I agree with you with regards to your advice for pilots who are considering a long term career at VN. The outlook is not very good. In the past it was good in terms of longevity, but nothing last forever. Remember, not everyone is looking for a long term thing and I believe there is still a few years left in it for captains. In saying this, you would be pretty foolish as an expat in any foreign country to expect longevity as a pilot on contract.
And about living in VN... The only one good point is that you can save a lot of money ( if you get used to the local living style ) or you can waste even much more than in your own country ( if you can’t get used to the local life style ). You can’t buy a car, first becauee has no sense... There are no roads ready for driving a car, and you are rounded all time for millions of motorbikes trying to pass first!! Maybe you can kill someone soon or later, if you drive a car in VN. And the taxes... You will pay 3 times the price of a normal car in Europe. So, where is the good point of living in Vietnam? There is NOTHING. Just the commuting contract, because you can escape from here often. Ah, i forgot, as the only one good point in this country... The girls, ok, i agree with that... This is a huge cheap candy store. So, having this in mind, sorry... I can’t recommend to any of my friends or colleagues to leave their actual companies for something like this.
Who the hell needs or wants a car in Vietnam?? The pay is good, the commute is good. What else do you expect or want from a S/E Asian nation? Where else do you think is better for an expat with regards to lifestyle? China? Africa, Middle East? If you can't be satisfied in Vietnam, you will probably never be satisfied anywhere. Probably best to go home my friend, or are you unhappy there too?