What regional threats?
1. Laos is under Vietnamese protectorate-ship and the country has free range into Laos' territory.
2. Cambodian leadership is under influence of the VCP and the VPA has a powerful influence on the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. Not to mention that Vietnam can easily "pincer" Cambodia with a Corp Size Force. The Viets have dominated the Khmer region for centuries now, and the fighting ability of the Cambodian military is inferior to that of the Vietnamese as per recent findings.The Vietnamese have inherited the East Asian brutal warfare spirit.
3. Thailand will not engage the Vietnamese directly; Thailand would not last a week in a open war with the Vietnamese. Period.
Its important to understand that when regarding Vietnam, we are referring to a land and people that was considered "Cochin-China" or "Indo-China". This region was the crown center of French imperialism in southeast asia and a source of contention between the British and French in domination. Vietnam was very much considered "Chinese" by foreigners during the age of European Imperialism. Culturally , linguistically, even phenotypically speaking they were considered close to the Chinese. So it is not with merit to assume and suppose that the Vietnamese have the same work ethic as the Chinese, the Koreans or Japanese.
They do. I have seen VIetnamese Americans work in my classroom(s), have seen them in lab works, they are studious and as dedicated as any Chinese, Japanese student i had taught. If i were to base my assumption on Vietnamese capabilty on my students', then I'd say that Vietnam will be an industrialized power within 2-3 decades time.
They are collectivists, practically homogenous, and are success driven, as a whole.
They will rise. It is best not to underestimate our Confucian cousins of the Southeast.