Ho Chi Minh City Warning or Danger Tips by soopabayit

Apparently still active, but other than my experience didn't see or hear much about it as I have read on the internet. Just reminder to be mindful and aware at all times of your bag in your hand. Also read my story and consider if you want to get your bag back:

Thao and I were walking on Nguyen Van Troi st over rach thi nghi from Phu Nhuan Dist into Dist.3 at the end of the bridge there were some guys. When we passed them one darted out and grabbed Thao's purse. I instinctively went after him but he went into the black foul water of the river (basically sewage). Yes i would not pursue him in the water,but ran back across the bridge to the other side. He emerged, tangled with a security guard, and ran down the bank of the river. A fence separated me from him, but I kept after him until I came to a wood wall with a locked gate in it. Just then the security guard came running with the key. I continued after they guy down a street, into an alley where other people where trying to restrain him. He looked back again, and saw I was STILL coming , so he threw the bag, and broke away, I got the bag back with everything still in it, but my handphone ruined from the water.

I like to think that the people in the alley were being altrusitic, not wanting Thao's bag for themselves. I figured the thief is not used to being chased and continued pursuit would cause him to give up.

If you are in Dist1 and many places in Dist 3 many many businesses have security guards outside. There are a lot of them. I suspect if a thief on foot took your bag and you gave chase in these areas the guards would assist you.

Still, there is the danger of the drive-by grab to which your defense is again to be sure to have your bag secure to your person and not on the road side of the sidewalk

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Like so many tourists this week I found my ATM card does not work in HCMC. I tried so many ATMS but only found other tourists with same problem

So I called my little hustler friend Thuy who's job it is to get money out of foriengers and sure enough she knows the only working ATM in HCMC. Its at the SACOMBANK on Pham Ngu Lam St Quan 1, but NOT those ATMs in the wall, ****the only one that works with foriegn ATMs is the standalone by the bank counter opposite the wall mounted ATMs.**** Like the 3 other tourists ahead of me, I tried the wall ATMs and began to leave but Thuy insisted to use the standalone and for the first time in days I got some cash

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This last time in HCMC I noticed more new pedestrian signals being installed for "walk" / "dont walk"
Remember that such traffic controls dont really apply to motorbikes. Be careful not to focus on the "walk" signal and step out as even if most traffic stops, there is the typical errant or wrong way motorbike that is often coming - sometimes on the sidewalk and sometimes at fast speed.

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