Vietnamese imperial throne damaged by man in former capital
The People’s Committee of Hue City called this incident "extremely rare and unprecedented," and announced that the Centre for the Conservation of Hue Monuments has ordered the relocation of the throne to a secure storage facility at the Royal Antiquities Museum.
The Centre for the Conservation of Hue Monuments on Sunday confirmed that a serious incident had taken place at Thai Hoa Palace in the Imperial City of Hue, in which a male tourist, suspected to be under the influence of drugs, trespassed into a restricted area and climbed onto the imperial throne.
Initial reports indicate that the incident occurred shortly after noon on Saturday, causing substantial physical damage to the artefact recognised as a national treasure.
The man, Ho Van Phuong Tam, born in 1983, is originally from Hue but currently resides in HCM City. He purchased an entrance ticket before approaching the roped-off area of the palace.
He then climbed onto the throne and exhibited signs of severe intoxication. Due to low visitor traffic at the time, the incident went unnoticed for a short period until security personnel intervened.
A visitor recorded the scene and posted the footage online, sparking widespread public outrage.
Hue City police have detained the individual and launched an investigation.
Thai Hoa Palace, the most important structure within the Imperial City, served as the ceremonial hall where Nguyen dynasty emperors held court, received envoys, and conducted major national events.
The throne, reportedly the original one, situated at the palace’s centre, was officially recognised as a National Treasure of Vietnam in 2015.
The People’s Committee of Hue City called this incident "extremely rare and unprecedented," and announced that the Centre for the Conservation of Hue Monuments has ordered the relocation of the throne to a secure storage facility at the Royal Antiquities Museum.
A replica has since been placed on display at Thai Hoa Palace to accommodate visitors.
The centre will also invite experts and artisans to assess the damage and propose an appropriate restoration plan. Security measures at the heritage site are set to be strengthened, with an emphasis on the protection of artefacts and national treasures.
Surveillance footage and initial investigations showed that two security guards were on duty at the time. When Tam entered the palace and began behaving erratically, one guard attempted to escort him out. However, he returned unnoticed shortly afterwards, slipped past the barrier, shouted incoherently, and broke the left armrest of the throne.
Security staff cautiously attempted to defuse the situation from a distance to prevent further damage and called for reinforcement. The suspect was subdued and handed over to the Dong Ba Ward police.
Due to his unstable mental state, including delusions and incoherent speech, authorities have been unable to take his formal statement. Police are now arranging for a psychiatric assessment and working with the Phu Xuan District People’s Procuracy to collect evidence and determine the responsibilities of all involved parties.
Tâm moved to HCM City with his family in the 1990s. In mid-May 2025, he returned to Huế and stayed with relatives in Huong Long Ward, but was later forced to leave and has been living rough. In July 2023, the People’s Court of Tan Binh District issued a decision ordering Tâm to undergo compulsory rehabilitation for drug abuse.
Viet Nam News
Asia News Network
