Can't speak for Vietnam but in Thailand, a place also targeted for retirement by westerners, foreigners can't buy property at all.
... is not true. You're thinking of land. There are heavy restrictions, but condo ownership -- for example -- is usually straight-forward. Also, it's possible to get a 30-year lease on land, which for a retiree is probably going to be sufficient.
I would implore you to not hold your breath on this
I can't speak for your situation, but I spent 3 months in Thailand and folks were hurting badly from everything related to the pandemic. Tourism is way down, and lockdowns have hurt there like everywhere else. I'd never rule out Thai government incompetency, but they're in between a rock and a hard place at the moment and looking for ways out.