Job Discussion Forums

spycatcher reincarnated · Joined: 19 May 2005 Posts: 236

In 20 years in HCM City I have had the following incidents:

Shoes stolen by shoeshine boy- about 19 years ago
Sunglasses stolen by one legged man- about 19 years ago
Attempt at stealing my watch- about 19 years ago
Bag snatched from my motorbike- about 18 years ago
House burgled- about 15 years ago

No incidents, that I recall, in the last 15 years, but I admit that I am getting old and don't put myself in positions where I am such an easy target these days.

mark_in_saigon · Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 837

Ramen · Joined: 13 Apr 2008 Posts: 74

I'm sure viets can smell newbies/tourists a mile away, because I can.

1. walking around with a camera slung around the neck
2. walking around the city mindlessly.
3. asking for price in English and for common necessities
4. buying things without bargaining
5. constantly smiling at locals
6. ........

Easy pickings.

cb400 · Joined: 27 Sep 2010 Posts: 274 Location: Vientiane, Laos

RustyShackleford · Joined: 13 May 2013 Posts: 449

Rather irritating about the camera bit. I've done hell of a lot of street photo in Japan and Korea and just the constant interruption of my already aware snapping by well-intentioned locals or expat residents and that godawful "swish" sound/gesture makes me keep my camera indoors far more than the actual worry of theft.

LettersAthruZ · Joined: 25 Apr 2010 Posts: 466 Location: North Viet Nam

spycatcher reincarnated · Joined: 19 May 2005 Posts: 236

It is only illegal to run a red light if there is a policeman watching.

Ramen · Joined: 13 Apr 2008 Posts: 74

When I was teaching corporate executives, I met a Vietnamese woman whose father was the deputy police chief of a resort city. She invited me to her family home during Tet holiday. Needless to say, their living room wall was plastered with the communist awards and citations. Over dinner, we had a short discussion about the crimes in Vietnam. In short, as far as petty theft and minor infraction goes, what the man told me concurred with CB400's old Vietnamese proverb:

Mushroom Druid · Joined: 19 Oct 2009 Posts: 91

I know a fella, good old mate of mine, Dave Carlson, who had an expensive telephoto camera and put it on a tri pod at the roundabout near the Ben Thanh market. He set up the camera and walked away 3 steps to check something, and

voila,

Camera gone. Snatched by a pillion rider.

They were probably following him, who knows.

Mushroom Druid · Joined: 19 Oct 2009 Posts: 91

As for statistic, an ever increasing number of tourists have been coming to Vietnam year after year, even though there is a global slowdown in many areas.

Then why is this?

Working Lives Vietnam

Huong works as a 'PG' or 'promotion girl', a job that is often ad hoc and temporary, promoting and selling new products in supermarkets and on Vietnam's city streets.

Although unskilled work, it is increasingly done by recent university graduates, who are now struggling to find good jobs in Vietnam.

At university Huong, 23, trained in hotel management but now can't find work in the sector.

Instead she found work in promotional sales. It pays reasonably when she actually works, equivalent to around $300 per month, but its temporary nature means Huong is often only working for half a month at a time.

The graduate comes from a small rural community 320 kilometers (200 miles) north east of Ho Chi Minh City, where her parents are labourers.

She is the first person from her family ever to go to university. She hoped her degree in hotel management would lead to a good job, but she has seen the job opportunities dry up.

"When I started studying this field, it was a very hot area for work," she says. "There was a shortage of staff. But when I finished my study, the economy was already plunging and the demand for this type of job is not there anymore."

It is a problem she has seen across her peer group.

"There were about 300 students with me during my university years. But now, maybe only one third of us are working in the areas that we studied."

Her parents want Huong to return home to the village far from the bustle of Ho Chi Minh, and she would enjoy an easier life there.

But there would be something important missing, she says.

"Anyone after graduation, we're the same, we want to stay on in this city and find a suitable job for us, to challenge ourselves."

Source http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23497562

Ramen · Joined: 13 Apr 2008 Posts: 74

vabeckele · Joined: 19 Nov 2010 Posts: 439

Threequalseven · Joined: 02 Jul 2013 Posts: 15

ExpatLuke · Joined: 11 Feb 2012 Posts: 744

Danang in my opinion is one of the best places to live in Vietnam. It's hard to find what will be a good fit for you specifically until you try a few places. I hated Hanoi but love Danang. However, I've also met a few people who weren't happy in Danang. Maybe it would be easier if I listed some of the pros and cons of living here.

Pros:
One of the cleanest cities in Vietnam
Big modern roads
Some of the most beautiful beaches in SE Asia
Good central location for travel (Cham Islands, Hue, Hoi An easily accessible)
Plenty of entertainment and nightlife
Cheaper than the bigger cities
Better behaved students

Cons:
Very difficult to find work unless you're in the town itself going door to door
Most of the work is part time, so you'll have to work at several places if you want full time hours
There's a lot of competition for the best jobs