WP with a 5 year VEC

Yeah, agree with Rick. The purpose of VEC to certain category of people is to exempt them from obtain a visa but a temporary stay whenever they visit in Vietnam from 3 months (old scheme) to 6 months (new scheme holders). There is no chance of work with this VEC. Of course law has many loopholes in which people can misuse 
Actually if your work is below 3 months then you don't need a WP, legally in certain cases in which many business owners misuse this, especially language centers.
Anyway there is no relation between a WP and VEC or TRC for spouse!
May be in the future, we can hope, spouses married to Vietnamese citizens will get the legal permission to stay and work here. In this case I think Indian OCI(Overseas Citizen of India - which confers spouse eligible to obtain as lifelong visa and can work in India, plus they get all benefits like a Non Resident Indian. Yes, they can buy property or do business with a repatriate basis ) card is a step ahead!

Yeah agree, many people think that being married entitles them to work here.

I hope one day you do get a horse.

If Rick and Charma are correct, how was I able to obtain a WP while providing my VEC to certify my in-country status?  I know some people who had to have bribes paid on their behalf because of items like not having a proper degree, but that was not the case with my application.  Based on what I paid my lawyer, I am certain that she didn't pay significant bribes out of her own pocket either (other than perhaps the minor ones to get it done today instead of next month) .

I do realize that the VEC is not a visa, but isn't each of the $10/90 day (or now 180 day) stamps considered a visa?  I do agree that a VEC does not entitle anyone to work but it does not seem to prohibit one from obtaining a work permit and thereby working legally.