Vietnam Insider

A growing number of apartment complexes in Hanoi are refusing to accept electric motorbikes, triggering a fierce debate among residents and exposing the city’s infrastructure gaps as Vietnam transitions toward cleaner transport.

At HH Linh Đàm — one of the capital’s largest residential clusters — families like that of Kiều Oanh have been scrambling to find parking after the building management announced it would stop registering new electric vehicles from 1 December and ban them entirely from underground garages starting February 2026.

EV Owners Feel Betrayed by “Green Mobility” Policies

Oanh sold her gasoline motorbike earlier this year and switched to an electric one, encouraged by both lower running costs and the city’s plan to restrict gasoline motorcycles inside Ring Road 1 by mid-2026.

“I tried to do the right thing and go green,” she said. “Now I have a vehicle I can’t park anywhere. If I sell it, I lose money. If I keep it, I have nowhere to charge it.”

Nearby parking lots have refused to take EVs, and the few that do are too far away.

Thousands of HH Linh Đàm residents who use electric motorbikes are facing the same dilemma, arguing that the new building rules contradict Vietnam’s push to reduce emissions and pollution.

Gasoline Riders Support the Ban Over Fire Concerns

Not everyone opposes the restrictions. Some petrol-motorbike owners say the building’s parking structure, built before 2014, lacks EV-ready infrastructure and proper safety systems.

“The basement is already overcrowded, and the fire prevention system is basic,” said resident Thu Thảo, 30. “A lithium battery fire in an enclosed space could be catastrophic.”

The conflict has created two opposing camps in resident groups, with arguments intensifying over safety, environmental goals, and property rights.

Authorities Step In: Buildings Cannot Ban EVs

On 4 December, the Hoàng Liệt Ward People’s Committee intervened, ordering the building management to stop refusing EV parking. The ward cited the 2023 Housing Law, which recognizes electric motorbikes as legal vehicles and stresses that no scientific evidence proves they are more fire-prone than gasoline bikes.

Instead of a blanket ban, authorities instructed the building to:

• designate a separate charging area
• upgrade fire prevention equipment
• implement monitoring and supervision

The directive reflects a broader challenge across Hanoi: apartment infrastructure has not kept pace with the rapid rise of electric motorbikes.

A Capital-Wide Pattern of EV Rejections

HH Linh Đàm is not alone. On 2 December, an apartment complex in Long Biên District also stopped accepting EVs, saying the number had doubled beyond its planned capacity and that it lacked fire suppression systems suitable for lithium-ion batteries.

Residents in Văn Khê (Hà Đông) similarly reported being discouraged from parking EVs even when spaces were available.

The concern is mirrored in public sentiment. A survey of 2,500 VnExpress readers found:

• 48% of EV users felt discriminated against
• 42% faced obstacles when charging
• 6% were outright refused parking

Another poll of 13,000 respondents showed that if Hanoi bans gasoline motorbikes, only 24% would switch to EVs. Most would turn to public transport or ride-hailing instead — a sign that infrastructure and safety perceptions remain major barriers.

Experts: The Problem Is Infrastructure, Not EVs

Associate Professor Đỗ Văn Dũng of the Ho Chi Minh City Automobile and Engine Association says the fear surrounding EVs stems from inadequate charging facilities and concerns over low-quality, unregulated batteries.

For older apartment complexes with limited underground space, he recommends outdoor, sheltered EV parking zones equipped with thermal sensors. Long-term, he says Vietnam should explore battery-swap systems, which are widely used in Taiwan and China and reduce fire risks associated with on-site charging.

A Temporary Truce at HH Linh Đàm

Following government instructions, local leaders at HH Linh Đàm say they are planning a compromise: a dedicated EV parking area in the outdoor courtyard, with a roof and round-the-clock security — a solution intended to balance safety and residents’ mobility needs.

The debate highlights a fundamental tension in Vietnam’s green transition: Hanoi is encouraging citizens to adopt electric vehicles, yet many residential buildings lack the infrastructure to support them. Until that gap closes, more conflicts like Linh Đàm’s are likely to emerge.

Vietnamese police have arrested three South Korean nationals who were allegedly operating a large scale online fraud network in Cambodia and were wanted under Interpol Red Notices. The suspects were detained while hiding in Da Nang and have since been handed over to South Korean authorities.

Interpol-Wanted Fugitives Captured in Da Nang

Da Nang police, working with Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security, confirmed the transfer of the suspects on 4 December. The individuals — Choi Minsu (26), Choi Jinwoo (25), and Seo Jaeseok (28) — were internationally wanted for charges including fraud, organized crime, and human trafficking.

According to investigators, the trio played key roles in a criminal network based in Bavet, a Cambodian border town known for hosting fraud compounds targeting foreign victims.

Deepfake Romance Scam Targeting Men

Authorities say the group used deepfake technology to impersonate women online, establishing emotional relationships with male victims. Once trust was formed, victims were lured into what the scammers called “paid travel missions” — a fabricated program promising free flights, accommodation, and reimbursement after completion.

Victims were then coaxed into traveling to Vietnam or Thailand, where they were further manipulated into crossing into Cambodia.

Once inside Bavet, victims had their passports confiscated and were detained, threatened, and forced to memorize scripted scams to commit online fraud on behalf of the criminal syndicate.

Between August and December 2024 alone, the group is believed to have stolen around USD 1 million.

The Manhunt and Arrest in Vietnam

By mid October 2025, Cambodian authorities alerted Vietnam that the suspects had fled across the border. Da Nang’s Immigration Management Department initiated surveillance and soon identified the fugitives hiding in a hotel in An Hải Ward.

Police units, including special operations forces, moved in and arrested all three without incident. During questioning, the suspects admitted they were wanted by Interpol.

A Growing Regional Challenge

The case highlights the expanding use of AI driven deepfake tools in cross border crime networks operating in Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, and other parts of Southeast Asia. These compounds have increasingly targeted foreign nationals, exploiting regional borders and digital platforms.

Vietnam’s cooperation with South Korea and Cambodia is part of broader international efforts to dismantle such operations and repatriate both suspects and victims.

A pre-dawn fire in central Ho Chi Minh City on 5 December claimed the lives of four people, including two children, after they went into cardiac arrest before arriving at the hospital. Two others survived but remain under medical observation.

According to the city’s Emergency Medical Center 115, three ambulances were deployed — two from the center and one from Gia Định People’s Hospital — after a blaze erupted at a ground-floor snail noodle shop on Trần Hưng Đạo Street in District 1.

Six Victims Taken to Hospital

Paramedics treated and transported six victims from the scene.

Two young women, aged 18 and 21, arrived at the emergency department conscious but requiring close monitoring and further evaluation. Both were later transferred to Gia Định Hospital for continued care.

The remaining four victims were in critical condition upon rescue. Despite aggressive resuscitation efforts by teams from Saigon General Hospital and Children’s Hospital 2 — including the activation of ECMO — medical staff confirmed all four had died due to cardiac arrest prior to hospital admission. The deceased include:

• a 40 year old woman
• a 35 year old woman
• a 7 year old girl
• a 2 year old boy

The incident has been reported to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health.

Firefighters Rescued Five People Using Ladder Truck

Local authorities confirmed that five people were trapped inside the building when the fire broke out around 4:00 AM. Firefighters from the city’s PC07 fire and rescue force used a ladder truck to reach the upper floors and pull the victims from heavy smoke.

Witnesses and nearby residents had attempted to extinguish the flames before emergency crews arrived but were unable to contain the blaze.

Cause Under Investigation

Officials from Cầu Ông Lãnh Ward said police and specialized investigative units are working to determine the cause of the fire. Ward leaders remained at the scene throughout the morning to coordinate rescue, support families, and secure the area.

Early reports indicate the fire started on the first floor of the small restaurant, though the source of ignition has not yet been identified.

A visiting American tourist has triggered strong criticism in Vietnam after placing a metal beer bottle cap on an active railway track along Hanoi’s famous Train Street and retrieving it as a “souvenir” once a passing train crushed it flat.

The woman, Tracy from California, is traveling across Vietnam for two weeks with stops in Hanoi, Da Nang, Hoi An, Phu Quoc, and Ho Chi Minh City. Like many foreign visitors, she headed to Train Street — the narrow residential corridor where cafés sit just inches from the tracks — to experience the adrenaline rush of a train passing at close range.

A Viral Moment Turns Controversial

Tracy documented her visit, calling the train’s approach “one of the most exciting moments I’ve ever experienced.”
But her next move sparked outrage.

Before the train arrived, she placed a beer bottle cap directly on the rail, intending for the train to flatten it so she could keep it as a keepsake. After the train passed, she ran to collect the cap and posted the moment on her social media account.

The video quickly attracted heavy criticism from both Vietnamese and international viewers who argued the stunt was dangerous, irresponsible, and inconsiderate.

One Hanoi resident wrote:
“Have you ever considered that a sharp piece of metal could fly off and hit someone in the face? This is exactly why Train Street cafés should be shut down.”

Another commenter added:
“Your fun could cost someone their life. What happens if an object on the rail causes the train to shift or malfunction?”

Tracy has not publicly responded to the backlash, and the video remains on her personal page.

A Popular Attraction Under Constant Scrutiny

Hanoi’s Train Street — a stretch of track cutting through three central districts — has become one of Vietnam’s most photographed tourist spots. Multiple cafés operate within arm’s reach of the tracks, offering front row seats to passing trains at scheduled times.

Authorities have repeatedly issued warnings, ordered cafés to shut down, and instructed travel agencies not to bring tourists to the area. The concern is simple: visitors often lean, sit, or pose dangerously close to the moving trains.

Despite enforcement efforts, cafés frequently reopen within days, and tourists continue to crowd the tracks for photos, videos, and the thrill of proximity.

In October, another visiting tourist filmed a train hitting tables and chairs left too close to the tracks, causing panic among customers. On 25 November, Hanoi authorities again cleared the area and required residents to sign safety pledges, but activity soon returned to normal.

A Wider Debate About Tourism and Safety

The incident involving Tracy has reignited a long running debate in Hanoi:
How much risk is acceptable in the name of tourism?

Officials argue that safety cannot be compromised for social media appeal. Residents note that visitors often underestimate the danger, treating the railway as a theme park attraction rather than active infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the viral nature of Train Street — with influencers seeking dramatic footage — continues to pull in new waves of tourists.

As Tracy’s video circulates, it serves as yet another reminder that even seemingly harmless actions on an active railway can have serious consequences.

Japan has unveiled one of the world’s most expensive personal care devices: a 60 million yen bathing capsule (around USD 400,000). Nicknamed the “human washing machine,” the fully automated pod can deep clean an adult from head to toe in just 15 minutes while simultaneously tracking their health.

The device became a breakout star at Expo 2025 Osaka, one of the event’s most talked about examples of Japan’s fusion of wellness, robotics, and high tech design.

A Spa Treatment and Health Monitor in One

The capsule is large enough for an adult to recline comfortably. Once sealed, it begins a programmed cleansing cycle using ultra fine microbubble technology, a premium spa method widely used in Japan to remove oil, dirt, and dead skin cells at the pore level.

Soft background music plays during the process, transforming what could feel clinical into a calming, resort style experience.

The machine also includes a built in sensor system that monitors heart rate and other vital signs. This safety feature is designed to prevent fainting, panic, or medical incidents, making the device appealing not only to luxury consumers but also to Japan’s aging population.

Fifty Years in the Making

According to the company behind the invention, the concept traces back to 1970, when an early prototype captured public imagination. The firm’s current president, who first saw the machine as a ten year old, spent decades refining it into a commercial product fit for the modern wellness market.

At Expo 2025, the updated version generated long queues and contributed to the exhibition’s impressive 27 million visitors over six months.

Who’s Buying a USD 400,000 Bathing Machine?

The first purchase came from a luxury hotel in Osaka, which plans to offer the capsule as part of an exclusive wellness experience. A major electronics retailer has also bought a unit to showcase as a draw for customers.

Despite global buzz, the manufacturer says it will produce only about 50 machines across Japan, positioning the product as an ultra rare, high end item for hotels, wellness resorts, and collectors of futuristic tech.

More Than Hygiene: A New Category of Luxury Wellness

Sellers describe the machine as offering not just physical cleansing but “mental purification,” blending spa culture with biometric monitoring and automated comfort.

As wellness tech becomes a booming global sector, Japan’s USD 400,000 “human washing machine” hints at a future where personal care, relaxation, and health diagnostics converge inside a single, automated capsule.

When a Polish traveler named Peter discovered a tiny six seat café on Hanoi’s Quán Thánh Street, he liked it so much that he handed the staff a 500,000 VND note and told them to “deduct drinks from this until it runs out.”

For the café owner, it was a first. For international readers, it is a window into why Vietnam keeps winning over global travelers.

A Loyal Customer in Four Days

Peter, who works in Malaysia and travels half the year, first visited the café on 27 November after a globetrotting friend recommended it. The shop, run by Nguyễn Phương Thảo, had only recently expanded from a takeaway counter to a 15 square meter sit down space.

He started with a matcha. Then returned the next day. And the next. And the next.

Over four days, he worked his way through the entire drink menu, eventually asking the barista to “surprise him” with whatever they thought he should try.

What kept him coming back was not just the drinks but the atmosphere. The café’s small size made it feel warm and personal, and the staff quickly became conversation partners as he shared stories from his travels across Vietnam, including Hoi An and Hanoi.

The 500,000 VND Surprise

On his final day in Vietnam, 30 November, Peter showed up early. He pulled out a 500,000 VND note and asked the staff to deduct each drink from the balance as he came and went throughout the day.

He visited the café five to six times before his evening flight, consuming only about 300,000 VND worth of drinks but refusing the remainder.

That night, despite an early morning departure, he returned again carrying a bottle of liquor and a mixer to make drinks for the staff as a farewell gesture.

“It was the first time we’d seen something like that,” Thảo said. “He was cheerful, sincere, and treated everyone like old friends.”

A Glimpse Into a Traveler’s Lifestyle

During their conversations, Peter shared his unusual lifestyle. He works only six months a year, saving money so he can spend the other half traveling the world. Vietnam, he said, was one of the destinations that impressed him most thanks to its scenery, friendly people, and excellent food.

He doesn’t know when he will be back, but he told the café team that Hanoi is now firmly on his return list.

A Small Café With Big Stories

Thảo’s café seats only six people, but its central location has made it a quiet magnet for international visitors. “Each customer brings a different story,” she said. “But Peter’s kindness and easygoing nature really stood out.”

For a city filled with cafés, it is the human moments, not the drinks, that continue to define Hanoi’s enduring charm.

A large sinkhole opened suddenly in downtown Da Nang on the afternoon of 3 December, pulling 2 cars and an engineer into a 20 meter long cavity near the Han River.

The collapse occurred around 14:00 on Nguyen Cong Tru Street during heavy rain. Workers at a nearby high rise construction site noticed the metal fence separating the project from the street tilting. A site engineer ran over to check it. Seconds later, the road surface gave way beneath him, dragging him and 2 cars one white and one gray into the hole.

Witnesses said the engineer became trapped under one of the vehicles. A crane from the construction site was mobilized to lift the car and rescue the victim, who suffered leg injuries.

Security camera footage from nearby homes captured the moment the road collapsed.

Residents reported hearing a loud boom just before the ground sank. The sinkhole is estimated to be about 20 meters long and 7 meters wide, swallowing the entire sidewalk and part of the street. A black car parked next to the hole was left hanging at an angle but did not fall in.

At 14:10, Khanh a resident living across from the site had just arrived home and was waiting to cross the street when she heard a loud noise behind her. “People shouted and I immediately rode away from the parked cars. A few seconds later, the whole road dropped,” she said.

By 15:30, authorities had lifted both cars out of the sinkhole. One vehicle had a crushed hood and the other sustained heavy front end damage.

The collapse occurred next to a high rise construction project and sits on top of a drainage line connecting Ngo Quyen Street to the Han River. About 10 days earlier, the same drainage section experienced a smaller subsidence that the project contractor repaired with concrete.

Police and local authorities have cordoned off the area, set up warning barriers and erected a 2 meter tarpaulin wall along the construction boundary. With continuous rain in Da Nang, residents worry the sinkhole could widen due to high water flow.

Officials are investigating the cause of the collapse.

Lang Son provincial police have released official information on a murder investigation that has drawn significant public attention online. The case involves the killing of 35 year old Nguyen Xuan Dat and the arrest of 56 year old Doan Van Sang, a former deputy team leader of Market Management Team 4.

On the afternoon of 3 December, provincial police held a press briefing at their headquarters in Dong Kinh Ward to provide verified details and guide public understanding of the case, which had been widely discussed on social media.

Suspect Identified as Former Market Management Official

According to Colonel Vu Thanh Tung, Director of the Lang Son Police Department, investigators detected images and videos circulating online that appeared to show a violent crime. After reporting to the Ministry of Public Security, provincial police opened a special investigation with support from national level units.

Investigators confirmed that the victim was Nguyen Xuan Dat born in 1989 from Tien Hung Commune in Hung Yen Province. The suspect is Doan Van Sang born in 1968 from Tam Thanh Ward in Lang Son City and formerly a deputy team leader at Market Management Team 4.

Police said the two men first met around 2020 through social media. On 25 January 2025, Sang called Dat and asked him to come to the office of Market Management Team 4. At the building, Sang allegedly killed Dat. After the murder, Sang attempted to remove evidence and hide the body to avoid detection.

Arrest and Prosecution

On 28 November, investigators formally opened a murder case. On 29 November, police issued an arrest warrant and detained Sang on charges of murder under Article 123, Clause 1 of the 2015 Criminal Code. The provincial prosecutor’s office approved the arrest the same day.

Police also sealed off the former Market Management Team 4 headquarters for forensic examination.

Authorities say further investigation is underway to determine Sang’s full motives, whether others were involved and the extent of evidence tampering.

Police Urge Public Not to Spread Harmful Content

At the briefing, Colonel Tung urged media outlets and the public to avoid spreading unverified images or videos related to the case. He emphasized two main points:

1. Media organizations should actively counter false information and violent content being circulated online regarding the case, as such posts can mislead the public and destabilize social order.

2. Citizens should not share or comment on violent or sensitive footage. Unauthorized distribution of such material may result in legal penalties.

Colonel Tung also warned people to be cautious when joining social media groups that may contain illegal content and to promptly report any suspicious activity to authorities.

The investigation remains active as police continue to expand inquiries and collect evidence.