Raymond Mallon @raymallon.bsky.social

Hà Nội based father, traveller, and itinerant atheist economist. Dabbles in grapes, food, travel, cycling, and books, and learning how countries develop.

[David Pocock @DavidPocock]

Approximate passports costs:
🇨🇦 Canada = ~$170
🇬🇧 United Kingdom = ~$195
🇺🇸 United States = ~$180
🇳🇿 New Zealand = ~$225

Australian 🇦🇺 passport cost...$422

Passport fees and charges are expected to generate $1.12 billion for the 2029/30 FY. In the same FY, expected revenue for PRRT is projected to be $1.25 billion

[Nick Bryant @NickBryantNY]

The myths of US democracy, as the Supreme Court mounts its latest attack on voting rights. My latest Substack post at History Never Ended. All content is free.

https://t.co/3kPUsmwNI9

[Raymond Mallon @raymallon.bsky.social @mallonray]

@bill_hayton Journey Times: London-Birmingham, 49 minutes (was 1h 17m).
Scope & Challenges:
Tunnelling: Approximately 65 miles (105 km) of the route consists of tunnels, featuring five twin-bore tunnels.
Cost Overruns: Phase 1 costs exceed initial estimates, by £50 billion.

[Raymond Mallon @raymallon.bsky.social @mallonray]

@bill_hayton Possibly views colored by British experience? Việt Nam needs to learn from British fiasco with HS2 https://t.co/Ov61oibRUZ

[Raymond Mallon @raymallon.bsky.social @mallonray]

@bill_hayton Key Details of the HS2 Experience:
Distance (Phase 1): ~143 miles (230 km) or 140 miles, connecting London (Euston/Old Oak Common) to the West Midlands (Birmingham Curzon Street).
Speed: Designed for 360 km/h (225 mph) max, with 330 km/h (205 mph) intended for daily operation.

[Raymond Mallon @raymallon.bsky.social @mallonray]

An in-depth interview on evolution of business environment reforms in Việt Nam with a well informed journalist https://t.co/UCijppRW34

[Raymond Mallon @raymallon.bsky.social @mallonray]

Is Aid Reaching the Poorest? Using the Global MPI to reassess ODA priorities https://t.co/YNAOkiOGbY

[Raymond Mallon @raymallon.bsky.social @mallonray]

Úc rất may mắn

[James Pearson @pearswick]

NEW: An Iranian girls school that took a direct hit on the first day of the war had a yearslong online presence, including dozens of photos of the children and their activities, before it was bombed along with at least six other buildings in an adjacent military compound.

[Raymond Mallon @raymallon.bsky.social @mallonray]

Major improvements in Việt Nam. More reforms to reduce corruption planned

[Ash Sethi 🇹🇭 @iashsethi]

2025 Transparency Intl Corruption Perceptions Index:

3 🇸🇬 Singapore
52🇲🇾 Malaysia
81 🇻🇳Vietnam
109 🇮🇩Indonesia
116 🇹🇭Thailand
120 🇵🇭Philippines

In 9 years, Vietnam improved from 113th to 81st.

Thailand can, and must also shed its dubious three digit ranking.

[Harvard's Growth Lab @HarvardGrwthLab]

🚨NEW: Economic Complexity Rankings find Vietnam 🇻🇳 will lead the WORLD in per capita growth over the next decade.

China 🇨🇳—despite being the 2nd-largest economy—follows closely behind. 

What's driving this? Productive capabilities.

Our new growth projections reveal which countries are poised to lead global growth. And the results will surprise you - @ricardo_hausman. (1/7)

[Raymond Mallon @raymallon.bsky.social @mallonray]

Need urgent action to avoid the situation in Hà Nội getting this bad https://t.co/Ve3J8tAdPg

[Raymond Mallon @raymallon.bsky.social @mallonray]

Did you ever wonder what happened to “the Floater” in HCMC? The bizarre story of floating hotel demolished on Kim Jong-un’s orders https://t.co/JYDE7EJpS7

[Raymond Mallon @raymallon.bsky.social @mallonray]

Action urgently needed in Hà Nội https://t.co/T4A9blBN5Q

[Thomas Piketty @PikettyWIL]

Today, I joined 500+ researchers from 70 countries in calling on world leaders to create an International Panel on Inequality modelled after the IPCC— as recommended by the G20 Committee on Inequality led by @JosephEStiglitz. Help us spread the call.

🔗https://t.co/R6mNpSUxMT

[Viet Nam Government Portal @VNGovtPortal]

Viet Nam's GDP growth accelerates to 8.22% in 3rd quarter, finance minister says
https://t.co/HzLqkxTS0I

[Raymond Mallon @raymallon.bsky.social @mallonray]

Wow

[VnExpress @vietnamenglish]

Hanoi FC name Australian Harry Kewell as head coach https://t.co/H0Wim1LEkV

[Nabil Al-Nashar | نبيل النشار @NabilAlNashar]

It’s being sold as Trump’s peace plan but look closer at this leaked document and you’ll see it’s more than likely been drafted by Tony Blair’s think tank.

Here are the details of how a foreign board of billionaires could rule #Gaza.

[Josep Prat @jprat]

Ha Giang is completely flooded. Never before the damage’s been so bad. I’m not sure how the families will recover from this. We are devastated.

[Raymond Mallon @raymallon.bsky.social @mallonray]

For a contrast in style, nuance, substance and constructiveness compared with certain other widely known leaders, that also includes clear recognition of the need to improve governance of the UN system, see https://t.co/LEmM59LkJ6