E72: What Singapore’s Ambassador learned from his first 10 months in Vietnam

What does Vietnam look like through the eyes of someone arriving at one of the most ambitious moments in its recent history? Ten months into his posting, Singapore’s Ambassador to Vietnam, Rajpal Singh, joins Ian Paynton to reflect on what he has learned so far — from the country’s infectious energy and optimism to its pace of change, its openness to outsiders and the ever-growing relationship between Vietnam and Singapore.In this episode:Why Vietnam’s energy can only truly be understood from the groundWhat makes this such an ambitious moment in the country’s developmentThe opportunities and learning curves facing newcomers to VietnamWhat the Ambassador has discovered about Vietnamese food, family life and hospitalityWhy Singapore and Vietnam are natural economic partnersWhat the two countries have in commonHow Vietnam and Singapore's relationship is expanding into technology, AI, sustainability and food securityChapters00:00 — Introduction01:00 — Ten months as Singapore’s Ambassador to Vietnam02:10 — Feeling Vietnam’s energy from the ground03:40 — Optimism, ambition and Vietnam’s next leap05:50 — Learning Vietnamese and understanding the country07:40 — Why Vietnam cannot be understood overnight08:30 — Life as an ambassador09:50 — Bun cha, bun bo Hue and bia hoi12:00 — Discovering Vietnam as a family14:20 — Vietnamese openness and hospitality16:30 — Highlights from the first ten months18:10 — The Vietnam–Singapore Industrial Parks20:00 — What Singapore sees in Vietnam21:50 — Why Singapore and Vietnam are natural partners22:40 — Two countries that have overcome the odds23:45 — Supporting Vietnam’s next stage of growth24:35 — What comes next for Ambassador RajpalSend us Fan MailIf you enjoy this conversation or think someone in your network could find value in it, please share it and hit follow to get notified when the next episode drops. This podcast is brought to you by We Create Content, the content marketing agency that builds audiences for global brands in Vietnam. You can follow our host, Ian Paynton, on LinkedIn, and follow the podcast on Instagram, TikTok and X. A special thanks to DJ Jase at The Beats Saigon for the soundtrack, and to YOU for listening.