Re: Advice needed

["Thanh C. Nguyen" <ncthanh@csd.uwm.edu>]

On Sat, 15 Mar 1997, vu wrote:

> 
> 1) Ve^` vie^.c xin visa va`o/ra Vie^.t nam (whereever i go people still
> cannot believe this), ca^`n pha?i la`m nhu+~ng thu? tu.c (gia^'y to+`) gi`?
> Tho+`i gian he^'t bao la^u? Co' ca^`n pha?i "ma'nh kho'e" gi` kho^ng? 
> 

You need to go to the VNmese embassy in person with one pasport size photo
and Baht500. I got VNmese entry/exit visa in BKK several times. I had very
good experience with the consulate officers (ca'c chu' su+') there. The
paperwork was processed quickly (sometime momentarily) and there was no hasle
of any kind. People were friendly too. Does it sound too good to be true?
Call and ask your AIT friends for more infor. 

> 2) To^i se~ bay tu+` BKK dde^'n Ha` no^.i (co' khu+' ho^`i ve^` BKK). Ne^n
> mua ve' ma'y bay o+? dda^u va` tru+o+'c nga`y ddi bao la^u? Ne^n ddi ha~ng
> ha`ng kho^ng na`o? (Mu.c tie^u duy nha^'t la` tie^'t kie^.m tie^`n, i.e.
> minimizing expected loss.)
> 

You can call and ask VN airline and Thai. Most probably VN airline will offer
cheaper fare. They also used to give some discount for student (upt to 50%).
Ask for this. I never flew with Thai. But I think you too would want to enjoy
whatching VNmese flight attendants in Ao Da`i smiling at you and ask "Anh
du`ng gi`". For that reason you may not want to choose the windows seat :) so
that you can be closer to her and answer "Cho ANH xin ..." 

> 3) KHO^NG ne^n mang n~ thu+' gi` ve^` nha` (dde^" tra'nh phie^`n ha` ra('c
> ro^'i o+? ha?i quan)? Tuy kho^ng co' y' ddi.nh "cha^n ddi ba`n la`, dda^`u
> ddo^.i no^`i a'p sua^'t", to^i ddi.nh mang mo^.t i't CDs ve^` nha` nghe cho
> ddo+~ buo^`n, kho^ng hie^?u vi` the^' ma` co' bi. hoa.nh ho.e kho^ng? 
> 

This is difficult question. If you are not very urgly looking (I know you are
not) then most probably you just say hi to the customer officer and walk out
to meet your waiting parents and girl friend. But If you are stoped and your
lugagge is being examined then you are going to have to spend sometime with
the officers and nobody can say for how long.  Things like CD, diskkettes
etc. can be kept for examination and you willhave to come back latter to pick
them up. So try to put on and show your student look and do not carry opium
for Khun Sa then probably you will be doing fine like me (My luggage has
never been searched in NoiBai the last 4 times I came home) :). 

Good luck.

-Thanh.