Dawn

Every morning in a city in Indonesia's far east, sleepy teenagers can be seen trudging zombie-like through the streets on their reluctant way to school. It is not a scene from some cheesy sci-fi offering but a controversial experiment to get the day off to a much earlier start for the sleep-deprived teens. The pilot project in Kupang, the capital of East Nusa Tenggara province, has twelfth-graders at 10 high schools starting classes at 5:30 am. Authorities say the scheme, announced last month by governor Viktor Laiskodat, is intended to strengthen children's discipline. According to parents, though, their children are "exhausted" by the time they get home. Schools in Indonesia generally start between 7:00 and 8:00 am. Teens in their school uniforms are now walking down dark streets or waiting for motorcycle taxis to get to school on time. "It is extremely difficult, they now have to leave home while it's still pitch dark. I can't accept this... their safety is not … [Read more...] about Dawn school trial for drowsy teens draws outcry in Indonesia

Authorities in Da Nang, a city in central Vietnam, has announced a plan to invest nearly VND400 billion (US$16.8 million) in an art lighting project along the Han River this year. The plan, themed ‘River of Light,’ was unveiled by municipal chairman Le Trung Chinh at a recent spring travel seminar. The project aims to give the Han River, an iconic beauty of Da Nang, an artistic makeover, thereby making the city more vivid and romantic at night. Accordingly, five bridges spanning the Han River in the city center will be bathed in light after dawn. The artistic lighting system will be installed at the Nguyen Van Troi pedestrian bridge, while the current lighting systems on four other bridges, namely Thuan Phuoc, the Han River, Tran Thi Ly, and the Dragon, will be upgraded. In addition, urban landscapes along both banks of the Han River, riverside parks, and green trees will be illuminated. Lighting shows will also be projected onto the surface of the river. A Dutch … [Read more...] about Da Nang to spend $16.8mn transforming Han River into ‘river of light’

The woman and her family, whose house is adjacent the blockhouse on Luong The Vinh Street, have been leaving the house very early for a month straight to spend their days at other friends or relatives’ homes because they cannot bear the noise and the smell from a construction site in front of their house. Vietnamese people call roadside construction sites working on electricity, water supply or wastewater treatment "blockhouses" because the sites are surrounded by metal fences. "Blockhouses" appear frequently in big cities across Vietnam, especially Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and they often operate for weeks, months, even years. They’re known for often making life utterly miserable for nearby residents, businesses and even just passersby. A "blockhouse" with the presence of a water pump, a slurry and a power generator has existed in front of Hien’s house, on a 40-meter long section of Luong The Vinh Street, for nearly a month. "Machinery at the construction site operates … [Read more...] about Residents miserable as ‘blockhouses’ block community lifeblood

Since February 10, 2023, the Buon Don Tourist Center, located in Dak Lak Province in Vietnam’s Central Highlands and part of Simexco Daklak Ltd., has substituted their much-in-demand elephant rides with a photoshoot in an attempt to protect the remaining tamed population. This move, however, has brought about conflicting feedback. Le Van Toan from Nghe An Province in north-central Vietnam was visiting a relative in Cu M’Gar District in Dak Lak Province. Taken to the Buon Don Tourist Center, he was expecting an opportunity to ride an elephant. However, having paid for the VND40,000 (US$1.69) ticket, he learned that the service was terminated. According to the current policy, tourists having paid admissions to the Buon Don Tourist Center are supposed to buy an extra ticket if they wish to pose for a shot with the tamed elephants there. “I came here to try riding the elephants. I could have easily watched them elsewhere,” said Toan angrily. Toan’s companions tried … [Read more...] about Elephant rides discontinued in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, replaced with photoshoots

Three years ago, Shan Coralie Barker, a British tourist, and her husband, Dixon John Garth, were transferred to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases on their first visit to Vietnam shortly after they landed at Hanoi’s airport. The British couple came to visit their son in Vietnam from the U.K. at the beginning of March 2020. Unfortunately, they tested positive for COVID-19 before they could meet him. The couple was immediately quarantined and hospitalized for COVID-19 treatment. Barker recovered from the disease, but her husband suffered respiratory failure, requiring mechanical ventilation. The 74-year-old patient had a 10-year history of blood cancer and had to fight for his life. He finally won the battle after more than a month in hospital. Barker said, "I talked to the doctor so I could see him. I'm so grateful for the efforts of the doctors and nurses here.” On the night of April 13, 2020, the British patient was discharged from the hospital. They boarded a … [Read more...] about British couple return to thank medical staff for saving them from COVID-19

Dusk and dawn sees Hanoi's leafy squares littered with devotees of da cau, Vietnam's ancient game of so-called "foot badminton" which endures despite the inevitable advance of football. And it's not just the world's most popular sport that da cau enthusiasts must contend with: they also compete for space with people playing badminton, riding hoverboards or shaking their hips in a public zumba class. But the da cau diehards say they are going nowhere. "I do play football, but I find da cau more interesting," said Tuan Anh, who regularly leads a group of up to 50 people in central Hanoi at sunset. The centuries-old game, which originated in China, involves keepy-up with a shuttlecock among any number of players for as long as possible, or knocking it over a net. Though the game is enjoyed in public squares, it wasn't always a street affair. Vietnamese emperors and feudal kings often encouraged soldiers to play da cau to improve health for battles, and to let off a little … [Read more...] about Kickin’ it old school: Vietnam’s ancient ‘foot badminton’

A different Hanoi in the abstract oil paintings of the old Vietnamese painter leaves a strong visual impression on the viewers. The group exhibition entitled "HOME" by Hanoi artist Hoang Dinh and his four sons will be held from March 18 to 28 at the Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts, 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Hanoi. 70-year-old painter Hoang Dinh and one of his artworks. Photo: Uyen Ly "HOME", featuring 36 artworks, is held on the occasion of Hoang Dinh's 70th birthday anniversary and focuses on the common creative theme of memory and family. The artist showcases this time 15 of his latest oil and lacquer paintings on the streets of Hanoi: the fresh and energetic "visual signs". Meanwhile, his children, all with artistic skills, present 21 oil paintings of landscapes, abstractions, and portraits, with much affection, purity, and poetry. Oil painting is Hoang Dinh's favorite material. His oil paintings on canvas are full of optimism and improvisation. Poetry … [Read more...] about Another perspective on Hanoi Street in Hoang Dinh exhibition

Ao Cho police station in Muang district is offering the scheme following complaints from local farmers that thieves were sneaking into their plantations at night and plundering ripe durians from the trees, The Nation Thailand reported. The first to sign up for the guarding scheme was a 55-year-old farmer at the Huang Nam Khao subdistrict, whose durians worth 1 million baht had gone missing. It is unknown how much farmers are charged for the service. Ao Cho chief inspector Ariyachai Thima said damage from durian thefts last year in Trat was estimated at several million baht after tons of fruit went missing, The Strait Times . Farmers who register will receive more surveillance from the police, especially at night when the thieves are most active. Teams of officials will patrol the areas in two shifts, 6 p.m. to midnight, and midnight till dawn. The surveillance will continue until all the durians are picked and sold, said Ariyachai. … [Read more...] about Thai police launch durian guarding service after $29,000 fruit heist