I don't travel much in the North to I can't describe attitudes there, but I don't think its too much different. The other thing I see in the South - the churches are full. Lots of Christian churches in the south and on Sunday, they are literally over-flowing with people
its all made possible because of the collapse of the Soviet Union. The end of the cold war has really lightened communist oppression in Vietnam. Its still there, but now its more about the Party keeping control and making money. I also argue that the US presence at least kept Vietnam out of the Communist orbit long enough they avoid the worst purges and Marxist madness that Soviet Russia and Maoist China went through, so when the Eastern Bloc collapsed in 1990, it was easier for the South, at least, to return to a semi "normal" society.