VietNamNet Bridge - With fire in his hand, Mr. Nguyen Duc Thuan can turn glass pieces into sophisticated toys within 10 minutes.

Thuan’s workplace is a small room in Cay Sung alley in District 8, Ho Chi Minh City. His tools are colorful pieces of glass, a torch with the temperature of above 1000°C, and his talented hands.

Thuan said over 10 years ago, he learned this job from his neighbor, a glassblower. He studied mechanical engineering but finally he became a glassmith.

Under a high temperature flame, Thuan makes magic with a long piece of glass. Within several minutes, the glass piece becomes a toy.

The toys may be a dragon, a chicken, a dog or any creature. Thuan says his movements must be very quick and precise, otherwise the glass will break.

This job looks simple but it is very tough. It is a terrible torture to work with flame in Saigon, where the weather is over 30 degrees Celsius during the day.

To have beautiful glass products, the glass material must be very good. Thuan says he uses white Vietnamese glass and colorful imported glass. Thuan’s key products are animal designations.

Thuan’s products are available in many provinces like HCM City, Tien Giang, Can Tho, Dong Thap, Tay Ninh in the south and Hai Phong, Hanoi in the north.

His wife – Mrs. Pham Huong Giang – has learned the trade from her husband.

Initially, she only made simple products such as roosters, dogs or monkeys. Now she can produce sophisticated products like her husband.

The couple is now one of the most skillful glassmiths in Saigon.

Thuan wishes to have a spacious glassblowing enterprise and to export his products.

Zing/VNN