Vietnamese deputy prime minister calls for swift probe into Long Thanh International Airport corruption allegations, says project will proceed without disruption

[Hanoi, Vietnam = Reporter Vu Thi Tien] The Vietnamese government has ordered a swift investigation into alleged illegal acts related to the Long Thanh International Airport project.
According to local media reports on the 22nd, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc instructed the Ministry of Public Security at a project review meeting on the 21st to clearly determine the extent of violations by institutions and individuals involved in the airport project. The investigation will focus on key officials who directly oversaw the project owner and construction work. He also urged authorities to ensure that personnel not directly involved in the violations continue to take part in the project so that overall progress is not disrupted.
Deputy Prime Minister Tuc also called for normal payments to be guaranteed for items with no irregularities, while appropriate measures should be prepared for parts where violations were found. Investigators will continue reviewing evidence in cooperation with relevant ministries, including Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), the Ministry of Finance (MOF), and the Ministry of Construction.
The Ministry of Finance must quickly reorganize ACV's structure and personnel by the 22nd and set up a task force to resolve payment-related difficulties. ACV also plans to recheck the quantities, progress, manpower, equipment, and materials for all bidding packages, while urging contractors to strengthen staffing and resources to accelerate construction.
Long Thanh International Airport is a key national infrastructure project in Vietnam. It covers about 5,000 hectares and has a total investment of around 337 trillion dong ($18.9394 billion). By the end of 2025, some parts of Phase 1 had been completed and the airport had received its first flight.
The investigation began after several ACV executives, including Chairman Vu The Phiet and Nguyen Tien Viet, head of the Long Thanh International Airport Management Committee, were arrested on March 5 on suspicion of bid rigging and bribery. On the 8th, the Central Inspection Commission of the Communist Party of Vietnam expelled Nguyen and other related figures from the party and asked higher authorities to consider disciplinary action against Chairman Vu.

[email protected] Reporter Vu Thi Tien Reporter