Power of Capital

Chapter 2Gem on the Pacific Rim: Vietnam: From a War‐Torn Past to a Sizzling Future

My stomach churned as the engine of my prop plane blasted my ears. I had been up much too late the night before, celebrating my good friend's wedding at a Thailand resort, and I was sneaking away for a couple days for a side trip to Angkor Wat. When we landed, I found the airport was tinier than that of my home airport in the rural South. I descended the rickety portable stairs and walked to the customs room to receive my visa. I listened to the chip‐chomp of the mechanical stamps churning out visas to each passenger. When my turn came, I noticed suddenly that I was the last in line.

The passport agent looked with concern at my passport. He left to speak with his coworkers, and they gathered to discuss me in Khmer, a language I couldn't understand. Once the conversation ended, one of the guards approached me. He whispered, “There's a problem. You're traveling with a full passport which cannot be updated, it seems.”

No way, I thought. I'm a frequent traveler. I've never had trouble passing in and out of countries. I was skeptical, but I played nice.

After a long pause, he continued. “I can help you,” he said, “but you have to pay me. Ten dollars, in US currency.”

I could tolerate that. It was a reasonable way out.

But he went on. “This is not allowed, you know. You can't tell anyone,” he said. “If you do, I will get in trouble. And so will you. You will never be allowed to leave the country.” ...