Utah family quit Thailand dream after visa chaos

On 9/19/2026 at 3:18 PM, Airalee said:

He seems to live in some sort of bubble. Da Nang has malls (of course not on the scale of Thailand) and multiple large grocery stores such as Go! (Formerly Big C), Mega Mart and Lotte Mart.

Sure, there are many convenience stores but they’re actually quite well stocked for their sizes. Much more so than any other convenience store I have been in.

He’s also completely wrong with regards to how business is run there. At least per AI.

No, the state does not own a stake in all businesses in Vietnam. [1, 2]

While Vietnam operates a socialist-oriented market economy where the state retains significant control and ownership in key strategic sectors (such as energy, telecommunications, and national infrastructure), the country has a thriving private and foreign-invested sector. [1, 2, 3, 4]

• Private Sector: Domestic private enterprises—ranging from small family shops to massive private conglomerates like Vingroup—operate independently under the Law on Enterprises. The state does not hold ownership stakes in purely private businesses. [1, 2]

• Foreign-Owned Businesses: Foreign investors are legally permitted to establish 100% foreign-owned enterprises or hold majority shares in local companies without mandatory state participation, except in specific restricted or conditional sectors. [1, 2]

• State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs): State ownership is concentrated in designated strategic industries and major public services. Even as the government restructures and retains controlling stakes in vital areas (like aviation or energy), it actively divests from commercial and retail sectors. [1, 2]

When we were in Danang we stayed not far from Vincom Plaza, that's a huge shopping center, with a great big supermarket.