Sunday, January 10, 2016 — Entry #13 in the ongoing series.
How the law is enforced
Vietnamese police enforce the law in slightly irregular ways. They are widely regarded by foreigners living in Vietnam as a source of annoyance, and there is no doubt some of them like to make special trouble for expats — though that, of course, does not stop them being sources of useful information in other situations.
The result is an everyday environment where the same rule can be applied, ignored, or negotiated depending on who is standing at the counter and who is standing in front of it.
The traffic encounter
Common situations involve traffic violations and fines. A routine ride home can turn into a roadside discussion about paperwork, permits, and the comparative seriousness of any given transgression.
“Customer service” is not a phrase that has made its way into the local bureaucratic vocabulary.
Customer service, or the absence of it
Vietnamese bureaucrats, though sometimes nice, have never heard of customer service. The gap between the expectation of being helped and the reality of being processed is a recurring feature of the form.
For background on regulations commonly cited in these situations, see this piece on twenty Vietnamese laws every expat should know.