by NICK BURY – VIETNAM is going like a train as prosperity proliferates and poverty levels plummet. The country is predicted to surpass Australia’s national wealth in little more than a decade.
The locals are charming, happy, industrious, patriotic and well dressed – and the number of shiny new cars sighted everywhere was staggering.
- The Vietnamese have eschewed ideology for practical capitalism. The wokes have no chance of trashing Vietnam.
- Unlike the West, identity politics is non-existent. Vietnamese people all being “colour blind”.
- What’s happening in Vietnam is completely lost on the West.
Improved nutrition has occasioned the younger generation to have a growth spurt, but overweight people weren’t seen. They fly their national flag everywhere.
The place is so much cleaner than it was when I first visited 20 years ago. Current environmental standards have transformed its presentation and building standards have improved out of sight.
CHATEAUS
Thousands of large, lovely new apartments are being built, looking like French chateaus – set in wide streets with abundant trees.
Their sea-side villas and resorts are beautiful, cheap and availed of superb service. Whatever is required, be it the excellent local cuisine or most sought items, can be ordered in and delivered within about half an hour.
Their engineering works are superb, inclusive of an 8km cable car which sometimes traverses its route at great heights to afford passengers spectacular views across several islands at Vietnam’s southernmost point. Elsewhere the country boasts much fine scenery.
Low power prices (about one third of Australia), innovation and a great work ethic are turbocharging its economy – and nuclear power is coming.
The West’s wind turbine utopia plan was rejected for local hydro and conventional sources. Despite this so-called setback, according to the Asian Development Bank the country’s wealth is projected to surpass Australia’s in about 13 years.
They likewise ignore other ridiculous edicts about using fossil fuels – and consider the world woke view to be insane.
TRASHING
They’ve eschewed ideology for practical capitalism and, in fact, the wokes have even less chance of trashing Vietnam than America had of winning the Vietnam War.
Amazingly, they bear no rancour against the West for what was done to them in that conflict.
More recently, the Singaporeans set up two Vietnamese stock exchanges, properly regulated, and with about 750 listings.
Their currency has been very strong versus the US dollar, and some of their listings are performing much better than their moribund Western counterparts.
We travelled in a party of about 30 people who clicked wonderfully well together, comprising of Latvians, Vietnamese and Australians.
One Latvian tot became sick and was taken by her parents to a Vietnamese hospital, where the service was superb and cheap.
The Latvians, who have such beautiful manners, really seemed to hit it off with the locals.
The small Vietnamese children and their blonde, blue-eyed Latvian counterparts eagerly joined forces to cause chaos at any opportunity, they all being colour blind.
No product remains for people smugglers to sell here, ie “thanks but no thanks!”
ABSURD
Their business sector is unencumbered by the absurd garbage strangling Australia.
Years ago three Singaporean dollars bought one Australian dollar, whereas now we’re on about a par, and they’ve eliminated poverty, just as Vietnam is likewise headed due north.
They still have to move on the remnants of their corrupt, communist government, but it’s slowly happening.
What’s happening in Vietnam is completely lost on the West. Would we rather be happy and well off with a great future, or wallow in self-loathing and victimhood. To what end!
Why does our government owe anyone a lifestyle?
Wealthy Australian Teal supporters particularly specialise in trying to fraudulently become entitled to NDIS handouts, utilising whatever scam!
Some disgusted GPs are refusing them related assistance to issue the needed certification, but they nonetheless continue to virtue signal away, telling conservatives how terrible and devoid of purity we all are.PC
Nick so eloquently penned this wonderful report on Vietnam and also touches on Singapore.
I in-the-main AGREE with Nick, however he glosses over ‘the Hanoi Government problem’
Local Vietnamese are highly unlikely to share their strong criticisms of the communist Hanoi regime, with a ‘tourist’ as they & their family would be severely punished for doing so. The locals in HCMC still call it Saigon! that’s about the extent of their defiance.
As a former S.E. Asia expat I know Vietnam & its people very well, been there many times just pre-COVID from Hanoi to Phu Q island on the southern Cambodia border.
Saigon is my favourite city in S.E. Asia (best Asian expats sun buffet @ M Gallery Des Arts) and best Jazz club in Asia!
YES to all of Nick’s points, except the Hanoi communist Govt is not going anywhere.
The above said, Vietnam is replacing Thailand as #1 in tourism, because they are smarter, not lazy and more accommodating and ultra (genuinely) polite.
Singapore is totally different, it’s 100% 1st world, more so than Aust & very expensive, though I still love going there once or twice a year.
Building Back Better?
Broke but happier?
Doesn’t look like it.
But what would Vietnamese know, Australia realised before it was too late that growing national prosperity and with well educated people was just leading to a tipping point of over-heated end of life as we knew it, sorry, like as they know it.