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Lee Starnes

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Lee Starnes is a commercial and editorial photographer based in Ho Chi Minh City.

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Stories by Lee Starnes

468 stories

Construction Begins on New Downtown Saigon Skyscraper

Development

Construction Begins on New Downtown Saigon Skyscraper

Earlier this month, developers broke ground on the Saigon Me Linh Tower, adding yet another skyscraper to District 1's riverside Me Linh roundabout.

SaigoneerDec 21, 2015
Hẻm Gems: The Universal Truth of Fish Sauce Fried Chicken

Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: The Universal Truth of Fish Sauce Fried Chicken

There are few indisputable facts upon which good, reasonable people the world over can agree. Here are three: the sky is blue, the earth is round and fried chicken, in any form, is delicious.

Saigoneer

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Dana Filek-GibsonDec 18, 2015
Morning News Roundup: Dike Construction to Protect Hoi An Begins

Vietnam

Morning News Roundup: Dike Construction to Protect Hoi An Begins

Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram , and like us on Facebook . Dike construction to protect Hoi An begins [Vietnam News] Policemen in Da Nang to patrol on bicycle [SGGP] Projects proposed to clear gateway bottlenecks in HCMC [SGGP]

SaigoneerDec 17, 2015
Weekend News Roundup: Packed Cities, Empty Villages: Vietnam’s Migration Dilemma

Vietnam

Weekend News Roundup: Packed Cities, Empty Villages: Vietnam’s Migration Dilemma

Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram , and like us on Facebook . Largest jack-up drilling rig launched in Ba Ria-Vung Tau [Vietnam Plus] Out-dated vehicles plague Vietnam's roads [DTI] Packed cities, empty villages: Vietnam’s migration dilemma [Inquirer]

SaigoneerDec 14, 2015
Morning News Roundup: Students Hire Impersonators to Sit in English Exams

Vietnam

Morning News Roundup: Students Hire Impersonators to Sit in English Exams

Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram , and like us on Facebook . Vietnamese Flappy Bird creator pays 14% of purported $446k tax: official [Tuoi Tre] Students hire impersonators to sit in English exams [DTI] HCM City needs to handle abandoned million-USD property projects [Vietnam Net]

SaigoneerDec 10, 2015
Event Rewind: Melting Pot 7 Festival @ Saigon Outcast

Music & Arts

Event Rewind: Melting Pot 7 Festival @ Saigon Outcast

Last weekend, Saigoneers young and old turned up at District 2's Saigon Outcast for another installment of the Melting Pot Festival, a two-day music and art event which raises money for local children's charities. Featuring live theater and dance from Emily Navarra, House of Skarlet and X-CLOWN, poetry reading from Ngu Nam and a slew of musical performances from the likes of local artists like Wild Card, Datmaniac and 9th Dimension as well as several DJs, including Starchild, Jase and Duy Tuan, the festival provided an intimate look at the city's alternative arts scene.

SaigoneerDec 9, 2015
Morning News Roundup: HCMC is Almost Ready to Launch Electric Bus Services

Vietnam

Morning News Roundup: HCMC is Almost Ready to Launch Electric Bus Services

Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram , and like us on Facebook . Students from low-income families to have university fees waived [DTI] Vietnam health inspectors to check Pepsi, Coca-Cola products [Thanh Nien] Psychological counseling sluggish in Ho Chi Minh City schools [Tuoi Tre]

SaigoneerDec 9, 2015
[Images] Construction Starts on Thu Thiem's Fancy New Exhibition Center

Development

[Images] Construction Starts on Thu Thiem's Fancy New Exhibition Center

If you've taken a drive along the Saigon River lately, you may have noticed some construction on the other side of the water in District 2's Thu Thiem.

SaigoneerDec 7, 2015
Morning News Roundup: Vietnam Promises to Ease Visa Policy for Australian, US Citizens

Vietnam

Morning News Roundup: Vietnam Promises to Ease Visa Policy for Australian, US Citizens

Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram , and like us on Facebook . Ho Chi Minh City targets reduced traffic jams, flooding next year [Tuoi Tre] Vietnam's coffee premiums widen as demand picks up [AGWEEK] Vietnam promises change after asked to ease visa policy for Australian, US citizens [Thanh Nien]

SaigoneerDec 4, 2015
Morning News Roundup: Vietnam Hopes to Eliminate HIV/AIDS in 2020

Vietnam

Morning News Roundup: Vietnam Hopes to Eliminate HIV/AIDS in 2020

Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram , and like us on Facebook . Ho Chi Minh City needs interconnected public transport system: Swedish official [Tuoi Tre] Famed DJ Tiesto set to perform in Ho Chi Minh City next week [Thanh Nien] EU, Vietnam sign free trade deal [Channel News Asia]

SaigoneerDec 3, 2015
Event Rewind: Saigon Soul Pool Party @ The New World Hotel

Music & Arts

Event Rewind: Saigon Soul Pool Party @ The New World Hotel

As the Saigon rains yield to hot and dry weather, the time is right for the return of the Saigon Soul Pool Party.

SaigoneerDec 2, 2015
Vietnam’s Air Quality Among the Worst in the World

Health

Vietnam’s Air Quality Among the Worst in the World

We’ve known for a while that air quality in Vietnam is less than stellar . Based on recent readings, we know for sure that breathing in Saigon is a risky proposition, but new statistics released by Yale University shows just how bad things are.

SaigoneerDec 2, 2015
Rent in Saigon More Expensive Than Dubai, Bangkok

Development

Rent in Saigon More Expensive Than Dubai, Bangkok

Hanoi may be the most expensive place to live in Vietnam , but commercial rent in downtown Saigon ranks amongst the most expensive in the world, according to recent statistics compiled by commercial property and real estate consultants Cushman & Wakefield (C&W).

SaigoneerDec 2, 2015
Saigon to Layoff 14,000 City Employees

Saigon

Saigon to Layoff 14,000 City Employees

It looks like Vietnam’s state-owned enterprises aren’t the only ones feeling the effects of efficiency-focused reforms as Saigon has announced that it plans to lay off 13,927 employees between now and 2021.

SaigoneerNov 25, 2015
Morning News Roundup: NA Mulls Whether Legal Adult Age Should Be 16 or 18

Vietnam

Morning News Roundup: NA Mulls Whether Legal Adult Age Should Be 16 or 18

Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram , and like us on Facebook . Vietjet holds interesting activities to celebrate new route connecting HCMC and Seoul [Thanh Nien] HSBC predict Vietnam as 10th largest exporter by 2050 [DTI] Nearly 4,900 vehicles fined through ‘black box' data [DTI]

SaigoneerNov 25, 2015
Hẻm Gems: District 1's Delightfully Decrepit Bia Hơi

Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: District 1's Delightfully Decrepit Bia Hơi

UPDATE: It is with heavy hearts that we inform our readers that the Thi Sach bia hơi has permanently closed. We will miss its regular crowd and grimy, beer-stained walls. In a city that pretty much runs on beer, the ancient bia hơi on Thi Sach is a trip. Whether you turn up at the crack of dawn or in the thick of the evening rush, the pajama-clad ladies up front are always serving at least one grisly, middle-aged, red-faced Vietnamese man and the beer never seems to run out. On the wall, two paintings that have seen all manner of abuse – heat, water damage, dubious stains, mishandling – seem to barely cling to the wall, while the tiny mezzanine at the back looks like all it would take is one portly patron to send the whole thing to ground level.

Dana Filek-GibsonNov 20, 2015
Vietnam Looks to Add Another Airport Near Saigon

Development

Vietnam Looks to Add Another Airport Near Saigon

Amid approvals for massive new airports and expansions/upgrades to existing ones, it seems like the airport money tap is wide open in Vietnam. Seeking to jump on the bandwagon and boost tourism access and logistics south of Saigon, the government is mulling the construction of a new domestic airport near Vung Tau.

SaigoneerNov 20, 2015
[Photos/Video] Saigon's Second-Tallest Skyscraper Is Officially Open

Development

[Photos/Video] Saigon's Second-Tallest Skyscraper Is Officially Open

A project several years in the making, Saigon's second-tallest skyscraper to date is now officially open.

SaigoneerNov 18, 2015
Morning News Roundup: $50,000 Mobile Phone Found in Vietnam Airlines Plane 1 Month After Loss

Vietnam

Morning News Roundup: $50,000 Mobile Phone Found in Vietnam Airlines Plane 1 Month After Loss

Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram , and like us on Facebook . $50,000 mobile phone found in Vietnam Airlines plane 1 month after loss [Thanh Nien] EVN replants trees in more than 12000ha [Vietnam News] Vietnam ranks second in world for instant noodle consumption [Vietnam Net]

SaigoneerNov 17, 2015
British MP: Tourists Won't Visit Vietnam If They Know About Dog Meat Trade

Travel

British MP: Tourists Won't Visit Vietnam If They Know About Dog Meat Trade

For whatever reason, last week Britain's House of Commons decided to discuss the number of dogs killed annually in Asian countries like China (20 million), Vietnam (5 million) and South Korea (2 million).

SaigoneerNov 16, 2015
Saigon Will Reduce Its Carbon Emissions 10% by 2020

Vietnam

Saigon Will Reduce Its Carbon Emissions 10% by 2020

Good news is coming for environmentalists this week, as city officials have pledged to reduce Saigon's carbon emissions by 10% by 2020.

SaigoneerNov 13, 2015
Hẻm Gems: Bánh Căn and the Elixir of Life

Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Bánh Căn and the Elixir of Life

In the world of hẻm gems, gritty is a good thing. The more battered the tables, the more precarious the seating, the more dubious the location, the more we feel at one with the chaos of Saigon street life.

Dana Filek-GibsonNov 13, 2015
Metro Line Contractor Seeks Compensation for Delays

Development

Metro Line Contractor Seeks Compensation for Delays

While Saigon Metro's Line 1 has made considerable downtown progress over the last year or so and parts of 19.7-kilometer line are beginning to take shape in District 2 , the city's massive public transportation project remains over two years behind schedule in some places, according to contractors.

SaigoneerNov 12, 2015
Hẻm Gems: We Found Xôi Gà in a Hopeless Place

Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: We Found Xôi Gà in a Hopeless Place

Stand outside a market at closing time and you'll bear witness to the daily routines of its swift, unceremonious demise. After sunset, Binh Thanh District's Ba Chieu Market transforms before your eyes from a vibrant center of activity to a ghost town of empty street stalls, rubbish and unusual smells. Like turning on the lights after a wild Saturday night, it ain't pretty.

NNam NumNov 6, 2015
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