At least three of the 39 victims found in the back of a truck in Britain last week set off from Vietnam's "Billionaire Village" in search of their fortunes.
A billion dong may only be around $43,000, but in the rural north-central town of Do Thanh the money goes a long way. Even farmers live in palatial mansions, paid for with money sent back by family members working abroad.
Nguyen Van Ha, chairman of the rice-farming commune in Nghe An province, said, "70 to 80 percent of the villas here have been built with remittances.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.