Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year - part 1

As another Tet holiday, welcoming in the Lunar New year slides past as life gets back to the normal craziness, here in Ho Chi Minh City.

Tet is the biggest of all holiday's ever in Vietnam; something like combining all the US holidays into one big event and then still celebrated all of them again as they came up at their regular time.

In Tet you have the gift giving, decorating and preparation components, much like Christmas in the USA but much bigger. Officially it’s a three day holiday but many people are given a week off and many restaurants and stores close for three days and some stay closed for the whole week.

Vietnam has also caught onto Christmas, embracing the social aspects of it, if not the religious parts, as another opportunity for gift giving, special decorations and holiday music. Also, the western New Year’s is celebrated, much the same as we do in the states, fireworks, parties and all that. Though, Tet still remains the mother of all holidays.

One of the components of Tet is the concept of "Lucky money". This is where special red colored New Year’s envelopes with small denomination of money inside, say - 20,000 dong, are given to younger /older Vietnamese and helpers on New Year’s eve or New Year’s day, by people like me. The enclosed bills must be crisp and clean, probably symbolizing the fresh start of the New Year. I've read that this practice is so popular it has caused shortages of currency at the banks. While I don't fully understand the reasoning behind "lucky money" I'm here to tell you – if you want to create a stir, hand out some of those red envelopes, that’ll do it.

Getting the New Year off to a good start is first and foremost in the minds of most Vietnamese. New clothes are bought, food is stored for the three days of the holiday, houses are cleaned and the spruced up, as my landlord repainted the entrance way to our building a couple days before Tet it is good form to make an attempt at resolving any personal disagreements to halt bad feelings following you into the New Year.

Cleaning is done before Tet to insure that good luck is not inadvertently swept out while cleaning during Tet. Vietnamese believe that digging and drawing water should not be done during Tet to allow the ground and water a chance to enjoy the holiday.

Tet can be very boring for foreigners, many of the stores and restaurants are closed and the streets were deserted here in Saigon. Many people that live and work in the city are from the countryside, Tet is a time for families and many have long holidays over the period so they head home. More affluent Vietnamese may take this time to travel to a holiday destination in country or to another country.

In Tet you have the gift giving, decorating and preparation components, much like Christmas in the USA but much bigger. Officially it’s a three day holiday but many people are given a week off and many restaurants and stores close for three days and some stay closed for the whole week.



I’m lucky, as I have Vietnamese friends who look after me and take me along to family celebrations and meals. So for me the Tet weekend is a great time to be in Saigon, lots of good meals, beautiful flower markets, Tet displays like the one on Nguyen Hue St. to visit, a fantastic fireworks display on New Years Eve and the streets are just about peaceful.

THAILAND

Thailand considers invoking the Internal Security Act (March 9, 2010)

The UDD (United Front for Democracy) or mostly know as the Red Shirts due to their signature red shirts, are calling for the resignation of the present Thai prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and new elections. Many of the group support ex Prime MinisterThaksin Shinawata, now in self imposed exile after the coup of 2006.

To this end they will rally in Bangkok on Sunday, involving up to a million people, mostly from the outlying areas of Thailand. Starting on Friday (12/03/10) they will arrive in Bangkok aboard buses, trucks, farm tractors and on foot for Sunday's demonstrations. The group has the potential of choking off Bangkok's roads and shutting down travel in and around the city.

The Thai government is rolling out the troops, up to 100,000 to enforce the peace. Though the red shirts have proclaimed their intent is for a peaceful protest but with this many people massed together in such an emotional charged atmosphere, who knows what might happen. Though in general Thai's are a peaceful sort and are respectful of outsiders so farang shouldn’t be in danger. Though the wise person is always aware of their surrounding and should skirt around any trouble spots.

The government is expected to invoke the Internal Security Act today, which as close as I can figure is a nice way of saying Marshal Law. Schools in some areas in Bangkok will be closed as of Thursday.

All this has the potential of effecting serious political change in Thailand or maybe turn out as in the old saying -“same, same but different”.

Bangkok, Thailand supreme court's ruling on Thaksin's assets

The Thai Supreme Court has handed down in decision on ex Primer Thanksin Shinawata's assets still held in Thailand.   It will seize 1.4 billion out of the 2.2 billion total assets .

Thailand had mobilized 20,000 security forces, with 6,000 of them placed on guard in Bangkok, along with 168 security check points but so far there hasn't been a need to put them in action.

Dr. Weng Tojiraken one of the leaders of the United Front for Democracy (UDD) mostly represented by the red shirts put off  the talked about  demonstration and announced: "I'm not fighting for Mr. Thaksin, I'm fighting for my country to be a genuine democratic system."

Thai politics can be a bit confusing and ever changing so guess we will wait and see what happens next.

Thaksin Shinawata vs Thai government - Doug

Remember way back last April when the red shirts in their protesting fervor shut down Suvambhumi International Airport in Bangkok. OK, red shirts who are you, Thai supporters of ousted primer Thaksin Shinawata - officially representing the "United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship"party. Which was also the "Thai rack Thai" party till the present Thai government abolished the it afer the coup that tossed Thksin from office.

Friday, tomorrow (2/26) will be a big new red shirts protest, in the past these rotests have drawn up to 100,000 people.

Tomorrow could  even be a bigger deal as the Thai Supreme Court is due to hand a ruling on, if the government can confiscate Thaksin's total 2.2 billion of assets still in Thailand.

Now all this might seem a little scary, especially if your a tourist getting ready to visit Thailand. Not to worry, foreigners are not normally drawn into the fray and the action is focused in specific parts of town and so easy to stay away from.. I was in Bangkok last year just as the protests were winding down and I didn't see any evidence of violence.  Doug

Odds and Ends from ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

What's a communist country in SE Asia like Vietnam to do when your country is over flowing with people and your looking around for things to do - so you strengthen ties with North Korea, aid Lao with police and military matters, add new investments in Cambodia and help in redrawing those pesky boarder lines.  Wonder what the long range plan is?

The Vietnamese Bank for Social Policy has announced a new loan program to help the poor - 8,000,000 dong ($430. us) and 10 years to pay it back at 3% interest.

Last Month the Vietnamese Communist Party celebrated its 80 th birthday     - Happy Birthday!

So your thinking - hey, would have got that flu shot but was just a bit short on cash last month. You were just at the wrong place at the wrong time. The US is in the process of providing 7.9 million in flue vaccine aid to Vietnam, so there you are.

My laundry is included into the monthly price of my room as everyone that knows me knows, along with "they even iron my boxers". Though if your staying in the Pham Nhu Lao backpackers area here in Saigon and aren't like me and have laundry that needs - according to the sign posted in front of a shop I saw, it will cost you 7,000 dong (.38 us) a kilo. Now does that include ironed boxers?

Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs. Just liked the name.

A new section of a highway in Tien Gieng Provence, still uncompleted, was opened to help with Tet's heavy traffic, here are the rules -

• maintain speed of over 70 km per hour


• slow trucks or trucks larger than 4.2 x 2.8 m not allowed

Not sure who enforces the speeds and measures the trucks but just in case there are rules. The highway is 8 lanes and 62 km long, to handle speeds up to 120 km an hour at a cost of 535 million US...


More on the road theme - as in most coutures, major holidays and here its Tet, are the most dangerous time to be on the roads. I pulled these figures from the "Vietnam Today" newspaper, their wording:

• killed about 300


• injured more than 400


• unreported accidents with victims being hospitalized 14,000

An old Vietnamese saying I pulled out of the same paper from an article on corruption - "A clean fast is better than a dirty breakfast"

A new look at Pattaya

It was back in the 1960's when I first heard of Pattaya, it was all about a seaside R&R (rest and relaxation)spot in Thailand packed full of bars with hot and cold ruining Thai girls. The Vietnam War was rocking on and we were the American GI rockers and to keep us rocking the military set it up so during our one year tour we got two separate R&R's. Myself I picked Hong Kong and on the second one to Singapore.

While my hut mate, Swartz, a sex starved 20 year old from Jersey took both of his in Pattaya. Guess the Jersey shore didn't do much to prepare Swartz for what he found, both times, upon his return he needed treatment by the medics for what they diagnosed as over exertion. He jokingly would talk about his treatment saying the medics said if it had been any other appendage he did that much damage to - it would have been casted. My last memory of him, after recovering from his last Pattaya trip, was his endless goings on about how Thailand changed his life and figuring out ways to get back.

Not sure if Swartz ever made it back . Lost track of him after Nam but over the past 8 years I've retracted my steps and my quest took me to Pattaya and that's how I got thinking of Swartz.





Ka damn, 43 years since Swartz made his last visit to what is now billed as the international Thai sea side resort city of Pattaya. Pattaya is no longer a sleepy little fishing village where a bunch of bars popped up by the beach to entertain the visiting American GI's. These guys, mostly young had been away from the fun things in life now had a week to make up for lost time and forget all the crap going on back in Nam. So I’m guessing it was a pretty rough and tumble place, where as now it's a fully fledged international resort. You’ll see a diversified international group of visitors from Russia, Japan, Chinese, and Europeans’ of all nationalities though no GI"s but the place still maintains its American flavor, 60’s rock music blaring out of the beer bars, its own Hard Rock Café and resort, Holiday Inn, 7/11, A&W, a couple of US pizza chains and Star bucks.


In parts of Pattaya as you see in my photos, international resort or whatever, its still back to back beer bars stuffed full off friendly and sexy hostesses. Though as Mr. Dillon said "the times they are a changing" in area like walking street the girls and beer bars are still the norm while the city is trying hard at upgrading its offering in other areas.

For Example I stayed at the Sabi Wing at a reasonable forty something dollars a night, including a full breakfast, and a balcony overlooking the pool. It’s located on soi 2 and about a 10 minute walk from the beach. Out of my week I spent a couple nights out bar hopping but it was easy for me to avoid all the craziness on the nights I stayed out of the bars.

As just about anywhere in Pattaya you can spend a lot on meals but also inexpensive, street side bar-b-q can be had for less than a buck or inexpensive restaurants are available where you can get by for $3.00-6.00 a meal. In the restaurants they offer so many international based menus it hard at times to find Thai food.

While Pattaya beach is a long way from your “Adventures in Paradise” tropical beach you may have fantasized about. Though you’ve still got your basic swaying palm trees, golden sand – well later in day, maybe not so golden, surf lapping at the shore - but watch out for those power boats breaking through it. Of course always that beautiful tropical Thai sun and 10 bazillion beach umbrellas lording over sling canvas beach chairs, renting out for 20 or 30 baht a setting, for your beach going lounging.

Most your bodily needs can be met by wondering food and beverage vendors, pedaling everything from peeled and cut up mangos, packed in film covered Styrofoam trays, sea food, sodas, water, beer, coffee and so on. Oh ya and then there are the sun tan lotion appliers. Yup that’s right, no oily fingers here, anyway for the lounging beach goers, there are people for that. You see them walking around with judges of lotion for sale by the application. An example of this was a bald guy just up from me that I think had one on retainer. Every time I looked up from my book he was getting a new anti-sun lube job.

Pattaya has become a retirement haven for farang (Thai slang for foreigner) and I would say it looks like more fun than Miami for us old guys and at about half the price. Though cost wise, a few years ago when the baht was yielding 46 to one dollar instead of the 33 now, it was even a better deal. However, it still looks as if you can find a pretty nice furnished place to rent for six to seven hundred dollars a month.



The beach is comprised of a narrow sliver of sand backed up to a low retaining wall with lines up to a paved walk way adjacent to Beach road with shops filling the opposite side. The beach is broken up into north, central and south areas. I was staying in the north part which is pretty tame, while from central on down to the infamous Walking Street can get pretty crazy. In the central area as you look down the so’s off of Beach road you’ll see a loads of bars but once you get to the south on Walking Street that’s all it is. Open air affairs overflowing with all shapes and sizes of Thai girls – cooing “welcome, please come in” and now, after all these years I have a better understanding of Swartz’s affliction.

Ho Chi Minh City - Tet 2010

Tet flower Market in the park
























_____________________________________________________________________________________

Ho Chi Minh City Photos - January 2010




Peoples Committee building

street side fruit vendor

Saigon Police forming up to patrol the flower and plant Market

Park Tet display

construction on Hguyen Hue New Year Tet dislay





Tet shoppers sort through street side used clothing stash

alley birds - a little old school Saigon

Sorry about the messy way this layed out - I'm working on it!

Beggar crack down in Bangkok

20/01/2010 "The NATION" - Crack down in Bangkok on panhandlers and beggar's Over a two week period netted 570 illegal Cambodian immigrants, which 200 of them were children. It seems that they are all part of a well organized ring, operating out of properties owned by the leaders who smuggled them out of Cambodia.

The Thai government will repatriate them back to Cambodia. It's sad that this kind of human miss use can go on, especially against children.

The ongoing strangeness of Myanmar

News from Myanmar - Lets see, What does a military junta do when the thrill of renaming Burma to Myanmar is gone and gets tired of old school Ragon/Yangon as the countries administrative capital. Well, first it's the name thing, so you pick a catchy new name, in this case -Naypyidaw - "Abode of the Kings".

Then from scratch, you build your new modern capital city so you will have drinkable water and electricity that stays on hours a day and best yet you build in a remote area where the land is like a blank canvas awaiting your creation. Also, it's inland, not on the coast like Ragon, so the US can't attach you from the sea and at the new place you can dig lots of tunnels in case of an air attach or maybe it was just advice from the state fortune teller.

You know how important your government is so you build a lot of impressive government buildings, for the wealthy visitors that will come you add 7 resort style 5 star hotels and some western style shopping malls. You know people like golf as much as you do and to show Myanmar always thinks of it's people,5 golf courses go in. Roads and good ones, maybe a freeway or two are all in progress.

You may be a bit short of modern construction equipment but not a problem because you have a good part of the counties population at your disposal as a labor source.

In fact this story is really a bit of old news - they started construction in 1995 and were supposed to have it all up and running in 2006. I've never visited so really don't know first hand where they are at with the project now.

It would be interesting to see first hand what is going on there. Though, visiting countries run by military junta's, especially with the human rights record of Burma, isn't high on my list. Seems, it might be a place where guys like me just disappear.

Klong Saen Saep good way to get from the Banglampoo/Wat Sakhel area of bangkok to the Central shopping area - half way is the Jim Thompson house and museum.


The Klong has a probably well deserved reputation for being polluted so when that cute Thai lady sitting between you and the rail cozies up to you, she might be just getting away from the spray coming over the gunwale or maybe she is using that as an excuse to get close. There is also a tarp curtain they pull up on the sides to hold out any spray, making it very hard to watch the passing landscape. Though, for 8 baht (.25 US) it's a cheap and exciting experience. Oh ya, this is kind of unnerving - somewhere along the way the boat pulls in (about 15 minutes into the trip) to a docke and every one climbs out, runs up the dock and jumps into another boat which speeds off. It happens real fast so be aware.

I'm trying to remember, think it's about the third boat taxi stop from the Bangalapoo/Wat Sakhel area is Jim Thompson's house and museum. Real interesting and talented American, born 1906 in Greenville Delaware, was a practicing architect before severed in Europe with the army during World War II. After the war he was posted to Asia, fell in love with Thailand. Up on his release decided to make Bangkok his home and became one of the major forces in the development of the Thai silk industry.

The guy knew how to live, his home was constructed of six different, traditional Thai buildings. Each was disassembled, moved and reassembled at his compound with all the Thai traditional religious rituals. So in the spring of 1959 after consulting with astrologers, he and his art collection moved in.

Sorry, had some great photos of this, not his moving in but of the compound on my camera that I erased by accident. So you will have to trust me when I say this is a real special place and a must see. Though, I bet when he lived there long before Bangkok was all built up as it is now, it was really awesome.

Less than 10 years later at the age of 61 he went missing in the Cameron Highlands of Malaysia and to date his disappearance is a mystery.. Maybe ex CIA or a freelancer, what do you think?

Tuesday, February 2, 2010
You be the judge - is Vietnam truely in a struggle against 'hostile forces' as party boss, Nong Duc Manh says or..
03/02/2010
Bangkok Post




Vietnam will prevent "hostile forces" from exploiting democracy and human rights to sabotage the country's revolution, the Communist Party leader , pictured in 2009, said Tuesday.
Vietnam will prevent "hostile forces" from exploiting democracy and human rights to sabotage the country's revolution, the Communist Party leader said Tuesday.

Nong Duc Manh made the comments at a ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of the Indochina Communist Party founded in Hong Kong by Ho Chi Minh on February 3, 1930.

"We are trying hard to maintain political stability and we struggle against all the manoeuvres of hostile forces by preventing them from profiting from matters such as democracy, human rights, multipartyism and pluralism to sabotage the Vietnamese revolution," said Manh, the country's most powerful political figure.

His comments follow the controversial jailing of four dissidents for trying to overthrow the regime. The case highlighted a climate of increasingly harsh political repression in Vietnam, New York-based Human Rights Watch said.

Manh added that the state guarantees religious liberty, but religious activity must be conducted according to law.

"We severely forbid all abuse of religious liberties to attack national security and public interests," he said.

Last month a court in Ho Chi Minh City jailed four democracy activists for between five and 16 years for trying to overthrow the regime, in a case criticised by the European Union, the United States and Britain.

Some observers see a link to next year's Communist Party Congress when high-ranking leadership posts will be determined, while one analyst said "law and order advocates" may be gaining ground among authorities in the one-party state.

The European Parliament and the US embassy have also expressed concern over Vietnam's treatment of followers of Thich Nhat Hanh, a French-based Zen master who is one of the world's most influential Buddhist monks.

Manh said the party and country are facing great challenges.

"We notably have to struggle against bureaucracy, corruption, waste and other negative phenomena. We also struggle against a moral and ideological degradation within the population."

Ho Chi Minh, the country's revered revolutionary leader, died in 1969 while his forces were still battling American troops. Vietnam was reunified in 1975 after decades of war against both the US, and French colonisers.

About half of Vietnam's population of about 86 million is under the age of 30, giving them no memory of the war years.

State television broadcast Manh's speech live after actors dramatised the country's liberation struggle while black-and-white combat footage played and the communist hammer-and-sickle flag flew.

More odds ends from the road

To and from Pattaya-

Taxi from Bangalapu area of Bangkok to the eastern bus station (Ekemai) – costs approximately 300 BT and takes about 40 minutes. They rush you through at the ticket window, so ask for that primo seat quickly and check your ticket to see what you’ve ended up with.

Buses to Pattaya and other southeastern cities leave from Ekemai station Pattaya ones leave every 20 minutes at a cost of 113 BT. They are clean, modern and comfortable so it should be a very pleasant 2 hour ride. Note: use the toilet before boarding.

I needed to get to Suvarnabhumi International airport in Bangkok on my return from Pattaya and had a couple options. Option One, private bus leaving from the Pattaya bus station – 2 hours and I’m thinking around 250 BT. Option Two, 850 BT for a taxi, hotel pickup and directly to the airport in 2 hours, my taxi guy said “if needed he could do the trip in an hour, maybe less”.

For a taxi to pick you up on arrival at Suvarnabhumi or to get you there from Pattaya contact Pang supat_200022000@yahoo.com she is in Pattaya phone 083 555 4578. She is not only a dependable business women but very cute.



Word on the street in Saigon is that cyclo’s have a month till they are history. The government has been messing with them for years. Originally cyclo guys were comprised of South Vietnam ex military officers who had their citizen rights pulled by the Communists after the war and to this day are an independent lot.

Saigon now has a franchised Hard Rock café. This is the real deal too, not like the other one where an enterprising beer bar owner stuck a picture of a guitar and a name board with the proclamation “Hard Rock Café”

The sidewalks they were rebuilding in Saigon are just about all done but are all being used for motorbike parking – so walking is still an adventurous pursuit.

Saigon, is not Saigon any more, just too many changes, so maybe Ho Chi Minh City works now. Though I've got a feeling uncle Ho wouldn't appreciate the direction his name sake city has taken. From what I know of Ho's life he wasn't much of a glitz kind of guy and the city centers sole is being lost to glitz and conspicuous consumption. Simple restaurants and shops are being pulled down to make way for designer's name stores and expensive western style eating establishments. The hostess bars and Saigon's infamous taxi girls are but a memory as establishments like the Hard Rock café swing into action.

Facebook is not assessable from locations with in Vietnam.. However, it can be assessed via proxy server but postings aren't passable, anyway I can't get it to work.

Exchange rate official rate is 18,000 head for a jewelry store (gold shop) with units of 100 dollars and get 19,000 plus. Note: Bills have to be in great shape, no cuts, marks, etc. Whats up with all that?

odds and ends from the road

Arrive at San Francisco International on a Delta commuter flight from Sacramento, you know one of those 30 some passenger, turbo prop jobs. Anyway, there we sit, terminal with in shouting distence, 40 minutes pass - "a few more minutes and we will have a gate" we hear again over the pa, as the stewardess flits around making busy. Keep in mind, our flying time was less than we now have spent waiting to get off. Meanwhile, all I can think about is missing my connecting flight and having to wait a day or so for another one. Along with that I'm rehashing the news story, where a plane load of people were held captive for days or years - ok, maybe hours, aboard a plane in similar conditions. Also remembering from an old movie, the main character after being pushed around by the system, stopped and shouted for all to hear "I'm mad as hell and I'm not taking it any more." and so was I.

I decided, one hour, that's my limit for sitting here. We are parked close enough to the terminal that I can see inside. So even with out a gate to park at they should be able to arrange for us to deplane, pull our bags, and escort us into the terminal.

Called the stewardess over and informed her, "I wasn't concerned about missing my connecting flight", she smiled but it soon faded as I went on to say "the boys (pilots) had 20 more minutes or I was taking charge and letting my self and the rest of the passengers off".

She was shocked, looked at me unbelievably and asked if I was new to flying, threatened to have me arrested, told me not to talk so loud, requested my name and finely with a head flip headed off to the cockpit. In the end we got to a gate with in my time frame, though a far flung one, so they probably got me after all.

I'm not sure if I would have really had the cajonies to pull that aircraft door release but I do know I am as the man in the movie "getting mad as hell and not going to take it any more", or just another crazy old guy, you judge.



Cool thing to do in Bangkok visit Jim Thompson's house and if your coming from the Kho San Road - Bangalapoo area or the Central shopping district use the cheap but interesting river taxi on Klong Saen Saep to get there.

Cheap but good rice wine but not for the faint of heart - I test drove some iced "40 degree" with Jack a new friend I made in Bangkok.

Internet rates at a Internet shop in Bangkok - around 30 baht an hour - min 20 minutes.

The Bangkok to Chiang Mai flight is a little over an hour long -air fare Bangkok - Chiang Mai via Air Asia 2,340 baht(approx 32.us=1 baht)+good seat fee 250 BT, insurance 74.90 BT, not sure about this one - convenience fee 50 BT and also a baggage fee may apply.

air fare Chiang Mai - Bangkok via Bangkok Airways Special rate 2,255 baht Classy airline, passengers get the use of there lounge and all and all they are just nice to the passengers.

air fare Bangkok - Saigon via Air Asia 2,195. baht = good seat charge 250. BT luggage overage (up to 30 kg) 1285. BT, insurance 90. BT, combo meal 80. BT, convenience fee - still don't know what this one is 50. BT = total cost 4650.BT

Full body Thai massage Chiang Mai an hour and a half 400 BT - double that if you want a happy ending - guys only.. Recomend Darlin's Massage, close to Tha Phae gate - 29 Kotchasarn Rd

A passing bus had an advertisement for this Nokhonchair Air what seems to be a super VIP bus running from Bangkok to Chiang Mai 02 936 009 BKK number

Taxi fare Suvarnabhumi airport to downtown Bangkok between 350 and 400 BT unless you driver gets lost and it costs you 700 BT

A few things -

Yup, looking good for my January departure - I’ll fly Cathay to BKK via San Francisco and Hong Kong on my way to Vietnam. Haven't set up anything for my stay in Thailand but have my old room at Thao's lined up in Saigon, once I get to Vietnam.

Speaking of Saigon, the name has become source of great irritation to me. Saigon has been officially Ho Chi Minh City for about 40 years now which is longer than many of the people who have the need to mention it have been around. While I am not sanctioned as a government spokesperson, you can trust me when I write either name works, no explanation needed and enough said.

Which brings up another thing, I’m so tired of reading about Saigon's traffic, it's just old news, it's been that way forever. However, mentioning the dangers of street crossing, along with successful crossing techniques is something I never tire of.

Also regarding traffic, a mention of the number of taxis prowling around might be part of the problem, because it is, would be kind of new news. Because ten years ago that taxis just weren’t there, all the city had were a few enterprising guys with cars for hire running around the city.

The buzz on line about how the Vietnamese government has blocked access to Facebook.com appears to be true. Why, maybe because they could, works, it is communist state no matter what it looks to the backpacker just passing through.