At large massage parlors in Ho Chi Minh City, masseuses, or "massage girls” as they are commonly known to the clientele, often work 12 hours a day and rent houses by themselves. In the neighboring provinces of Dong Nai and Binh Duong, these young women are required to stay on the premise, day and night, "fed and caged” in cramped rooms.
Inside the four tall walls with barbed wires on top, food and daily necessities and other services are provided by the owners at exorbitant prices.

On our first working day at the parlor TN in Binh Duong, a male manager named Hung took us along a long and narrow corridor to a room in the back.

It is a dimly-lit room of around 30 square meters for nearly 40 young female masseuses of the parlor. Here is the place for them to eat, sleep and entertain themselves.

Several girls in blue uniform were sitting on the floor, their backs hunched over their dinner. Some carefully made-up faces turned to look at us indifferently. In one corner, blankets and mats were put together in a messy pile. Dozens of baskets containing soap, shampoo, and medicated oil were placed next to one another.

As part of the verbal agreement with the owner, I would work for him without salary and in return would be given free food and accommodation.

But as I ... Xem thêm

Tuoi Tre undercover journalists spent a month penetrating deep inside massage parlors and shed some light in this all-revealing new series on the sex, the pitiable living conditions, the tips, the techniques needed to survive and all the other kaleidoscopes.
work as a masseuse, one needs a license but most, if not to say all, massage parlors fake papers for their massage employees.

Called technicians, the masseuses just have to pay VND1.5-5 million (US$71-239) to get the licenses and certificates required for the massage job.

"We sisters will undertake the legalization for you. Massage certificates are quite easy to buy, looking like true ones even though they are forged,” said Van, owner of massage parlor B on Kha Van Can Street, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City.

When your journalists pretended to apply for a job as a masseuse at massage parlor TN in the city’s Thu Duc District, Hung, one of its managers, explained the modus operandi is simple.

The parlor would spend VND2 million on each newcomer and collect this sum back by subtracting it from massager’s tips every week.

Our first time

After having our applications accepted and having passed some grueling checks on body statistics and our willingness to work i ... Xem thêm

Though she didn’t win the highest prize at a painting contest for children in Hanoi, Vu Dang Anh Tho, 10, has drawn major attention due to her painting that satirizes people’s habit of public urination.

Titled "Cam Dai Bay” (Public Urination Banned), the painting was among 2,000 works participating in the "Ve Sinh Yeu Nuoc” (Keeping the environment clean is loving your country) competition.

The work depicts three adult men who are smoking and urinating on a wall, on which hangs a board stating, "Urination Banned Here.” Next to them, a little kid points his fingers at the men and says innocently, "Ah! Adults are urinating at the wrong places!”

"Cam Dai Bay” won the consolation prize of the contest, which was held by the Department of Environment Management under the Ministry of Health. There were 50 paintings that received awards at the concluding ceremony on July 29 in the capital city.

Hundreds of young girls Tuesday flocked to Diamond and Parkson malls in downtown Saigon to see Michelle Phan, the Vietnamese-American girl who has become famous for her makeup tutorial videos on Youtube.

The 25-year-old girl, whom numerous girls around the world have chosen as their makeup guru, made a one-day trip to the southern city as part of her worldwide trip as an ambassador for a cosmetic brand. At the meetings with fans at the shopping centers, the girl fascinated the crowd with her gentle beauty and friendliness.

Not only did she take pictures with fans, she also excited them by wearing a conical hat, one of Vietnam’s traditional accessories.

During her trip, besides giving makeup tutorials for girls at the fan meetings, Michelle shared that she had had chances to try Vietnamese dishes such as dau hu da and bun bo.

"Having an awesome moment here. Vietnam you are too good to me,” she expressed in happiness while visiting the country where her parents were born.

VietNamNet Bridge – Beijing is encroaching into the East Sea, with new forces, new strategies and new paths.
At the same time, Beijing is strengthening its action on all fronts, from civil to military, from administrative management to diplomatic to "cover” its vague historical arguments that they always apply to make claims in the East Sea.

From fishing boats…

In the early April, the smoldering dispute in the East Sea broke out into a clash between China and the Philippines at Scarborough Shoal. Manila accused Chinese fishermen of illegally infiltrating and fishing in its waters, which is recognized by the international law. Filipino naval ships managed to catch these fishermen but China sent two marine patrol ships to the area of conflict.

China sent many more vessels to the shoal to confirm its presence in the form of overwhelming in majority. The Philippines detected nearly 100 Chinese ships around and inside the shoal, ignoring the fishing ban in this area.

The two sides decided to withdraw their ships from the shoal, reasoning bad weather. While the Philippines pulled out all of its ships in the shoal, up to 30 Chinese boats were reported to be there, according to a Filipino security official on July 19. The anonymous official said that there were signs t ... Xem thêm