Bridging Vietnam

At Global Voices HanoiMark has an interesting post about some of the most popular blogs in Vietnam, of both the Vietnamese and the English language variety. He references a story about a big Vinablog spat we talked about here last year. HanoiMark talks about a number of blogs I already know. He also mentions the phenomenally popular Joe Ruelle who I first heard about from a Vietnamese journalist back in Saigon. Unfortunately, as I can't read Vietnamese so well, I don't dip into Joe's world. HanoiMark's point is that,

"Bloggers like these help break down the barriers between the linguistic and culture divides that separate the various blogospheres in Vietnam. If the immense popularity of Ruelle’s blog is any indication, it would seem there is an appetite for the perspective of those who can bridge the gaps between expatriats and local Vietnamese." Link.

All of which I agree with. However, I'm still waiting... Is there a political blog scene in Vietnam? Where's the Guido Fawkes of Saigon? China's gone outspoken blognuts, yet I've heard nothing similar from Vietnam. We've talked about this before, but I'm still wondering... Some Vietnamese folk have told me 'sensitive stuff', that does not make it into the state press, is disseminated through Instant Messenger and email and not on blogs. Not yet anyway. I'm just suprised that; here we are, wth blogs a global phenomenon, and yet we're not hearing much dissent from Vietnam. I could well be missing sommit - like Vietnam really is utopia??? - please put me right if I am. But, for now Sod the dissent, the big question remains... where's the Vietnamese food blogger? It's a potential goldmine and I'm still waiting for him/her to surface too.

Comments

[MissSaigon]

It quite makes sense that there is no political blog in Vietnam. Simply, the majority of Vietnamese do not care much about politics. What we care the most at this moment is making money as much as possible. Who cares who is the president as long as money keeps flowing in. Maybe one day, when money isn't not so important anymore, Vietnam will have political blogs.

[Aaron]

I think you should have a look at these:

http://360.yahoo.com/profile-i3Ms.X8lfKiENe1VLHg8

http://360.yahoo.com/profile-Sx4OqVk3RLMUcLt_ghc30T.P

http://360.yahoo.com/profile-7w0bvCclbqlzsZwdIvnD6C4IBgH1hC8-?cq=1

[Mike]

What I want to know is why so many Vietnamese use Yahoo 360 to blog? The few of my Vietnamese friends who blog all use it. I don't get it. The layout is ugly and the domain names a mess. I do know that Blogger recently came out with a Vietnamese language version. Please someone spread the word.

[Tung]

I think the answer is many Viets have Yahoo! accounts and using Yahoo Messenger to contact between friends...Hence 360 is a fortunate offspring, and it makes easy to browse through one's friends and to make further connection.

Viet bloggers also use xanga (mostly teenagers), myspace (mostly Viet kieus ) and my.opera.

[Graham]

Miss Saigon, while I hope and think you are joking, the ignorance of your statement is something I sadly encountered too many times in Vietnam. I suggest you read this (and all the comments)

http://timesonline.typepad.com/times_tokyo_weblog/2006/11/le_thi_cong_nha.html

I realise ignornace and bliss are very closely tied in Vietnam. However, if you don't realise what the Vietnamese government can and does do to its own citizens for what is really very very little and low level dissent, just the desire to open a dialogue really, then I'm not sure there's much hope for you.