All posts by Trần Đình Hoành

I am an attorney in the Washington DC area, with a Doctor of Law in the US, attended the master program at the National School of Administration of Việt Nam, and graduated from Sài Gòn University Law School. I aso studied philosophy at the School of Letters in Sài Gòn. . I have worked as an anti-trust attorney for Federal Trade Commission and a litigator for a fortune-100 telecom company in Washington DC. I have taught law courses for legal professionals in Việt Nam and still counsel VN government agencies on legal matters. I have founded and managed businesses for me and my family, both law and non-law. I have published many articles on national newspapers and radio stations in Việt Nam. In 1989 I was one of the founding members of US-VN Trade Council, working to re-establish US-VN relationship. Since the early 90's, I have established and managed VNFORUM and VNBIZ forum on VN-related matters; these forums are the subject of a PhD thesis by Dr. Caroline Valverde at UC-Berkeley and her book Transnationalizing Viet Nam. I translate poetry and my translation of "A Request at Đồng Lộc Cemetery" is now engraved on a stone memorial at Đồng Lộc National Shrine in VN. I study and teach the Bible and Buddhism. In 2009 I founded and still manage dotchuoinon.com on positive thinking and two other blogs on Buddhism. In 2015 a group of friends and I founded website CVD - Conversations on Vietnam Development (cvdvn.net). I study the art of leadership with many friends who are religious, business and government leaders from many countries. I have written these books, published by Phu Nu Publishing House in Hanoi: "Positive Thinking to Change Your Life", in Vietnamese (TƯ DUY TÍCH CỰC Thay Đổi Cuộc Sống) (Oct. 2011) "10 Core Values for Success" (10 Giá trị cốt lõi của thành công) (Dec. 2013) "Live a Life Worth Living" (Sống Một Cuộc Đời Đáng Sống) (Oct. 2023) I practice Jiu Jitsu and Tai Chi for health, and play guitar as a hobby, usually accompanying my wife Trần Lê Túy Phượng, aka singer Linh Phượng.

30 years from now: “I have used my time wisely,”or “I have squandered all my time?

My friends,

Time flies fast, like an arrow flying past a window.

Thirty years may seem long,
But, before you know it, they will have come and knocked on your door.

And the Time Fairy will ask softly:
What say you about your last thirty years –
“I have worked hard and wisely,” or “I’m sorry, I havev’t done anything worth mentioning. I didn’t know time flies so fast.” Continue reading 30 years from now: “I have used my time wisely,”or “I have squandered all my time?

Why did the Khmer Rouge attack Vietnam in 1975-1978 while they are weaker obviously?

QUORA

[TĐH: I am not sure that the US actively supported Khmer Rouge, as asserted in the following article. At that time, US had just lost South Vietnam (The Republic of VN) to North Vietnam (The Socialist Republic of VN), so US was depressed, angry at North Vietnam, embargoing the newly united Vietnam, and shy from involving Vietnam in anything. So, US was doing nothing related to Vietnam (except the embago), acting like US knew nothing about the astrocities happening in Cambodia. And EU simply followed its leader US. The entire Western world turned a blind eye toward Cambodia.

China punished Vietnam in 1979 for “invading” Cambodia but got black-eyed from Vietnam.

Call it anything you want, but Vietnam did eliminate Khmer Rouge and save the Cambodians from the worst astrocities in Cambodia’s history. You can ask Hun Sen directly about this.]

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Why did Kmer Rouge attacked Vietnam in 1975-1978 while they are weaker obviously?

Continue reading Why did the Khmer Rouge attack Vietnam in 1975-1978 while they are weaker obviously?

Đoàn kết một lòng – One heart united

Chào anh chị em,

Câu tiếng Việt “Đoàn kết một lòng” rất hay, với hai nghĩa hơi khác nhau:

1. Mỗi người đều có lòng riêng của mình, nhưng mọi lòng riêng của mọi người đều giống nhau. Ví dụ: Mọi người dân đều “một lòng” cứu nước.

2. Cả dân tộc, cả nước chỉ có “một trái tim,” một tấm lòng, đó là trái tim (tấm lòng) của tổ quốc.

Dù chúng ta có chế độ chính trị nào đi nữa, thì cốt lõi vẩn là “một lòng.” Continue reading Đoàn kết một lòng – One heart united

Will Vietnam economy pass Thailand in the next 15 years?

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Arkaneh Urairat · Have just returned to Thailand: 8-year-ago 3y

Will Vietnam economy pass Thailand in the next 15 years?

15 years- so near and yet so far, isn’t it? But some say 20–30 years.

Let’s get real.

Yesterday, all Thai TV viewers were made to see a piece of the news —how Vietnam’s VinFast the first lot of EV vehicles were made to line up waiting for docking on board to ship to the US… the sight that raises everyone’s eye brows.

However, it’s no surprise with Vietnam is one of the few countries to record positive economic growth during the pandemic

Continue reading Will Vietnam economy pass Thailand in the next 15 years?

Ba loại bạn có ích, và ba loại bạn có hại – The types of beneficial friends, and three types of harmful friends

Chào anh chị em,

Khổng Tử nói trong Luận Ngữ, Thiên 16, bài 4:


Tử viết:“Ích giả tam hữu, tổn giả tam hữu. Hữu trực, hữu lượng, hữu đa văn, ích hĩ. Hữu tiện tịch, hữu tiện nhu, hữu biền nịnh, tổn hĩ.”

Dịch nghĩa tiếng Việt là:

Khổng Tử viết: Bạn có ích gồm ba loại: bạn ngay thẳng, bạn thành tín, bạn có kiến thức sâu rộng. Bạn có hại cũng ba loại: Bạn giả vờ trang nghiêm, bạn giả vờ nhún nhường, bạn nịnh hót.

Continue reading Ba loại bạn có ích, và ba loại bạn có hại – The types of beneficial friends, and three types of harmful friends

Are the Vietnamese people basically from China?

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Tuan Vu · B.A. in International Relations, Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and HumanitiesUpdated 7y

Are the Vietnamese people basically from China?

The term Vietnamese understood as “descendants from Vietnam” and Chinese as “citizens of China”, or people who pratice Han Chinese culture are not the same.

Now drink a sip of coffee, fasten your seatbelt and prepare for the ride.

I’m kidding. Prepare to read my story.

To cut it short, my answer is NO. Vietnamese do not descend from China.

The terms China as well as Vietnam as countries didn’t exist until recent centuries. Our dynasties, and civilizations, however date back thousands of years ago.

Continue reading Are the Vietnamese people basically from China?

Team công ty – Team company

Chào anh chị em,

Mình nói đến teamwork trong công ty do bạn lãnh đạo.

Hãy nghĩ đến một bánh xe đạp như ảnh đầu bài. Đó toàn bộ công ty của bạn. Vòng ngoài nhất – vành bánh xe và và lốp – là mọi khách hàng của bạn. Vòng nhỏ nhất tại trung tâm – trục bánh xe – là bạn và mọi nhân viên của bạn, tức là team công ty của bạn. Các đường tăm nối trục và vành bánh xe là liên hệ giữa team của công ty và khách hàng. Continue reading Team công ty – Team company

How do you think, God?

God,
I can’t fathom all the ways You think
‘Cause You are God and I am me.
What bothers me is
People talk about Your words
In greedy, hating, ignorant ways they think;
They turn Your teaching upside down
Using Your teaching as their instrument of
Division, opression, war, and death
Centuries after centuries. Continue reading How do you think, God?

Why is East Asia (China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam) so much more developed than South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka)? Is it because the governments there are efficient or the people are hard-working?

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CaiLei · Lives in China (1975–present) Updated 1y

Why is East Asia (China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam) so much more developed than South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka)? Is it because the governments there are efficient or the people are hard-working?

It is supposed that different cultures lead to different results.

China, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam belong to the Sinosphere cultural circle and are influenced by Confucian culture; India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka belong to the Indosphere and are influenced by Hindu culture.

Continue reading Why is East Asia (China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam) so much more developed than South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka)? Is it because the governments there are efficient or the people are hard-working?

Sống là thực hành – Living is practicing

Chào anh chị em,

Mình viết mỗi ngày một bài Trà Đàm, đến nay cũng xấp xỉ 6 nghìn bài, nghĩa là “nói” rất nhiều. Nhưng thực sự nói, nghe và đọc chẳng nghĩa lý gì cả, các bạn. Mình viết nhiều và các bạn đọc nhiều, nhưng trên nguyên tắc mọi thứ đó đều như gió thoảng mây bay, chẳng nghĩa lý gì. Chỉ một điều có nghĩa lý trong đời sống là thực hành. Continue reading Sống là thực hành – Living is practicing

Monkeying around with your little monkeys

Monkey see, monkey do
Your chidren are little monkeys
Your little monkeys
They learn by watching you monkeying around.

Don’t preach
Monkeys don’t listen.

Superb visual learners!
They watch, they observe, they imitate. Continue reading Monkeying around with your little monkeys

Protein is so last year. Why fiber is the next big thing

By Jordan Valinsky Jan 25, 2026 CNN

Consumers are gravitating toward fiber-filled foods this year.

Consumers are gravitating toward fiber-filled foods this year. FreshSplash/E+/Getty Images

New York — Move over, protein. Fiber is on pace to be the next “it” nutrient of the year.

Consumers — particularly Gen Z — are fixated on stomach health, leading to the “fibermaxxing” trend taking hold on TikTok. As people try to maximize the fiber in their meals, major food companies are capitalizing on the trend with new, fiber-focused products.

“There is a consumer need in terms of digestion and gut health, and that’s something we’ve seen the last few years,” said Sherry Frey, health and wellness thought leader at NIQ. The younger generation, she added, understands that digestive health is linked to better skin and improved cognitive function.

Continue reading Protein is so last year. Why fiber is the next big thing

Bão lớn đến – The big storm comes

Chào anh chị em,

Một cơn bão khổng lồ, dài 3.700 km (2.300 miles) đang càn quét nước Mỹ hôm nay, thứ Bảy ngày 24 tháng 1. Các nhà dự báo thời tiết cho biết nó có thể kéo dài đến hai tuần ở một số nơi. Có vẻ như đây là cơn bão thế kỷ.

Trong cuộc sống của chúng ta, đôi khi một cơn bão một-lần trong-cả-một-đời ập đến và chúng ta hoàn toàn không chuẩn bị cho nó. Đó có thể là cú sốc lớn nhất trong đời cho tâm trí của chúng ta. Chúng ta phải làm gì trong tình huống đó? Continue reading Bão lớn đến – The big storm comes

Peace to people of good will

The Gloria opens:

Gloria in Excelsis Deo.
Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.

Who on earth has good will?
The dividing line
Between good and evil
Cuts through each person’s heart.

Impure is the human heart
With so much trash. Continue reading Peace to people of good will

Trade an alliance for an island? That’s a bad deal

Aurora borealis lights up the night sky over residential houses in Nuuk, Greenland, on Friday, January 23.

Aurora borealis lights up the night sky over residential houses in Nuuk, Greenland, on Friday, January 23. Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP/Getty Images


Analysis by Brett H. McGurk, Jan. 25, 2026 CNN

In 416 BC, the city-state of Athens was in a prolonged conflict with Sparta, its archrival. For years, Athens had enjoyed comparative advantage over Sparta, particularly alliances and mutual defense pacts with smaller city-states known as the Delian League. By 416 BC, the Delian League had been in place for nearly 70 years, roughly the same as NATO, the modern equivalent of a prolonged and successful mutual defense alliance.

That was also the year that Athens came to view the Mediterranean island of Melos as vital for its strategic position. Melos had no military of its own, but it sat geographically at the intersection of maritime routes that helped both protect and project Athenian power. The island had long claimed neutrality, but for Athens, that would no longer suffice.

When an Athenian delegation demanded that Melos become a part of Athens, the Melians refused and appealed to Athenian traditions of logic and justice to work out a compromise. The Athenians responded with a famous line about power: “You know as well as we do that right, as the world goes, is only a question between equals in power — while the strong do what they can, and the weak suffer what they must.”

Continue reading Trade an alliance for an island? That’s a bad deal