Tieng Viet lovers club

[Hurricane88]

Dong near record low on concern inflation to quicken


Vietnam’s dong reached a record low on concern inflation will accelerate, deterring investors and prompting exporters to hold onto their dollars as a hedge against rising prices. Bonds gained.


The central bank told lenders to rein in credit as inflation is showing signs of quickening through the rest of the year, according to a statement on the bank’s website on July 15. Demand for the greenback has exceeded supply at Vietnamese banks as exporters are hoarding the dollar, the monetary authority said on July 10. Companies are unable to access dollars to pay bills, an importer said Wednesday.

“I would stay clear of the Vietnamese dong at this stage really,” Thio Chin Loo, a senior currency analyst at BNP Paribas SA, said Thursday in a Bloomberg Television interview. “Vietnam has problems with trying to control inflation, which was one of those bear-bugs of the currency over the past year.”

The dong slid to VND17,862 a dollar, an all-time low, before trading at VND17,813 as of 2:32 p.m. in Hanoi, according to prices from banks compiled by Bloomberg. The currency has weakened 1.8 percent this year.

Domestic banks can only supply about half of importers’ demand for US dollars, so “we’ve been forced to source the rest from the black market at an additional cost of 5 to 6 percent,” Le Phan Duc, deputy general director at Vietnam

Germany Steel Pipe Joint Stock Co., which imports raw materials from South Korea, Taiwan, China and Russia, said Wednesday.

Consumer prices

Gains in consumer prices have decelerated for 10 months to 3.9 percent in June, the slowest since January 2004, after reaching a peak of 28.3 percent in August, the fastest in Asia. The General Statistics Office in Hanoi may release July data as early as this week. BNP Paribas’ Loo predicted inflation may accelerate later this year.

Standard Chartered Plc’s Tai Hui, head of Southeast Asian economic research in Singapore, Thursday forecast the dong will slip to VND18,500 by the end of the year.

The State Bank of Vietnam fixed the reference rate at VND16,965 a dollar, compared with VND16,963 on Wednesday, according to its website. The currency is allowed to trade up to 5 percent on either side of the set rate.

Government bonds advanced Thursday, with the yield on the benchmark five-year note dropping 20 basis points to 9.57 percent, according to prices compiled by Bloomberg. A basis point is 0.01 percentage point.

“Some commercial lenders with idle cash have switched to bonds after the central bank told them to slow lending for the rest of the year,” Trinh Hoai Giang, deputy general director at the Ho Chi Minh City Securities Co. said by phone.

Source: Bloomberg

[Hurricane88]

Wealthy and yet unhappy - how come, Singapore?
July 9, 2009 by admin



IT IS disturbing to read that Singapore ranked 49th in the Happy Planet Index 2.0 survey conducted by the New Economics Foundation (’Costa Ricans the ‘happiest worldwide”, Monday).

This is even though it was ranked fourth highest per capita income in the world by the International Monetary Fund last year, and third by the World Bank in 2007.

By all counts, we are a materially wealthy nation, so why are Singaporeans not happy with their lot? Singaporeans have access to the best of everything, yet they seem to indicate that they are not happy.

I wonder if this is why we often see grim faces on buses and the MRT. Are Singaporeans stressed out? Do they yearn for more, without finding it? Why are we, as a nation, not as happy as our poorer neighbours like Vietnam, for example, which ranked highest in Asia? Does our education system stress material success over achieving internal peace and happiness?

Curiously, Vietnam, with less material success than Singapore, ranked fifth in the index, and Costa Rica topped the survey.

At the same time, the wealthy and technologically advanced nations we like to emulate, such as the United States and Britain, ranked 114th and 74th respectively, even worse than Singapore. This clearly shows that material success does not guarantee happiness.

It is time that we made an effort to re-establish our priorities, learn to relax, appreciate what we have, smile, and be happy.

Anil Bhatia

Source: Straits Times

[jackbl]

Why the income gap is unfair
==========================================

Though the majority of state workers earn low wages, there are senior officials that do little to benefit the country and still rake in hefty incomes with fat bonuses, allowances and bribes.

At the same time, many of our real workers are struggling for their next meal on salaries of VND1-2 million (US$56-112) or less per month.

These are workers who have built our nation and kept us fed through thick and thin. They include those who slave away in our factories, toil in our fields and do the heavy lifting at construction sights. Even new college graduates and lower-rung state office workers can’t make ends meet.

Relevant authorities must face up to the task of building a wage scale that can offer any employed person a stable life.

Although the basic wage in Vietnam is still low, increasing payrolls are weighing heavily on the state budget.

The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs recently proposed raising the minimum wage to VND850,000 ($48) per person a month but the proposal has yet to be approved.

But even if the minimum wage is raised, the problems will persist until the administrative system is restructured and the state workforce is reduced in a reasonable way so we don’t have so many people performing the same tasks.

Pay raises should only be for those who really work, especially for manual laborers and health, education and science workers.

Only then will our state workers see the true benefits of hard work. And only then will our nation be developed.

By Thanh Thao

[jackbl]

Vietnam among ten countries for IT
=============================================
Vietnam has been listed in the top ten most attractive countries for software processing for the first time, it was announced recently.

With 21 million users, Vietnam is also in the top 20 countries for most Internet users.

Vietnam was ranked 12th rank for its rate of software copyright infringement.

Vietnam’s software industry has made a big leap forward, occupying a higher rank in the global software and IT map, said Le Truong Tung, deputy chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Computer Association, at a conference held July 15.

According to Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan, Vietnam has many advantages to develop software technology, IT and communications.

Software firms, however, should place more emphasis on training centers to provide suitable staff instead of just complaining about a lack of IT skills crunch, he added.

The association, in collaboration with the International Data Group, held a conference on Vietnam’s IT and communications industry outlook in 2009.

By Ai Van, Kien Giang – Translated by Sao Ly

[jackbl]

Idiomatic Expressions and Slangs from Sài Gòn
======================================

bà tám: a woman who gossips

bác = tiền = money

bèo
Definition:
1. dirt cheap
2. bad quality

bó tay
Definition: 1) chịu thua = to yield; to give up; đầu hàng = to surrender
2) một việc khó thực hiện = an impossible task to do
3) không có gì hay/tốt hơn = nothing is better than this

(cáo) giả nai
Definition:
giả vờ ngây thơ/vô tội = pretending to be innocent/meek/gentle

chảnh
Definition: -kiêu/kiêu căng, làm bộ = stuck up, snob
-lemon question (chanh= lemon, hỏi = diacritic mark)= literal translation from Vietnamese to English of how chảnh is spelled by Vietnamese (chanh hỏi chảnh)

chạy
Definition: to make a deal under the table, to bribe

chạy mất dép
Definition: to run away so fast due to fear


chết liền
Definition: to die immediately (literally)
Example: A: Chị có biết lái xe máy không?
B: Biết chết liền! (Nếu tôi biết thì tôi chết liền! = Tôi không biết.)

choáng
Definition: 1) ngạc nhiên; sốc = surprised; shocked
2) impressive
Etymology:
Choáng, shortened from choáng váng, literally means shocked into a daze (blindness or deafness). When you are shocked, you are, of course, surprised and something that can shocked you is indeed impressive.

chuối
Definition: 1) xấu, dở, tệ = bad, awful, ugly
2) vụng về = clumsy; unskillful

dỏm
Definition: xấu, dở = bad quality[/QUOTE]

đẹp như mơ = as beautiful as a dream
đẹp như siêu mẫu = as beautiful as a super model
đẹp như tiên = as beautiful as a fairy lady
đẹp không ai bằng = no one can be as beautiful

ghẹ = chick, babes

hàng hiệu = brand-name merchandise

hai lúa = hick, country bumpkin, hillbilly

hâm = crazy

hiền như nai = as gentle/meek/virtuous as a fawn

lạnh cẳng = afraid

ôsin = house maid

phao = A cheating "device" used by a student in an examination

rửa = to celebrate something new (such as a promotion, a purchase of a new vehicle, etc.) with alcohols

quậy = mischievous

siêu sao = superstar

tiền khô cháy túi = completely broke

thuốc lắc = estacy (pill/drug)

xạo bà cố = to tell tales

xế xịn = expensive vehicles

Originally Posted by jackbl

Hi all, i came across something interesting so would like to share w u ppl here:

Idiomatic Expressions and Slangs from Sài Gòn
======================================

[VietnamLover]

DUMPED by pregnant foreign bride via phone

HE thought he had found love after spending 10 years in search of a bride through matchmaking agencies.

Even when he learnt that the Vietnamese woman he chose to marry probably harboured feelings for an ex-lover, he continued to love her.

When Mr David Quek, 39, a facilities manager, learnt his Vietnamese wife, Madam Kim Vui, 21, was pregnant, he looked forward to starting a family.

But now, Mr Quek is in a quandary.

His wife has returned to Ho Chi Minh City and is refusing to return.

And not only has he probably lost his wife and unborn child, but he can't move on as it will be difficult for him to file for divorce.

Mr Quek said he got to know Madam Kim in mid-April through Vietnam Brides International, a matchmaking agency in Orchard Plaza.

'When I met Kim Vui, I thought she looked sweet and simple,' said Mr Quek.

She was nothing like some of the materialistic local women he had met through other dating agencies.

They went on dinner dates a few times a week and Mr Quek was happy enough to take her home to meet his mother. His father died several years ago.

The couple got married on 14 Jun. But their marital bliss was short-lived.

Two weeks after they tied the knot, Mr Quek got an angry phone call from a man who claimed to be the husband of Madam Kim's friend.

He told Mr Quek that Madam Kim had a 'husband' in Ho Chi Minh City and that the other man had asked Madam Kim's friend to get her to return to him.

Shocked, Mr Quek confronted his wife. Madam Kim denied that she was married, but admitted that the 'husband' was actually her former lover. She said they were no longer together.

Feeling cheated, Mr Quek took his wife back to the matchmaking agency on 29 Jun and demanded an explanation from its boss, Mr Mark Lin.

He said: 'I was angry as my wife would be a bigamist if she was really married in Vietnam. I called Mark and scolded him for hiding my wife's complicated background from me.'

Mr Lin denied deceiving Mr Quek, who had agreed to pay $7,000 in five instalments to have his marriage with Madam Kim arranged.

He said: 'I trust the girls to be honest but if they want to lie, there's nothing I can do.'

He also told Mr Quek that he should accept his wife's past if he really loved her.

Mr Quek patched things up with his wife but two days later, she told him her parents wanted her to return to Ho Chi Minh City to attend to some family matters.

So on 2 Jul, they flew to Ho Chi Minh City to visit her parents.

They were supposed to return to Singapore on 5 Jul, but Madam Kim said she wanted to stay with her parents for a few more days, promising to return on 25 Jul.

Mr Quek, who returned to Singapore on his own, said he did not think anything was wrong then.

He said: 'I thought she was homesick and I thought she'd be happy if she could spend more time with her family.'

Mr Quek described his wife as a simple woman who never asked him for money or shopped extravagantly.

He said his wife called him every day to ask after him and to tell him she was fine.

Then last Sunday, Madam Kim called to say she did not want to return to him.

Mr Quek said: 'I was shocked. I told her, 'Please don't joke about such things.' I asked if she was unwell but she just wouldn't tell me why she wanted to stay in Vietnam.'

Mr Quek believes his wife's ex-lover could be behind her decision to leave him.

Showing us his handphone, he said: 'After I returned to Singapore, I received text messages in a mixture of Vietnamese and English, telling me to stay away from my wife.'

The New Paper on Sunday was able to contact Madam Kim, who confirmed Mr Quek's worst fear.

Speaking through her Mandarin-speaking Vietnamese friend, Miss Julie Tan, 22, Madam Kim said she had come to Singapore to try to forget her ex.

Miss Tan said: 'But after the marriage, she realised she couldn't forget her ex even though Mr Quek is good to her.'

Mr Quek then tried to get the Singapore consulate in Ho Chi Minh City to help convince his wife to come back, but she was adamant about staying.

When asked what he plans to do now, Mr Quek said he would take time to consider his options.

Uncertain about future

He sighed: 'Whether I divorce her or not, I don't know if I'll get to see my child.

'I guess I'm just suay (Hokkien for unlucky). Other men have happy lives with their Vietnamese wives but I'm unfortunate to be in this situation.'

He added: 'She's carrying my child but if she doesn't return and chooses to abort the foetus, I can't stop her too.'

Mr Quek plans to visit a free legal clinic to seek advice on what to do.

If he fails to convince Madam Kim to return, it will also be difficult for him to move on.

The Women's Charter states that no divorces can be filed until a couple have been married for three years.

Lawyer Nicholas Cheong said Mr Quek can still file for divorce if he can show he has suffered exceptional hardship from his wife's departure.

But Mr Cheong also pointed out that it would be difficult for Mr Quek to make a clean break from his wife as she's pregnant.

He said: 'She's entitled to ask for maintenance for their child though she left him. As the father, Mr Quek is obliged to support the child.'

Mr Lin has told Mr Quek that he will waive the remaining instalment of $1,000 if Madam Kim still refuses to return.'My job is done once the marriage is solemnised. I introduce the girls to customers but I certainly don't guarantee successful marriages,' said Mr Lin.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Case: Do background checks, read contract carefully

A FEW Singaporeans have turned to the consumer watchdog here for help after their Vietnamese brides ran away.

Such cases are few and far between, said Mr Lim Biow Chuan, vice-president of the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case).

The association has seen four cases of runaway brides, said Case executive director Seah Seng Choon.

All these cases happened last year.

Mr Seah said: 'It's more in the form of feedback provided by consumers. Hence, in such cases, there would not be any action required on our end.'

Mr Seah said in two of the cases, the brides returned to Vietnam and refused to return to Singapore.

The whereabouts of the women in the other cases were not known.

He said customers of matchmaking agencies should formalise verbal agreements in writing and read the terms of the contracts before accepting the bride.

Mr Seah said: 'Several marriage contracts seen by Case state clearly that monies paid are non-refundable. Consumers need to consider this before agreeing to any contract.'

Mr P Arivalagan, Singapore's consul in Ho Chi Minh City, said that the consulate also receives requests from Singaporean men for help regarding runaway brides.

He declined to reveal any figures.

The service provided by marriage agencies is covered by the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading)Act.

Mr Lim pointed out that in cases of runaway brides, there was little that Case could do, except to advise the men on the terms of the contracts.

He added that it would also make sense for the men to do background checks on the women before marrying them.

He said: 'If you're going to spend so much money, you should do checks before entering a life-long relationship. It's only common sense to find out more since she's going to share your life and home.'

[jackbl]

Thanks for sharing the story. As what he had said, he is just suay

Originally Posted by VietnamLover

DUMPED by pregnant foreign bride via phone

[jackbl]

Some history on the Surname Nguyen
===================================

Throughout Vietnamese history, many events contributed to the name's prominence. In 1232, after usurping the Lý Dynasty, Trần Thủ Độ forced the descendants of the Lý to change their surname to Nguyễn. When Hồ Quý Ly overturned the Trần Dynasty, he killed many of their descendants so when the Hồ Dynasty collapsed in 1407, many of his descendants changed their surname to Nguyễn in fear of retribution. In 1592, on the collapse of the Mạc Dynasty, their descendants changed their surname to Nguyễn and Lều. When the Nguyễn Dynasty (the descendants of the Nguyễn Lords) took power in 1802, some of the descendants of the Trịnh Lords fearing retribution changed their surname to Nguyễn, while others fled north into China. The Nguyễn Dynasty awarded many people the surname Nguyễn during their rule, and many criminals also changed their surname to Nguyễn to avoid prosecution. As with all other common surnames, most people having this surname are not necessarily related.[3]

In Vietnamese custom as with other East Asian cultures, the surname precedes the given names. Like many surnames in Vietnam and other Chinese-influenced cultures (including Korea and Japan), the name Nguyễn is shared with those in Chinese culture with the same surname. The Chinese/Hán Tự character for Nguyễn is 阮, which refers to a moon-shaped lute instrument called ruan (Mandarin).

[leecs]

I have a VN friend named Nguyen Thi Hong. hehe....

[jackbl]

Culture of Vietnam: Things to avoid
====================================

When you are a guest:

Do not use your own chopsticks to pick up food from a communal bowl or plate. Usually, there should be a spoon or chopsticks for you to use; however, if there are none, use the other ends of your chopsticks (the clean ends) to pick up the food.

Remember some Vietnamese cooks have the habit of criticizing their own food, but that does not mean they actually think their bún bò Huế tastes bad, so you should not agree with them. For example, one of my aunts always says her cooking needs more seasoning, when she is known to be the best cook in our family.

Always take off your shoes before you go inside the house, unless the host specifically tells you not to. If you see a lot of shoes at the front door, that should be a telltale sign for you to take your shoes off.

It is polite to "mời" (invite) the older people at the table to eat before you start eating. (This applies to non-guests as well).

Remember that some actions might be considered as "khách sáo" (too proper) by some people, while deemed as appropriate by others. The best way is to observe the people around you and follow them. As the saying goes, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do" or how we Vietnamese like to say "tùy cơ ứng biến" (one's actions should depend on the situation).

[jackbl]

Đầu năm không nói chuyện xui xẻo: Don't speak about bad things in the first days of the years. Viet people believe that speaking about bad and unfortunate things in the first days of the new year will make the whole year bad and unfortunate.

Không cắm đũa lên chén cơm: Don't pitch vertically the chopsticks on a rice bowl. Viet people only do that for worshiping dead persons.

When people go out to eat, it is normal to split the bill. In the Vietnamese culture, "splitting the bill" is not the norm. When a group of friends go out to eat, one person should volunteer to pay (usually a male). It is important to note that one should NOT take advantage of this "bao" culture, or else eventually you will get the reputation of being "keo" (cheap).

Originally Posted by jackbl

Culture of Vietnam: Things to avoid
====================================

[jackbl]

"an cư lạc nghiệp" (to live and work in peace and contentment)

This idiom express one concept that many Vietnamese agree: "If you want to have a properous life, the first thing is that you must have a stable living place." This thinking is reflected by the fact that the first purpose of a young Vietnamese who get involved in active life is to buy a house. Living in a rented house is not considered as good or long time status.


Ăn mày đòi xôi gấc
Beggars ask for balsam flavoured sweet rice
==Beggars can't be choosers


Không thầy đố mày làm nên
(One can not be successful without a teacher)

This idiom expresses important status of teachers. In a Confucianism based society like Vietnam (or Japan, South Korea, China), teachers play important roles and are considered as "father". In Sino-Vietnamese, teacher is intepreted as "Sư phụ"; Sư is teacher, "phụ" is father.


"Một con ngựa đau cả tàu bỏ cỏ"

According to a Viet friend, it means "when one horse is sick, all the horses dont want to eat grass." I think it talks about solidarity. That is something I can realize in Asia, especially in VN. People seem attached to each other and if you are in their family, everybody wants to help others.

Originally Posted by jackbl

Idiomatic Expressions and Slangs from Sài Gòn
======================================

[jackbl]

Idiomatic Expressions and Slangs from Sài Gòn
======================================
Ta về ta tấm ao ta
"home, sweet home", "Home is the best", etc
"Dù trong dù đục ao nhà vẫn hơn" (meaning "whether it is dirty or not, it's still comfortable swimming in your own pond")


Caí nết đánh chết cái đẹp
Good personality supercedes beauty.....Translation
Beauty is only skin deep............equivalant


Ép dẩu mỡ, ai nỡ ép duyên
You can press nuts to get oil, but you can't force a marriage when there is no love...........translation
You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink....equivilant


Gần mực đen, gần đen thì sáng
Near the ink, one is stained black;
near the lamp one is illuminated............translation
He who keeps company with wolves will learn how to howl.....equivalent


Tốt gỗ hơn tốt nuớc sơn
Literal: Good inner wood is more desirable than a good outer coating.
Equivalent: Beauty is only skin deep.


Thừa nước đục thả câu: to fish in troubled waters
It is said when someone makes usage of a trouble situation for his/her own benefits. The action "thừa nước đục thả câu" is considered as bad behaviour.

[jackbl]

Liệu cơm mà gắp mắm ra, liệu cưa liệu nhà mà gả con vô
For a portion of fish sauce, one measures the rice;
to marry off the daughter, one measures the door......translation
Cut your coat according to the cloth.............equivilant


Măng không uốn, tre già nỗ đốt.
If bamboo is not shaped when it is young, it will explode when old.....translation
you can't teach an old dog new tricks.......equivilant


"Trứng mà đòi khôn hơn vịt."
LITERAL: The (unhatched) egg cannot be smarter than the duck.
USAGE: used especially (sometimes in a humorous way) to tell kids not try to reason with their parents.


Năng đêm có ngày gặp ma.
Traveling often at night, you may meet ghosts......translation
He who looks for trouble, finds it........equivilant


Thương người như thể thương thân
You love another people as you love yourself


"Có qua có lại mới toại lòng nhau"
Lit: Giving as well as receiving make people happy.
English equivalent: Scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.


"Có tiền mua tiên cũng được."
Lit: Money can buy God.
English equivalent: Money talks.


"Chết trong hơn sống đục."
Lit: Better to die with honor than to live with shame.


"Vạch áo cho người xem lưng."
Lit: Pull up your shirt for others to see your back. Revealing to others your weaknesses and flaws.
English equivalent: "Don't wash your dirty linen in public."

Originally Posted by jackbl

Idiomatic Expressions and Slangs from Sài Gòn
======================================

[KangTuo]

Originally Posted by jackbl

Culture of Vietnam: Things to avoid
====================================

Do not use your own chopsticks to pick up food from a communal bowl or plate. Usually, there should be a spoon or chopsticks for you to use; however, if there are none, use the other ends of your chopsticks (the clean ends) to pick up the food.

Always take off your shoes before you go inside the house, unless the host specifically tells you not to. If you see a lot of shoes at the front door, that should be a telltale sign for you to take your shoes off.

It is polite to "mời" (invite) the older people at the table to eat before you start eating. (This applies to non-guests as well).

oh no... last trip eating at my gal friend house,
i use the dirty end of my chopstick to pick up food
i wore my shoe into the house before removing
i eat before anyone else (because all wait for me to start)