The country is still farmland to me mate, nothing has changes for the past 30years since communist ruling. The people are even more poor and all they want to do is escape poverty and marry a viet kieu (western vietnamese) and make them have a better lifestyle but Vietnam has only changed in some economical reform back when it was the VNCH days everything was better

I went back a few years ago and technology there is growing but slowly. Everyone wants a mobile fone  8O

There is some truth in what you are saying. Yes it is still farmland and the people are still poor. Technology wise, they are on par with what we have here. Internet cafes and mobile phoneshop are everywhere like they are in the UK. It is strange that even if they live in a wooden shackle, they must have a TV.

I look back when I first went back 5 years ago and looking back to this February, Vietnam has acheived a lot. Mobile phones were not readily on sale like they were in this country at the time, now there are phones that are not available in this country yet.

You can't blame these people for wanting to find someone for a better life. If you are honest enough, you will find that our parents left for a better life as well as persecution.

If anybody is planning to take their phones to Vietnam and purchase a PAYG card. Please do as it is cheaper to ring around rather than spending 2 quid a minute. If you are on Vodafone and have a 3G phone, you can not use Mobifone, you will have to use Viettel. If your phone is not 3G and has not been locked. You can use either of the two network I have mentioned.

When i go to the countryside beach area of Vung Tau (place where garry glitter molested) well when i take out my digicamcorder everyone surrounds me like they never seen Technology before... That is what i feel sad about Vietnam is that oppression causes the economy and agriculture to not rise.

If the south didnt fall then 30 years ago the economy of the RVN would be the same as South Korea today (They where the 2nd largest army backing the Republic of Vietnam during the civil war).

I went back to VN when I was a weeee little kiddy...but I haven't since then...over a decade now...but my mum and sister went back last year and they say a lot has changed...and next week both my mum and dad and sister are going