General questions about Vietnam

[korn]

The answer is plain obvious...

Censorship is quite common in authoritarian systems. Then why is the state controlled media talking about facebook? If they "despise" facebook that much then why are they talking about it and thus advertise for it?

However, the government officials aren't the brightest bulbs since the Vietnamese use proxies to get past the Internet censorship.

I'm not sure about that, but I think you are underestimating the Vietnamese government.

I've heard there's another social media website in Vietnam. Maybe they are banning facebook to promote a social media website of which they have access to it's data.

[JackFrost]

Censorship is quite common in authoritarian systems. Then why is the state controlled media talking about facebook? If they "despise" facebook that much then why are they talking about it and thus advertise for it?

Resistance.

However, the government officials aren't the brightest bulbs since the Vietnamese use proxies to get past the Internet censorship.

I'm not sure about that, but I think you are underestimating the Vietnamese government.

Well, that's what Tenebrarum told me and I have read about them here and there. I have him on Facebook and we talk regularly there. He can access it... And his friend list is pretty much Vietnamese too. Otherwise, if they can't do that (getting past the block), then it would be pointless for the media be talking about it and adverting it.

Just don't overestimate the government's intelligence.

I've heard there's another social media website in Vietnam. Maybe they are banning facebook to promote a social media website of which they have access to it's data.

Whatever it is, it hasn't put a dent on the expansion of Facebook in the country. Read below.

When Vietnam blocked Facebook, everyone was talking about a smaller China. One year after the government's endeavor, Facebook Vietnam tells another story. Not only does Vietnam remain on the list of 10 countries with the fastest growth of Facebook users, Facebook marketing is enjoying a boom in this country with Facebook marketing agencies mushrooming all over Internet.

Why do Vietnameses till use Facebook even after the government blocked it? The answer is simple: Because they can. If users in China have to pay for a VPN and go through a painful process to gain access to Facebook and other blocked websites, people in Vietnam just need to change their DNS settings and enjoy a full Internet experience for free.

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2011/01/2 ... ook-block/

[Tenebrarum]

Then why is the state controlled media talking about facebook? If they "despise" facebook that much then why are they talking about it and thus advertise for it?

If you want to know *exactly* what's going on in the minds of the topturds in charge of media control, I'm afraid you have to ask them yourself. Different factions within the Party trying to foil each other? Underestimation? Sheer laziness? We can only guess.

I've heard there's another social media website in Vietnam. Maybe they are banning facebook to promote a social media website of which they have access to it's data.

That must be one of their motives, yes. It's also suspected that the owners of big Vietnamese networks like Zing have familial connection to the politburo. It's also suspected that the government is inviting Chinese networks into Vietnam under the table.

But again, nothing can be really known. This regime makes decisions behind curtains and closed doors.

Whether you need proxies to access FB depends on your internet provider as well. I'm serviced by Viettel and I don't need anything extra to get into FB. I log in almost daily and subscribe to a pro-democracy humourist page too.

[korn]

Then why is the state controlled media talking about facebook? If they "despise" facebook that much then why are they talking about it and thus advertise for it?

If you want to know *exactly* what's going on in the minds of the topturds in charge of media control, I'm afraid you have to ask them yourself. Different factions within the Party trying to foil each other? Underestimation? Sheer laziness? We can only guess.

I've heard there's another social media website in Vietnam. Maybe they are banning facebook to promote a social media website of which they have access to it's data.

That must be one of their motives, yes. It's also suspected that the owners of big Vietnamese networks like Zing have familial connection to the politburo. It's also suspected that the government is inviting Chinese networks into Vietnam under the table.

But again, nothing can be really known. This regime makes decisions behind curtains and closed doors.

Whether you need proxies to access FB depends on your internet provider as well. I'm serviced by Viettel and I don't need anything extra to get into FB. I log in almost daily and subscribe to a pro-democracy humourist page too.

I've just been in Vietnam and facebook seems to be not blocked anymore. Students have facebook accounts. Even teachers have facebook accounts. You can even access facebook withou proxy or any extra software. And walking through Hanoi I saw a billboard with a huge facebook logo (fair enough it didn't advertise facebook but a smart phone. But in the display of this smart phone the facebook interface was clearly to see - it was like 1 or 2 metres big.). I also asked students, if facebook is blocked or not. But they saidd not. So facebook is not blocked in Vietnam (anymore)? Does anyone know?

.... not bad for a "blocked" website....
http://talkvietnam.com/2012/10/facebook ... N2Y6K_YK_s

[Pangu]

This regime makes decisions behind curtains and closed doors.

I am no fan of the VC but what regime doesn't make decisions behind curtains and closed doors?

Do you think the average American citizen can just walk into the White House and see what decisions the President is making that day? How about the Pentagon? CIA headquarters?

No government is transparent, some just makes its people think they are more than others.

[Tenebrarum]

Do you think the average American citizen can just walk into the White House and see what decisions the President is making that day? How about the Pentagon? CIA headquarters?

I don't think so at all. You seem to assume that I think the developed world - specifically the US, of all places - as some kind of utopia where there's no oppression and inequality, what you work for is what you get, government belongs to the people, human beings are saints in the flesh, and everyone is shalalala. Where did you get that idea?

From the way you're nitpicking everything, I think you're critical enough to know the distinction between "behind closed doors" in a democracy that has evolved for more than 200 years and "behind closed doors" in a totalitarian regime. Scrutinising power of the media? Media that is just a tiniest bit independent from the government? Citizen participation in politics? Parties that shit on each other in order to win votes? You think the equivalence of Watergate, Paetreus... could get exposed here? And that's America. Big political scandals in Australia, like Kevin Rudd's Utegate, would be trivial in Vietnam. It's the differences that count.

[Pangu]

Do you think the average American citizen can just walk into the White House and see what decisions the President is making that day? How about the Pentagon? CIA headquarters?

I don't think so at all.

Good.

[Tenebrarum]

Do you think the average American citizen can just walk into the White House and see what decisions the President is making that day? How about the Pentagon? CIA headquarters?

I don't think so at all.

Good.

Aww, that's okay. You'll have your chance of lecturing a thirdworlder on the perils and imperfections of the developed world in the most know-it-all manner while assuming your audience to have the intelligence of a gold fish next time.

[JackFrost]

Let's see.

Piss on Uncle Ho's corpse, either Vietnamese or not, the Vietnamese regime will want your ass somewhere dark.

-vs-

Piss on George Washington's grave, get slapped with a fine for public decency.

It's not about us being able to walk in the White House. That's called security because the US has a history of having presidents getting shot. You wouldn't be able to do that in the Vietnamese equivalent either, so it's a faulty comparison to be making. You should know well the difference is that the US government has to be accountable to the media and the people or the officials lose their job. The Vietnamese regime largely ignores this whole being accountable to the people thing (just enough not to cause a full-blown revolution to topple it). The media is controlled by it, so that way, it can decide what can be public news as it sees fit. Most criticisms will not make it to the public (and your ass would be somewhere dark). And not to forget to mention that its elections are pure farce.

There is one thing that is true: no government is transparent. That is if assuming you mean 100% transparent. It's not black and white, you know? For example, if we use this transparency rating, the US far beats Vietnam.

[korn]

#6: What is the relationship of Vietnamese towards money?
When I was in Vietnam quite a few discussions ended up somehow around money: How much I earn. What one could do with this money in Vietnam.

And it's not only within the family. When I opened an account in a Vietnamese bank the clerk, that sat next to the clerk that served me, asked me whether it's a lot of money I would want to pay in regularly. As I said it wasn't the the clerk that served me. And she asked while there were other people in the room I wasn't familiar with. In Germany such things wouldn't happen....

Another thing I've noticed: When asked about new years resolution, Vietnameses had "mundane" wishes. While in Germany people would usually wish for health for their love ones, peace on earth and/ or end of wars/ hunger/ poverty etc., in Vietnam I heard a lot of wishes like: success in business, more money, getting wealthier, etc.

What is the relationship of Vietnamese towards money? Do Vietnamese care a lot about money - at least more than other nationalities? Are their thoughts surrounded often around money and the like? Or did I just misinterpreted the whole situation.

[korn]

#7 Is there a good and reliable newspaper about economy in Vietnamese available online?

[Pangu]

#6: What is the relationship of Vietnamese towards money?
When I was in Vietnam quite a few discussions ended up somehow around money: How much I earn. What one could do with this money in Vietnam.

And it's not only within the family. When I opened an account in a Vietnamese bank the clerk, that sat next to the clerk that served me, asked me whether it's a lot of money I would want to pay in regularly. As I said it wasn't the the clerk that served me. And she asked while there were other people in the room I wasn't familiar with. In Germany such things wouldn't happen....

Another thing I've noticed: When asked about new years resolution, Vietnameses had "mundane" wishes. While in Germany people would usually wish for health for their love ones, peace on earth and/ or end of wars/ hunger/ poverty etc., in Vietnam I heard a lot of wishes like: success in business, more money, getting wealthier, etc.

What is the relationship of Vietnamese towards money? Do Vietnamese care a lot about money - at least more than other nationalities? Are their thoughts surrounded often around money and the like? Or did I just misinterpreted the whole situation.

That's the difference between a developed country and a developing one.

Much like how a teenager or even a recent college graduate with his or her first job would talk more about money than someone in their 40's or 50's where money is no longer "new" to them.

[ling]

Another thing I've noticed: When asked about new years resolution, Vietnameses had "mundane" wishes. While in Germany people would usually wish for health for their love ones, peace on earth and/ or end of wars/ hunger/ poverty etc., in Vietnam I heard a lot of wishes like: success in business, more money, getting wealthier, etc.

What is the relationship of Vietnamese towards money? Do Vietnamese care a lot about money - at least more than other nationalities? Are their thoughts surrounded often around money and the like? Or did I just misinterpreted the whole situation.

This is the influence of Chinese culture. There are no "New Year's resolutions" in the culture as we know it in the West ("I resolve to lose weight", "give up smoking", "learn a new skill", etc). Chinese New Year (Tet in Vietnam) is generally a time for wishing people prosperity and success in the new year, and this includes the traditional blessing 發財: "May you get rich!" Note that one of the most popular Taoist gods is 財神 cai shen, the God of Wealth.

In China, people also have no qualms about asking others how much they earn. They don't realize it's considered rude or personal to Westerners. People in big cities with more exposure to international society are less likely to ask this question.

[korn]

.... so question #6 (Do Vietnamese care a lot about money? Are their thoughts surrounded often around money and the like? ) can be answered with 'yes'?

#8 What is the living cost per month in Vietnam (in Saigon and Hanoi) for a normal Vietnamese student?
I'm especially interested in living cost each month for:
- food
- rent

#9 What do you think can a Vietnamese living abroad do to help Vietnam?

[korn]

#10: Is Vietnam, Hanoi in particular, a good place to skate with your skateboard?
- Are there many parks you can skate?
- Are the roads save enough to skateboard?
- Are the pavements even enough to skate?

[Vinta]

So, I will attempt to answer your questions. Bear in mind this is my observation and by no means a fact.

#8 In Saigon:
Rent:
For a university's dorm (and not many universities have a dorm) it's between 100,000 to 200,000đ ($5 to $10).
For the average student who doesn't want to live in a dorm, it's somewhere around 1,000,000đ ($50) including all the bills. A place like this is usually shared amongst 2 to 4 people. Rent for a room is 1,500,000 to 3,000,000, so it all depends on how many people you want to stay with, and how nice the room is.
Food: Around 1,000,000đ. Cheaper if you cook for yourself.

#10
Have you seen the streets of Vietnam? There are some parks you can skateboard in. The streets are dangerous and always busy. The sidewalks are often occupied by motorbikes since there's nowhere else to park them.

[korn]

#10
Have you seen the streets of Vietnam? The streets are dangerous and always busy. The sidewalks are often occupied by motorbikes since there's nowhere else to park them.

Thanks for replying.
Actually I don't find the streets to be really dangerous. They look dangerous, but it was pretty save for me when I first rode my bicycle there. The only thing I'm really worried about are pot-holes. I found these videos with people inlineskating on the streets of Ha Noi. Do all streets in Ha Noi look like that?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGxlbvRE7gc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elCUUvfGgUA

Does anyone know where exactly in Ha Noi this footage was taken?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwePEn-ervc

[Pangu]

Do all streets in Ha Noi look like that?

What kind of question is that? Have you ever been to any major city where ALL streets look alike?

[Vinta]

It's dangerous and reckless to skateboard on the street! Someone isn't too happy about that: http://www.qdnd.vn/qdndsite/vi-vn/61/43 ... fault.aspx
It should really be made illegal.

I can't tell where that is. Drop a question in the comment section. The one time I went to Hanoi there were some skateboarders (or inline skaters) at the Ly Thai To monument so that might be a good place to skate.