Warning: Forever Freedom international is a MLM scheme!!

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

E-Market in Vietnam

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.

General advice for buying dogs in Vietnam

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

Construction work in Vietnam seems a real threat

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.

Treating diarrhea in Vietnam

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?

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

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)

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?

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?

Crumpler bag shop in Saigon

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

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

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.

One of the smartest presenters I ever met

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

Goodbye Eden Mall

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

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

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

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!

My Blog in Laos

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

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