What they don't tell you about clearing off to Vietnam

[Skallywag]

all about the $.  You can say what you want to say about Vietnamese friendliness, but its all because of the US $...and

We let almost 11 million vietnamese immigrate (refugees) to the USA, they love us for that obviously.  Now that number has grown to over 1.3 million because of fecundity

 

Many are still getting low interest loans on housing and other government benefits, 45 years later - why wouldn't they love us.

 

The American war in Vietnam.

The reality is, we lost 60,000 American soldiers, and many more are still suffering because of the American Military Industrial Complex.  Corporate profits making munitions with no thought as to lives lost and suffering 

 

 

 

[Jack Mountain]

4 hours ago, Skallywag said:

all about the $.  You can say what you want to say about Vietnamese friendliness, but its all because of the US $...and

We let almost 11 million vietnamese immigrate (refugees) to the USA, they love us for that obviously.  Now that number has grown to over 1.3 million because of fecundity

 

Many are still getting low interest loans on housing and other government benefits, 45 years later - why wouldn't they love us.

 

The American war in Vietnam.

The reality is, we lost 60,000 American soldiers, and many more are still suffering because of the American Military Industrial Complex.  Corporate profits making munitions with no thought as to lives lost and suffering 

 

 

 

Easy to blame others but at the end you are self responsible for your actions and as Donovan already sang 

 

"He's the universal soldier and he really is to blame,
his orders come from far away, no more."

 

You can regret it of course but hanging around with the grandchildren of the people you have vaporized is an really cynical act ...

 

I mean this in a general way ...

 

-----

 

He is five feet two, and he's six feet four,
he fights with missiles and with spears.
He is all of thirty-one, and he's only seventeen.
He's been a soldier for a thousand years.
He's a Catholic, a Hindu, an atheist, a Chein,
a Buddhist and a Babtist and a Jew.
And he knows, he shouldn't kill
and he knows he always will,
kill him for me my friend and and me for you.
And he's fighting for Canada, he's fighting for France.
He's fighting for the U.S.A.,
and he's fighting for the Russians,
and he's fighting for Japan,
and he thinks we put an end to war this way.
And he's fighting for democracy,
he's fighting for the Reds.
He says it's for the peace of all.
He's the one who must decide,
who's to live and who's to die,
and he never sees the writing on the wall.
But without him, how would Hitler kill the people at Dachau,
without him Caesar would have stood alone.
He's the one who gives his body as a weapon of the war,
and without him all this killing can't go on.
He's the universal soldier and he really is to blame,
his orders come from far away, no more.
They come from here and there, and you and me,
and brothers, can't you see,
this is not the way we put an end end to war.
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Buffy Sainte Marie
Universal Soldier lyrics © Caleb Music Co., Ca

[PETDCAT]

As someone from the States visiting Vietnam for a few months most people were very friendly after asking where I came from. It seems everyone in the southern part of the country has relatives living in the states. I must of heard a million times...I have a cousin lives in San Jose or Los Angeles. 

[ourdon]

On 9/1/2019 at 2:05 AM, robsamui said:

Actually - it's not! The info above relates to the pitfalls of people coming to live here, and if that isn't you, then you'll find it boring.

I'm in Nha Trang, which has a climate the same as Koh Samui. The central part of the city is crammed full of different nationalities, with little Viet cafes side-by-side with nightclubs and Aussie pubs and market stalls, the streets are tree-lined and hung with fairy lights, a Grab motorbike costs 50 baht to go 6 Km across town, there are events and displays happening frequently . . . the only thing I miss are bars on the beach. Apart from that it's fun - and it's permanently affordable!

I've always enjoyed Nha Trang.  Found it to be somewhat cleaner with a better infrastructure than Phuket.  First thing I noticed was the clean serviced garbage cans on the corners.  I had to stop and stare for a while  Found it to be quite interesting and the people friendly especially after I got past the Russian section.

Used to be you could find a couple of beach bars a few hundred meters south of the big pink egg (pineapple?) on the beach. 

I might drop over in the new year for nostalgia's sake 

[lexlam]

Hi, 

Very much appreciated and many thanks for this main post as well as all other interactive replies, 

I learned so much from your shared coments here, lot of thanks to all of you here!

Actually I'm living in Thailand, thinking to pay a visit to vietnam, 

the trip is to explore the country, possible to stay longer,

I would like to ask few things and very much appreciated to get some answers,

1) How about applying Non-O Thai visa from Thai embassy in there?

- what are the current requirement?

- A better option to get re-entry from here? less complication in applying?

2) Regarding the notes about money invlation, as well ATAM machines problem,

- is it better to carry $US notes from here?

- or exchange their local currency?

- is there a money exchanger like superrich here in Bangkok?

3) About visa extension: 

- the embassy told me can get 1 month tourist visa from here and pay about 2300 TH or around that,

- tourist visa extention process there, how bout the process, fees, etc?

- how to get a business visa? the embassy here inBKK told they need a letter from company or something alike,

- how about booking hotels/airtickets online from there?

4) Job for foreigners:

- how about the business sector jobs, managerial level for foreigners there,

- if only and the easiest job for foreigners there is the teaching jobs:

- wha about teaching business,computer and IT related courses at colleges?

I would very much appreciate if some answers to the above points, which hopefully can help others to further explore some opportunities and spread more informative ideas to the benefit of all of us,

Thanks in advance, 

 

 

 

[Ron jeremy]

3 hours ago, lexlam said:

Hi, 

Very much appreciated and many thanks for this main post as well as all other interactive replies, 

I learned so much from your shared coments here, lot of thanks to all of you here!

Actually I'm living in Thailand, thinking to pay a visit to vietnam, 

the trip is to explore the country, possible to stay longer,

I would like to ask few things and very much appreciated to get some answers,

1) How about applying Non-O Thai visa from Thai embassy in there?

- what are the current requirement?

- A better option to get re-entry from here? less complication in applying?

2) Regarding the notes about money invlation, as well ATAM machines problem,

- is it better to carry $US notes from here?

- or exchange their local currency?

- is there a money exchanger like superrich here in Bangkok?

3) About visa extension: 

- the embassy told me can get 1 month tourist visa from here and pay about 2300 TH or around that,

- tourist visa extention process there, how bout the process, fees, etc?

- how to get a business visa? the embassy here inBKK told they need a letter from company or something alike,

- how about booking hotels/airtickets online from there?

4) Job for foreigners:

- how about the business sector jobs, managerial level for foreigners there,

- if only and the easiest job for foreigners there is the teaching jobs:

- wha about teaching business,computer and IT related courses at colleges?

I would very much appreciate if some answers to the above points, which hopefully can help others to further explore some opportunities and spread more informative ideas to the benefit of all of us,

Thanks in advance, 

 

 

 

Jobs for foreigners are quite easy to get - teaching from the people I have spoken with.

of course it's easy to to book airline tickets, hotels online, why wouldn't it be. I am also told the Internet is better in Vietnam than Thailand. 

Visa is simple, be aware I am a tourist, not a retiree. But I did speak to several people that have done the 3 month tourist visa for years and never a problem re- entering. Americans can get a 1 years business visa. Look online for visa requirements, I got a letter of invitation several times, easy to enter, different entry options available.

I came on a 1 month tourist visa and extended it thru an agent for $100 in 3 days turnaround. Very easy. 

I use gold shops to exchange money- any currency, again, very easy and the best rates" 

immigration wait is minutes, not hours like Thailand.

i have no idea what people are speaking of when they say the people are cold etc. The Vietnamese people are THE MOST friendliest I have encountered in 9 years travel in Asia. And the woman the most beautiful. 

I really enjoyed my time there and will return this winter. 

Pit has it's downfalls the same as any other country, but ticks the boxes for me.

on another note, I Walked into government immigration one day, the place was full of locals, I was waved thru  to the desk, the local people insisted I go first, never seen that before in Asia. 

I was treated royally . 

It seems most of the negativity on this topic comes from sextourists etc that don't find things as easy as pattaya. Or those with little game to pick up a legitimate local lady, which is very very easy by the way.

[Nemises]

Is it true that you can’t buy a car and travel around Vietnam, on your own, in your car, as you can in Thailand?

[wisperone]

21 hours ago, ourdon said:

Used to be you could find a couple of beach bars a few hundred meters south of the big pink egg (pineapple?) on the beach. 

The "Sailing Club" in Nha Trang is popular on the beach side. Restaurant and turns into clubbish at night.

[wisperone]

I think the Viets are about the most patient people I ever seen. I was always amazed how they just went with the flow on motorscooters in traffic. Never get upset. In other places if people had to put up with that, would result in constant road rage. 

[Orton Rd]

On 9/1/2019 at 5:19 PM, Yinn said:

I go to Hanoi, in the north. War museum. 

They remember.

They also don’t like the French people. Very cruel.

 

They not have good experience with farang.

The Brits seemed to do well, if they had stayed longer fighting the communists in 1945 the Vietnam war might never have happened. As the Brits were made to leave and the hated French moved back the communists returned when they could have been eradicated by the Brits aided by the re armed Japanese.

 

 

[Yinn]

6 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

The Brits seemed to do well, if they had stayed longer fighting the communists in 1945 the Vietnam war might never have happened. As the Brits were made to leave and the hated French moved back the communists returned when they could have been eradicated by the Brits aided by the re armed Japanese.

 

 

Wow, I not know about that.

vietnam have so much war. Like Afghanistan.

sad for the people.

[Orton Rd]

I never heard about it either before, the Brits of course went on to defeat the communist uprising in Malaya. Pretty sure the Gurkha's were there as well, probably the most effective jungle infantry in the world then. Quick search says they were the mainstay

 

https://www.gurkhabde.com/the-malayan-emergency/

[lexlam]

Thanks for the replies and shared comments, really appreciated!

As in this topic above comments, noticed there is a major problem using ATM machines, also the limitation to withdraw, would it be a better option to carry cash,, around $2000 or so, and just exchange as  the need,

how about getting married there and their family sponsor visa same process as Non-O in Thailand? 

However, the main idea of the trip is just to go explore for 1 month tourist visa, then maybe extend it there and see how the things can go, if any opportunities for a job then will see the option for settle down longer, 

Thanks for sharing your experience and comments. 

[lexlam]

Regarding to obtain a multiple tourist visa for 3 months,

does this require to get out of the country every month? or just some process by the immigration? 

and where the best option to go for extension from there? cambodia? or laos? another issue not much empty pages left in the passport, if there is a local stamp by the immigration will be a better option, or just stay 1 time long for 3 months,

regards, 

[Cricky]

To those of you who are thinking of relocating to Vietnam try Vung Tau.

I worked on rotation for a few years. It has been developed for offshore workers, a little more expensive but seems more secure.

I didn't have any issues. 

[BigFun]

On 9/1/2019 at 5:19 PM, Yinn said:

I go to Hanoi, in the north. War museum. 

They remember.

They also don’t like the French people. Very cruel.

 

They not have good experience with farang.

Brilliant, less French, bonus! ????

[atyclb]

i found the price of cooking utensils significantly less than in thailand and they have virtually the same stuff.  lottemart , big c and mega

[Postmaster]

Enjoyed reading your post.  Very interesting and well balanced.

[Scouse123]

On 9/6/2019 at 9:02 PM, IraqRon said:

yeez where is all the trash and traffic and etc. etc. the Viet bashers talked about?  I see a clean street, trees, and no stray dogs or trash, not to mention street walkers hanging out.

 

Well,

 

You aren't going to see stray dogs in Vietnam, are you?..................????????????????????

[robsamui]

On 10/18/2019 at 2:51 PM, lexlam said:

Regarding to obtain a multiple tourist visa for 3 months,

does this require to get out of the country every month? or just some process by the immigration? 

and where the best option to go for extension from there? cambodia? or laos? another issue not much empty pages left in the passport, if there is a local stamp by the immigration will be a better option, or just stay 1 time long for 3 months,

regards, 

The process is . . . 

unless you're American, you have a choice of either 1-month or 3-month tourist visas. If you're planning on staying long-term then no point in getting a multiple entry. A 3-month visa is just what it says - you can stay inside Vietnam for 3 months.

 

You need to understand the difference between "renewing" a visa and "extending" a visa.

At the end of this time you need to get another 3 month visa. You can either do this by leaving the country and doing a U-turn back in again (renewing your visa), or stay inside Vietnam and extend your existing visa. Few people extend their visas because it costs a lot - it's cheaper to leave the country and re-enter, so I'm told. You have to go in person to Hanoi or HCMC only (?), and to extend a 3 month visa for another 3 months costs "between $180 and $300". It's hard to find any info online about this. (If anyone has done this recently please let us know the cost.)

The process of getting a visa is so simple - you go online to one of the many govt.-approved visa agents and pay then a fee (app $15) to get an official letter sent to you by email. You present this to the immigration desk (Visa on Arrival) when you come into Vietnam, wait for about half an hour for them to glue a paper visa in your passport, pay $25 "stamping fee" (for a 3-month single entry), then go through the immigration check-in. Yes, it takes up 1.5 full pages in your passport with the visa and the in/out stamps.

 

What country you go to depends on what part of Vietnam you're staying in. It's a choice of either going by road to the nearest land border, or flying somewhere. Where I am (Nha Trang) the road trip is to HCM City and on to Laos and takes app 36 hours on the bus, there and back. I have found that it is the same cost to take a return flight, AirAsia to Bangkok, which can be as low as $80 return depending on how you book it. Then there's a night or two to pay accommodation (a nice little holiday) plus taxis to take into account.

 

(Note that from Nha Trang there are no return lights on the same day you fly out - you have to come back the next day - for both BKK and Malaysia. If you're staying near a busier hub then you can probably do it all on the same day if you do some careful planning.)

 

 

[Expat Tom]

Thanks for all of the good info. Of course, everyone has an opinion and they are entitled to it. I am heading to Vietnam in December after many years in Thailand. My last time in Vietnam, people were seriously trying to kill me.

I will be better informed after spending some time there but my initial thoughts are that Vietnam in ascending while my beloved Thailand is descending. It is too bad too. But, if I don't like it, I can always come back here. On the international front,  Thailand wants to build a high speed invasion train from China while Vietnam is allied with the US against China. Most people don't appreciate that Vietnam and China were fighting for 1000 years before the first white man arrived. They were allied against a common enemy during the Vietnam was ( the USA) but now US Navy ships are making ports calls in Vietnam to bolster their defenses against the aggressive Chinese. 

 

My Vietnam adventure awaits on 14 December I my posting will be better informed afterward.

[Leaver]

1 hour ago, robsamui said:

You have to go in person to Hanoi or HCMC only (?), and to extend a 3 month visa for another 3 months

My friends in Vietnam tell me they uses agents.  No need to appear in person for visa extensions. 

 

I posted this link recently that says you can do it yourself, or go through a local agency.

 

https://www.myvietnamvisa.com/vietnam-visa-extension.html

 

[Expat Tom]

I have a question. I have been in Thailand for many years and have a few (very few) farang freimds who have successful long term relationships with Thai ladies. Generally, love in Thailand is bought and paid for. How hard is it to find a meaningful relationship in Vierman?

[Wake Up]

On 9/1/2019 at 5:19 PM, Yinn said:

I go to Hanoi, in the north. War museum. 

They remember.

They also don’t like the French people. Very cruel.

 

They not have good experience with farang.

I went to Hanoi and had an opposite experience as you. I like Saigon better but as an older American found no one in north or south Vietnam that was rude or hostile to me. I went to the war museum also and all I heard was how nice they were to the USA “prisoners of war” which I just smiled and let them talk. Vietnam today is nothing like Vietnam of 1970s and most Vietnamese never mentioned the war.  I am sure there are a few in every country that hold grudges as my grandfather did against the Japanese. But most people on the planet now in Asia were not involved in the Asia wars. 

[natway09]

Having been there a few times for business I have no intention of living there, but enjoyed reading the information. Thank you.

The grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence I see

[Leaver]

1 minute ago, natway09 said:

Having been there a few times for business I have no intention of living there, but enjoyed reading the information. Thank you.

The grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence I see

Don't you mean, the grass is not greener on the other side of the fence for you?  It very well may be greener for others.

[bbbbooboo]

On 9/1/2019 at 6:38 PM, gunderhill said:

Very informative thanks.

+1

[StevieAus]

On 9/2/2019 at 10:48 AM, CHiangMaiMuu said:

I served in the war in Vietnam, in 1969-1970, and I lived there for about 4 months altogether this year.

And I have to say YOU ARE A GODDAMN LIAR.

First place, people in Vietnam never did believe that trash that the communists said about the Americans in Vietnam; the common people had to go through the years of hell when the Viet Cong came in the night to their villages and took their rice and raped their daughters and took their sons to train to be savage killers. In some parts of the country, in Quang Nam province, many of the local people were refugees from North Vietnam who had left their homes to get away from the communists. They looked to "us" - Marines in the C.U.P.P.  units along side the South Vietnamese Regional Forces - to protect them from the guerillas. I used to go through the village with the Navy Corpsman (like a nurse) to translate for him, since I had gone to the 3-month Vietnamese language course in the States. The Corpsman treated the villagers illnesses as best he could. The Vietcong raped them and beat their children.

 

Second place,  even if you don't believe that, you are 100% wrong in what you say about the Vietnamese people's attitude to farangs. The people that I asked in the spring of this year in Vietnam said that the communists lied about the Americans. My young Vietnamese friend in Quy Nhon, whom I hired as a language teacher and guide, told me her mother told her the Americans were good to her. She worked on an Army base back then and, even after the brain-washing they did on her she still says - quietly - that the communists lied. My friend's older brother down in Saigon also said the same thing about the Viet Cong. He is making it as businessman, in spite of the oppression by the communists some people are making it because they are naturally entrepreneurs, resourceful and courageous. And they have to remain quiet or they die. And they want American advisors and tourists and investor.

 

People like you - you remind of the American Air Force veteran - who sat out the war in England and also thinks the Americans "lost" in Vietnam - you think that by not being there and by listening to propaganda 

put out by cowards who sent young people out to murder other people you are experts on the issue. Even the facts that they took out 60,000 of our boys and we killed over a million of them does not impinge on your mind.

 

The people in South Vietnam do not hate us. The people who work for the government is Vietnam have a more positive attitude to us that the Thai government. Clearly that is shown by the fact that the government makes it easier for farangs to move to Vietnam and move around in Vietnam without nonsensical restrictions. 

 

And they are able to write the English language better than you.

Only one comment, what are the nonsensical restrictions on traveling around Thailand?

I have ever found or experienced any and we have and continue to travel around Thailand by road an air.

[BritManToo]

6 hours ago, robsamui said:

What country you go to depends on what part of Vietnam you're staying in. It's a choice of either going by road to the nearest land border, or flying somewhere. Where I am (Nha Trang) the road trip is to HCM City and on to Laos and takes app 36 hours on the bus, there and back. I have found that it is the same cost to take a return flight, AirAsia to Bangkok, which can be as low as $80 return depending on how you book it. Then there's a night or two to pay accommodation (a nice little holiday) plus taxis to take into account.

5hr bus journey from HCMC in Vietnam to Phnom Penh in Cambodia and costs $10 (+ Cambodia VISA).

Why would you got to Laos via HCMC?

[BritManToo]

On 10/17/2019 at 3:59 AM, Ron jeremy said:

t seems most of the negativity on this topic comes from sextourists etc that don't find things as easy as pattaya. Or those with little game to pick up a legitimate local lady, which is very very easy by the way.

Sex tourist Romance traveller here, HCMC is even easier than Pattaya.

Never had more 'cold approaches' anywhere in the world as I have in HCMC, usually when I'm just sitting in the park or a coffee shop. Not to mention all the pretty massage girls that wanted to take me to a 'more private' upstairs room.