Tourist Attractions & Who They're For; The Debate Over 'Essential' Goods

Saigoneer Podcast

We begin this week (1:59) by looking at tourist attractions which have made headlines in recent years, such as the Zodiac animal statues with human genitalia in Hai Phong and the deformed Statue of Liberty in Sa Pa. These can be easy to mock, but they do also have fans, and highlight some of the aspirations of people who might be traveling for the very first time. Then (16:48), we discuss the debate over what constitutes an 'essential' good. Amid widespread lockdowns and transport restrictions, items such as a fridge and sanitary pads have been deemed "not essential" by police officers, meaning they can't be shipped. Why have these policies created so much inconsistency? As always, we end with Bánh Mì Banter (34:03).