Thomas Wanhoff in Vietnam

Be aware of scammers in Vietnam

2011-12-09T17:28:00.001+07:00

Saigon was a wonderful place to live and we never had a real bad experience. Unfortunatly this isn't the case for everyone. Adam is reporting about Scammers a lot. If you plan to visit Saigon, I highly recommend to read hos blog first. Not that I want you to say home. Just be aware of the scam and say No the first time the scammers approach you.

Blogging in Lao or English?

2011-11-23T11:23:00.001+07:00

On topic appears on many of the Barcamps and conferences I attended so far: In what language I should blog? The most common answer is: The language of your audience. If my readers are German nationals, I would blog in German. Since this blog here is read by mostly foreigners, it is in English. Would I blog about Laos (if I could write Lao)? No.The reason is simple: Google. No search engine right now understands Lao. So whenever people searching for any Lao related content, they search in English. If I want my content to be found I have to write in English.so if people in Lao write only in Lao, the audience is quite small. Only Lao people will read it. So, in case you are Lao and want to start a blog, consider having it at least bi-lingual. So you can not only increase your traffic, but also the content about Laos in the World Wide Web.

Watch your dogs!

2011-11-21T07:06:00.001+07:00

Got this message from ARC in Phu My Hung:At ARC we have recently heard a number of frightening stories about families losing dogs while they have been out walking them. In some cases, it seems that the dogs were targeted, and maybe were taken for ransom. In other cases however, they have been taken or injured, or even killed, in seemingly opportunistic attacks, perhaps for food, perhaps just for fun! What is common to all losses that we have heard about is that the owners were walking their dogs off the lead/leash. Just that few seconds of distance from the owner has given attackers the time they need to catch or kill the dog. Right in front of the owner, who is powerless to do anything to protect their pet! The attacks that we have heard about have taken place in D2, Thao Dien. They may well be happening in other places (and we would like to know if that is the case). Without wanting to scare or panic, ARC asks that you please consider how you walk your dog. For the sake of your family and your pet, please don’t walk dogs off the leash. Make sure that you have your dog on the leash at all times, so that if there is a time when you feel that someone may want to harm the animal, you still have some control.

You basically cannot hire foreigners anymore

2011-08-30T14:37:00.000+07:00

So the Vietnamese government issued a degree that makes it basically impossible to hire foreigners anymore.

It is already quite difficult for foreigners to get a work permit there, but now the government makes it even worst.

The decree stipulates that 30 days before recruiting foreign workers for some posts, employers must notify the needs of recruiting Vietnamese workers for the same posts on local and central newspapers. When applying for granting work permits to foreigners, enterprises have to present the documents to prove the job information publishing.

The problem is that degrees like that are actually targeted on the illegal chinese workers in construction and mining. But of course you cannot make a law just for Chinese workers. So the law covers all foreigners. and here starts the problem.

First of all, the reason why you hire a foreigner, who is more expensive than local staff, is because you cannot find a local who can do the job. So you already DID the homework searching desperately for skilled people. There are just not enough of them.

That leads to the VN education system. People with a certificate, diploma or whatever think they are skilled, but usually they are not. It is in many times not worth the paper it is printed on. You have to train people all the time in your company, and often enough once the received proper training, they quit and start their own business, becoming a competitor (not much successful usually, but that is a different story).

While the gov takes no real efforts in lifting the standards of education significantly (for example by reducing the hours teaching socialism and Uncle Ho's history), they now leave it to the private sector to solve the problem.

Meanwhile, the Article No 132 of the Labor Code stipulates that FIEs in Vietnam can recruit foreign workers for the posts that require high qualifications for certain periods, provided that the enterprises have plans on training Vietnamese workers who can replace the foreign workers.

So even if you finally hired a foreigner, you have to train local staff to get this persons knowledge. Do they really believe this works?

It seems that Vietnam do not want openly offend their brothers in Bejing, so they rather offend western companies. They may have forgotten where the money came for the boom. And that this western companies already start to pull the money out since it is becoming more risky and dangerous. State owned companies are either bankrupt already or close to. So what's left then are some Russian and Chinese (also Japanese and Korean) companies. But they will have the same foreigner problem. If they pull out as well, it will be a major bump for the VN economy. There is already not much innovation and market developing going on my local businesses, and VN - as World bank reports and others mentioned many time - will rely on foreign support for more years. They put this on risk now.

Warning: Forever Freedom international is a MLM scheme!!

2011-06-21T15:51:00.002+07:00

Just received emails that a company called FFI (Forever Freedom International) is starting to do business in Vietnam. Do NOT call them or get into any business. It is a MLM scheme, or Snowball scheme, and I do not see any real opportunity for you. Ad the end, you will end up like Herbalife sales people and desperately looking for new customers while having lost most of your friends already since you sold them basically useless and over priced products.
So please stay away from FFI and warn your friends about it

Common people stories - a new blog

2011-04-30T10:19:00.001+07:00

I started a new blog. I tell the stories about common people I met and know in Asia. Not the heroes from CNN or newspapers. It is about neighbors, guards, waiters, shop owners - average people. You want your story being told? Message me!

http://commonpeoplestories.blogspot.com/

Mindmaps best practise - Part I

2010-12-23T08:21:00.000+07:00

I am addicted to mindmaps. I think that's the best tool ever, in particular since it is available as software. So in this little series I want to introduce you to some best practise of how to use mindmaps.

Mindmaps are basically pictures of your thoughts or notes, in a node-based structure. The advantage is that you can move these nodes around as you like. And you do not have to care about hierarchies when you taking these nodes. But it goes further: You can add links, pictures, due dates für project management, notes and documents to mindmaps. I used it e times for project management With collaboration features you can use it together with co-workers and friends. Mindmaps can be used in a wide range of things, from planning party to managing a project. In the upcoming posts I will show you some public mindmaps I find interesting and worth sharing. Let me know if you are interested in using mindmaps...

Best online collaboration tools (Mindmeister Map) by Robin Good

E-Market in Vietnam

2010-12-18T13:25:00.001+07:00

The first e-market for Viet Nam's agricultural, forestry and aquatic produce made its debut yesterday.

The site www.agromart.com.vn. hosts up to 150 businesses and is expected to help lower costs and increase efficiency, says its owner, the Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry.

More than 340 products were immediately listed on the Vietnamese-English site.

Member enterprises can link their own web sites or "stalls" to the site as well as complete basic trans-actions.

Each Agromart member is also provided with an account to manage and update information about their products and services.

Deputy Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Diep Kinh Tan said: "Agromart will provide both enterprises and the public will have better access to information related to products and legal documents.

"Enterprises could also better establish and maintain contacts with customers and partners."

Agromart would also provide links with other units in the agriculture sector including the National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department (NAFIQAD) and the Plant Protection Department.

Viet Nam's agriculture had scored significant achievements despite numerous difficulties and "growth of the sector is always high," the deputy minister said.

Total exports for 2010 is expected to be worth more than US$18.6 billion, an increase of 12 per cent compared with 2009.

Doing business in Asia

2010-11-10T08:47:00.000+07:00

Today I found this in my inbox. A brief description of someone wanted to do business in Asia. It doesn't even matter what country this is about:

I have applied for an investment license at the One Stop Unit in March
2009. I have still got no answer. The process is lengthy, complicated
and completely in-transparent. In reality, investors buy themselves to their licenses. I didn't pay, so I didn't get the license.

After all I have given up to make business here. If you are not
ruthless, you will only burn your fingers.

As someone who believe that business is driving development, this story shows the real problem of developing countries: It's not so much poverty or lack of education (though this is a huge problem, but not the cause). It is a lack of desire from governments. Desire in developing the country. Most governments in SE Asia are just fine with the situation, since their members already made enough money for themselves.

Let's see a developing country as a start-up business. The way they do it now is the way start up operated in the time of the first internet bubble. VC (in our example NGO and IMF and Worldbank) gave money, they burned it and asked for more money. Because there was a steady stream of new money coming in, there was no real reason to focus in the business model. That's the way developing countries operate: The infrastructure of the country is not financed by income from operations like taxes, but from donations and support from international institutions. The lack of taxes used to run the country is caused by a) lack of tax collecting processes and b) corruption.
So why aren't countries collecting taxes? Actually they do, but the system is far from transparent. First of all, foreign companies are due to tax, always. Local family businesses have to pay tax as well, but seldom do. The reason is: They won't get caught, and tax officers always think its too much work for them to collect the few dollars from small businesses. Then of course is a total lack of infrastructure and understandable tax laws. The reason is simply again the missing desire. If you want to get tax, you will establish a system.

The main reason why there is no system is corruption. This is all over Asia, and it's the biggest obstacle for the developing countries. Corruption kills competition and kills development of markets. Only the wealthy elite can afford to pay the bribes, so they run moist of the businesses and get a de facto monopoly. Without competition there is no incentive to grow and improve, so most businesses aren't developing much. Just look at state owned Hotels in Asia, or the quality of local run companies in general. Most use quite old equipment, producing same products since 10 years.

Why its important to have foreign companies?
Because they drive markets faster on a higher level. The know the process of competition and they know also they have to work harder then local companies (not only because of corruption, but also because cultural differences, lack of networks in the country a.s.o.) Successful foreign owned companies are a challenge for local companies, so the they have a quite good reason to improve and get the business.

But as long as the desire of the people in charge is their own bank account and not the countries wealth, there is no change at all.

General advice for buying dogs in Vietnam

2010-09-15T11:04:00.003+07:00

First of all: Do not buy from any breeder. I haven't seen a reliable breeder in Vietnam. It's all about money. There are some breeds more or lesson fashionable, like Phu Quoc Dogs, Retriever, German Shepard, and some chinese and japanese breeds. The best way to get a healthy dogs is to look around your neighborhood. You may see a pregnant female Vietnamese street dog. Follow and ask the owners. Or look around if there is a small dog between 1 and 2 years old. If so, ask the owners if they sell it. My experience is, that most locals dogs are just smart.

Most important:

Do not buy puppies less than 8 weeks old

First Vaccination should be given:

- the age of 6 weeks and then at 9 weeks old and 12 weeks old (if the mother did not receive vaccine and there is not enough antibody in her body for the puppies)
or
- at the age of 7-8 weeks and then at 12 weeks old (if the mother was vaccinated before)

Rabbies should not be given before 3 months old.

Please inspect the place where the puppies grew up, look at their living conditions.

If the puppies look tired, they may be under medication to keep them quiet. Dont buy

Do not buy puppies in Saigon from Tracy Lee

2010-09-12T21:16:00.005+07:00

On the Phu My Hung neighbours list a Tracy Lee tried to sell 5 weeks old Golden retriever puppies. I suspended her from the list. 5 weeks is to early to take puppies away from the mother. She insists that a doctor told her that she can give away puppies when they are 5-8 weeks old. She also mentioned the dogs would be vaccinated, but did not mention what vaccinations. By the way, the same doctor she mentioned said "The puppies will receive their first injection at: the age of 6 weeks and then at 9 weeks old and 12 weeks old (if the mother did not receive vaccine and there is not enough antibody in her body for the puppies)
or- at the age of 7-8 weeks and then at 12 weeks old (if the mother was vaccinated before)."

She told me first that she can't afford to feed the dogs, that why she is selling, but later she admitted that it is just about money. "Who dont need a business? who dont need money?"

Doctors told me that Puppies were in "terrible conditions" when they saw them.

So be careful, do not buy puppies from Tracy Lee in Vietnam, I think she is irresponsible and only wants to make money with the dogs.

UPDATE: I just rejected a comment who was recommending Tracys service. The reason was since this lady lied to me so many times, I can#t proof if the comments is true or just made or requested by her.

Construction work in Vietnam seems a real threat

2010-09-08T15:27:00.003+07:00

The first floor of a shopping mall in Ho Chi Minh City's new Phu My Hung urban area collapsed during construction Wednesday morning.

This is the second building in this area that collapses, since 2 years ago close to that site a fifth floor of an office building (the one where Tokio Deli now is in) fall to the fourth floor. One worker was killed. I remember some houses falling down in the business dictrict this year, as well as some other incidents like a bridge floor collapsed in the north and of course the bridge accident in Can Tho.

I don't know who to blame for that. Is it again that workers save money and use poor quality of cement (what also includes corruption)? Is it the general low level of quality of construction work in Vietnam? In all these buildings were foreigns companies involved, but I was told that even if you have the best architects and engineers from abroad local stuff will mess it up. That's kind of right, just look at new streets.

Cafe Do: tiny cafe with live music

2010-09-02T16:13:00.002+07:00

What I like the most about Saigon are the cafes. There are hundreds of them, many are hidden in small alleys, and you have to know the place. These cafes are the real beauty of the city, usually providing a quit place, slow beats if any. Recently a friend took me to Cafe Do. It's in an alley, oneandahalf room, with a corner as a stage for young musicians. I was listening to three singers, one of them, a young girl, said she will sing in English because there is one foreigner (me) there tonight. I was stunned.
These places offer you a glimpse into the world of young Vietnamese people who are not spending all their money for bags and phones (although some of them might do this as well). But at least they are building a scence, something thats quite important for developing a diversified music and events business. In one of this cafe I discovered Le Cat Trong Ly, who is sometimes even on HTV.

Cafe Do
118/30 Tran Quang Dieu
P.14 Q.3, Ho Chi Minh City
(083) 931-4008

Back in Saigon

2010-08-31T09:36:00.003+07:00

My wife just asked me how I feel coming back to Saigon after 3 months already living in Laos. I must admit, it's nice to come back for some days, but I do prefer to live in Laos now. Thanks to easy travelling it's convenient to travel between these countries.
Nothing really changed so far, some new shops, some missing. I am happy to see that Barcamp Saigon is going on, and I am also happy to see some good friends (and unhappy to not meet other good friends).
So, Saigon, I will not forget you, but I found a new love :-)

My daily walk in Bac Lieu

2010-08-22T09:48:00.001+07:00

View My daily walk in Bac Lieu in a larger map

Treating diarrhea in Vietnam

2010-08-20T09:23:00.003+07:00

I got the quite common of having diarrhea, it did not occour to me many times in Vietnam, but this time my stay in Bac Lieu wasn't as pleasant as before.
So it happened to me that I had to stay close to the restroom. The problem is, how to get medicine? Luckily some participants of the training offered their help and went to the pharmacy. I asked my coworkers to buy some anti-dehydration powder. What the pharmacy gave them was:
Calcium tablets
Antibiotics, used for treating a specific amoebia
Tablets for treating blatter infection

and finally: Hydrite, the stuff I needed.

Shows, that trusting a pharmacist might be risky in Vietnam. and the best way to treat diarrhea is still:
Stop eating
Drink water
Use electrolytes like Hydrite

if its a common infection it should be over in 2-3 days. If not see a doctor.

What's your experience with climate change?

2010-08-15T15:03:00.001+07:00

In late April 2009, thousand of people in Vi Thanh commune, Hau Giang province had to buy drinking water because sea water encroached into all rivers and canals in the area. This phenomenon had never happed so far in the region. This year a severe draught effected parts of Vietnam. In 2009 expertes were gathering at a conference in Can Tho and discussing climate change issues related to the Mekong Delta. But you dont have to be an expert, to see what's going on.

So please, tell us how you experience a change in the delta. Write a comment or upload a picture and take part of the Mekong Photocontest (you can win up to 10 million VND).

Join the GTZ Mekong Photocontest in Vietnam

2010-07-13T09:50:00.001+07:00

The GTZ Projects of “Sustainable management of coastal forest and wetland in the Mekong Delta Provinces Bac Lieu, Soc Trang and Kien Giang” jointly carry out an online photo contest on the topic “Climate Change in the Mekong Delta” from July 2010 until September 15th 2010.

The coastal zone of Vietnam particularly in the Mekong Delta is one of the most effected regions which is facing the challenging impacts of climate change. Rising sea levels and storms of increasing magnitude, flooding and drought threaten the poor rural population, Viet Nam’s rice and shrimp production and Ho Chi Minh City with increasing regularity.

The Mekong Delta is of extreme economic importance though, as it is seen as Viet Nam’s “rice chamber”. Intensive rice production and the rapid expansion of aquaculture have contributed to economic growth and poverty reduction. In addition, the population of the Mekong Delta makes a living principally from agriculture (rice cultivation) and aquaculture (shrimp production). Over the last 20 years, however, large areas directly behind the protected mangrove forests were converted into shrimp farms, which further endangers the protective function of the coastal forests.

Every Vietnamese aged above 16 years can participate in the photo contest by uploading photos to the website http://gtz-mekong-photocontest.com. “Effects of climate change on
peoples living conditions” and “Effects of climate change on agriculture” are the two categories and focus of the contest. The range of the best pictures will be carried out by online voting on the webpage and by a jury nominated by GTZ and Goethe Institute.

The prices will be awarded in the two categories “Jury voting” and “User voting”. In each category the prices are nominated as follows:
1. Best picture in the category:
10 million VND
2. Second best picture in the category:
5 million VND
3. Third best picture in the category:
2 million VND

The exhibition of the best photos will take place within the “Information days on Integrated
coastal Management” during October 12th and 13th 2010. The “Information days” are part of
the “German Year in Vietnam” events to celebrate 35 years of diplomatic relations between
Germany and Vietnam. The winners will be invited to the event for a prize giving ceremony.

Please also spread the word!!!

Hacking iTunes accounts: Smart guy or douchebag? (or just a crime)

2010-07-08T08:27:00.003+07:00

So some people in Vietnam seem to go the wrong way: In a country already renown for its copyright violations, stealing intellectual property, faking products now the focus turns on worldwide technology. But do not expect news of any great software made in Vietnam. Instead, the news are: VN (as Google complained) was compromising Google with trojan horse attacks. Vietnamese bloggers publish a Video of a leaked iPhone 4 (what means it was stolen apparently at the factory in China).

And now a Vietnamese developer hacks iTunes accounts and try to push his apps in the Top 10 lists buying the apps through the hacked accounts.
I would call this a serious cybercrime. Hackers usually find leaks and holes and REPORT this, either publicly or to the company that is affected by the incident. But they DO NOT make money out of it.
But the recent case isn't even hacking. What Thuat Nguyen did, was apparently just fraud. Or better, a kind of break in. He got access to iTunes accounts, most likely through phishing, were people were directed to a false landing page, were they entered their account details believing its a official apple page.
What a real hacker would do if he knew a security hole: He would try to push his FREE apps in the store to bring awareness to people and apple.

What Thuat Nguyen did, was a simple crime, made of desparate greediness. We are talking about 1 Million Dollar. And some people already think about that there might be a network of cyber bandits established, so it would not be a single case.Apple Insider shows how it works in China although it describes the way of distribution, not so much of the how-to-get-the account-data, is pretty scary.

What leaves me quite concerned is that Thuat Nguyen is becoming a kind of hero for some people. He fought against Apple, like the boys did with the iPhone. But he is neither cool nor smart. He is just a dumb guy too stupid to rob a bank (just because first people can reclaim the money from credit card companies and also Apple already started an investigation, so it's a matter of time when they will get him). we will see, if he lives in Vietnam, if the VN authorities handle this case as an international crime.

So my point is: Instead of praising thief's and bandits, it would be way better to actually start making good products. Otherwise VN will become a rogue country for IT. And with this reputation, it might be difficult to get more jobs in the important outsourcing industry.

If I would outsourcing my developing work or data processing just to find out that my suppliers staff praises guys like Thuat Nguyen in certain forums, I would immediately cancel the contract.

Business Week on Vietnams economy: WTF?

2010-06-24T10:33:00.003+07:00

Business Week runs a story with the headline: Is Vietnam Finally Ready for Foreign Investors?" They say

Hanoi is cutting taxes and improving infrastructure in hopes of becoming the low-cost alternative for new factories and outsourcing call centers

Where have they been the last years? Actually the time for outsourcing in the software industry is nearly over in Vietnam, many companies are suffering right now and looking for domestic business. Same for call centers (what is by the way quite funny knowing the language skills in Vietnam.)

For factories VN might be still a good place, but they did not mention all the strikes in the past, as well as the strict labour laws. And you may find cheap workers, but not skilled ones.

President Nguyen Minh Triet's government has cut taxes, such as import duties on personal computer parts, and is promising to improve the country's roads and ports. It's building nuclear power plants and a high-speed train line from the capital to Ho Chi Minh City.

First, the National Assembly just rejected the plans for the train. Second, what is announced is not necessarily realized. And actually VN just raised taxes for unnecessary goods, whatever that means. And the Worldbank and others recently mentioned that VN needs innovation, otherwise it will not succeed because there will always be a country with cheaper labour force.

The leadership also vows to eliminate some of the notorious red tape that has frustrated investors.

Arent they vowing this since decades?

Geeks on train - join us

2010-06-15T10:03:00.002+07:00

Some people - in particular @3105, Jan and me - are tinking about having Geeks on a train in the next weeks or months. Some more information is on 3105.com.

The basic idea is to book a coach from BKK to Vientiane in Laos (or at least to Nong Khai). We set up our own network there and then lets hack or what ever.

If you like the idea, send commenst, emails or tweet. Hastag is #geeksontrain.

Moved to Laos

2010-05-31T13:46:00.002+07:00

Although I still have shares in a company in Vietnam and will be there several times this year, my headquarter is now in Vientiane, Laos. Find more about my life in Laos here: http://wanhoffs-laos.blogspot.com/2010/05/so-it-is-laos-now-lfe-of-expat-in.html

Crumpler bag shop in Saigon

2010-05-24T10:22:00.003+07:00

It took me arround two years in Vietnam to discover a little paradise: a crumpler shop in Ho Chi Minh City. It's located at 52M Nguyen Huu Hao in District 4, right at the market, 10 minutes from District 1. The name is BAGVINA. They do have some models of crumpler bags, a freindly and well english speaking staff. Its actually there wholesale warehouse, but unsless they did not open the shop in the backpacker area (its pallned this year), they sell from dictrict 4 branch.
Don't ask me if the bags are fake or real, but at least it is a way better quality compared to what you get at Saigon Square. A huge messanger bag is around 380.000 VND whiel a smalle one for netbooks goes with 300.000. The selection is smaller than in origianl licenced shops and you may not get the latest models. Also, I don't know if this comes form any manufacturer in Vietnam, since I was told in Australia that Crumpler is not producing in Vietnam anymore.
Whatever, I liked to get at least a taset of Crumpler, and I am bag addictive, so I will take higher risks for shopping :-)
Check out their website as well: www.bagvinacom

Outdor gadgets, GPS, Leatherman in Vietnam

2010-05-20T07:10:00.004+07:00

When I was looking for a bluetooth GPS receiver, a friend connected me with Tabalo, a shop in Phu Nuan District.
Adress: 220/10A NGUYỄN TRỌNG TUYỂN, PHƯỜNG 8, QUẬN PHÚ NHUẬN TP. HỒ CHÍ MINH
ĐT: 84.8.216.9588
It's a quite small office, but check out the website for the range of products. They not only have the GPS receiver I was looking for, but also a lot of other GPS devices like car tracking tools. They also sell leatherman, the popular and high quality multi-tool, and also aquabags, waterproof bags for your gadgets.
The service was really good, I was able to try the device (which was pre-charged), got also free GPS software transfered to my Phone (a Nokia 3720 classic, good for outdoor use).
For any reason they sell also the Razor computer mouse, pad and keyboard, also high quality devices.
Check the shop during common business hours or visit the website. I can really recommend it if you are a outdoor guy (or girl).

What power cuts can tell you about your company

2010-05-12T10:50:00.003+07:00

Picture by http://www.flickr.com/photos/sayamindu CC Licence

Powercuts are quite common in Vietnam, in particular now when it comes to the end of the dry season where is no water left for the hydropowerplants. Companies know that, and there are different ways to deal with it. It also shows you a lot about your own company, how leadership is done and the state of your staff.

First rule: Be prepared. Do you know that many powercuts are announced in advance? Did you check already the website of your power company and local newspapers? If yes, your company seems to be prepared. If not, ask yourself why you didn't know it - have you been complaining instead of taking action?

Second rule: Deal with the situation. Wether the power cut is announced or not, it will come anyway. So what do you do then? You stop working? If yes, ask yourself why. You don't have a external power supply? And if so, does it supply only computers or also at least air-condition (what kind of productivity you can expect from staff that works in a 40 degrees environment?).
Advise: Let the power supply run the mailserver (if you still maintain the server in your own place instead of a server farm where there is 24/7 availability), and let your staff work remotely.

That might not work for every company and every worker, but at least you get some things done. You can even see how takes leadership in your company: the one who tells you that they will work from home or from the coffee shop ist the one that needs to be on the promotion list next time, while the ones who are asking for advise are not.

I was once working a in a company in Cambodia where we went to coffee shops during power cuts, and when we came back in the afternoon the boss told us to stay longer because of the power cut. I was laughing at him and told him that we already did our work, and that work (especially office work) is not determined on the time you stay in the office anymore. So better pay the bill for the coffee shop instead of treating your stuff like cheap factory workers in the 19th century. (By the way, it seems to be more and more common that employees using their own laptops for work. That's quite nice, but do the get any reward for that?)

A powercut tells you, if you prepare in advance, if your staff is prepared as well, if your staff is looking for solutions, and if you are willing to accept different approaches.

The problem with productivity in office is that it is hard to put that in numbers. How much money you are loosing in an hour? What's the value of a workhour of your office stuff? But even if you can put that in account, motivation and engagement is still a soft value that is absolutely crucial. There is no excuse not finding a good solution or a problem.

Barcamp Mekong

2010-05-11T13:06:00.001+07:00

Barcamp Mekong
Originally uploaded by preetamrai

pic by http://www.flickr.com/photos/preetamrai/

One of the smartest presenters I ever met

2010-05-09T15:28:00.002+07:00

One of the smartest presenters I ever met
Originally uploaded by thomaswanhoff

I couldn't catch her name, but she was one of the smartest persons I ever met on a Barcamp. Her talk at Barcamp Mekong in Can Tho, Vietnam, was about being an active student. Not only that she presented in fluent English, she did not use a single powerpoint, instead she draw a mindmap during her speech. In her hands some notes, where she took a look from time to time, but mostly she spoke free.
The topic was, in summary, that students should find their own way of learning and researching. She herself, she said, discovered the way of speed reading while browsing the internet, and she also discovered how to use mindmaps.
Maybe because I am a huge fan of mindmaps I was so excited. It also shows, that Barcamps even in remote areas like Can Tho are always full of surprises.
Although this Barcamp was more for students than developers, I do not regret to took the trip. It was exciting, I learned a lot, mainly about other people and their skills, but also about traditional music in the south.
Thanks to the organizers, Mario and Hong Phuc, for doing a great job, and also thanks to APC school and the volunteers.

Public live blogging from Barcamp Mekong in Can Tho

2010-05-08T07:00:00.003+07:00

Goodbye Eden Mall

2010-05-08T06:33:00.001+07:00

Found this in Simon Kutchers Saigon Today Blog:

Goodbye Eden Mall: "

These two fantastic old buildings form part of the Eden Mall. However they are about to be demolished with the rest of the city block to make way for a new development. There are supposed to be height restrictions in this area so it will be interesting to see what happens

"

(I used the blog this function in Google Reader, but instead of using a blockquote tag it look like its my post. Its not. Its Simons.

Forte La Pizza Italiana - new in Phu My Hung

2010-05-05T18:43:00.007+07:00

The S area of Phu My Hung - the part where waterfront is and Greenview and CanhVien - lacked of western restaurants- until now. Forte La Pizza Italiana just opened inCanh Vien 1. Italian chef, italian owned says the brochure. whatever they did it Italy it was not running a restaurant. First try revealed that lasagne is not available. Second try no pesto.. pizza starts at 150000 vnd because toppings are expensive, the Australian lady apparently in charge for the service told me. and basil is hard to get, she added.

I was the only customer, but they could not get the lasagne heated up inside. and the piece of food was kind of small. second try brought the lasagne warm, but far from hot.

The food is just average, but way to pricy. Its seems some friends decided to open a pizzeria - and facing now reality. They better have opened a pub or a bar where they can do what they enjoy most - chatting with friends instead of taking care of the customers. They later offered me the meal free of charge after I complained, but I insisted of paying. I got a lot of " I am sorry", let's see if they learn from that.

UPDATE: Laziness brought me back one more time. The local staff is quite nice and helpful, the italian chef as well (he made me spaghetti pesto for free since he remembered the story, that was quite nice). I am still not a fan of the pizza and I still think it's too expensive and I am convinced that the western lady working there better should get some training in hospitality. But after all, give it a try.

Values

2010-05-05T10:06:00.002+07:00

Someone was selling an iPad on a mailing list here and was asking for 100 USD more than US retail price. I was responding, that the price might be too high and if you want save money wait until the iPad is shipped end of May to Singapore and Bangkok. I also pointed out that Apple Care includes the risk once the repaired iPad is shipped back that VN customs want to get an extra share. The seller wrote me an email calling me an asshole.
Greed in this country is just incredible. When I was young I learned that you shall not be greedy. I guess, this is only valid in western countries.

Barcamp Mekong aka Barcamp Can Tho

2010-04-28T21:38:00.003+07:00

Vietnam is getting its third location for a Barcamp (after Hanoi and Saigon), this time further south in Can Tho, the capital of the Mekong Delta. With German efficiency and Vietnamese enthusiasm Hong Phuc, Mario and their team organized the Barcamp for May the 8th an the Can Tho University.

Form the website:

Good topics are topics you are passionate about. Previous Barcamps in Vietnam were held in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with an incredible range of topics. We feel that the “unconference” style of Barcamps are a great chance to share and learn and bring the community of the Mekong Delta together. Some of the topics we would like to see are:

Copyrights and Creative Commons for education
Making educational videos
Google Maps and Google Earth in education
Collaborative tools, microblogging tools, classroom polling tools
Virtual Worlds in education
Making better presentations
Digital Photography
Making themes and setting up CMS like Joomla, Drupal and Wordpress
Storytelling
Ideas on using social networks with students
Finding the right job
Marketing in Vietnam
The “camp” however, is not restricted to these topics and we encourage everyone to suggest topics and lead sessions. We want to invite the wider community in the Mekong Delta to participate.

Together with my buddy Dylan I will do a iPad presentation. Expect a lot of fun!

Repair Vietnamese style

2010-04-28T08:52:00.001+07:00

repair vietnamese style
Originally uploaded by thomaswanhoff

This is a lamp in the park next to us. Children are playing around, dogs as well. Sometimes it's wet, because of rain or watering the plants. I guess the lamp was reported broken and this is the way things getting fixed in Vietnam. That is also the reason why a girl got electrocuted recently using a ATM. That's why boys last year died when loose cable hit them.
With very very fews exceptions (the camera repair shop in the antique street, apple future world and my Yamaha Dealer) I haven't seen any proper fixing or repair in Vietnam. It's always very poor standard, no sense of craftsmanship.
Some of my friend told me that this is the way things are done in Vietnam. I can't accept this. First, everyone can always improve. Second, people die because of this so called fixing culture. It's actually just the laziness to do things properly, and the lack of a desire to do better.
That's what actually, on a larger scale, will keep Vietnam on the current level of economy.

IKEA Dining table for sale

2010-04-17T13:29:00.001+07:00

IKEA Dining table for sale
Originally uploaded by thomaswanhoff

I am selling a IKEA dining table with extension with 6 chairs. If you are interested, please give me a call 0122 350 4593 or send an email thomas.wanhoff(at)gmail.com

Also for sale: a computer desk http://www.flickr.com/photos/wanhoff/4527077159/

Colonial building

2010-04-15T06:43:00.001+07:00

Colonial building
Originally uploaded by thomaswanhoff

I am in Bac Lieu for a project and I am kind of surprised about some gemstones in architecture I found. One is this huge french colonial villa. It's a hotel and a restaurant now, but it was used to be the living place of a playboy (at least that's what my assistant told me), who was the son of a rich family and did partying with girls all the time. These days of parties are definitely over in Bac Lieu - there is not much to do beside working.

Eating place Hoi An

2010-04-09T17:14:00.001+07:00

Eating place Hoi An
Originally uploaded by thomaswanhoff

I wonder what idiot set this up in Hoi An??? That destroys the whole image of the old town. It seems greediness is border-less this days. (Of course all stalls offer the same, nothing nice decorated, staff is shouting on you - a tourists nightmare)

Springrolls at River Lounge in hoi an

2010-04-09T17:09:00.001+07:00

Springrolls at River Lounge in hoi an
Originally uploaded by thomaswanhoff

I can really recommend the River Lounge in Hoi An, located across the bridge on the new part, opposite to Cargo Club and Mango Rooms. The food is delicious, beautiful presented and for a reasonable price!

My Blog in Laos

2010-04-07T09:16:00.003+07:00

Even I will move to Laos this blog about Vietnam will still be alive. If you want to know more about my life in Laos, check out http://wanhoffs-laos.blogspot.com. Since my company in Vietnam still exists I will be on and off in the next years, so still a lot to blog about this country.
Why I leave? Because my wife got a new job. Why I still come back? Because I really like Vietnam, and I don't give up hoping that it will improve more.

Ho Chi Minh song contest launched in Laos

2010-04-03T18:58:00.000+07:00

Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Lao Culture and Information Ministry on April 2 jointly launched a contest on composing songs about Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh in Laos.
The contest was held in celebration of the 120th anniversary of the late Vietnamese leader’s birthday (May 19).

All amateur and professional composers holding Lao nationality can send in works in the Vietnamese or Lao language from April 2 through the end of May.
The winners will be announced in early June.

According to the organising board, the contest is a good opportunity for Lao artists to express their sentiments toward President Ho Chi Minh, the symbol of Vietnamese heroism and someone who made great contributions to fostering the special friendship between Vietnam and Laos. via VOVNEWS

Vietnam to expel foreigners without work permit

2010-03-29T08:34:00.003+07:00

Thanhniennews had an article in the weekly print edition saying that Vietnam is planning to expel foreigners who don't have a work permit but do work. Although it is officially targeted on cheap construction workers, it effects everybody.

34/ND-CP on recruitment and management of foreign laborers working in Vietnam, expelling those without working licenses.

The draft decree stipulates that the Government will refuse the issuance of a visa and temporary residence permit at the same time as expelling illegal foreign laborers, who work in Vietnam for more than three months without applying for working licenses.

Six months after the effective date of the new decree, all illegal foreign workers will be expelled if they still do not acquire the licenses.

Foreign workers - who specialize in production operation and management, and do not hold any professional certificates, but want to continue working in Vietnam - must acquire written papers issued by Vietnamese investors certifying that they have at least five years of working experience.

Mr. Le Quang Trung, deputy director of the Employment Department under the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, said that Decree 34/ND-CP only covers conditions for foreign laborers to apply for working licenses. It does not draw any penalty for non-licensed foreign workers.

The new decree, however, will empower appropriate agencies to legally expel non-compliant foreign laborers, the Director continued.

Moreover, project contractors and investors will have to present reports on their employment of foreign laborers to local authorities.

The new decree will be effective on July 1, 2010.

I am not questioning the right of a country to expel illegal workers. I am not questioning the need of a work permit. But I am questioning the obstacles of getting one. For most foreigners it's not only a month long process, it is sometimes not possible, since the requested qualifications are often not clear. Just to notarize certificates is just a pain, and nobody in Vietnam can estimates what the certificate really means. But there is such an bureaucratic process in place, that I really think it's on purpose. At least it's not made for an easy way to attract foreign workers.

Every country needs foreign workers, for several reasons. One might is certain language skills, like Japanese people in a company on Vietnam that exports mainly to Japan. But it's also just important to get people with more knowledge in this country, because you can simply learn from them. It doesn't seem that this is really what the new regulations are targeting.

Vietnam is not a the easiest place to make business for foreign companies. High personal income tax, too many regulations and no real path of how to walk through this jungle, corruption, and visa regulations are on top of the list. Yes, you can make (fast) money in Vietnam, but this system will not last for long.

Education is culture, not business

2010-03-29T08:09:00.003+07:00

I just came back form Singapore and on the plane I was thinking about what is the difference between Singapore and Vietnam. Of course, Singapore is way more developed. But what's the reason for that? I think at least on reason is education.
In Vietnam, education is a business and it's business driven. People are focussing on certificates and degrees, no matter what it is about. The curriculums are outdated, teacher's are clueless, and parents as well. Kids have to go to a international schools, but nobody cares about what they learn. So it's all about business and impress neighbors with the kids school uniform. (Doesn't mean by the way that this is not also reality in western countries).

But education is more, and that really makes the difference. It's culture. You not only learn, you have to learn THINKING. It's not so much about the result of the test, it's about your approach. It's about think different, be curious, think out if the box. Look for alternatives, try a different way. Learn from others, research information, share your knowledge. This is the fundament of good and successful education, but it lacks in Vietnam.

The state of the country is quite obvious when you look on women's fashion. It tells you a lot about the current status of development. The average middle class woman in Vietnam buys clothes because of famous brand names (although it's a fake) and try to be dressed sexy (although she looks like a prostitute). There is no real sense of how to combine colors and materials. Even better is the way people dressed on the motobike. No problem with sun protection, but why the hell everyone is just wearing what was available at the next corner? Because there is no sense of it.
Fashion is deeply connected to education and culture. The better you education, the more you understand (the need of) culture. The better you are dressed. and i am not talking of be dressed in western style. Actually there is nothing more attractive than asian women in traditional clothes. Transform the old patterns, fabrics and use of colors and you would have a nice local, but high level fashion trend.
Instead, its all about money. Look at average interior design of houses. I have seen only a few where you felt comfortable in - one was an ancient Vietnamese house from 18something somewhere n=in the Mekong Delta.

I am not complaining, I try to analyze and give some advise. What is part of education as well. So called soft skills are so important in these days, but I haven't seen any approach to teach this in Vietnam.

Experts are warning about the middle income trap for Vietnam. That actually means the Vietnam will not develop much further. I think that is a real threat. Cheap labor will not last forever, and then? Without having not only young, but creative, well educated people there is no way out.

Saigon Dogs Part III

2010-03-24T14:45:00.000+07:00

oday it's the story about a dog that is kept usually in the yard, but mostly on a chain. The owners "take" him out 10 meters, then tie the dog on a tree. They want him to poo and pee there. UPDATE: After I shot the video the owner actually walked with the dog for the first time, around the block, but better then nothing. I told the son again that he should better walk with the dog, and it's seems they start at least thinking about it.

I don't like the Earth Hour, but I like the message

2010-03-24T14:35:00.005+07:00

When I was at the Green Drinks Event in Saigon some weeks ago, a woman from WWF was talking about Earth Hour. She said (honestly) that it's a big PR campaign to raise awareness. Yes, that's true. My problem with the Earth Hour is, that it is actually nothing more than PR.

Technically it is ridiculous to shut off the lights for one hour. Light's are not consuming that much energy like a television or even computers. And it will have zero effect on climate change. Actually it can be worst because people using candles instead, they produce CO2 by burning wax and pollute the air.

Ok, so what's the message? It's about saving energy to save the planet. I like that. But I would like to see way more commitment to that goal than to switch off the lights for one hour. It's a bit like donating money for Haiti. Yes, it helps for now, but it's not really sustainable (at least this donation has a effect).
My concern is that many people will support the Earth Hour, will press big red buttons, but after they go back to business as usual. I would like to see announcements for Going Green, installing solar panels, support wind energy (Vietnam has ore than 3000 km coastline). Commitments by companies how they want to save energy.

I will be at Barcamp Singapore for the Earth Hour. What about a computer screens, do they count as a light?

Please vote for me!!!

2010-03-16T19:40:00.002+07:00

I am nominated for THE BOBS, an award for Podcasts and Blogs organized by The Deutsche Welle. Please support me by voting for my Podcast Wanhoffs Wunderbare Welt der Wissenschaft

Blogbox

Wanhoffs Wunderbare Welt der Wissenschaft

Average rating:

All comments (6)Create your own Blogbox!

Saigon Dog Stories Part II

2010-03-11T09:47:00.000+07:00

These puppies are around 2 months old. The owners keep them in the yard. It's enough space for them, they share it with a chicken. The mother dog is very protective, but not aggressive, and she can walk around the house. The only problem is that there is a lot of traffic so it's a matter of time when the first accident there happens.

Saigon Dog Stories Part I

2010-03-10T08:55:00.001+07:00

Some small reports about the way dogs were treated and kept in Saigon. Some best practise and roles models, but also some very sad stories. Today I show you two dogs that belongs to construction workers. At least in the morning the dogs are allowed to play around.

English speaking clubs in Saigon

2010-03-09T17:21:00.001+07:00

I am wondering if more free English speaking clubs would be helpful for students. My experience so far is that even if students pay up to 250.000 VND fee for English speaking clubs, they don't learn a lot. So I think foreigners have to step in and provide it for free. It's actually just an hour a week and both parties can learn from each other. I know that there are already some clubs, for example every Tuesday and Thursday 7pm to 8:15pm at Tomorrow Cafe locating at M1A That Son, Bac Hai area, Dist 10. Can anyone provide me more information?

tomato shortage in saigon

2010-03-07T19:07:00.001+07:00

tomato shortage in saigon
Originally uploaded by thomaswanhoff

Does anyone know why there is a shortage on tomatoes????

Marketing via Wifi - and how to do not

2010-03-04T13:12:00.004+07:00

When you go to a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf shop, you can use the Wifi there for free. What you need is a password. Usually shops say it's 12345 or 22222. Coffee Bean does better. The use their product names, like cafelatte or iceblended. Since many people more likely remember the internet password than a coffeeshop product, its a nice way of marketing.

Totally different does actually the Korean Company Angel-in-us. Ok, the name itself is silly, but their branch at Nguyen Hue Street does even better. See the screenshot of available networks and guess what the Angel-in-us one is.

Piano for 5000 USD or more

2010-03-04T13:11:00.004+07:00

Some people in Vietnam still have a lot to learn how to make business.

Breakthrough

2010-03-04T07:18:00.001+07:00

Breakthrough
Originally uploaded by thomaswanhoff

Listen to "Dog got biten" Episode

2010-03-03T18:43:00.002+07:00

Listen!

The ultimate food lovers map for Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)

2010-03-01T07:41:00.003+07:00

I created a map with restaurants in Saigon, and you can work on the map as well. Please add your favorite place! This map will be updated frequently

View Restaurants in Saigon in a larger map

The vietnam shoe dilemma

2010-02-27T11:59:00.001+07:00

the vietnam shoe dilemma
Originally uploaded by thomaswanhoff

There is so much to say about shoes in Vietnam. Usually people have sandals or flip flops. That's ok, as long as you wear them WITHOUT socks. Only German tourists do.
Then you have men with proper shoes, but for any reason the step on the heel part. That actually destroys the shoe. Women do that way more often. No idea why.
And then it comes to socks. It's a crime against any fashion rule to wear white socks with any kind of business shoes. White socks are for sport.
Unfortunately here in Vietnam either everything is sport or the message hasn't yet arrived. (When I was in Indonesia these days I got a complete different experience: blue socks for blue shoos, brown to brown, black to black).

There is a say that you can see style best in the shoes. You can wear a white T-shirt and blue jeans, the style comes with a high quality shoe.

Why expats are so important for countries like Vietnam

2010-02-26T11:11:00.003+07:00

Vietnams economy grows and grows. Investment banks aren't stopping to mention Vietnam as a good place for investment. so far so good. But is money the only issue? Does Vietnam just lack of cash? No. The biggest problem is still experience and education.

When it comes to global business, companies and business people in Vietnam still have less experience and knowledge. This is a bad news. but it's also an opportunity. Because help is there already.

The reason why expats work in developing countries is simple: They want to develop the country and - at the same time - markets and their own businesses. In many sectors foreign guidance is still neccessary.
Kenichi Ohno, research director at the Hanoi-based Japanese think tank, said recently:

Vietnam is still at stage one, which means simple manufacturing under foreign guidance... he country’s development has been “passive,” dependent on the “liberalization effect” after doi moi and large inflows of investment, capital and aid, and unable to create “internal value” to ensure sustainable growth.

The threat right now is that people are okay with the current situation. I know a lot of companies replacing expats with local staff. That might work in some cases. But overall, I think it is way to early to change the management positions. I know a lot of cases where companies failed. Most VN managers still have no mid- or longterm view, no idea of sustainability, of competition, of business rules in international markets.

See experts as support. Hiring an expat might be even cheaper than a consulting company. Expats are not just rich foreigners, they usually choose a lower living standard here and act more like a teacher.

Mantis in Phu My Hung

2010-02-24T07:22:00.002+07:00

Just saw this little creature this morning. A mantis looks always scary, even the small ones.

Mantodea or mantises is an order of insects that contains approximately 2,200 species in 9 families[1] worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. Most of the species are in the family Mantidae. Historically, the term "mantid" was used to refer to any member of the order because for most of the past century, only one family was recognized within the order; technically, however, the term only refers to this one family, meaning the species in the other eight recently-established families are not mantids, by definition (i.e., they are empusids, or hymenopodids, etc.), and the term "mantises" should be used when referring to the entire order. A colloquial name for the order is "praying mantises", because of the typical "prayer-like" stance, although the term is often misspelled as "preying mantis" since mantises are predatory.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantis

Wedding of Ray and Natasha

2010-02-21T08:52:00.001+07:00

wedding of ray and natasha
Originally uploaded by thomaswanhoff

Our friends Ray and Natasha had their official wedding in Jakarta this weekend. It was a muslim ceremony. Quite amazing to see the beautiful costumes, witnessing a wedding full of traditional procedures. Nice lunch, nice dinner, lot if fun, and yes, we went shopping too. Jakarta is somewhere between Bangkok and Singapore when it comes to how modern it is. And of course far ahead of Saigon :-)

Bear

2010-02-19T09:04:00.001+07:00

Bear
Originally uploaded by thomaswanhoff

This is a bear rescued from Wildlife at risk and brought to the rescue Center in Cu Chi. These gusy are doing a great job and need support!!

www.wildlifeatrisk.org

Al Fresco's: The very last attempt - and they failed

2010-02-18T19:41:00.002+07:00

Al Fresco's is a popular expat restaurant chain in Saigon. They have two branches in district 1 and a branch in district 7. We went a few times to the latter when we arrived in Vietnam. The food is Pizza, Burger, Mexican. The prices are high, the service was always bad. One year ago we went there and they screwed up again: They brought us something what we did not order, what we did order was suddenly not available anymore and even the bill was wrong. We complained, we got many excuses and left.

One year later: we found a 250.000 VND voucher today in our coupon bowl and decided to redeem it before its outdated. I ordered a Chicken Burger with avocado and bacon, my wife ordered a quesadilla. And again, something was wrong: No avocado on my burger, no avocado sauce with the quesadillas.
They did not tell us in advance, they did not tell us when the delivered the food. Only after I complained they said "we were running out of avocados, sorry". "But I will be charged the full price? Forget it, I answered." We told the manager, that this was the very last time and left. She offered us the dinner for free, but we gave her the 250.000 VND voucher and left.

Al Fresco's and Jaspas are popular for no reason. The food is average, the service is under average. They may speak english, but the staff has no skills in service.

This is the reason why I prefer local vietnamese restaurants. You get great food for less money. And the service is a least as good as what you pay for.

The most expat places are totally overpriced. I guess they survive because many expats don't dare to go to local places or just want to be with other expats. As this is not my lifestyle, I am safe. I avoid this places as much as I can. You should do as well.

We don't need no middle management

2010-02-10T11:57:00.000+07:00

I just read one of the most interesting and truthful articles ever. It proofes what I was thinking since a long time, that big companies suffer because of their middle management.
Joe Wilcox was wrinting abot Microsoft and why there is no innovation;

Based on communications with current and former employees, Microsoft's midriff problem is one of middling middle management. The number of middle mangers swelled over the last decade, and they also are the employees making key management decisions, which includes who gets laid off or fired and where the remaining people work.

There are two ways to structure a company: One is the old traditional way with a vertical hierarchy. That worked for thousand of years from Egypt to the Roman Empire and British one as well. The problem with vertical structures is the lack of horizontal levels. But that's where actually the work is done.

Lets have a look on a small company, like a coffee shop. You have some baristas, they are good in Coffee making and foam decoration. You have ONE shop manager, who is doing the administration work. Others are cleaners, waitresses, delivery boys. They all report to one manager. Scale it up to 3 coffee shops. Now the three supervisors will report to a new super-supervisor, who isnt in a coffeeshop anymore. . Scale it to 200 coffee shops and there will be more and more super-super-super-supervisors.
The question is: Why they have to report at all: Why they can't just send the numbers of profit and the orders of supply, and another department is just analyzing?
Reports are a dangerous virus, that has affected nearly every company, and they are usually useless. Nobody is reading that shit unless he or she is a middle-manager, whos only duty is to read reports and create new reports.

When Joe asked former Microsoft employees about the last layoffs, he got thsi answer:

Out of a starting staff of nearly 20, four remained, all managers. I'm not sure what they manage.

That's the point: Middle-Managers spend most of the time to keep their overpaid job. They lick asses to the superiors and kick asses of their employees. Sorry for the rude words, but that's how it works.

If you have a look on Sharepoint or Groove, than you will see that actually this so called collaboration software reflects the Microsoft dilemma. Instead of easy sharing it's actually more about structure and permissions. And because companies are used to Microsoft, they follow their way.

The question is: If Sharepoint and Groove are great tools to increase collaboraton with the goal of doing better, be more efficienct and innovative, why is Microsoft laying off people and the opposite of innovative? Because their products suck.

Look at Google on the other side: 20 percent time for own projects, leaner, sometime flat structure, less bureaucracy. Thats how you get ideas and new markets.

If you are a business in South-East-Asia and you want to improve the way your company works, let me know. My company and me can help you.

Farmer flat

2010-02-09T21:42:00.003+07:00

farmer flat
Originally uploaded by thomaswanhoff

Seen at Phu My Hung flower festival

Fountain in phu my hung

2010-02-09T21:42:00.001+07:00

fountain in phu my hung
Originally uploaded by thomaswanhoff

There is a flower festival in Phu My Hung at the new crescent buildings (opposite Saigon Paragon shopping center), and it's worth to go there. a lot of flowers of course, live bands, fruits and - most important - they sell Beer Lao in cans and bottles, the yellow and the dark one. Yummy. Go there alone, with your family, take your kids (and those from An Phu also your Nanny, driver, gardener, cook, ironing lady, back up ironing lady, maid, cleaner, shopper) and go there. Best parking behind Highlands Coffee or at Saigon Paragon.

Dognapping in Vietnam

2010-02-07T09:05:00.002+07:00

Listen!

Listen to this audioboo about dognapping in Vietnam. I forgot to mention that sometimes it is too easy for the thieves, because most dogowners don't really care about where their dogs are and what they do. So they roam around or sit in front of the house, easy to catch.

10 houses collapse because of construction work

2010-02-03T13:12:00.003+07:00

Well done, french construction company :-)

In a chilling domino effect, the collapse of a house in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City Sunday caused nine others in a row to collapse as well, but no casualties have been reported so far.
The incident happed at around 10.15 p.m. when some workers at the construction site of Saigon M&C building on Ton Duc Thang Street, District 1, were working on its third underground floor, witnesses said.
The workers then found artesian waters coming out from a small hole and very soon the water made it into a very big hole despite their efforts to fix it.

More: http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/?catid=3&newsid=55014

I can't believe that no one was hurt. I just hope that the company who did this is really paying compensation, nit just a few bucks

Illy Espressamente service in Phu My Hung improves

2010-02-01T18:16:00.002+07:00

I did a lot of criticism on Illy Espressamente in Saigon, especially the one in Phu My Hung. But since they do a customers survey, things changed a lot. First, I did a second attempt to ask for low fat milk (the first try was months ago and they said no), and suddenly one of the shift supervisors said "Yes, of course." Then I tried to do another step upwards on the service ladder and asked, if I can get a red invoice at the end of the month for all the purchases I did. Surprisingly the supervisor said "Yes, No problem, do you like us to collect the bills for you?" Boom. Never expected that. And yes, today I came in and they issued me the red invoice - I didn't even asked for.

But, there is one more thing. Having my coffee the waitress came to me and gave me money: "Sorry sir, last time you forgot to take your change money." That was 40.000 Dong, about 2 USD. I am impressed. I haven't expected this in Vietnam at all, but never ever at Illy (not that they would cheat, but it was one week ago since I was there and usually they just forget it).

I still think the male staff needs way more training and the female staff should more deal with the customers but I know that a long way.

Samba Dancer Saigon

2010-01-31T20:59:00.001+07:00

Samba Dancer Saigon
Originally uploaded by thomaswanhoff

I have no idea why the Saigon Paragon chosed Samba Dancers for the New Year performances. but if you want to see them, go there every evening between 19 and 21 h. They do some Samba Dancing.

The fast growth in Vietnam

2010-01-27T07:54:00.002+07:00

This is something rather personal than an analysis. When I was passing by the bridge that leads from Thon Duc Tang to Quan 4, I remembered that just 1.5 years ago when we arrived so many things were different. Within this short period of time the Saigon Paragon was build, opened and has already its first anniversary coming. Although its still empty, its a landmark. Or look at the parking place where my wife learned driving a motobike: it's now the foundation of the crescent mall (200 retails shops? Do they know that most of the retail shops in Phu My Hung are for rent?).
Or the office building behind Unilever: There are finished now, so is the bridge - a shortcut from Unilever to the Australian International School. Look at the buildings at the so called Canal Street in Phu My Hung: People living now in, frozen yoghurt shops opened, and the Photo shop turned already into a nice cafe (PF Cafe). Oh, and the Calmette bridge opened as well as the Highway connecting Quan 8 and Quan 1. and last but not least the Phu My Bridge connects District 7 and District 8.
Vietnam is changing dramatically everyday, business open and close, buildings rise and fall so does companies. I always say there is no sustainability in Vietnam, and I am pretty sure there isn't, but on the other side there is this fast rising of new things which I kind of like. I look for change, for development, and wether its the right or wrong direction> Vietnam is developing, thats for sure. And thats what I was missing in Germany.

How to work efficient and enjoy live

2010-01-18T10:14:00.004+07:00

As many know I work mainly from my home office. For two reasons: The office of the company I am invested is not that comfortable and I don't have to be present there all day. Second, I want to work more efficient, and mist offices (and business owners) just don't allow this. I want to list some reasons why and how I work very efficient and can ensure quality of work as well as quality of life.

1. Check your emails in the morning from home, on the way to the office or in any coffee shop. But don't do this in the office. Why? Because you will get disturbed there by colleagues, paperwork, phone calls.

2. Turn off Skype and other IM as much as you can. They are time killers. Turn Skype really OFF if you have to work on a presentation. It saves you time!

3. Schedule meetings for one hour and be prepared. Have a agenda. Share your notes with others using collaboration tools.

4. Don't do multitasking, It simply doesn't work most of the time. Exception: While downloading 20 GB you can work on a document. While driving from A to B you can check emails.

5. Use mindmaps, Believe it or not, but they save you time in meetings, while thinking.

6. Have lunch. You and your brain needs a rest. It's important.

7. Finish your work in time: There is always another email that needs to be done. If so, answer it on the way home or even at home. No problem with that. Your family will appreciate your early arrivals even if you answer a email after playing basketball with the boys in daylight.

8. Work with To-Do-Lists. Only only list is better than several lists. Use tools with checkboxes for it (Outlook has it build in), and tools that work with your mobile, so you can manage your to dos anywhere.

9. Enjoy life.

10. Add more ideas in the comments section.

Qype: Saigon Paragon in Ho Chi Minh City

2010-01-12T11:15:00.001+07:00

Ho Chi Minh City - Shopping - Shopping Malls

The Saigon Shopping Center is one of the landmarks in the new urban area Phu My Hung. at night yiu see the skytrackers getting attention. It's build as a luxury shopping mall, so expect some fashion shops, jewelry, watches. That's pretty much it. No international brands beside Levi's and Esprit. All products are incredible expensive. Do not expect the sellers to have any idea about what they are selling, so no advice from them or any explanation. No western sizes above 34 for men available.
The food court in the basement is not bad, yet no real luxury atmosphere but reasonable prices.
The still strange thing is that the co-owners, the Khai Silk Cooperation, think that they will attract customers playing loud music outside the building.
Main reason for many people to go to this place is actually the cinema in the 5th floor. International standard, although not many movies on the schedule.

Check out my review of Saigon Paragon - I am thomaswanhoff - on Qype

Qype: Yogen Fruz in Ho Chi Minh City

2010-01-12T11:04:00.001+07:00

Ho Chi Minh City - Eating & Drinking - Cafes & Coffee Shops - Juice, Shakes & Smoothies

Frozen yoghurt just reached Vietnam, and more and more shops are popping up. Yogen Fruz is a international franchise with at least two shops, one in District 1 at Ngyuen Thi Minh Khai and the other one in Phu My Hung at the Canal Street.
They have low calorie yoghurts with a lt of different stuff to blend and as a topping. What I liked is that only the staff touches the yoghurt machine, what gives you a bit more guarantee than the self service shops. Staff is also very helpful with the selection process (which is a bit confusing at the beginning). They speak good english as well and are very friendly.
Prices are a bit high, but after a view visits we already got some discount coupons.
My favourite is Vanilla low fat no sugar blended with strawberrys and topped with coconut and almond.

Check out my review of Yogen Fruz - I am thomaswanhoff - on Qype

Qype: Rock it in Ho Chi Minh City

2010-01-12T10:49:00.001+07:00

Ho Chi Minh City - Eating & Drinking - Pubs & Bars - Pubs

A new venue in town, classic sports bar wit a pool table, many tv screens showing ESPN and Star Sports. It's located in the so called Lucky Plaza mall, just go upstairs and you will find it. Best tables are the ones with a view on the Nguyen Hue street.
Try the pizza, the 15inch is about 200.000 VND and more than enough for 2 people.
It's a modern places for tourists, expats and middle class locals, so its clean and they have english speaking staff. Free Wifi and Happy Hours for draft beer. Expects Burgers and Salads for a reasonable price.

Check out my review of Rock it - I am thomaswanhoff - on Qype

Vegetarian restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City / Saigon

2010-01-05T18:19:00.004+07:00

I already mentioned the variety of vegetarian food in Vietnam. It's mainly based on the buddhism and the meat-free-day during full moon. So many people go to vegetarian or vegan restaurant, how it's called here.
We recently went to a new place, called The Loving Hut. It seems to be a branch of an Australian Vegan Food Chain. It's located in District 7, right behind the Lotte Mart (if you come from District 4, turn left after the Lotte Mart, turn left again on the next corner and then follow the street about 300 Meter. It's a 242 Le Van Luong Street.
Prices are average, around 40.000 VND for a dish. The presentation is just great, the restaurants (one month open) is clean, nice decorated. The staff is friendly and speaks some English.
See some pictures below

This is called Fried Tofu Rolls

We also ordered Tofu BBQ skewers

Find below a map with all the Vegetarian restaurants (and some other nice locations)

View Restaurants in Saigon in a larger map

Vietnams economy and the future - face reality

2010-01-04T10:09:00.003+07:00

On the weekend I read the probably best article about the economic reality in Vietnam since a long time. It was published by Thanh Nien News in a special report. If you, dear reader, are interested in Vietnams development, then read carefully what the experts say about the middle income trap. Some quotes:

Jonathan Pincus, dean of the Fulbright Economics Teaching Program, said Vietnam’s approach to lower middle-income status is still based on growth that draws from “moving people out of very low-productivity activities.

Growth for middle-income countries must be based on “mastering new technologies, producing more sophisticated goods, breaking into new markets and improving workers’ skills,” Pincus said.

The country’s development has been “passive,” dependent on the “liberalization effect” after doi moi and large inflows of investment, capital and aid, and unable to create “internal value” to ensure sustainable growth.

Vietnam is still some years away from the middle-income trap, he said, “but since it takes a long time to build the institutions of a modern economy, it is never too early to start.”

Why do I like this article so much? Because it show the reality: Vietnam may developed a middle class, but this class represents a small percentage and is mainly based on cash. People got rich and wealthy by selling assets like land and gold, some by getting licences from foreign companies. The Vietnamese value comes only from rice, coffee and fish. There is no industrial good Vietnam is able to export. Beside food there is not much left that is produced in Vietnam. so the country needs innovation and improvment. That's the challenge for 2010.

hard rock cafe ho chi minh city

2010-01-02T22:26:00.001+07:00

hard rock cafe ho chi minh city
Originally uploaded by thomaswanhoff

We went to the Hard Rock Cafe at Hai Ba Trung today. It's what you expect: A Hard Rock Cafe. Good Burgers, good music, beer and music memorabilia. Really pricey, 300.000 for the burger and 80.000 for a beer is up-market. So mu suggestion is come Tuesday to Thursday when it's not overcrowded and have a Saigon Beer for 60.000, the cheapest beer. Arrive after 8pm, so you can enjoy the band. The current band rocks the house and they are in town until January 31st.

my dog cant read the sign

2009-12-29T10:07:00.001+07:00

my dog cant read the sign
Originally uploaded by thomaswanhoff

So the Phu My Hung management decided to ban walking on the gras. First, my dogs can't read, so sorry. I will not walk barefoot as mentioned on the sign :-) Actually, I don't really understand why they do it (and why they don't explain). The kids really love to play on the gras, and I think it's actually important for them to feel a bit of gras instead only concrete and tiles.

Vietnam, standards, rules and quality

2009-12-28T10:46:00.004+07:00

When I came back form Thailand, I was thinking, what is it that makes Thailand so far ahead of Vietnam? One thing I discovered is a better understanding of standards. Although the majority of Thais are working the asian way, you will see way more standards then in Vietnam.

Why standards are important?
If you have standards and everyone follows them, you make life just easier. You can connect people, services, businesses. But it requires a kind of mutual agreement on the standards. Let's say traffic lights: Stop on a red light is a standard. If everyone follows the standard, you can regulate traffic, avoid traffic jam and make it safe to cross the street (if you have green light). In Vietnam it's different: Still many people just ignore that.
Look at English: It's a standard for international business communication. It's makes business just easier if there is no language barrier. But in Vietnam English skills are still an issue.

What is the relation to rules?
There are two ways to implement standards, and you have to go both ways, not just one. The first way is that people need to understand the meaning of standards, the benefits. Like power plugs: If your electronic device would need 550 Volt, nobody would buy it because you can't really recharge it - the standard is 220 Volt. So everyone works with 200 Volt. Easy to understand and to follow.
The second way are rules: You need to establish the standard by laws, regulations, business practice. And you have to enforce it. So the government just decide to have 220 Volt, and everyone has to follow that. A letter size is a standard (although there are many different one).

So what about standards in Vietnam?
although there are a lot of rules and standards in Vietnam, I see a lack of enforcing them from all sides. Government is struggeling to implement the laws and rules in lower levels, mainly because of a lack of money and staff, and businesses don't really care. Following standards means do the same like your competitor - and this is something some people want to avoid.
Everyones does what he wants do do his way. People decide from traffic light to traffic light if the follow the traffic law. In their job, they even decide of the follow the working flow process or not. That leads us to quality.

Standards are the base for quality
You can only assure quality if you follow standards. Mostly your own standards. Every product you produce has to be the same and the same quality. You don't make good shoes on Monday and bad shoes on Tuesday. And this is exactly the biggest problem in Vietnam: The lack of understanding why quality is so important. Nobody like to pay for surprises, you like to know what you get in advance. A five star hotel is usually a international standard, with certain prices, facilities, service, quality of accommodation. Not so in Vietnam: Prices follow the rule. the rest not (if it's local owned and managed). Even my hairdresser around the corner, who speaks well English, spend a lot of time with foreigners (and was even abroad), don't get it. Sometimes you get a arm massage while having shampoo, sometimes not. The restaurants serve tra da sometimes, but not always. The citimart has muesli sometimes, sometimes not. The mens wear shop has Size 32 sometimes, sometimes not. There are hundreds or more examples.

Conclusion: What to do?
I think it's important to educate about the meaning of rules, standards and quality. And to implement enforcement. (There is a reason why shoemaking companies hire Philippines for the quality control management). If Vietnam doesn't start to work on that now, it will loose money and time. The government is asking for more exports. That will only works if the products are following international standards.

My christmas video

2009-12-23T16:55:00.000+07:00

Mangez Buvez Gavez / It's not Food! from DavidMyriam on Vimeo.

Chinas true face in Kopenhagen

2009-12-23T08:32:00.001+07:00

This is a fascinating report about the way China was acting in Kopenhagen. It shows that China is ignorning the world community and gives a shit about climate change. A reporter of the Guardian was part of a delegation and attended the close-door-meeting of the state leaders.

What I saw was profoundly shocking. The Chinese premier, Wen Jinbao, did not deign to attend the meetings personally, instead sending a second-tier official in the country's foreign ministry to sit opposite Obama himself. The diplomatic snub was obvious and brutal, as was the practical implication: several times during the session, the world's most powerful heads of state were forced to wait around as the Chinese delegate went off to make telephone calls to his "superiors".

Cheated by a shirt printing company

2009-12-19T11:46:00.002+07:00

I am really pissed about the barcamp shirts. They were not only quite expensive but also the worst quality I have ever seen. They have actually a self-destroy mode, so better don't wash them. The company, aothun.vn, provided us not only ridiculous small sizesm but also a very bad printing. They also made it to change a sponsors name although we provided them all the logos. See below, how a shirts from Barcamp 2007 in Germany looks like after at least 20 washings, a Bangkok Shirt after at least 10 washings and the recent Barcamp Saigon Shirt after one washing.

Invasion of English language?

2009-12-15T07:35:00.003+07:00

I just read a editors comment on VietnamNet Bridge about the threat of English overcoming Vietnamese language. I tried to send a comment via the website, but got an error back. So i post it here:

Dear Editor, what I don't understand in this country is the lack of ability to even think about if others may have the same problem and how they solved it.
First: English is not a threat, because nearly nobody really speaks English. Second: Vietnam is part of the planet earth, people traveling around this planet. It's a continuos cultural exchange. Like coffee came to Vietnam, Or cars. electricity. so do some English words. You will find english words in German, French words in English, Chinese words in Vietnamese. Instead of complaining about foreign influence Vietnam should take advantage of. India is developing so well because of the English skills there. Even people in Cambodia speak better English. The lack of English in Vietnam is an obstacle for some investors. But: I agree that schools must teach Vietnamese. It must also remain as the official and main language. But if you communicate with the world outside, some words may come back.

For any reason I see a lot of complains coming up about any foreign influence. Stricter Visa regulations, investments process changes, import restrictions. I concerned about it.
Once the german wall felt 1989, people in eastern Germany complained about the foreigners (a lot of them Vietnamese) allegedly taking their jobs. That was nonsense, Frankfurt City alone had more foreigners living there than whole eastern Germany. But, for some people it was easier to complain about the foreigners instead of solving the problem and just creating jobs. Yes, we can learn from history to make it better, not the same.

Barcamp Saigon Review

2009-12-14T09:03:00.000+07:00

Listen!

When numbers and figures no longer are keys to everything created

2009-12-10T09:53:00.002+07:00

This country is so focussed on numbers and figures that nobody cares really about what's behind (actually the whole world likes numbers, but in Vietnam is the lack of quality more obvious)

Thats why I post this old Novalis poem, written 1801, and he was so absolutely right.

"When numbers and figures no longer"

When numbers and figures no longer
Are keys to everything created,
When those who sing or kiss
Know more than the learned scholars,
When the world returns to a free life
And the whole world rewinds,
Then once more light and shadow will couple
To produce genuine clarity,
And people will recognize that the true histories of the world
Lie in fairy tales and poems,
Then at a single secret word
This whole wrongheaded existence will fly away.

where are the reindeers gone? santa claus in saigon

2009-12-08T10:33:00.001+07:00

where are the reindeers gone? santa claus in saigon
Originally uploaded by thomaswanhoff

Where are the reindeers gone? Santa Claus as seen in this picture is now being brought to the next spot by a Xe Om, what a motobike taxi is called in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, also know as Saigon.
The economic hotspot of the booming south-east country is in christmas fever. Although mainly a buddist country, there are many christians living in the southern part of Vietnam, and one of the main landmarks in Town is the Cathedral.
But in general Christmas is used as a sales and promotion time, that why big shopping malls have beautiful decorated outside areas where every evening hundred of people stop by and taking pictures with their family members.

Ecotourism in Vietnam

2009-12-08T07:42:00.003+07:00

I just read an article about Ecotourism in general and in in Vietnam in particular on Vietnambridge

I mentioned:

The director of the Institute for Tourism Development Research, a member of the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), Dr Ha Van Sieu, said there was a growing trend among world tourists to head for undiscovered rural destinations, where local populations led simpler and often poorer lives.

1. Growing trend doesn't mean that you can close the beach resorts. It' still on a small level in total numbers and I am sure it will remain.
2. There are at least two types of eco tourists: The one who are interested in local culture, but don't want to be local. The expect to be driven two the spot by an airconditioned bus, without wasting two much time for travelling, and of course the accommodation must be 4 star plus. The love to see a solar panel in the roof top and a brochure mentioning the reuse of waste water. Thats the majority of eco tourists.
Only a few are really the one who walk three hours to get a great panoramic view, sleeping under a moskito net or even try a home stay.

Nguyen Phuong Anh, deputy head of VNAT’s Hotel Department, said that tourism businesses had left certain scars on the environment via the consumption of resources, energy, food and other materials, as well as the discharge of waste and noise pollution.

The "asian" tourism might have left these scars. The cheap and poorly managed hotels. The one where the local people stay as well as the Koreans and Chinese. I know at least one case where a hotel company tried to set up a new hotel in a rural area and gave up, because the local authorities didn't cooperate. They demanded more money and more money. Just stop giving licenses to the one who pay the most. And: A golf course is NOT eco. That leads to the other problem: Vietna is perfect in labeling things without having any idea what the meaning is.

According to a survey presented by SNV Nepal – where Viet Nam learned about promoting responsible tourism – 70 per cent of American, British and Australian travellers said that they would pay up to $150 more for a two-week stay in a hotel with a "responsible environmental attitude".

I bet this is just not true. They may say it, but clearly don't do it. Otherwise we would have a boom in eco tourism. But it's still a niche market.

People travel mainly to relax and enjoy their holidays. They may be interested in another culture, but not for two weeks. Like german tourists, where tour operator know that in the second week they must serve westrn food in the hotels, because the tourists are done with local food.

The problem in Vietnam with the low number of tourists and the even lower number of repeaters ist still infrastructure. It takes too long to go to certain palces, and when you are there, nothing is around. No restaurants, bars, entertainment.

What you need to know about Herbalife

2009-12-07T14:06:00.005+07:00

This is for my Vietnamese friends who may know not much about Multilevelmarketing. Herbalife finally arrived in Vietnam. :-(

It's actually a pyramid scheme, that means you start a business selling a product, and then instead of finding just customers, you find also (or instead) new sellers. They again find news sellers, and so it goes all the way down to the ones at the bottom, who are not able to find sellers anymore. But as long as there are people joining the program, it's actually legal. So Herbalife is a legal business (although I am not sure if you may need a business license and work permit in Vietnam as a seller), I would call it unethical.

Usually MLM means people try to sell to their friends and family and their friends and family.

The basic system is not bad, Tupperware is doing a great job for example, but they take care of both, the products and their sellers. Other, like Herbalife, put a lot of pressure on sellers, usually more psychological. You will find yourself easily in a trap once you joined this world.
They may promise you a lot of money (and easy to make, but it's not easy, believe me. So don't quit your job, eat fruits and all the other healthy vietnamese food and you don't need that Herbalife powder.)

That's what other says about Herbalife and MLM:

Wikipedia:

Scheme Alert:Herbalife Warning Signs of Financial Harm and Deception Abound at Herbalife
Herbalife, one of the oldest and largest America-based multi-level marketing schemes exemplifies most of the classic warnings signs of a financial trap, a pyramid scheme and marketing program that is steeped in deception.

... 2004 settlement resolved a class action suit on behalf of 8700 former and current distributors that accused the company and distributors of "essentially running a pyramid scheme." A total of $6 million was to be paid out, with defendants not admitting guilt.
In a California class action suit, Minton v. Herbalife International, et al., the plaintiff is "challenging the marketing practices of certain Herbalife International independent distributors and Herbalife International under various state laws prohibiting "endless chain schemes", insufficient disclosure in assisted marketing plans, unfair and deceptive business practices, and fraud and deceit". [25]

Consumerfraudreporting.com: In a legitimate MLM company, commissions are earned only on sales of the company's products or services. No money may be earned from recruiting alone ("sign-up fees"). One must analyze the compensation plan to determine whether participants are paid from actual sales to customers and not from money received from new recruits. If participants are paid primarily from money received from new recruits, then the company is an illegal pyramid or Ponzi scheme

.

The FTC about MLM

Hubpages, a personal view:

HerbaLife makes the big bucks not by selling nutritional supplements, but by recruiting folks to become distributors.These distributors buy up a certain lot amount of the company's products, sample them, and try to sell them. More importantly, though, the newly-minted distributors are "encouraged" to recruit their friends and family (and anyone else they know) to become distributors too. And when I say "encouraged", I mean that the company will pretty much twist your arm in order to have you find new recruits. Weekly meetings, HerbaLife newsletters, company-wide e-mails, etc., will all repeat the company core motto until it comes out of your ears: recruit, recruit, recruit!.
Of course, there is an incentive to finding new distributors: a portion of their earnings on products gets kicked up to you. And likewise, part of your earnings get kicked up to whoever recruited you. And so it goes, until the very few people at the top of this pyramid scheme rake in the big bucks while you drive around in your car with big boxes of muscle-building protein powder. It's multi-level marketing (MLM), plain and simple.

So better apply for a regular job. Or even go to a casino (where at least you make yourself unhappy, but not others)

Our work is like a cappuccino (or Coffee latte)

2009-12-03T13:44:00.004+07:00

I don't remember where I picked that up years ago, but I liked this description: Our work is like a cappuccino. The coffee, that's our day job, what we do fro 9 to 5 and where me make a living from. Then we have some other work, we do that in our free time or on weekends, where we create websites for others, repair cars, sell art, whatever. We like that work, and we make some money from. We call it the milk foam or cream on top. And then there is the work we do as a volunteer, helping elderly people in the neighborhood, organizing summer camps, joining school committees. We like it, but there is no money coming from. That's the chocolate on top.

Now, my work was pretty much like a cappuccino for years. I worked for a newspaper, got well payed, did some public relations on the side where I got some money to buy a new computer or stuff like that, and then I was organizing rock music events and stand up comedy nights, what I liked a lot, but what actually cost me money.

The change

I actually first changed my coffee taste. I switched from Cappuccino to Coffee latte. A Coffee latte is made out of one or two shots espresso and then a huge amount of milk. And I thought by myself, why not changing my work like that: Having some work like and espresso, where still a lot of money is coming from but in less time, and using the remaining time for the kind of work what you like, but is less paid? The hot milk? (Ok, you still can put chocolate on top)

The situation in Vietnam

Cappuccino and Coffee latte isn't well known in Vietnam, people here are drinking Ca Phe sua da, that means Coffee with sweet milk and ice. But that actually describes their work as well. The very strong coffee is the daily hard work people are doing here. There is only a small amount of that sweet milk, where they can make money on the side. But there is a lot of ice in the glass, and thats the family duties: Caring for the parents and relatives, borrowing money to family members, helping them out with other stuff. No chocolate work, because you don't really like it.

In Germany we used to have filter coffee, usually black. Even that fits if you see German people are very focussed on their work, drinking strong coffee without any milk and sugar, only doing their job. Hmm, what about the so called american coffee? That's left for the comments section...

(Pictures by Thomas Wanhoff, http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnnystiletto, http://www.flickr.com/photos/giovannijl-s_photohut under Creative Commons Licence

Another funny (and wrong) story about the dreams of Vietnam tourism

2009-12-02T14:04:00.005+07:00

This article was available at VietnamBridge.net, and this is such a perfect example of bad journalism. There are just so many facts wrong. See my comments in brackets.

VietNamNet Bridge – Representatives of the German national airline say the air carrier plans to open the direct air route Hanoi-Berlin during the visit of Andreas Timmerman, Director of the Foreign Trade and Trade Promotion Department under the Economy Ministry of Brandenburg state.

(There is no National Airline in Germany anymore, but they may mean Lufthansa. Why they don't name it? andreas Timmermann by the way is a more low ranking director in one of the poorest states in Germany).

Currently, Vietnam’s national air flag carrier Vietnam Airlines only provides flights from Hanoi and HCM City to Frankfurt.

At a recent meeting with leaders of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), an airline spokesperson said that Berlin is now the third biggest airport in Europe and has been upgraded and expanded.
(That can't be true, because actually Berlin is Number 28 in Europes airports and number 4 in Germany, needs to be upgraded and expanded, but isn't so. There are plans to build a new one in the future by 2012. Oh, and by the way there are actually 2 airports in Berlin, Tegel and Schönefeld)

In 2008, the airport served 21.4 million passengers, including 17 million transit passengers and 200,000 passengers who flew on Hanoi-Berlin route.

(Wikipedia says its 14,5 Million passengers in total. As far as I know ther is NO direct flight form Berlin to Hanoi for now. Actually there are just a few intercontinental flights from Berlin)

Confirming the intention to open the Hanoi-Berlin direct air route, the airline hopes the direct flights will help meet demands of businessmen and tourists traveling from Germany to Hanoi, especially the demand of tens of thousands of Vietnamese people living, working and studying in Germany.

(Yes, including those who are forced to leave Germany because they are illegal immigrants. Lufthansa has a strong focus on profitable business routes, and not so much about tourists).

Currently, Vietnam’s national air flag carrier Vietnam Airlines only provides flights from Hanoi and HCM City to Frankfurt.

(Yes, for a reason. The market isn't big enough for flights from Berlin. Frankfurt and Munic are still the big hubs for tourists.)

In addition, on November 30 the prospect of further cooperation and tourism development between the two sides as well as cultural exchange activities and trade promotion were discussed. These are slated to be held on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the relation establishment in 2010.

(It's not clear who was talking to each other. What would Lufthansa has to do with cultural exchange?? And why should a low ranking state official who is just involved in foreign trade of that particular state be allowed to speak in the name of whole Germany and Lufthansa??))

In addition, VNAT will organize a roadshow in Germany to display Vietnam’s tourist image

s. (Thanks. If it's like the other VN roadshows and trade fair apperances, you better use ATR's for the flights - you won't sell more than 20 seats)

Deputy Head of VNAT Hoang Thi Diep said that VNAT will propose the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to set up a tourism office in Germany soon.

(Really? Isn't that done by a local tour operator for now? And how this is going to be? Blue plastic chairs, metal tables, overexposured posters on the wall and 20 years old brochures combined with staff that barely speaks english and no German at all?)

Go back to journalism class, writer and start from beginning!

Collaboration and Contribution

2009-11-30T16:03:00.004+07:00

While Google Wave is opening more and more some people still struggle with what it is for. The main reason is that collaboration isn't quite common and often misunderstood.
I just had the case when someone was think that collaboration means everyone is allowed to do everything (or even nothing). That might be a nice view in some political systems (end even there are different pigs as we learned), but actually collaboration means working together to build something. It comes from the latin word of labor, which means work. You create something together. Thats why collaboration and contribution is kind of tied together. Without contribution there is no collaboration.

So what is contribution? Let's say you want to build a house together and you ask your friends to help. You need an architect, someone who knows what kind of material you need and how to get it and then you need people to put brick on brick. The goal is to have a nice house. It's not how much someone contributed, it's about the quality of contribution. You would not see a lot of help if someone is always saying that he did it different or even better. You would like him to do better with your house, make a better design or mix the cement better or whatever.

That's why people who see Google Wave as a chat fail. That's why people who see a volunteer project as a chat fail. That's why you fail in your company when you not raise your hand when tasks need to be assigened. It's not just giving your opinion. It's about taking action.

Apple and the app store discussion

2009-11-20T15:15:00.004+07:00

Just got a link to Paul Grahams essay about why Apple is doing wrong with the approval of apps.

He writes:

The way Apple runs the App Store has harmed their reputation with programmers more than anything else they've ever done.

Although many programmers are using Apple, it's not only build for them. I guess the problem why programmers are complaining is simple greediness. They expect their share from the big app business and wonder, why apple shuts the door.

Paul says:

Their fundamental problem is that they don't understand software...They treat iPhone apps the way they treat the music they sell through iTunes.

Yes, and this is understandable. Because it's their shop and they are responsible. Yes, they are doing mistakes with delayed approvals and some denies were wrong. That happens. But in general, from a users perspective, I totally agree in Apples rules.

Another quote is about the delayed appoval of updates:

By breaking software development, Apple gets the opposite of what they intended: the version of an app currently available in the App Store tends to be an old and buggy one.

So Apple says to programmers, please develop the best product first and submit then, instead of being fast and then send update after update. That what I would call Quality Management. Yes, I do like updates when the fix bugs, But I like more products with no bugs at all and updates with new features.

The misconception is that programmers might see themselfs now as part of Apple, not as the community anymore. Before, they may developed Software for Apple Computers, but not for Uncle Steve himself. Now they may see themself as kind of freelancers and wonder, why Steve still doesn't like to talk to them.

It's kind of simple today to have your own iphone app done within days. That makes things messy. It's like maintaining a big market hall: Once people selling rotten beef, you need to take action. If they don't keep their booth clean, they need to be punished. If they cheat as well. It's your market hall. They can make some nice money. But they can't takeover.

P.S.: One more thing. Paul says:

The main reason there are so many iPhone apps is that so many programmers have iPhones. They may know, because they read it in an article, that Blackberry has such and such market share. But in practice it's as if RIM didn't exist. If they're going to build something, they want to be able to use it themselves, and that means building an iPhone app.

I disagree. I think the reason is because the SDK is a great tool for programmers, iphone is a consumers phone and not a business phone and it has a great usability. That's why Nokia Ovi store is still struggling.

Andrea Hamilton at Yoko (Saigon)

2009-11-18T11:20:00.002+07:00

Just a snippt form a concert by Andrea Hamilton, US singer/songwriter. I kind of like her music. Find more at www.andreahamiltononline.com

Listen!

Customer relations

2009-11-16T16:57:00.002+07:00

I have probably 20 different discount cards in my purse. Usually I collect stamps and have to give the coffee shop, supermarket or what ever my email, phone number, address. That's what the text book says: Collect customer data.
Unfortunately the 2nd edition seems not available in Vietnam (as in many other countries as well) or it's just to expensive: It's the one that tells you what to do with this data.

Today I got a email from Just Men Spa. I was a customer until one day I got the worst service ever (yes Tim, I learned my lesson). I complained, they send me an email and apologized in a very general way - and that it. Today they told me they have a new email address.

For any reason businesses are trying to avoid any direct contact with customers. Again, not only in Vietnam. What's the reason for that? They just don't care? They don't know how to do? It's to expensive?

Technology nowadays makes it so convenient and easy to communicate with your customers in an individualized, personalized way - but instead companies throwing all the money into advertising and - in Vietnam - promotion girls.

I guess, we have to develop this market.

News consumption in the morning

2009-11-05T10:34:00.002+07:00

How how you get the news? Print, TV, Radio or online?

Listen!

Men sit while they pee

2009-11-05T10:28:00.001+07:00

Listen!

My new english podcast

2009-11-04T16:28:00.002+07:00

I decided to use Audioboo for my new english language podcast from vietnam. Have fun with maximum 3 minutes episodes about living in Vietnam (what is a great pleasure), getting news from Vietnam and my thoughts.

That's an audioboo about noise (I loove that topic):
Listen!

View from Canh Vien - Phu My Hung

2009-11-03T18:24:00.001+07:00

View from Canh Vien - Phu My Hung
Originally uploaded by thomaswanhoff

Superrich expats need urgent....

2009-11-02T13:11:00.002+07:00

... an ironing lady. Before I came to Vietnam I don't even knew that this exists. But apperently it does. Found this in my mailbox:

Hi all,
I am looking for a person who can help out with the laundry, or just
ironing. Two mornings a week could be good enough. If you know some
one with good references please let me know.

Notice the "just ironing".

My wife and me are both working and I always do the ironing by myself. I just wonder if all these expat have a ironing lady at home as well?

Marketing in Vietnam

2009-11-01T10:01:00.004+07:00

My friend Matt will laugh again, because I am again complaining about something that is very common in Vietnam: loud music. Whenever I see (or in that case) hear something new and different, I ask why it is like it is. So why there is so much loud music here?
First of all I learned that there are different ways to play loud music:
In Bars/Coffee shops
During any kind of public event
In shopping centers
In front of shopping center

Only bars and restaurants use the music as a (kind of) entertainment for customers, everything else is the so called marketing. Yes, even public events want to attract people with the music.

In Vietnam, people are used to get "information" through loudspeakers since the communist party made public announcements and broadcasts of important speeches of the leader for years (and still do it). While it's not so common in downtown Saigon and modern residential areas anymore, you will still have this experience in provinces and especially in Hanoi.

What we would call propaganda was the first step into marketing in the Vietnamese understanding. Peopel are used to get announcements through loudspeakers.

But why so loud?
My theory includes two reasons: One is: The louder the music, the more people in far distance will here it (what is usually technically wrong since they use loudspeakers who don't really take it for a far distance but were built to provide a clear sound). So actually it's more a stopper when you pass by.

Second reason is: If it's loud, people don't have to talk to each other. That may sound a bit like conspiracy, but I believe there is some truth behind. Silence means you can reflect yourself, you can think. Noise is exactly the opposite. So if you don't want that people think too much, make some noise.

So marketing in Vietnam means "getting attraction" Nothing more. Maybe "be the loudest and the most impressive". You will not see any real branding behind this, no product information, not even anything that is building an emotional relationship to the product.

The best example is the Saigon Paragon Shopping Center (here it comes, Matt, thanks for waiting). They try to attract customers by putting huge loudspeaker systems in front of and right beside a Rolls Royce. The message: "Hey stop, there is something special".
I am sure the Rolls might be special enough as it is the impressive building. But still not customers. So they try the Vietnamese marketing way. Loud music and banners. But still no customers. Why?

Just because they target the wrong audience: If you are selling cheap shirts on Trang Hung Dao it would make sense to attract the commuters with a sound system outside. Because they are your targeted audience.

At Saigon Paragon, most of the people passing by are residents of Riverside and Canh Vien or construction workers and service staff. The latter just can't afford the Saigon Paragon, while the residents already know that it's there.
Also, the products are high price products. Omega for example, well known parfum brands. Luxury and noise doesn't really fit (except you buy a Ferrari). Silence is a luxury itself, as you can see in 5-Star-Hotels all over the world.

Customers who can afford the products at Saigon Paragon will compare this to the shopping centers outside Vietnam (like the real Paragon in Bangkok). And the one in Vietnam just fails. Not enough choice, nice design, but not for a shopping center as you can't really see what kind of shops are there, because the view is blocked by escalators, bored and totally untrained staff and a so called food court where I am sure - they planned the garage for motobikes.

I am pretty sure that Saigon Paragon and the shops inside don't even make enough money to pay the rent. and that's mainly because of wrong concept and a wrong understanding of marketing.

Oh, if you don't believe me, have a look on Julian Treasure TED talk, where he spoke about the effects of sounds. A bad sound environment drops down productivity in offices by 66 percent while sales in retail by 28 percent.

What if we got our tail back?

2009-10-22T08:40:00.001+07:00

How to not apply for a job

2009-10-20T18:10:00.004+07:00

There is a private expat mailing list with nearly 1000 members, and one was offering a job in a web company, creative stuff and client services.

This was one reply on the list (XXX is done by me to anonymise it)

Hello XXXXXX,
I have over 12 years of experience in (Digital) Marketing,
communication and sales. I have a master in web usability as well and
realized start ups as XXXXXX,XXXXXXX developed the strategy for XXXXXX and much more. Please give me you e-mail address and I
can send you my CV.

Regards XXXXXXXX

Ok. First of all, what the hell is a Master in Web Usability? I am using the web since 20 years, but no certificate yet.

More serious is that someone with this skills replies in public on the list, and, and that's really unbelievable, ask for the email address. First of all it was mentioned in the original posting. Second, the company name may lead you to a website. Finally, you can reply to the author on this list.

So, I think this guy won't get the job.

How to sell Vietnam as a tourist destination

2009-10-15T11:33:00.005+07:00

Ok, no complains, or less, but more advise. How can Vietnam improve in international tourism?
1.) The markets
Campaigns must be targeting the right market. Chinese and korean tourists don't want to spend a lot of money, so you must sell Vietnam as a cheap destination (if you find enough low price hotels). European and US tourists want something special good server, value for their money. So sell luxury. But understand luxury as a concept, not a price. A luxury shopping center opens the door for you and the door boy knows your name. It's doesn't have loudspeakers with techno music outside.

2. ) Public picture: Most people see a girl from behind in a white Ao Day in a rice field on a bicylce. Call it a cliche, but actually it works fro Vietnam. It means: Young population, tradition, nature and authentic, even something secret (because you can't see the girls face). Should be enough for a branding, isn't it?

3.) Infrastructure: Roads, roads, roads and some airports.

4.) Less government, more market: Let the professionals do the job. Don't protect the formally state own businesses and let the market work itself.

5.) Diversify: Present the thousands of things you can do in Vietnam instead of Top 10. One reason why people don't come back to Vietnam is that the Top Ten are done in 2 weeks. And they don't know what else to do.

6.) Find the unique selling point: Tourism is not about the price, it's about imagination. Create a picture and sell this. It must be different from all the CNN campaigns you can see now. That;s actually the mist difficult and painful part.

7.) Be more professional, Use the experience you get for nearly free from foreigners in that business and learn from it.

I was inspired by this website http://www.hcmc100e.info. I think they make it wrong: HCMC is so great because of the many choices you have. It doesn't make sense to promote PHO24 or Khai Silk, everybody know them already. It would be better to show 1000 restaurants and 100 bars and 10.000 shops.

See what Tim Russel on ComeandgoVietnam wrote about it