Following a surprise midnight raid involving hundreds of police officers in late August, Thanh Hoa police announced the indictment of tycoon Cao Tien Doan (commonly known as "bau Doan"), Chairman of Dong A Real Estate Group and Chairman of Dong A Thanh Hoa Football Club. He was charged with "violations of accounting regulations causing serious consequences" and "violations of regulations on asset auction activities."

Two weeks later, on 12/9, among the first 8 people indicted as the investigation expanded were Tran Anh Chung, Director of the Department of Industry and Trade and former Chairman of the Thanh Hoa City People's Committee; Le Anh Xuan, former Secretary of the Thanh Hoa City Party Committee; Le Mai Khanh, former Vice Chairman of the Thanh Hoa City People's Committee; Tao Minh Hanh, Director of the Thanh Hoa City Land Fund Development Center; and a judge.

Over the next two days, Thanh Hoa police arrested Nguyen Van Thi, Standing Vice Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee, and Tran Van Thuc, 56, Deputy Head of the Propaganda and Education Board, former Director of the Department of Education and Training, and former National Assembly delegate. Their specific wrongdoings have not yet been disclosed, but the charges are "abuse of position and power" and "forgery," respectively.

Do Minh Tuan, Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee for the 2021-2026 term, took early retirement. Photo: Le Hoang

Do Minh Tuan, Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee for the 2021-2026 term, took early retirement. Photo: Le Hoang

Three days prior, Thi and Provincial People's Committee Chairman Do Minh Tuan were suddenly absent from work, prompting the Provincial Party Committee to assign Vice Chairman Mai Xuan Liem to temporarily manage affairs.

The leadership of the Provincial People's Committee for the 2021-2026 term consisted of Chairman Tuan and four vice chairmen: Nguyen Van Thi, Mai Xuan Liem, Dau Thanh Tung, and Le Duc Giang. By mid-September, with Giang arrested by the Ministry of Public Security's Investigation Police Agency (C03) in July and Thi recently arrested by provincial police, and Tuan absent and then retired early, the leadership consisted of only Liem and Tung.

During this period, Lai The Nguyen, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, was also granted early retirement by the central government. Le Tien Lam, Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, was temporarily assigned to manage the council's operations.

At the Department of Industry and Trade, Deputy Director Tran Duc Luong was appointed acting director, replacing Tran Anh Chung, who is under investigation.

Nguyen Hoai Anh, the new Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee. Photo: Lam Son

Nguyen Hoai Anh, the new Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee. Photo: Lam Son

Faced with these ongoing leadership vacancies, on 17/9, the Politburo and the Secretariat reassigned and appointed Major General Nguyen Hong Phong, Director of the Department of Domestic Security under the Ministry of Public Security, to the position of Standing Deputy Secretary of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee. Nguyen Hoai Anh, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Lam Dong Provincial Party Committee, was reassigned as Deputy Secretary of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee.

Also on 17/9, at a special session, the Provincial People's Council elected Hoai Anh as Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee for the 2021-2026 term with a unanimous vote.

In just two months, 4 provincial leaders have left their positions, including the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, two Vice Chairmen, and a Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee. At the city and departmental levels, at least 4 leaders (the City Party Committee Secretary, the Chairman of the City People's Committee, the Director of the Department of Industry and Trade, and the Director of the Department of Education and Training), along with several related officials, have been indicted, necessitating interim appointments.

Le Hoang