Both VCCI and MPI have requested suggestions from AmCham and other business associations in Vietnam on the recommended Government of Vietnam response to mitigate the pandemic's business and economic impact. The government has already put in place some flexibility on tax payments and has encouraged banks to offer low-interest loans.

Our Legal and VBF Committee will be compiling recommendations from our other committees and members for Board of Governors consideration and approval. Some ideas to date include requests for additional flexibility on overtime caps, and more ability to use e-filings and e-signatures to facilitate telecommuting and minimize the risks involved with paper documents.

We welcome your recommendations - particularly specific recommendations drafted by lawyers. Please send to [email protected]

Someday, we will reopen the AmCham office for business and we already have new artwork and signage outside to welcome you.

But for now, our AmCham team is hard at work, as are many of you, working from home.

In the interest of the health and well-being of our AmCham team and our members, and to contribute to the overall social distancing and management of the COVID-19 outbreak in Vietnam, all members of the AmCham team are following a Work From Home (wfh) policy. We will continue to hold all our regularly scheduled meetings as planned during this time, but with virtual participation only, at least through March 31.

We will also seek to hold virtual events, based on member interest. Our first virtual-only event was held on Thursday, March 19 as a "Virtual Business Intelligence Briefing: Legal Aspects of the COVID-19 response." For those of you who participated, thank you for your patience and flexibility. Our expert speakers were appreciated, but let's just say we identified room for improvement in the technology. The virtual HR committee on Friday, with Chairwoman Truc Huynh from Coca Cola, and Events and Committee Manager Lily Nguyen as administrator, went smoothly, including with slides.

We remain open to additional virtual events on topics of interest. Our Digital Economy leadership team is working on one to help our SME members with rapid COVID-led digital transformation. Let us know what you would find useful; we even have received some suggestions of a Virtual Connect & Cocktails!

Now classified as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), the COVID-19 situation is changing rapidly throughout the world, including in Vietnam.

Vietnam currently has 87 reported cases, with 41,918 individuals now in quarantine, 0 deaths.

Recommended precautions for most healthy individuals are careful hand washing, avoiding touching your face, disinfecting frequently-touched hard surfaces, and practicing social distancing, including avoiding large gatherings.

For the most accurate, up-to-date information, check:

We know many businesses in Ho Chi Minh City and throughout Vietnam are struggling, due to the COVID-19 virus outbreak. And we know the impact of the outbreak has been particularly hard on small, local businesses.

Welcome to our new joined partners: Dahi Handi Indian Restaurant

Aya Spa & Skincare; Mark&Vy Ao Dai; SDS Vietnam; Cincinnati Leather Boutique; Waterfit+; My Nature Beauty.

We at AmCham want to support local businesses which contribute so much to our quality of life in Vietnam by inviting them to join our 2020 AmCham Discount Partnership Program. Please consider joining for your company or refer a favorite local business by sending their email address or a copy of their business card to Membership Manager Sam Hoang at  [email protected]

Companies can choose what level discount or special offer they provide. We just ask that they follow "Most Favored Association" treatment and provide us at least the same percentage discount or special offer that they may already provide other local associations. In return, we will promote our AmCham Discount Partners businesses and encourage our members to become their regular customers as described below:

What is the 2020 AmCham Discount Partnership Program?

✓    A program in which partner businesses promote their business by offering a special discount to more than  1500 AmCham top-profile individuals  who are representatives of over  500 AmCham Company Members.

Why join?

✓   As part of our #AmChamVietnamHCMC #supportlocalbusiness campaign, we will feature select partner businesses on our Facebook page and website

✓    Your company will be promoted widely to all AmCham members, partners, and website subscribers.

✓    Discount offers are  free  to be listed in our AmCham Discount Partner Handbook on our website at  LINK  (our website has over 180,000 visitors/year and 500,000 views/year). 

✓   Your business can enjoy member rates when booking advertisements on our  Member Discount Online ,  Weekly Update Email  and  eBlast Email .

✓   Your special promotion programs can be published on AmCham's website    LINK  

How to join?

✓   Fill in the  Participation Form   HERE . 

✓   Book an Advertisement on Discount ONLINE ( Optional ):  REGISTER HERE

If have any questions regarding our program, please contact Membership Manager Sam Hoang at  [email protected]

We value and want to support our local businesses!   

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm. Please register to get the link for virtual attendance

At this new member event, you will learn more from our Executive Director, Mary Tarnowka, about AmCham Vietnam benefits, our mission, programs to help new members achieve success, and how to get involved in and maximize your investment in AmCham membership. While this event is designed for new members, we welcome other members. Contact   Ms. Sam Hoang  for more information.

9:00 am - 10:30 am,  AmCham Vietnam HCMC, Suite 323, New World Saigon Hotel, 76 Le Lai Street, District 1. Virtual participation will be facilitated.

Please join us for a collaborative, town hall style meeting aimed to identify what topics programming and initiatives we’ll focus on in 2020. Your participation will help ensure we pursue activities and produce events that our community needs.

Our discussion will be led by business guru and #1 best selling author Stephen Turban, whose writing and research on entrepreneurship, organization, and productivity has been published in Harvard Business Review, The Economist, BBC News, Freakonomics Radio, Washington Post, Bloomberg Press, PBS NewsHour, Inc, Quartz, Tech Republic, and the Times, among others.

Stephen will also be sharing insights about entrepreneurship in Vietnam… the challenges and the promise.

8:30 am - 10:30 am, Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son Square, Dist. 1

At Le & Tran, we strongly believe that all disputes must be resolved on the basis of the law, factual evidence and logical reasoning. The litigation and arbitration strategies and system of tactics and techniques we utilize are firmly grounded on this basis and always deliver a fair and equitable result which is reflective of the nature of the dispute. Le & Tran’s commitment to this philosophy has resulted in the establishment of a reputation for integrity and success.

With the assistance of AmCham Vietnam, Le & Tran has previously organized numerous seminars concerning litigation and arbitration which have been well-received by the business and legal community. For this event, we will not focus on any particular topic; instead, you are welcome to question or discuss (and even challenge) Mr. Stephen Le, our preeminent Trial Lawyer, regarding any legal question or solution you may have.

5:45 pm - 8:30 pm, New World Saigon Hotel, 76 Le Lai Street, Dist. 1. 

Join for AmCham Members Night with the U.S. Consulate General Team on Thursday, April 9 from 5:45-8:30PM at the newly-renovated New World Hotel Saigon.

This will be a special opportunity to meet your AmCham Vietnam-HCMC Board of Governors, welcome our new members, hear updates on AmCham Vietnam’s 2020 strategic goals and objectives from AmCham Chairwoman Amanda Rasmussen, and hear from U.S. Consul General Marie Damour and her Consulate General team about their 2020 priorities and events.

6:00pm, The Reverie Saigon, 22-36 Nguyen Hue Blvd., Dist. 1 

Come and join us at a special Connect & Cocktail outdoors with our Board Members and Committee Leaders at the Poolside of The Reverie Saigon. Don't forget to bring many of your business cards to network and mingle.