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Mike's Posts
8 reviews or comments posted; 3 questions asked; 45 answers given.
Reviews / Comments (8) see all
Will have to second the positive comments on HSBC, and negative comments on Vietcom Bank. I actually feel that they are serious in their customer service and I feel like a valued customer. What is described for Vietcom Bank unfortunately is common across most government departments in Ha Noi.
Things can only get better with HSBC as more foreign banks come to town, such as Standard Chartered. Do I see another HSBC branch opening in Church Street? Their ATM coverage is good.
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I have been a customer for about 10 years, and in recent times have noticed a significant drop in service standards. Over the past month have walked out 3 times due to lack of service, generally as a result of being totally ignored when wanting to place an order (the place was half-empty and staff huddled in a corner ignoring customers), and after placing an order it becomes "lost". Has been added to my list of places not to go anymore.
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Avoid this company at all costs.
We had a regular shipment every 6 weeks to a customer in Australia, had problems with our previous shipping company, so decided to give Transworld a try.
Common knowledge with shipping companies is that shipments into Australia require a ISPM-15 Packing Declaration completed by the shipping company stating that (a) the timber packing is marked with ISPM-15 compliant stamps (b) the timber is free of any bark. On arrival in Australia the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) did an inspection and the goods were seized. The reason given was "This inspection proved that there was in fact no ISPM markings on the crate and the packing actually had bark on it. This contradicted the attached ISPM -15 declaration and as a result an investigation was launched by AQIS." In effect, the packing declaration provided by Transworld was a false and misleading document which caused AQIS to hold the goods and to investigate.
This resulted in the goods being delayed for 2 months, my customer loosing sales of the goods during this period, and we were subsequently dumped by this customer who we had been supplying for some time. In Ha Noi we had to close that particular production line for this customer and sack the workers. On top of this were the debarking, quarantine ad storage costs while the goods were held.
When I confronted Transworld about their false and misleading ISPM -15 declaration, the entire thing was somehow turned around by them that the only possible explanation was that AQIS had made a mistake, and they demanded photos from AQIS proving that there was bark on the wooden packing. The other line was that it was somehow all my fault.
Avoid this company at all costs.
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We have had 2 Mac PowerBooks go completely dead on us, and did the usual rounds of FTP (authorised Mac distributor & service agent in Viet Nam), and others who were unable to fix the problem. Basically gave up and put the laptops into a cupboard. Came across the Thuan My shop, and decided to give them a go. In a matter of days both laptops back to normal after repairs made to motherboards etc. A friend with a PowerBook that had died a few months ago did the same rounds, got nowhere, so he purchased a new MacBook Pro and gave us his dead laptop "for spares". Took it to Thuan My, and again in a few days we had a perfectly good laptop.
This is not a flashy Mac shop, in fact is fairly basic, but they can certainly do the job. Nice people to deal with, English a bit limited but we can get by. They will tell you straight what the problem is, and their prices are reasonable.
5-stars from us for nice honest people and jobs well done!!!!
Since the initial repairs we have had them do OS upgrades and other bits & pieces, again, all well done at a fair price.
| Was this review ... |
We dropped into this place the other night to check it out. Nicely set up with stools along the bar and tables down the other wall. We did not venture upstairs.
First bottle of beer was at room temperature, and the mixed drink was not the best, with lots of ice and not a full measure of alcohol. Second bottle of beer was cold.
The band was your usual froth-and-bubble from the Philippines, so not that impressive unless you like that sort of thing. Surely some locals can do better than this?
Getting for the bill was a major challenge, the staff seemed totally disorganised, and the 3 - 4 girls around the cash register had a hard time working out what we had actually consumed (a total of three drinks), and a guy who appeared to be a Manager had to come over and confirm our orders.
Overall then, not that impressed. A good set-up, but needs a lot more work on the basics.
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Questions (3)
Our company accounting has fallen into a deep hole, and have sacked my Chief Accountant who produced nothing useful in 9 months. My questions are (directed to other business owners) (a) what accounting software have you found most useful? (b) Anyone know of a part-time qualified Chief Accountant who may be available? Thanks.
We have a good relationship with a Fair Trade minded company in the USA that is wanting to source large quantities of dried loofah. We have pioneered this activity and loofah products in Viet Nam on a small scale and successfully exporting, but we are now looking to expand. This is an excellent opportunity for an agricultural community on poor land to produce a valuable crop and also to become involved in value-adding the loofah for export. We have a ready market for these products with guaranteed buyers. We are willing to provide training to a suitable community, and all crops would be pre-purchased at fair prices. This is not a one off purchase contract, and we see it as an opportunity to develop a long-term and sustainable income for a community in a poor/marginal agricultural area. Would probably suit an NGO looking for opportunities for rural poor.
Was VERY skillfully pick-pocketed of my iPod in the Church Street area about a week or so ago? Any other had similar experiences? Am wondering if this is just a one-off or a common occurence?
Answers (45)
Posted Wednesday April 25th, 2007.
Suggest you try Linh, mobile 0903 28 6829 or her workshop/studio 9422 761. She speaks good English, has many foreign customers, and probably the best tailor in town (in my opinion).
In response to the question: Hi, Can someone please recommend a good tailor ? thanks...
Posted Friday May 4th, 2007.
I am an expat business owner in HN and would have to agree with vinaman on some points, but it can be done. I was granted an investment licence and it has taken one Vietnamese staff member 4 months full-time to complete all of the post-licence bureaucracy. There are a few other quirks along the way, but with persistence a good business is possible. My only question for sean is the market place for another pool bar, seem to be a lot available already?
In response to the question: hi. i am thinking of opening a quality pool bar and wanted to ask, how much would it cost to open new venue with say 10 to 15 tables with bar and seat...
Posted Monday May 21st, 2007.
Yes, the workshop/studio is at 3B Ha Hoi in Hoan Kiem District. The place is located just behind the Cambodian Embassy, and directly opposite the Ha Hoi restaraunt (of course). BUT, best to ring and make an appointment first (mobile 0903 28 6829 or her workshop/studio 9422 761), as she prefers to work this way (allows her to give customers the best service).
In response to the question: Hi, Can someone please recommend a good tailor ? thanks...
Posted Wednesday June 13th, 2007.
Basically good quality EOs of the variety you have mentioned are not available in Ha Noi. Plenty of local oils available, I purchase Star Anise and Clove Basil in Ha Noi and these are good quality and destined for export. For others, I import from Oz in commercial quantities (last order was 14 kgs) for my handmade natural soap production.
In response to the question: Anyone know somewhere to buy good quality essential oil and oil burner in Hanoi? I have seen them in L'Occitane, but not really a good range of oils....
Posted Thursday June 14th, 2007.
Our handmade natural soaps are not quite available in Ha Noi yet. We can produce them here OK, however am now in the process of preparing a dossier for the "Announcement of Quality Standards" which must be accepted by the appropriate authority before we can sell in Viet Nam. Don't worry, once they are available will let everyone know.... we need to start to recoup some of our investment!!!
In response to the question: Anyone know somewhere to buy good quality essential oil and oil burner in Hanoi? I have seen them in L'Occitane, but not really a good range of oils....
Posted Tuesday July 10th, 2007.
From my experience with Customs, get help on this one. I have had things shipped in with all the appropriate paperwork saying that it should be duty exempt and have spent 8 full days goimg from counter to counter again and again re-submitting forms as they would always find something wrong with the paperwork. After 8 days the atitude was "well you have been very patient" I'll think we can let you go past Go now. This area has the largest number of complaints from the business sector.
In response to the question: Love this site, such useful info for us newbies. Another question, ff we bring a container with our household goods, will it be subject to any taxes...
Posted Tuesday August 7th, 2007.
Easy to point to WTO etc., but from my experience after renting various places over the past 10 years not a lot has changed, we still have the greedy house owners who would rather see their place empty than accept something below their expectations. I have known places to be empty for years, and in my house hunting over the years it is not uncommon to view 20 places that have obviously not been occupied for extended periods.
In my humble opinion this will change with a more transparent rental market, which we do not have at the moment in Ha Noi, and something that would not be in the interests of the housing agents.
In response to the question: Whats with these ridiculous rental prices? I think agents advertising apartments for $650 per month in places like Thang Long International Village...
Posted Saturday August 11th, 2007.
Ok Alpha, all very logical in a mature market, but I have had the same experience as Steve over a 10 year period. As a business person in Ha Noi I am astounded on a daily basis with the lack of what I would consider a clear rationale in business dealings. In some cases I head south to HCMC to get what I want.... in the long run a lot less hassle and more open in their business dealings, and far more reliable. I am currently transporting up from HCMC three items that I could probably get in Ha Noi.
My conclusion on the real estate market.... greedy house owners who have no idea of an open market, and would rather have their place empty than accept lower than their usually unrealistic expectations.
In response to the question: Whats with these ridiculous rental prices? I think agents advertising apartments for $650 per month in places like Thang Long International Village...
Posted Monday September 3rd, 2007.
Have purchased books, and basically no problem. Customs duty calculated and payable on delivery. From memory delivery time from placing order was about 10 days.
In response to the question: Has anyone bought anything on Amazon.com and what were the customs duties and procedures involved. Are there any benefits to a particular site. ...
Posted Wednesday September 5th, 2007.
At that time it was reasonable (can't remember the %), however more recently a lot of the import duties have been reduced or removed. Anyway, not really a big issue.
In response to the question: Has anyone bought anything on Amazon.com and what were the customs duties and procedures involved. Are there any benefits to a particular site. ...
Posted Saturday September 8th, 2007.
From my experience, books I have ordered through Amazon etc. are not delivered through regular post, but usually USPS, Fedex, DHL etc (online vendors I have used provide a choice, of course costs are different for different delivery services).
Regarding difficulties in the deliveries of postal items, I have a particularly difficult address, so simply found out where our mail was delivered from and paid them a visit to introduce myself. These posties are an efficient and friendly lot, and after that absolutely no problems.
In response to the question: Has anyone bought anything on Amazon.com and what were the customs duties and procedures involved. Are there any benefits to a particular site. ...
Posted Saturday September 22nd, 2007.
The issue is not with the post office re the import taxes, these taxes are collected by the Customs Department. I am in business and import/export and from my experience with the Customs Department whatever you do with them you will experience difficulties. There are rules & regulations covering the situation you describe, and it should be possible to send the phone to Singapore and receive it again without paying taxes. However the Customs people are either unwilling to apply them, don't know the regulations, or do not have the necessary forms to complete etc. etc.
My advice, forget it, unless you can get the assistance of a savvy local importer/exporter.
In response to the question: As we all know, dealing w/the postal system in Vietnam is a complete pain in the ass. Every time I've dealt w/them, I've been tempted to pick up st...
Posted Monday October 1st, 2007.
I'm with you madamewoo.... cold makes me miseeable... and Ha Noi in winter makes me even more miserable..... its the grey skies and low cloud that get me down!!!
In my humble opinion, dehumidifiers not a lot of use if you are stuck in a moldy house... I have alleries to mold. Best prevention I have found is to find a dry house facing in the right direction and with plenty of light... often a challenge in Ha Noi. Over ten years and a few houses in Ha Noi have spent a lot of time looking at these factors in choosing a house, and have NEVER had a mold problem and have never purchased a dehumidifier.
Only exeption is the temperture/humidity controlled cure room I use in my handmade natural soap making business!!!
In response to the question: Dear Hanoians, I've been offered a job with an NGO in Hanoi (from Canada), so I've been reading up. My question is: how bad are the winters in H...
Posted Sunday October 7th, 2007.
I wouldn't ship anything, for two reasons. Firstly, all your household requirements are available locally, and ae not so expensive. Secondly, shipping can be a hassle, especially if things go off the tracks with customs.
In response to the question: My husband I are moving to Hanoi in December. My company covers shipping, and we're trying to decide what/how much to bring. Are there certain househ...
Posted Saturday October 13th, 2007.
Ladies or Gents.... the best tailor in Ha Noi is Linh. Caters mainly to foreigners resident in Ha Noi. She has a private workshop/studio located at 3B Ha Hoi.
Good prices, high quality work, and she is prepared to spend time with her customers. For fabric choice she will take you to the largest fabric market in Ha Noi (an experience in itself!!!).
Not a 24 hour/overnight tailor, proper fittings done until you are 100% satisfied with the garment.
Her number is 0903286829.
In response to the question: Hey im trying to find some decent clothes for myself, im currently in hanoi and have had little luck with the few places i have been too, Things of Su...
Posted Wednesday November 7th, 2007.
If you are looking for some good quality skin care products (soaps, loofah, face exfliation kits) that are 100% natural, you should check out www.indochineatural.com
(shameless self-promotion..... but hey, why not?)
In response to the question: Are there any stores/beauticians that sell Dermalogica products please? Also, are there any issues with buying cosmetics online and having them sen...
Posted Wednesday November 7th, 2007.
Regarding duties/customs, yes you would probably be liable, although collecton of duties is patchy..... sometimes we pay, other times we don't. Thing to remember is that customs duty/VAT ae calculaed on total cost including shipping (ouch!!!).
In response to the question: Are there any stores/beauticians that sell Dermalogica products please? Also, are there any issues with buying cosmetics online and having them sen...
Posted Friday November 23rd, 2007.
Mmmm, just as a comparison to put things into perspective, I have new university graduates with English degrees and accounting degrees seeking work in my company and their asking salary is 2 million VND (US$125) per month for a 5 day working week. Another young lady (English + Accounting degrees) already in a job with 2 years experience is asking for US$200/month.
In response to the question: i want to know the rate of maid in vietnam i.e fullday (8hrs)and halfday(4hrs) 6 days per week....
Posted Sunday November 25th, 2007.
No leverage I'm afraid, and at least he was good enough to refund your deposit!!! After 10 years renting in Ha Noi, I do not have a high opinion of some landlords.
In response to the question: I have been waiting patiently to move into an apartment for over 3 weeks now. I waited while the place is rennovated. I am schedualed to move in tomo...
Posted Friday December 7th, 2007.
Best tailor in town for foreigners is Linh. Excellent English, and can make or design anything you want
You can find her at 3B Ha Hoi, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội
Phone: 9422761
Mobile: 0903286829
In response to the question: Hi, does anyone know whether there are any good Vietnamese tailors in town? I tried one along Duong Yen Phu but the workmanship is not so good. Thanks...
Posted Friday December 7th, 2007.
Best tailor in town for foreigners is Linh. Excellent English, and can make or design anything you want
You can find her at 3B Ha Hoi, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội
Phone: 9422761
Mobile: 0903286829
In response to the question: Are there any tailoring areas in Hanoi along the lines of Hoi An. I know it just a big touist town down there, but it was ultra-easy to get shit made...
Posted Monday December 10th, 2007.
Stosskraft,
A rundown on some of the companies and their strengths/challenges would be useful to both siskiyou97 and myself. My company regularly ships 1 - 2 cbm via sea freight to Oz every month. In the future will need to ship to North America and Europe.
In response to the question: Does anyone now the cheapest way to ship to the US?...
Posted Sunday January 20th, 2008.
Agree with kparsons, the mail service in my experience is good. Any cardboard box will do, and a few places in the old quarter selling used boxes. Take your sealing tape to the PO, just in case they want to check the contents. Be sure to pack and seal it up securely nce the paperwork finished.
In response to the question: Ugh, I didn't mean to...but the gifts keep coming and the price of tailoring has left me with TOO MUCH STUFF! Now that I am about to leave, I need t...
Posted Friday January 25th, 2008.
Have had a fair bit of dental work done at SOS, not cheap but a good job.
In response to the question: I need a dentist.One of my front teeth is a crown and came loose when eating and I swallowed it so now I have a gap. Need a recommendation for a denti...
Posted Saturday January 26th, 2008.
Why Dove soap???
In response to the question: Ok, this might sound like a really silly question. But it's for real: where can I buy Dove soap in Ha Noi? I've lived here over 18 months now, ...
Posted Monday January 28th, 2008.
If you would like to try one of our 100% all natural handmade soaps (for free) and see how it goes on your face, please contact me. We make one particular recipe that is suitable as a face soap.
A surprising number of people are using our soaps who are unable to use regular soaps due to various types of skin irritations. Not surprising when you read the labels and see the number of different chemicals in soaps.
In response to the question: Ok, this might sound like a really silly question. But it's for real: where can I buy Dove soap in Ha Noi? I've lived here over 18 months now, ...
Posted Monday March 10th, 2008.
We transfer money overseas by TT all the time. All you require is an invoice (make sure that it is a standard invoice with all necessary information) for services/goods from the person receiving the money which is submitted along with the TT application. It is as easy as that.
In response to the question: Does anyone have information on international bank transfers? I don't have an account in Hanoi and I'd like to send money overseas. Any suggestions o...
Posted Friday May 9th, 2008.
Can't speak with any authority on water heaters, but with the aircon we need to keep our cure room for soaps at fairly constant temperature and humidity. The room we are now using for the cure room was previously our bedroom (we have since moved out somewhere else to live). In the soap cure room (except in winter) we run the aircon 24/7 on economy mode to maintain 24 C. This is a lot cheaper than previously when we would turn the aircon on at night to cool the room down..... it had to work really hard to get a hot room cool and therefore chewed up a lot of power. Running 24/7 we have found it about 30-50% cheaper.
Possibly the same principal applies with water heaters, but never put it to the test.
In response to the question: Just a quick one- Does anyone know if turning off the hot water switch at night is actually worth doing in order to save on electricity? I'm on the "b...
Posted Saturday May 10th, 2008.
Yep.... but think again if you think that ALL bottled water has eliminated ALL heavy metals. Depends on (i) source of water (some could be mains supply), and (ii) processes used to filter/sterilise etc. the water. Some heavy metals are not easy to eliminate from water.
There are now heaps of bottled water suppliers, do you think they are all doing the right thing, maintaining their production plants 100% etc.?
I'd love to see some independent testing carried out and published. Have the Germans done this?
In response to the question: Any direction to purchase a Water filtration system for the home? I am moving to a house for the next several years and want to increase the water qua...
Posted Wednesday May 28th, 2008.
Yes, we have these made for some of our products (not clothes by the way). Minimum quantities apply (at least a 1,000 or 2), and you will need someone who can speak Vietnamese to deal with this company we use.
A good reliable company, and labels are excellent (export quality).
If you would like contact details, please message me.
In response to the question: Does anyone know where I can get clothes label made ?...
Posted Thursday June 5th, 2008.
Been here on and off for 10 years, married to a Hanoian, and the one lesson I have learnt is in situations like this don't confront the landlord as you have suggested. As a foreigner, you will always be in the wrong, as some fairly twisted logic can operate in these situations.
My suggestion is to cut your losses and bow out as gracefully as you can. Don't hesitate to let the expat community know the address of this place and owners name.
The depressing thing is that once you quit this place you need to start the entire process again. Finding good landlords is difficult, and in 10 years I have not had much luck I'm afraid.
In response to the question: Hi there. I'm seeking some advice from people who have been here a while and may have had dealings with the police and crooked landlords. The day aft...
Posted Friday June 27th, 2008.
We do a few these in-country between our business and other businesses (both send and receive). On average it is 2-3 days.
Our advice, ask for a copy of the TT document, and check carefully that all of the details of your account are correct. Would also confirm that the transfer has actually been made.
When we do transfers internationally, sometime "corresponding" banks are used, therefore for example the Transfer may go via Chase Manhattan bank in NYC. Why this would apply to a domestic transfer I'm not sure.
In response to the question: I'm currently owed close to VND10 million by a company based in HCMC, and I agreed to allow them to transfer the funds (in VND) into my domestic bank ...
Posted Saturday June 28th, 2008.
This company has obviously taken you for a ride. After receiving your payment, why not put their name here so we also can avoid them in the future?
In response to the question: I'm currently owed close to VND10 million by a company based in HCMC, and I agreed to allow them to transfer the funds (in VND) into my domestic bank ...
Posted Saturday June 28th, 2008.
The way I see the situation here is that we are not operating in a commercial environment that is familiar to us. House owners would rather have their place vacant than loose face in accepting anything less than their expectations, and all this is made worse by the current boom/inflation mentality.
We had a situation recently with a house owner looking for tenants, the place has been empty for a least a year, the rent is $550, but he wanted 12 months payable in advance, plus a "deposit" of $5,000. What is driving this, certainly not a desire to secure a tenant? I suspect that his only motive is to have $11,600 in his hand to cash in on the current exchange rate fluctuations.
Even more childish was his insistence that if we did not take his offer, he had a Japanese who wanted to move in immediately (but he would prefer us because he didn't like Japanese). We declined his offer, and of course e said no problems, he will contact the Japanese and sign a contract later that day.
That night the house owner phones, again asking if we would take his offer, as he was just going to offer one more time, out of the goodness of his heart.
I expect this place will be vacant for a bit longer!!!
In response to the question: My rent contract is in USD but I pay in VND, I think this is pretty standard and wasnt a problem at all until last month. At that time my landlord...
Posted Thursday July 3rd, 2008.
One thing we have found is that you can never rely on banks or even Govt. Depts./Ministries to be fully conversant with the laws, and this explains a lot of variation across the board. A lot of our time is spent studying the laws and bringing people in these Depts. up-to-speed so that we can get things done, otherwise we are continually blocked at each turn. Therefore, the lesson we have learnt is to be fully up to-date with the laws/regulations.
Re the currency issues, unfortunately this is a fact of life when one ventures overseas. Usually the decision is made when the positives outweigh the negatives. If a stage is reached when this is reversed, then its time to ship out, move on.
We do some business in Malaysia, and a surprise for us now is that a lot of things are now cheaper in Malaysia than Ha Noi. Time for a re-evaluation I'm afraid!!!!
In response to the question: Hello. I was wondering how people are dealing with the current dollar crisis here in Viet Nam. My situation is that I basically have student loans bac...
Posted Thursday July 3rd, 2008.
Another twist to all of this..... had a landlord this week offer a "deal too good to miss".... we pay him $7,000 cash (in USD of course), we stay in the house "rent free" (his words) for 5 years, and after 5 years he would return the $7,000 (oh yeah!!!).
His simple motive.... to get his hands on USD and make a killing on some get-rich scheme.
These economic times are certainly bringing some craziness onto the scene!!!!
In response to the question: My rent contract is in USD but I pay in VND, I think this is pretty standard and wasnt a problem at all until last month. At that time my landlord...
Posted Saturday July 19th, 2008.
We are relocating our business south to Da Nang due to the costs of doing business in Ha Noi, and office/space rentals are one of the issues for us. Depending on the standards you require, the top-draw office space with the international real estate companies are reasonably transparent in terms of prices etc., with Grade A and B around the $50 and $30 per sq. m/month respectively. But below that it is a jungle and VERY problematic. For what we were looking for, Ha Noi was the most expensive and problematic.
We have been doing business in Da Nang and HCMC, and both places are miles easier in every aspect you could think of in doing day-to-day business.
In response to the question: Xin chao, I am searching for the information about average office space cost in Hanoi for a squre meter per month. Is hanoi more expensive than Saigo...
Posted Sunday July 20th, 2008.
We have taken 2 "dead" Powerbook G4s to this shop (details below) and both have been fixed. This is after we had done the usual rounds with Fpt (they have the Mac dealership/repair licence for VN) and others who could not do the repairs and we had given up hope. The shop is not flash (like a lot of the other newer Mac shops), deal only in Mac, have been in business 10 years, but they are excellent. Honest, reliable, reasonable pricing.
Thuan My Ha Noi.
50 Mai Hac De
Hai Ba Trung
(04) 9743 780
In response to the question: My powerbook G4 12" went bonkers and refused to boot again. This time for good. Has anyone seen 2nd hand retailers or spare part dealers for Mac's any...
Posted Saturday July 26th, 2008.
OK, I shall be pleased to take care of that
In response to the question: My powerbook G4 12" went bonkers and refused to boot again. This time for good. Has anyone seen 2nd hand retailers or spare part dealers for Mac's any...
Posted Monday August 4th, 2008.
Not true, check out Thuan My Hanoi at 50 Mai Hac De street, Hai Ba Trung District.
Have reviewed the store, fantastic, reliable service at a good price
In response to the question: Anyone have an idea as to why my ipod would have just hit a 'white screen of death'? That is, the screen light comes on and the ipod plays, however n...
Posted Saturday August 9th, 2008.
For a city half way between HN and HCMC would recommend Da Nang. Have just relocated and am enjoying it. People very friendly, polite and open, no traffic problems, fresh air and fantastic beaches. A lot cheaper than Ha Noi.
A lot of tourist development here with many many 5-star foreign owned hotels under construction along the beach strip between Da Nang and Hoi An. Have heard that there are opportunities for English teaching, but have not had any direct contact with these opportunities.
Not much in the way of night life, and direct international air connections at the moment are limited. These things will change over the next 18 months.
In response to the question: We are moving to Vietnam in 2 months. I was wondering which city would you choose to live in given the chance? Hanoi, Ho Chi Min or a city 1/2 between...
Posted Tuesday August 26th, 2008.
I have been with ANZ for about 10 years, and now in Da Nang running the gauntlet of various banks looking to set up some accounts.
Basically, all the banks operate on the same banking laws, and yes, the Vietnamese banks do have problems explaining the details of their accounts, as we have just discovered.
In all the banks, telegraphic transfers into your account is not a problem. Deposits of USD cash (and other foreign currency) is a problem generally unless it is into a passbook type of account. You will need to prove the source of funds (signed/stamped contract etc.).
These rules go on-and-on, and the problem is with Vietnamese banks is that either the staff have no knowledge of the regulations when you want to do something a bit different, OR, the rules are implemented in some strange way (can be an advantage sometimes, but don't rely on it to be the same next time).
So, the situation is this, the banking rules are complex for some of the transactions us foreigners like to do. After 10 years of banking in VN my advice is to stay with the foreign banks where the rules can be explained clearly then try and work within these.
In Da Nang we have no choice. Result? I am stuck with a Vietnamese bank that has no ideas of the rules or misunderstands them, and the result is that our company funds are tied up in a mess. They are even telling me that as an owner/shareholder of my company that I cannot transfer transfer funds from my personal account into the business account. When I ask them where the company finance should come from, we get blank stares!!!
In response to the question: Can anyone recommend a hassle-free bank where I can start a bank account (either dong or dollars) and make deposits and withdrawals without showing do...
Posted Thursday August 28th, 2008.
Hi CatAttack,
Please check out our website at:
www.indochinenatural.com
We did have our production facility in Ha Noi, but have recently closed this down and re-located to Da Nang
The website is not 100% up-todate, and we now have in addition to our 100% natural handmade soaps, natural bodywash and shampoo.
Our main focus is export, but in the near future will be extending availability of our products in retail outlets in Ha Noi.
Please message me if you would like the retail addresses in Ha Noi where our products are currently available.
Kind regards,
Mike
In response to the question: Does anyone know where I can get natural/organic skin care and/or hair care products? I hate using products with chemicals, and need to continue wi...
Posted Saturday August 30th, 2008.
BREAKING NEWS:
On Friday 29 August Indochine Natural Co. Ltd. hit the proverbial Vietnamese bureaucratic brick wall.
In June this year we were unexpectedly given notice by our landlord in Ha Noi to vacate our Quan Su production premises. We immediately set about looking at alternative locations across Viet Nam and narrowed the field to Hai Chau district in Da Nang. We visited the Hai Chau District People’s Committee and the Investment Promotion Centre (IPC) of the Da Nang City People’s Committee a number of times, providing both with very detailed information on our production process and business plan.
Under the guideance of IPC we then prepared the necessary documentation for the transfer of our current Investment License from Ha Noi to Da Nang. This included about six visits to their offices for various meetings/briefings. This process also included a 96 page environmental assessment and impact report prepared for the Environment Department of the Hai Chau District People’s Committee for the premises we had selected for our production facility. This report was evaluated and site visits conducted by the Environment Officers from this Department. On August 4, 2008, the Hai Chau District People’s Committee issued a Certificate for permission to commence production at our selected premises.
Very unexpectedly on Friday 29 August we received a letter from the IPC stating that “due to be able to deploy effectively Project Environment City” the Da Nang City Peoples Committee would not allow Indochine Natural to set up production at or selected location. This outcome was a surprise to the Hai Chau District People’s Committee. When asked, the IPC was unable to explain why this constraint was not mentioned during all of our earlier visits. It is also surprising considering the high level of environmental friendliness of our 100% natural handmade products and production processes that virtually produce zero waste or environmental impact, and Da Nang's apparent focus on being (in their words) a "Project Environment City".
Result, we are now out of business and on the hunt for a new location.
In response to the question: Does anyone know where I can get natural/organic skin care and/or hair care products? I hate using products with chemicals, and need to continue wi...
Posted Friday September 5th, 2008.
I have sent a shipment of our handmade natural soaps to Clemence in Ha Noi. Please contact her at:
clemence@dameclemence.com
In addition to our soaps she has a wonderful range of other natural products that are worth checking out.
In response to the question: Does anyone know where I can get natural/organic skin care and/or hair care products? I hate using products with chemicals, and need to continue wi...
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Mike Thair
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