Reply to post: Kind of

Kind of

Disclaimer: I'm invested in Vietnam.

@"the e-visa hasn't just been restored its been expanded to about 80 countries... before this is was pretty much just the USA"

That's not true, eVisa has always covered most countries, and AFAIK it no longer permits USA eVisas due to Covid 19. Here's the (old) list of countries it covered, note the disclaimer at the top saying its currently suspended for Covid infected countries:

https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/documents/20181/117155/Vietnam-Evisa-nation-list.pdf

Vietnam's biggest exports are Samsung handsets. Ikea also makes some furniture there. It's one of these developing economies held back by their leaders fears of losing power. They can see the benefits, but also have their own fears.

@"ratified a deal with the EU recently for trade"

https://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2016/june/tradoc_154622.pdf

Remember the trans-pacific-partnership? Well the USA pulled out, but the process went on without them. Vietnam is part. Thailand is discussing joining it.

@"POS transactions are common in most big shops and chains."

Chain? Big Shops? We're talking about the same country right?

@"Vietnam is still very much a cash economy outside of big purchases, and also has a strong grey market economy going on for some goods."

Yeh.

Unfulfilled potential is my view of the country.