Travel

Japanese Budget Airline Opens Routes to Tokyo, Osaka and Okinawa

Budget carrier Vanilla Air now flies between Saigon and three Japanese destinations: Tokyo, Okinawa and Osaka.

SaigoneerSep 22, 2016

In Vietnam, Human Migration Intensifies Effects of Climate Change

Environment

In Vietnam, Human Migration Intensifies Effects of Climate Change

As Vietnam continues to grow, human migration patterns are exacerbating the effects of climate change in the country.

SaigoneerSep 21, 2016

VietJet Will Fly to Hong Kong in December

Travel

VietJet Will Fly to Hong Kong in December

Beginning in December, VietJet will offer direct flights between Saigon and Hong Kong.

SaigoneerSep 20, 2016

Bánh Trung Thu: From Traditional Festive Fare to Asia’s Answer to Fruitcake

Food Culture

Bánh Trung Thu: From Traditional Festive Fare to Asia’s Answer to Fruitcake

While Saigoneer ’s previous installment in our Food History series touched on the evolution of bánh xèo , a light, airy crepe that screams summer with every bite, this week’s dish belongs to the other end of the spectrum: bánh Trung Thu , or mooncake, whose rich, savory taste perfectly encapsulates the essence of autumn.

Khoi PhamSep 12, 2016

Nhạc Vàng: Bridging the Generational Gap With Retro Saigon Tunes

Music & Arts

Nhạc Vàng: Bridging the Generational Gap With Retro Saigon Tunes

As the chatter starts to die down and the soft disco lights turn on, peppering the room with a myriad of colors, it seems as if the entire interior of Nguoi Sai Gon cafe has travelled back in time to the golden age of Vietnamese music.

Khoi PhamSep 5, 2016

The Evolution of Bánh Xèo: A Street Food History

Food Culture

The Evolution of Bánh Xèo: A Street Food History

While phở , bánh mì and now, occasionally, bún chả hog the spotlight in Vietnamese cuisine, everyone in Vietnam is familiar, to some degree, with bánh xèo . On street corners and in tiny, modest quán , the thin, savory rice flour pancake has earned its place among the pantheon of roadside Vietnamese fare. But as any upstanding street food diner will tell you, its dozens of variations mean that true appreciation of bánh xèo goes beyond the consumption of a single regional style.

Dana Filek-GibsonSep 3, 2016

Saigon Considering $300m Intelligent Transport System to Alleviate Traffic Issues

Saigon

Saigon Considering $300m Intelligent Transport System to Alleviate Traffic Issues

With crippling traffic becoming the norm in Saigon , local authorities are seeking ways to address the problem, from trimming sidewalks to banning motorbikes . While these controversial tactics are hotly debated in the public sphere, officials are considering the creation of an intelligent transport system.

SaigoneerSep 1, 2016

Street Cred: Hai Thuong Lan Ong, the Father of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine

Saigon

Street Cred: Hai Thuong Lan Ong, the Father of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine

Hai Thuong Lan Ong is one of the most influential figures in the history of traditional Vietnamese medicine.

Dana Filek-GibsonAug 27, 2016

AirAsia Rewards Hoang Xuan Vinh, ASEAN Gold Medalists With Free Flights for Life

Asia

AirAsia Rewards Hoang Xuan Vinh, ASEAN Gold Medalists With Free Flights for Life

It’s a good year to be an Olympic medalist from Southeast Asia, as regional low-cost carrier AirAsia has announced that it will provide “free flights for life” to all local athletes who won a gold medal during the 2016 Olympics in Rio, reports Channel News Asia .

SaigoneerAug 26, 2016

[Podcast] Renovation Generation: Hanoi's Viral Cartoonist Xuan Lan

Arts & Culture

[Podcast] Renovation Generation: Hanoi's Viral Cartoonist Xuan Lan

In the thirteenth installment of Hanoi-based English-language podcast Renovation Generation, narrator Maia Do sat down with one of Hanoi's most popular illustrators, Xuan Lan to discuss drawing cartoons in two languages, art, and her love for Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

SaigoneerAug 22, 2016

Saigon’s Traffic Nightmare: Challenges and Potential Solutions

Development

Saigon’s Traffic Nightmare: Challenges and Potential Solutions

On one particularly horrific Monday evening last summer, I wound up in a traffic jam. Bounding over the bridge between District 1 and Phu Nhuan, my jaw dropped as I found a sea of vehicles on the other side.

Dana Filek-GibsonAug 21, 2016

Street Cred: Ho Xuan Huong, a Woman Ahead of Her Time

Saigon

Street Cred: Ho Xuan Huong, a Woman Ahead of Her Time

Despite being one of Vietnam’s most prominent classical poets, Ho Xuan Huong’s existence remains an enigma to this day.

Khoi PhamAug 14, 2016

Pokemon GO Finally Reaches Vietnam, Uses Ho Chi Minh Museum as Pokemon Gym

Vietnam

Pokemon GO Finally Reaches Vietnam, Uses Ho Chi Minh Museum as Pokemon Gym

Drop whatever you’re doing and head outside: Vietnam has finally gained access to Pokemon GO.

SaigoneerAug 8, 2016