Vietnam
Saigon Sentinel · Section
Reporting from and about Vietnam — politics, economy, civil society, and the diaspora's connection to home.
- Vietnam
Vietnamese Banks Still Lend Against Red Books, Not Cash Flow: A Problem Recycled for a Decade
Over 93% of loans in Vietnam still require red books, not cash flow - and the solution to this problem has been proposed for years without ever truly being implemented.
- Vietnam
Vingroup's 135,000-seat stadium: international ambition or financial burden for Vietnamese diaspora investors betting on their homeland?
Vingroup's 135,000-seat stadium is being built at record speed — but when average V.League attendance falls short of 6,000 people per match, Vietnamese diaspora investors need to ask directly: who will fill the remaining…
- Vietnam
Physics exam error in Saigon's grade 10 specialized class: A small mistake, a large crack in the examination system
An incorrect physics formula printed on the entrance exam for grade 10 specialized physics at Ho Chi Minh City is not exactly breaking news.…
- Vietnam
Fixed tax deduction thresholds: When policy becomes outdated at the moment of enactment
Average spending on higher education in Vietnam has increased sharply since public universities transitioned to financial autonomy mechanisms.…
- Vietnam
9,950 Inmates Granted Presidential Pardon in 2026: Humanitarian Gesture or Political Signal in Post-14th Party Congress Era?
On June 1, 2026, nearly 10,000 people will walk out of prison — including 133 individuals who were once sentenced in major corruption cases that the Central Anti-Corruption Steering Committee itself had monitored.…
- Vietnam
10,000 Small Traders in Da Nang and the Digitalization Challenge: Is Six Months Free Support Enough to Change Business Habits?
Da Nang currently has more than 109,000 business households and retail shops — according to figures announced by Vice Chairman of the Da Nang City People's Committee Ho Quang Buu — but the city's latest pilot program tar…
- Vietnam
Commune and Village Restructuring in 40 Days: Unprecedented Administrative Speed and Overlooked Risks
The mass merger of villages within less than 40 days poses significant challenges to social governance and community trust. This analysis explores the risks of prioritizing administrative speed over cultural nuances, eth…
- Vietnam
GTEL Falls Under Ministry of Public Security: When the State Securitizes Telecommunications Infrastructure
The transfer of GTEL to the Ministry of Public Security marks a turning point in Vietnam's strategy to securitize digital infrastructure. This shift is more than an administrative reshuffle; it introduces direct surveill…
- Vietnam
1,350 workers, 9,000 square meters of ash: The Dong Nai fire exposes structural risks in Vietnam's textile manufacturing model
The Uniwin fire serves as a stark warning about the lack of fire safety infrastructure within FDI industrial zones. As 1,350 workers face potential unemployment, the Vietnamese-American community once again finds itself …
- Vietnam
HCMC's pilot program teaching subjects in English: Integration ambition or burden of educational stratification?
Beyond treating English as a mere subject, HCMC aims to make it a medium of instruction in 10% of schools by 2030. This structural shift promises integration but risks widening the educational divide between the urban el…