On 17/12, the Lam Dong Provincial Inspectorate announced its inspection conclusions regarding the land allocation and lease for the Hon Rom Hill luxury villa and resort project. The project is located in Mui Ne ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan province.

This project, spanning 85,7 hectares, received investment policy approval from the former Binh Thuan Provincial People's Committee in 2016. Thien Hai Joint Stock Company is the investor, developing the project on the Hon Rom hill area along Mui Ne beach.

An aerial view of the Hon Rom Hill project area in Mui Ne ward. Viet Quoc

An aerial view of the Hon Rom Hill project area in Mui Ne ward. Viet Quoc

The inspection revealed that the former Binh Thuan Provincial People's Committee did not comply with a 2015 directive from Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai. The committee incorporated 20 hectares of "urban residential land" into the project, despite the approved policy only allowing land for production and business to invest in a tourist area, without urban residential land.

Previously, during giai doan 2012-2013, the Hon Rom Hill land area was put up for auction three times without success, with the intended use being land for production and business. In 2015, the province sought the Prime Minister's opinion and received approval to allocate the land without auction, but maintaining its tourism land purpose.

However, in 2017, the Binh Thuan Provincial People's Committee decided to allocate 20 hectares of urban residential land to Thien Hai Joint Stock Company for building villas for sale and lease. Concurrently, it leased nearly 63,84 hectares of commercial and service land. These actions contradicted government directives and did not align with Phan Thiet City's approved land use plan.

The Inspectorate determined that this decision altered the initial land use and auction plan. Instead of re-auctioning the land, the province directly assigned it to the enterprise, posing a potential risk of loss of state budget revenue.

Following public feedback, in 2022, the former Binh Thuan Provincial People's Committee adjusted the investment policy. This change shifted the project's focus from building villas for sale and lease to investing in a high-end resort.

The investor unilaterally leveled Hon Rom Hill without a construction permit since 2021. Viet Quoc

The investor unilaterally leveled Hon Rom Hill without a construction permit since 2021. Viet Quoc

Responsibility for these violations was attributed to several officials. These include Mr. Le Tuan Phong, former Director of the Department of Planning and Investment, who later became Chairman of the Binh Thuan Provincial People's Committee; Mr. Nguyen Duc Hoa, former Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; and Mr. Ho Lam, former Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. Many other related individuals and collectives were also implicated.

The Provincial Inspectorate recommended that the Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee direct the review and handling of responsibilities for violating organizations and individuals. It also assigned relevant departments and agencies to advise on a project resolution plan in line with the Central Government's general policy, to prevent the loss of state resources.

Earlier, in 2021, despite not having completed legal procedures, the investor proceeded to level, destroyed vegetation, and lowered the ground level of the Hon Rom hill area. This caused public outrage, and the project was subsequently suspended and remains so.

Hon Rom – a small mountain jutting into the sea in Long Son fishing village – is a famous natural scenic spot in Mui Ne. It is known for its distinctive vegetation and its association with the 1995 total solar eclipse observation event.

Viet Quoc