Vietnam mulls ban on expats making foreign-currency desposits

Don't do it, Flip, if you want your package to arrive on time.  Heck, if Vietnamese customs see them, your package might not arrive at all.

Flip465 wrote:

With the rethinking and change of mind of the State Bank of Viet Nam with regards to Vietnamese people now still being permitted to gifting foreign money for things like TET, as reported yesterday in 'THANH NIEN NEWS.com', does anyone know what VN Customs will do if a couple of 'Li xi' with a small number (only 3 or 5 notes in each) of US$2 in each are sent from overseas to niece and nephew in VN for this upcoming TET ?
I've got a folder of insurance papers coming from Australia by DHL Couriers and was wondering if it would be safe to include a couple of 'Li xi' - would it be a good idea to declare them on the customs declaration or not ???

Easy come easy go

http://www.thanhniennews.com/index/page … money.aspx

Wild_1 wrote:

THD wrote:

I'm not one to give away money as a means to end poverty...so there's gotta be a factory or some means of employment even the disabled can do.

Please tell me you are joking, right???  Taking advantage of the physically-challenged individuals is not one of the things that we want to introduce to Vietnam.  The social and economic standards there are still too low...

You're too quick to assume the negative.  No, I'm not joking.  There are disabled people who aren't able to work so those would still rely on a welfare system but people that are in wheelchairs who can use their hands are capable of working.  People who are blind are capable of working, etc.etc.  Anyone who can work should work for their buck.

I've seen how "disability" has pretty much made America lazy with anyone from a "panic attack" able to avoid work and claim disability. 

The flipside in Việt Nam is that the people who are truly disabled but able to work don't have any venue to go about it because companies want only "perfect" people.  How often do I see ads at factories only hiring 18-30 year old, 1.50meters or taller, etc..and I can see a person who can sew be disqualified because they sit in a wheelchair.  Or someone who just has an ugly face be ineligible because they either 1) are too ugly or 2) didn't pay the HR person an envelope full of cash.

This girl is in BRVT Province.


This guy is in Indonesia but there are cases in Việt Nam.

MIA2013 wrote:

Wild_1 wrote:

THD wrote:

I'm not one to give away money as a means to end poverty...so there's gotta be a factory or some means of employment even the disabled can do.

Please tell me you are joking, right???  Taking advantage of the physically-challenged individuals is not one of the things that we want to introduce to Vietnam.  The social and economic standards there are still too low...

Nope, he is not joking. Unlike the U.S., Vietnam doesn't have a GOODWILL IND. to help their disable people. Or am I wrong?

There you go, an excellent idea!  People just donate used clothes/items to temples directly but there isn't a medium of exchange like a Goodwill store.

Wild_1 wrote:

Don't do it, Flip, if you want your package to arrive on time.  Heck, if Vietnamese customs see them, your package might not arrive at all.

Thanks for that Howie,
Think I'll give that idea a miss - still sux though.
Was hoping things had changed a little bit. (wishful thinking)
A few years ago I sent some basic skin care products from Australia by DHL. Customs seized the whole package.
It took DHL nearly 2 months of 'negotiating' with VN Customs to get the package back and return it to me in Australia as an 'undelivered' package.
Seems sending cosmetics by post or courier is a NO-NO ! Unless you've got a commercial importing business and license.
Two weeks later I put it all inside my suitcase and walked right through Customs at Ton San Nhut without even having my suitcase or carry-on bag checked or X-rayed !
Had my passport stamped by a guy who looked like he couldn't care less. Then at the line for the X-ray machine, a very nice Customs lady pulled my suitcase off the machine before it went through, gave it to me and just waved me straight on through.

WELCOME TO VIET NAM !

Follow up on the subject:

http://www.thanhniennews.com/index/page … money.aspx

Budman1 wrote:

Follow up on the subject:

http://www.thanhniennews.com/index/page … money.aspx

Just when I was ready to give my 2 dong's worth!!!

hmm I wonder if stuffing a li xi with a toonie would bring good luck?

khanh44 wrote:

hmm I wonder if stuffing a li xi with a toonie would bring good luck?

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9 … s6y8XdOAKQ

Make sure that coin is HUGE since kids like to stick things in their mouths.  You should also buy a clay piggy bank to go with it.  Avoid the plastic ones cuz kids can't break them when full...and there are whole villages that hand-makes clay piggy banks (a plastic one is probably made in a Chinese factory so you wouldn't be helping people keep jobs local).

than I should stuff the li xi with these coins instead.

khanh44 wrote:

than I should stuff the li xi with these coins instead.

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9 … b97e1y7qbR

No, they melt in the heat (chocolate needs to be refrigerated) so when the package arrives via post office, it's all smelly and ant infested. 

Chocolate coins work if you buy them locally and consume them (have the kids consume them) quickly.  Watch out the kids don't smear their grubby hands on your shirt.

I'll pack them in my suitcase like I did with the Reese's peanut butter and Oh Henry on my last trip. Didn't melt at all.

khanh44 wrote:

I'll pack them in my suitcase like I did with the Reese's peanut butter and Oh Henry on my last trip. Didn't melt at all.

Good luck with that.  Be sure to bring some for your fiancé.  Women love American/Swiss/ or any non-Vietnamese chocolate since those are richer than the locally made ones.  I tried some local chocolates and it's true...they tastes like chalk.

I'd probably be a millionaire and have fat girls crawling all over me if I can figure out a way to import Swiss/American chocolate here without melting and set up a shop in the rich area of town. 

Please bring in some sourdough.  The bread here tastes like sawdust.