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DNK
Joined: 22 Jan 2007
Posts: 236
Location: the South
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 Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2011 11:50 am Post subject: |
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| How do you even fit that much in your pockets? Both front pockets would be totally stuffed, I'd think. 140 notes, folded in half to the thickness of 280... I hate to blame the victim in these sorts of things, but I won't even take my camera on my bike without locking it in the "trunk". |
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1st Sgt Welsh
Joined: 13 Dec 2010
Posts: 946
Location: Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
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| Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2011 12:29 pm Post subject: Re: Shoeshines |
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| bludevil96 wrote: |
A Vietnamese person would pay about 5,000 dong.
Actually Sarge, the current going rate is 10K. Damn inflation... |
Why does that not surprise me?  In that case, I stand corrected and, apologizes, I must have been giving last year's figure  . |
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I'm With Stupid
Joined: 03 Sep 2010
Posts: 432
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| Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2011 5:05 pm Post subject: |
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| Surely there's a point where you figure it's better to get a debit card? I can't imagine what you could be buying for 70m that you can only pay for with cash. |
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deadlift
Joined: 08 Jun 2010
Posts: 267
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| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 1:18 am Post subject: |
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| Well, this is a cash society, largely. I bought a motorbike two years ago, and had to pay $1000 in cash. The idea that I would use my debit or credit card was completely out of this world to the staff of the Honda shop. |
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bludevil96
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 82
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| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 2:03 am Post subject: |
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| deadlift wrote: |
| Well, this is a cash society, largely. I bought a motorbike two years ago, and had to pay $1000 in cash. The idea that I would use my debit or credit card was completely out of this world to the staff of the Honda shop. |
Second that. It's one of the reasons why they're largely unaffected by the recession/depression. Either you have it or you don't. There's rumors abound that the government will actually reform the banking system this time around. How far that reform will go remains to be seen but very encouraging. They are slowly phasing out the old columns of power and the newer people seem to not fear change as expected. All of the children of the old school are educated overseas i.e. Switzerland, England, U.S., Germany, etc., and are slowly interfacing themselves within the current government. For example, the new Dep. Prime Minister of Construction is Nguyen Thanh Nghi, the son of the highest ranking Prime Minister, Nguyen Tan Dung. I believe he was educated in England and holds a PhD. in Philosophy. A sign of things to come. |
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1st Sgt Welsh
Joined: 13 Dec 2010
Posts: 946
Location: Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
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| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 2:11 am Post subject: |
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Yep, definitely a cash society, but I think things are gradually getting better with the use of plastic. Another thing is that the largest note you will usually see is only worth 100,000 dong (about $5). There are larger denominations out there, but they are pretty uncommon. When it comes time to make one of those large purchases, like in the example deadlift gave, it often seems that you almost have to rock up with a backpack full of cash to get anywhere  . |
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isabel
Joined: 07 Mar 2003
Posts: 510
Location: God's green earth
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| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 3:41 am Post subject: |
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Just this morning I had to carry a 2" stack of bills from the ATM to my travel agent. Made me nervous, though I just had to cross the street.
The 500,000 notes are becoming more common- especially from ATMs. That is only $25, but they can be a pain to get broken. |
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I'm With Stupid
Joined: 03 Sep 2010
Posts: 432
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| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 6:26 am Post subject: |
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| bludevil96 wrote: |
| For example, the new Dep. Prime Minister of Construction is Nguyen Thanh Nghi, the son of the highest ranking Prime Minister, Nguyen Tan Dung. I believe he was educated in England and holds a PhD. in Philosophy. A sign of things to come. |
What, nepotism? 
I could understand buying a used bike with cash, but they don't take credit cards at a Honda shop? I'm now picturing someone rocking up to the Rolls Royce dealer with a suitcase full of cash. I bought my TV and phone with a credit card. I still pay rent with cash, but I'm guessing I could theoretically set up a monthly transfer. |
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The Mad Hatter
Joined: 16 May 2010
Posts: 165
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| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 6:33 am Post subject: |
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| While we're on the subject of shoes, one good example of how we operate is what happened after one of friends got a pair made. The price was fair, the quality good and there were no issues dealing with the cobbler. Subsequently, he's had another pair made, I've had a pair made and another friend is getting some done too. |
the shoe shiners often break your shoes by bending them back so they can 'repair' them with super glue. But I Don't yell at or complain to the touts too much because if the shop owners could they would have already. The Touts have friends, and they will come back and make problems that would never end well if the shop owners tried to stop them.
Last edited by The Mad Hatter on Fri Jan 06, 2012 6:08 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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snollygoster
Joined: 04 Jun 2009
Posts: 478
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| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 9:10 am Post subject: Extortion? |
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The Touts have friends, and they will come back and make problems that would never end well if the shop owners tried to stop them.
Surely you are not suggesting extortion? That just wouldn't happen in the workers' paradise-would it?
I guess they learn it from the cops who learn it from the polititians.
Monkey see-monkey do.
If you don't believe it, follow a policeman carrying a briefcase and see where he/she goes. |
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inhanoi
Joined: 22 Oct 2011
Posts: 165
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| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 12:22 pm Post subject: |
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| Maybe they learned it from watching the Sopranos. |
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sigmoid
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 1276
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| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 4:07 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| There's rumors abound that the government will actually reform the banking system this time around. |
Vietnam, wracked by economic woes, plans new reforms
(Reuters) - After four years of economic instability, Vietnam is embarking on reforms some believe could be its most significant since steps started in 1986 that ended stifling central planning and, eventually, turned the war-torn country into a tiger.
However, there's substantial skepticism that policymakers can fend off resistance to major change from state-owned companies and other interest groups, including private conglomerates, whose influence has surged.
continued:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/14/us-vietnam-economy-reform-idUSTRE7AD09V20111114 |
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bludevil96
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 82
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| Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2011 2:04 am Post subject: Cash |
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| I'm With Stupid wrote: |
| bludevil96 wrote: |
| For example, the new Dep. Prime Minister of Construction is Nguyen Thanh Nghi, the son of the highest ranking Prime Minister, Nguyen Tan Dung. I believe he was educated in England and holds a PhD. in Philosophy. A sign of things to come. |
What, nepotism?
I could understand buying a used bike with cash, but they don't take credit cards at a Honda shop? I'm now picturing someone rocking up to the Rolls Royce dealer with a suitcase full of cash. I bought my TV and phone with a credit card. I still pay rent with cash, but I'm guessing I could theoretically set up a monthly transfer. |
Nepotism is alive and well around the world. If you look at the staff of politicians in the U.S., you'll see that it's filled with family and friends at the paid positions while non-compensated positions are filled with strangers; it's nothing new. I'm beginning to think the new person at the U.S. Consulate is another one of them since the guy doesn't appear very intelligent and lacks personality which is everything you DON'T look for in an international gvt. relation position. He appears to be a nice enough guy but that's not a mandatory requirement (I don't think). It's just "in your face" here versus the silhouette backdrops of the western world.
I have a friend(VK) who purchased a prime pc of land to build his house on CMT8. The lot costs $100K and it was to be paid in cash. My friend drove up in his car and he told me that even he was shocked when the buyer showed up on a motor bike and just drove away with the backpack filled with the cash like it was nothing. But you do have people who drive Maybachs and Bentleys here so $100K really isn't much to them. |
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I'm With Stupid
Joined: 03 Sep 2010
Posts: 432
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| Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 6:04 pm Post subject: Re: Cash |
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| bludevil96 wrote: |
| I'm With Stupid wrote: |
| bludevil96 wrote: |
| For example, the new Dep. Prime Minister of Construction is Nguyen Thanh Nghi, the son of the highest ranking Prime Minister, Nguyen Tan Dung. I believe he was educated in England and holds a PhD. in Philosophy. A sign of things to come. |
What, nepotism?
I could understand buying a used bike with cash, but they don't take credit cards at a Honda shop? I'm now picturing someone rocking up to the Rolls Royce dealer with a suitcase full of cash. I bought my TV and phone with a credit card. I still pay rent with cash, but I'm guessing I could theoretically set up a monthly transfer. |
Nepotism is alive and well around the world. If you look at the staff of politicians in the U.S., you'll see that it's filled with family and friends at the paid positions while non-compensated positions are filled with strangers; it's nothing new. I'm beginning to think the new person at the U.S. Consulate is another one of them since the guy doesn't appear very intelligent and lacks personality which is everything you DON'T look for in an international gvt. relation position. He appears to be a nice enough guy but that's not a mandatory requirement (I don't think). It's just "in your face" here versus the silhouette backdrops of the western world. |
Of course, although I'd argue that the more classless societies (such as the Netherlands) are more of a meritocracy, and better for it. |
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