A Hà Nội resident’s viral video series exposes a drastic reduction in government compensation for land clearance related to the Trần Hưng Đạo Bridge Project, dropping promised payouts from 470 million đồng to virtually nothing.
The Latest: In recent days, a Facebook account named Nguyễn Thu Thủy has posted a four-part video series detailing the state’s land clearance and compensation process for her family’s home and land under the Trần Hưng Đạo Bridge Project in Hà Nội.
- In a video posted on the evening of June 23, she revealed that the state reduced the compensation amount from 470 million đồng ($17,900) to just 15 million đồng ($570).
- The video quickly spread on social media, receiving more than 19,000 reactions alongside thousands of comments and shares.
The Details: In her videos, Thủy stated that April 7 was the lowest point for her family because they received an official compensation decision of zero đồng and lost their resettlement allocation.
- Previously, under the draft compensation, support, and resettlement plan, her family was expected to receive 470 million đồng and one resettlement allocation in Thư Lâm Commune, Hà Nội.
- Her family had already drawn lots and received the result of their location. She posted photos of the draft compensation plan and the lot-drawing slip as evidence.
“I thought today I would have to receive the land handover decision and pay the tax for the resettlement land. How did it become like this? I read it and didn’t even know where I was or what I was doing anymore,” she said.
Thủy noted that among the 51 households affected in the first phase of land clearance, 12 received a compensation of zero đồng, while others saw their payouts significantly reduced compared to the original draft.
- When she questioned officials about the discrepancy, they explained the earlier plan was only a draft and that households receiving zero đồng could file complaints.
She filed a formal complaint on April 8. Her family handed over the site on April 10 and has had to rent housing while waiting for the state’s policy.
“All our plans have now vanished into thin air. All the effort over the past several months has become meaningless. I don’t know what the future holds for my family. I don’t know where we will live after handing over our home with these 15 million đồng,” she said.
Questioning the justification for such a massive policy change, she stated:
“If they had given me a zero-đồng plan from the beginning and had not allowed me to draw for resettlement, then I could have started filing complaints then and I would be less shocked now. But they let us draw lots, made all kinds of promises, and now have issued a decision wiping everything out—no compensation, no resettlement. I don’t understand how administrative officials work. Until now, I’m still renting a place and waiting for the state’s policy.”
Luật Khoa was unable to contact Thủy, as her social media accounts currently do not accept messages from strangers. Although she stated that she would recount future developments in later posts.
- It remains unclear how authorities are handling her complaint.
Video Content: In the three previous videos, she described the process by which authorities notified residents about the project; measured and inventoried homes and land; compiled documents; and issued the draft compensation plan.
- She repeatedly said that although she knew her property would be recovered and that the expected compensation “could not buy a plot of land or a house equivalent to where we are living now,” she still complied with the state’s policy.
- The videos did not specify the legal or administrative basis for adjusting the final compensation from zero đồng to 15 million đồng.
Public Reaction: In the comments under Thủy’s video, the vast majority of users expressed sympathy for her situation and anger over the government’s process, though a few accounts questioned the legal status of her land documents. These accounts suggested that she posted the information to attract engagement.
The Background: The Trần Hưng Đạo Bridge is one of Hà Nội’s key transport projects. Crossing the Red River, it is expected to create a new connection axis between the city center and the eastern part of Hà Nội.
- On Feb. 25, 2025, the Hà Nội People’s Council approved the project’s investment policy. Initially, the bridge was slated to be 5.6 kilometers long with a total investment of nearly 16 trillion đồng, implemented from 2025 to 2027.
- Construction officially began on Oct. 9, 2025.
- On Nov. 13, 2025, the Hà Nội People’s Council adjusted the investment policy, reducing the length to about 4.18 kilometers while increasing the total investment to more than 16.2 trillion đồng.
- The project requires the recovery of about 30.95 hectares of land. In Hồng Hà Ward alone, authorities must recover more than 4.4 hectares, affecting 335 households.
- Since late April 2026, authorities have moved urgently to clear land, and hundreds have rushed to relocate as a result. By early May 2026, the project management board stated that 99% of residents had agreed to hand over the site.
Why It Matters: In late May 2026, numerous other households were similarly alarmed after receiving draft land recovery plans with zero-đồng compensation under the separate Phú Thượng Park Project in Hà Nội.
The People’s Committees of the wards located within the project area have also said that they must safeguard residents’ legitimate interests when recovering land.
Lê Sáng wrote this article in Vietnamese and published it in Luật Khoa Magazine on June 24, 2026. The Vietnamese Magazine has the copyrights to the English translation.
