American Democracy Activist Held Prisoner by Communist Vietnam
Remembering Vietnam's religious and political prisoners on 'Liberation Day' (Ngay Giai Phong Viet Nam) on 30.04.12. American citizen and peaceful pro-democracy activist Nguyen Quoc Quan (pictured above) has been arrested by the Communist government and charged with 'terrorism.' Click here to read more.
Police Brutally Attack Villagers in Van Giang
3000 cong an, canh sat co dong, bo doi duoc huy dong den xa Xuan Quan, huyen Van Giang, tinh Hung Yen hom 24.04.2012 de cuong che 70 hecta dat xay dung khu do thi 'Ecopark'.
26.04.12This is 'liberation'? On Tuesday, April 24 this week, THREE THOUSAND vietnamese police and soldiers attacked the villagers at Van Giang near Hanoi, using clubs, tear gas, flash-bang grenades and bullets. About 1000 villagers defended their property during the illegal government land-grab using sticks, rocks and Molotov Cocktails.
The Van Giang incident on Tuesday was part of an ongoing series of violent land grabs by the communist government. Van Giang is being reclaimed for a new 'EcoPark' property development, signed off by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (left). His daughter is said to be a big investor in the project.
Many Mui Ne residents will be reminded of a similar riot over police brutality in Mui Ne last year, when more than 1000 local residents attacked the police station with rocks and molotov cocktails and set several police vehicles on fire. More than 100 riot police were sent to quell the situation late in the evening, with tear gas and flash-bang grenades.
In the video above, a mob of policemen descend upon a Viet Cong 'Marty' Cemetery in Van Giang on Tuesday and beat an local resident during the attack. A second video on Youtube raised questions of whether the police might have beaten him to death. Read more on our blog.
Whales, Embezzlement, Marxist-Leninism, Death & Balloons
22.03.12 A 15-meter-long sperm whale skeleton has been assembled and preserved at Van An Thanh whale temple on Binh Thuan's Phu Quy Island. The project cost US$86,000 and was conducted by researchers at Nha Trang's Institute of Oceanography. Its unclear why assembling a pile of old bones on a metal frame would cost as much as the total yearly salary of 70 island residents, but at that cost it must be a spectacular presentation.
The former head of Binh Thuan Tourism, Vu Van Chap, was arrested on 9 March in Ho Chi Minh with more than US$100 million worth of fake Euro bank notes. Mr. Vu Van Chap is also accused of stealing government funds and selling fake land certificates and company stocks. Mr. Vu Van Chap follows in a long line of government officials who, only upon retirement (and loss of favour with the Communist Party), suddenly become recognized as criminals.
Binh Thuan Province's Party Chief of Propaganda (yes, they really do self-identify, without cracking up) recently returned from the 4th National Conference in Hanoi and told local papers, upon his return:
"The hostile reactionary forces frantically, fiercely oppose the [Communist] Party and our country. With all their tricks, these forces want to eliminate the socialist regime in Vietnam, remove the leadership of the Communist Party, remove Marxist-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh..."
Apparently he's a hard-core Commie. And we are not frantic.
On 16 March a Taiwanese woman was tragically run over by a dump truck in Binh Thuan Province. Our condolences to her family. The most reassuring thing we can say is that local dump trucks are very big and very heavy and she most certainly died instantly. You'd hope that dump-trucks rarely run over people here but actually its quite common, and messy.
The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism recently announced the First Binh Thuan International Balloon Festival, and will occur 26 April to 1 May. The event, which will have recorded music but live singers, will commemorate May Day (the Communist Labour holiday of 1 May), and Liberation Day, which is the day the Communists invaded and conquered Saigon. Phan Thiet fell to the Communists on the 19th as well so the government is getting an authentic Communist karaoke threesome at a real budget price. With all the hotels and resorts throwing in free beer, there won't be a single policeman sleeping at home all week.
The occasion is actually not the first hot-air balloon festival planned by the government here, and we are sure it will not be the last to come and go without any evidence of its passing whatsoever--except for the policemen carying crates of beer out the front entrances of all the hotels. They don't need any balloons for that.
25.03.12 Update: The Balloon Festival has been moved to the September 2 national holiday.
C2Sky Brings KTA Back to Mui Ne
Round two of the Asian Kiteboard Championship tour sees the KTA return to Mui Ne Vietnam for its third season from the 15th – 19th February 2012.
15.02.12 The Kiteboard Tour Asia (KTA) is pleased to announce the second round of the 2012 KTA Asia Kiteboard Tour, which features the C2Sky Freestyle Raid and Asian Old Skool Championships being held in Mui Ne Vietnam.
The Vietnamese crescent beach is well known for its great winds and is becoming a South East Asian mecca for kitesurfing and kiteboarding and has super conditions to stage the event.
This is a tour stop with a completely different flavour. Normally the KTA combines the Asian freestyle championship tour with kite racing but to take advantage of the conditions offered by the location in Vietnam this event will instead feature the big air jumping skills and 'airstyle' mastery of the Old Skool riding style that is one of the most spectacular competitions from the kiteboarding roster.
Jeff Newell - C2Sky: "C2Sky as one of Mui Ne's oldest and most established kite center's is all about unity and is proud to be have a major supportive role in bringing the KTA back to Vietnam and giving a chance for home grown local talent to be in the spotlight.
Toby Braeuer - Old Skool competitor: "With the current type of technically scored freestyle riding the sport has lost some of its big attraction for spectators and media which are key for any event, but with the Asian Old Skool Championship it can finally be demonstrated again. It's what kiteboarding is about: a show on the water!
It's the KTA tour stop with a big difference. There are no major sponsors for this one but everyone has agreed that the competition level in Vietnam is so exciting that we are holding it anyway. So this one is home grown, funded and delivered by not only the KTA but also by the riders, hangers on, local supporters and key to the whole event our local organisers and hosts in Mui Ne - C2Sky!
So it's back to the origins of the KTA, grassroots energy and lots of progression…..
This round of the Asian Tour will be all about competitors making the best use of the high wind and swell conditions of Mui Ne. No course racing this time as the Asian Course Race Championships are coming up in March in Thailand and the Mui Ne conditions do not offer the best for the racers, but for the big air guys flying high and the freestylers this spot is heaven!
As the event title suggests it's a freestyle raid on Vietnam, with new school freestyle being the main world ranking event, but also this time the tour will feature both Old Skool and Big Air, so a major feast whether you are a competitor or spectator as you witness the first ever Asian Old Skool Championships.
Tourism Crisis in Russia & Vietnam as Lanta Bankrupts
01.02.12 This week Russia's Lanta-Tur, together with Vietnam branch, Lanta-Viet, suddenly went bankrupt, leaving their Russian customers stranded across Vietnam with no way to continue on their tours or even fly home.
Lanta-Tur is one of Russia's largest overseas tour operators, with 6000 agencies across Russia. Their subsidiary is also the largest Russian-based tour company operating in Vietnam.
This week threats and violence erupted as local contractors, partners and even Russian tourists tried to hold Lanta guides hostage and force them to continue the tour or help them go home.
It was reported that even some hotels and local contractors were keeping tourists captive to force them to pay the bills left unpaid by Lanta-Viet.
The Russian Consulate will be hosting a meeting tomorrow (February 2) at Bamboo Village Resort in Mui Ne, together with local hotels, tourism agencies and the provincial government to discuss how Lanta's debts will be addressed and how the Russian tourists might be released and evacuated to their country. According to reports, some hotels have lost more than US$100,000 each due to the debts incurred by Lanta-Vietnam.
Meanwhile, both the Russian and Vietnam governments have recommended that Lanta's guides evacuate Vietnam immediately in order to ensure their safety.
The situation is a major blow to south-central Vietnam, who's primary tourism base originates in Russia. The collapse of Lanta could strongly effect tourism in Saigon, Vung Tau, Dalat, Nha Trang, but most of all Mui Ne. Quite frankly, the incident underscores the very stupid mistake many, including the Vietnam government specifically, have made by putting all their eggs in the Russian basket. However, the situation will have a serious impact for many countries where Russians make up a large tourism demographic.
Two Senior Police Found Dead
07.01.02 Friday morning the bodies of two high-level officers were found after an apparent drowning. Major General Phan Van Dong, vice chief inspector of the Ministry of Public Security, and Senior Lieutenant Colonel le Van Thang, vice chief inspector from An Giang Province. According to official government reports, the two went swimming at 5:00am and were carried away by a strong current. The bodies were later found at approximately 8:30am. They were taking part in a two-day national conference at a small beach hotel in remote Suoi Nuoc Beach, north of Mui Ne. It has not been disclosed whether the two men had been drinking or if others at the conference were swimming at the time the men drowned. Local residents report that there were no strong waves on the beach that morning.
New Species of Gecko Identified in Binh Thuan, Vietnam
This 'new' species is similar to Gekko grossmanni, though much more brown in color with distinctive rusty-orange colored eyes. The size is a little smaller than the giant powder-blue Tokay Geckos common around the province. The body is covered in dark brown and light grey spots. There are 6-9 groupings of white and brown spots along the side of the spine from the nape to the caudal peduncle, forming lines encircling the torso.
I was surprised to hear that Ngo Van Tri, Office Technology and Environmental Management, Institute of Tropical Biology (Institute of Science and Technology of Vietnam) and Dr. Tony Gamble, Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, also published a 'discovery' of the same species in May of 2011. They refer to the news species as Ca Na Stone Gecko - Gekko canaensis, obviously unaware of my previous finding. My only response is, better luck next time gents!
Radioactive Waste May Pose Public Health Emergency in Vietnam Tourism Spot
Black sand mining near the White Sand Dunes
27.11.11 In July of this year, while visiting the White Sand Dunes, I decided to go off-road and explore. I drive up through the dunes and headed toward the beach—the stretch that the Vietnam Embassy to the United States issued a press release about in 2004; declaring that Disney and MGM were building a new resort theme park there.
Instead of being greeted by Mickey Mouse in a conical hat or Daisy Duck in an ao dai (I guessed Mickey would have ended up on the grill, and Daisy in a nice soup anyway), I found a vast mining field hidden in a dune sea, worthy of a Frank Herbert novel.
I approached one of the enormous mining craters cautiously, and picked out one of the workers to inquire about what was going on. What he told me made me uneasy.
"Since you are a tourist, it's OK for you to have a look," winked the man. "The government is just afraid of journalists. The military patrols the area. The military makes sure journalists don't see this mining operation because of the dangerous pollution. Its very controversial. There's strong radiation and all the wells in this area have also been poisoned."
08.11.11 Today Ninh Thuan Province, which neighbors our province (Binh Thuan), declared a pandemic of Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease. We think they mean epidemic, but pandemic does sound pretty cool. This is in stark contrast to the national government, which has repeatedly declined to announce a pandemic, or epidemic, or giganto-demic, citing that Vietnam is 'still not as bad as China.'
The communist government admits that the disease has killed 137 comrades, mostly children, out of 77,895 infections in 63 cities and provinces across Vietnam in 2011. As previously reported (scroll down the page to just above the big red commie flag), there were at least 300 admitted, active cases of the disease in Binh Thuan Province as of May this year. The best advice we can offer tourists is to stay away from babies.
Illegal Fishing Nets Post Safety Threat to Tourists
26.10.11 Some resorts in Mui Ne are complaining of illegal fishing close to the shore. According to management, the fishing nets compromise the safety of tourist by being within 100ft of the water's edge, right in front of the major established hotels. The nets are extended 50ft from surface to bottom and run for over 1000 meters. The fishing is for small baby prawns which fishermen are capturing using mosquito net sized netting. The prawns are then sold to farms where they can be cultivated. The nets are left in the area for four to six months at a time.
Last year there were reportedly two near-drownings when kiteboarders became entangled within the nets. Within the first five days of the start of the season witnesses have noted at least six entanglements of tourists, each requiring a rescue. These have happened in light wind with little swell. Serious accidents are expected once the wind picks up. All of the watersports outfit up and down the beach are concerned for the safety of tourists. Some have expressed serious implications for the tourist industry if something is not done about the nets.
Toxic New China-Vietnam Bauxite Mining Network Threatens Tourism & Environment from Mondulkiri, Cambodia to Mui Ne, Vietnam
Resorts surrounding Khe Ga Island and lighthouse sit abandoned, awaiting the new port construction.
14.09.11 Deputy Prime Minister Hoan Trung Hai wrapped up deliberations last week on the new temporary shipment route for bauxite from the central highlands to Dong Nai. The route will gradually be replaced as a new deep-sea port begins developed at the former tourism destination of Khe Ga (known for its spectacular coastal scenery and picturesque French-colonial island lighthouse built in 1897). As the port is completed over the next few years, a joint China-Vietnam mining industry will deliver highly toxic bauxite materials directly from Bao Loc in Lam Dong Province (and Dak Nong Province), to the port processing plants at Khe Ga, in Binh Thuan Province. Most or all of the material will then be shipped to China.
"The transport of bauxite ore mining from the Highlands down to Binh Thuan is much less risky than the processing of alumina in the Highlands," Dr. Nguyen Thanh Son, Director of Red River Energy, told local news agency, Bee.net.
Vietnam's Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease Epidemic Hits Mui Ne
05.09.11 The Provincial Health Department reported today that Binh Thuan currently has more than 300 active confirmed cases of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease infecting infants and small children.
One of the highest concentrations of infected children in the province is right here in Mui Ne. Parents traveling with infants and small children are advised to
take precautions. It is our opinion that parents should not leave their children in local kindergartens, day care or schools at this time, since this is an obvious setting for easy transmission of the disease.
National Day Reminder from Our Dear Leaders
01.09.11 This is a reminder for resorts, hotels, restaurants and local businesses. Many of you have received your banners and flags that you are required to voluntarily hang in your properties for Vietnam National Day. This propaganda is your opportunity to show your devotion to the communist party and your affection for the dearly departed messiah of national salvation. Please remember that while these obligatory banners are optional, the fees business must pay for not participating are mandatory.
The local police will also be collecting donations for the orphans and poor funds, as is customary on all national holidays. Remember, nothing says 'I love orphans' more than men in green and tan uniforms carrying crates of Tiger and Heineken out the front gate of your resort. This year bottles of Saigon Beer will no longer be accepted… because it's too difficult for the orphans to re-crate the empty bottles.
Additionally, the Phan Thiet City Tax Office would like to announce that they will be accepting Hennssey on behalf of the orphans. Likewise, the City Health Inspectors, Department of Waterworks and those guys who inspect your restaurant pantry to make sure you have those little government stickers on your jars of peanut butter and cans of tuna--and give you outrageous fines if you don't--all three departments have come together to become drop-off sites for bottles of Baileys and Gordon's London Dry; both orphan favourites.
Businesses unable to voluntarily comply with the above suggested donations should gift cash to the orphans, care of the local police department. As with Tet, its best to present the money in envelopes, though for practicality, little red ones aren't needed—anything in the drawer will do. Remember, whisper, bow and pass with palms down. Currency is preferred in US Dollars. The Dong is dropping and as we all know, our orphans are frugal. No receipts will be provided for your donations. The orphans don't read or write good.
From all of us and your big brother, we hope you have a happy National Day.
Top left: The best and the brightest. Bottom right: Emperor Palpatine, Sith Lord.
Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite
21.08.11 Known is Vietnamese as con rep, the bed bug has become an international epidemic both afflicting and being spread by tourists. While Internationally-managed resorts, boutique hotels & family-run establishments tend to do a better job of fending them off, Vietnam's low-standard government-owned hotel chains (such as Vietsovpetro, Petrovietnam and Saigontourist) are a point of concern in the possibility of encountering these real-life monsters. Read our story on bed bugs to educate yourself about this problem before you check in.
Do you have an announcement, special event, something to sell, a praise or complaint? Let us know We may post it here or in our blog.
Indochina Odyssey Tours provides private tours to Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. Itinerary may be customized according to your schedule, budget, and any personal requests.
The Van Giang incident on Tuesday was part of an ongoing series of violent land grabs by the communist government. Van Giang is being reclaimed for a new 'EcoPark' property development, signed off by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (left). His daughter is said to be a big investor in the project.
01.09.11 This is a reminder for resorts, hotels, restaurants and local businesses. Many of you have received your banners and flags that you are required to voluntarily hang in your properties for Vietnam National Day. This propaganda is your opportunity to show your devotion to the communist party and your affection for the dearly departed messiah of national salvation. Please remember that while these obligatory banners are optional, the fees business must pay for not participating are mandatory. 
Businesses unable to voluntarily comply with the above suggested donations should gift cash to the orphans, care of the local police department. As with Tet, its best to present the money in envelopes, though for practicality, little red ones aren't needed—anything in the drawer will do. Remember, whisper, bow and pass with palms down. Currency is preferred in US Dollars. The Dong is dropping and as we all know, our orphans are frugal. No receipts will be provided for your donations. The orphans don't read or write good.
