Tensions are mounting in Ba Vì Commune as residents clash with local authorities over a proposed massive safari ecotourism project.
The Latest: On the afternoon of Sept. 29, Ba Vì Commune authorities met with “relevant organizations, village representatives, and representatives of households in Giáp Thượng and Sơn Lý villages regarding the proposed Ba Vì Ecotourism Complex—Safari Component.”
The Details: During the meeting, residents from the two villages “directly raised numerous comments and requests,” according to the commune’s Facebook page.
- The post summarized requests for the continued disclosure of the project’s boundaries and scope; complete information and planning maps “at an appropriate scale,” displayed at village community centers; and additional meetings in the villages.
- However, the official account did not quote any residents directly.
The official account also did not disclose how many households in Ba Vì Commune were invited, how many people actually attended, or how the representatives were selected.
- Photographs from inside the meeting hall show rows of tables occupied mostly by officials and public employees.
- Farther back, there was just one row of tables seating three formally dressed people and one row of residents, followed by numerous empty chairs.
Additionally, Nguyễn Giáp Đông, deputy secretary of the commune’s Party Committee and chair of its People’s Committee, urged “residents to exercise caution regarding unverified information.”
- He warned that “deliberate dissemination of false information will be reviewed and dealt with in accordance with the law.”
From the Residents: Affected residents have turned to social media to express their views.
- At 7 p.m. on Sept. 29, the account save.bavi wrote:
“At 7 tonight, residents again spread out mats at checkpoints to stop them from coming to perform a groundbreaking ritual. The commune sent notices inviting households representing the villages—designated by the village chiefs—to a meeting at the commune offices.”
- Early on Sept. 30, the account thhue.23 posted:
“Residents haven’t agreed, yet they’ve already come to break ground for the safari project. At 2 a.m., they sneaked up the hill to perform a ritual and were discovered by residents.”
The Background: On Sept. 28, domestic media reported that Mặt Trời (Sun) Real Estate Group Joint Stock Company, a Sun Group member company, had submitted an application to Hà Nội’s Department of Finance.
- The application sought investment policy approval for the Ba Vì Ecotourism Complex, which includes a safari park.
According to those reports, Sun Group proposes being selected under the “special circumstances” provisions of Capital Law 02/2026.
- In other words, the company is asking to be chosen as the investor without competitive bidding.
Thành Phương wrote this news article in Vietnamese and published it in Luật Khoa Magazine on September 29, 2026. The Vietnamese Magazine translated it into English.
