benlws
Malaysian expat in Vietnam
Forum posts
31
Contacts
5
About me
Malaysian
Registration: 15 May 2014
Shipping Container Homes by -JohnD-
We are thinking about buying some land and building a home out of used shipping containers. To that end, we would like to ask the collective a few questions: 1) Do you know if there are any of these already built in Vietnam? If so, where are ...
Speak to this Thai guy, his name is Chavis +0933188188, he will point you in the right direction. Read More
Process of Resignation in relation to visas & temporary resident cards by benlws
Was looking for info on how visas/temporary resident cards (TRCs) work when you resign from a company as a foreigner. Found a helpful thread (/forum/viewtopic.php?id=308666) but it's 3 years old and I'd like to confirm ...
Just settled the entire ordeal. The immigration department will give you a 30 day exit grace period, stamped on your passport. Hope this info helps someone in the future. Read More
Process of Resignation in relation to visas & temporary resident cards by benlws
Was looking for info on how visas/temporary resident cards (TRCs) work when you resign from a company as a foreigner. Found a helpful thread (/forum/viewtopic.php?id=308666) but it's 3 years old and I'd like to confirm ...
I've got the information from the labour department, if the TRC is supported by the work permit, by law the employers have to submit the work permit along with the TRC for cancellation. If not, the employers are seen to be breaking the law. The ... Read More
Process of Resignation in relation to visas & temporary resident cards
Was looking for info on how visas/temporary resident cards (TRCs) work when you resign from a company as a foreigner. Found a helpful thread (/forum/viewtopic.php?id=308666) but it's 3 years old and I'd like to confirm ... Read More
Progress on my building project in Saigon by benlws
Hi everyone, I posted about a year or so back about building a small apartment in Vietnam. Well, the project is completed this week, and would like to thank all of you, and guys like Jaitsch and ladies like Dejavu.dot who have helped me during the ...
Dear Colin, thank you for your useful feedback. To be honest, if you believe that you get what you pay for, then there isn't a question about price. Feel free to look at rooms in your price range if budget is a constraint. Thanks for your ... Read More
Progress on my building project in Saigon by benlws
Hi everyone, I posted about a year or so back about building a small apartment in Vietnam. Well, the project is completed this week, and would like to thank all of you, and guys like Jaitsch and ladies like Dejavu.dot who have helped me during the ...
Thanks for your feedback. Didn't go down the industrial route, it's surprisingly expensive to do right. Didn't take pictures of the bathrooms, they're fairly basic. Read More
Progress on my building project in Saigon by benlws
Hi everyone, I posted about a year or so back about building a small apartment in Vietnam. Well, the project is completed this week, and would like to thank all of you, and guys like Jaitsch and ladies like Dejavu.dot who have helped me during the ...
Hi Cuong. Not right now, thank you. Read More
Progress on my building project in Saigon
Hi everyone, I posted about a year or so back about building a small apartment in Vietnam. Well, the project is completed this week, and would like to thank all of you, and guys like Jaitsch and ladies like Dejavu.dot who have helped me during the ... Read More
Looking a position of marketing, logistic or sales
Hi Miss Dang, I tried calling but couldn't reach you. Do appreciate if you return my call. Cheers! Read More
Looking for foreign sound engineer in Saigon by eumektrad
Hi everybody, I am looking for foreign sound engineer in Saigon Do you know coffee bar, magazine, web sites, ads, ... where I can find it? Thanks a lot Frederic emt-saigon@hcm.vnn.vn
Hi Mr Howes, is your friend based on Ho Chi Minh City? I would love to get in touch if he is. Read More
anyone built a house in VN? by gg1965
hi all, Has anyone here built a house in Vn? I'm not talking about physically building one, but contracting a company to build it from their designs? Any recommendations or thought about what to watch out for? Thanks g
Hi there, I've been blogging about my experience building an apartment in Ho Chi Minh City, haven't updated recently but there is some info on my blog that may be interesting to you: saigonsettler.wordpress.com/ Do drop me a PM so that we ... Read More
Looking for foreign sound engineer in Saigon by eumektrad
Hi everybody, I am looking for foreign sound engineer in Saigon Do you know coffee bar, magazine, web sites, ads, ... where I can find it? Thanks a lot Frederic emt-saigon@hcm.vnn.vn
Hi, just came across this thread. I too am looking forward to finding a sound engineer in Saigon, also would like to network with any sound engineers or people in the audio industry. Do drop me a PM so that we can get in touch? Cheers Read More
Anyone looking for Resataurant equipment? by Daniel Rogers
Have some things. Looking for someone who might like them
Hi there, what do you have exactly? Do you have a commercial stand mixer or food processor? Read More
My apartment building project in Saigon, Vietnam by benlws
Hello everyone, I'm in the process of building a small apartment on a piece of land that my wife and I purchased early this year, and I'm also writing to document about my real estate journey and experiences in Saigon, and random rambling thoughts ...
Hi, I'm thrilled to meet someone who has the patience to read through my long-winded ramblings! Haha... it's the holiday season and with my building starting I haven't had the time I need to sit down and write a new blog post. The old ... Read More
expats moving to HCMC by Floca
Hi, we are moving to HCMC after the Tet holidays. To be honest I am not so fond of going to Vietnam as I love to stay in my own country but husband's duty calls.. After my 1st visit I am not so sure if HCMC is such a safe city, I heard there are ...
If you're worried about safety why not consider living in an apartment instead? There are a couple of higher-end ones in District 2 which you would probably be able to afford, plus they have recreational facilities for your kids (swimming pool, ... Read More
Quick (2 min.) HCMC Housing Survey! Please respond! by Oolee
Hi everyone! My gf and I just just moved to HCMC earlier this month and we'd like to get a better understanding of what the housing market is really like for expats right now. Craigslist and most other apartment rental sites are inundated with ...
Hi Oolee, I wrote a couple of articles about this exact topic in my blog, you can check it out (am I allowed to post a link?). Hope what I wrote is useful, would appreciate the pingback if you use any material! Read More
Looking for an opportunity to work for a community development project by sunflowervn
Dear everyone, I am a Vietnamese. However, I have American nationality and am working in a company in Ho Chi Minh City with a work permit, so I am an expat here. My background has many experiences in many fields including environment engineering, ...
If you find something let me know too, I'd love to take a look at it! Got in touch with the Green Youth Collective as their mission sounded pretty thought provoking, but the intermittent (i.e. unanswered) communication style felt rather ... Read More
My apartment building project in Saigon, Vietnam by benlws
Hello everyone, I'm in the process of building a small apartment on a piece of land that my wife and I purchased early this year, and I'm also writing to document about my real estate journey and experiences in Saigon, and random rambling thoughts ...
Thanks for the wishes, Matt. Yeah, I've heard of many horror stories from architects and friends regarding Vietnamese construction, I'll need to spend a lot of time on-site to watch them. Plus I've devoured two books on construction ... Read More
My apartment building project in Saigon, Vietnam by benlws
Hello everyone, I'm in the process of building a small apartment on a piece of land that my wife and I purchased early this year, and I'm also writing to document about my real estate journey and experiences in Saigon, and random rambling thoughts ...
Thanks Matt, you replied as I was typing my previous post. I would love to have your job if it involves blowing things up!! 9 watt LEDs are equivalent to around 1,000-1,300 lumens so yeah, you'd need 6-8 bulbs vs 3 energy saving CFLs. I'd ... Read More
My apartment building project in Saigon, Vietnam by benlws
Hello everyone, I'm in the process of building a small apartment on a piece of land that my wife and I purchased early this year, and I'm also writing to document about my real estate journey and experiences in Saigon, and random rambling thoughts ...
After I replied, I did some further reading. The 40 lumen LED bulbs I found on Alibaba may not be the ones you're using at home. So to use a different assumption, an IKEA USD $15 Ledare E26 20W LED bulb has a 1,000 lumen rating, so for a 200 lux ... Read More
My apartment building project in Saigon, Vietnam by benlws
Hello everyone, I'm in the process of building a small apartment on a piece of land that my wife and I purchased early this year, and I'm also writing to document about my real estate journey and experiences in Saigon, and random rambling thoughts ...
I can imagine, I am an Asian foreigner who doesn't look so different from a Vietnamese so I can meet people and hang around. Just enough Vietnamese literacy to discuss construction stuff so it's not so bad, though some locals do try to give ... Read More
My apartment building project in Saigon, Vietnam by benlws
Hello everyone, I'm in the process of building a small apartment on a piece of land that my wife and I purchased early this year, and I'm also writing to document about my real estate journey and experiences in Saigon, and random rambling thoughts ...
Hi Matt, thanks for the info! A single 6V LED at more than VND250,000 does sound rather pricey, what is the wattage and lumens rating of each bulb? Do you wire them in serial or parallel? I'm not very good at this and am still learning so do ... Read More
My apartment building project in Saigon, Vietnam by benlws
Hello everyone, I'm in the process of building a small apartment on a piece of land that my wife and I purchased early this year, and I'm also writing to document about my real estate journey and experiences in Saigon, and random rambling thoughts ...
Thanks Jaitch for the great info! I've PMed you my number, coffee's on me whenever you have the time! I'm curious to learn more about the LEDs you're talking about, I always assumed that LEDs were low voltage and wattage, and if ... Read More
My apartment building project in Saigon, Vietnam by benlws
Hello everyone, I'm in the process of building a small apartment on a piece of land that my wife and I purchased early this year, and I'm also writing to document about my real estate journey and experiences in Saigon, and random rambling thoughts ...
Thanks Jaitch for the great info! I've also noted down the advice you've given in your other posts too. Got it, I'll ask my architect about this. If I remember correctly, the windows of my house will be aluminium but the glass sliding ... Read More
My apartment building project in Saigon, Vietnam by benlws
Hello everyone, I'm in the process of building a small apartment on a piece of land that my wife and I purchased early this year, and I'm also writing to document about my real estate journey and experiences in Saigon, and random rambling thoughts ...
Hello again, I'm in the midst of discussing the building plans with my architect, and there are some stuff that I'm eager to find a 2nd/3rd option for. I already have a couple of options, but would love to find out if anyone here has a few ... Read More
My apartment building project in Saigon, Vietnam by benlws
Hello everyone, I'm in the process of building a small apartment on a piece of land that my wife and I purchased early this year, and I'm also writing to document about my real estate journey and experiences in Saigon, and random rambling thoughts ...
Thanks for the interesting proposition, I've sent you a message regarding this. Granted, the original purpose of me blogging is merely to solicit sharing of information and experiences, but I do appreciate the opportunity to connect with ... Read More
My apartment building project in Saigon, Vietnam by benlws
Hello everyone, I'm in the process of building a small apartment on a piece of land that my wife and I purchased early this year, and I'm also writing to document about my real estate journey and experiences in Saigon, and random rambling thoughts ...
Hi there, that's an unusual question. Would you mind sharing why you're curious about this little tidbit of information? Don't want to be picky - you didn't buy any land, you leased it. You didn't describe what you mean as ... Read More
My apartment building project in Saigon, Vietnam
Hello everyone, I'm in the process of building a small apartment on a piece of land that my wife and I purchased early this year, and I'm also writing to document about my real estate journey and experiences in Saigon, and random rambling thoughts ... Read More
Looking for translator in Saigon (student preferred)
A bit of background: I'm in the midst of planning and designing a new house, and communicating with construction companies without the help of my wife (she's not available all the time) hasn't been very constructive so far. Right now ... Read More
A Layman's Guide to Buying Property in VietNam by Jaitch
[quote][i]Disclosure: I am not a lawyer, I can not read the Vietnamese legal language. These notes are based upon 20 years of living here and buying and selling property. If you are thinking of buying property, get a good Vietnamese lawyer. If you ...
Hello Jaitsch, I came across your informative post and would love to learn more about your shipping container mini-hotel! We've just bought land in a hem close to where The Manor Saigon is, and I'm a big fan of sustainable building and would love to ... Read More